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Sprint training docs cast doubt on 2012 iPhone launch timing, but don't panic yet
The next iPhone's unveiling date is safely locked down. Whether or not it arrives at every US carrier simultaneously is up in the air, however, and there's signs that Sprint's model might not ship as quickly as we'd like. Carrier training documents obtained by iSource, which we've since verified are real, would require that sales staff and technicians all be ready to offer "in-store Apple support" on October 15th, wrapping up their earliest training by the 30th -- that's up to a month after the introductory event, which would reduce the chances of a simultaneous launch if the first wave of iPhone availability is as close as the rumors would have you believe. Before you start plotting a carrier switch out of impatience, we'll add that there's a few disclaimers at play. First is simply that October 15th is a Monday, which is very out of step with Apple's habit of launching iPhones on Fridays. We'd see that day as the target for training alone, and that's assuming that Sprint needs everyone on the same page before the iPhone is in stores. More importantly, we know from our own tips that Sprint's internal calendar is in flux: the provider may not have concrete plans until after Apple's executives leave the event stage next week. As such, we'd treat the document leak more as a heads-up than a guarantee of trouble in Sprint's schedule.
Sources claim Sharp's production of iPhone screens delayed
Not even a full moon cycle has passed since Sharp's president, Takashi Okuda, trumpeted the fact that his firm was one of the chosen few selected to provide screens for the new iPhone. Now, according to Reuters the troubled company has slipped behind on production, with The Wall Street Journal going as far to say mass production hasn't started at all. The nearest thing to a reason given for the situation is "manufacturing difficulties." If you were worried this might delay the reveal of Apple's next flagship, the WSJ also reminds us that Sharp is still one of three suppliers, though it's unclear just how big a slice of the production-pie Okuda's brigade has been given. At the very least, those on the production line can likely enjoy some much appreciated overtime.
Mugen Souls sees a short delay and an 'overwhelming' trailer
Mugen Souls, NIS America's latest turn-based RPG, will arrive in North America slightly later than planned. Originally set for September 18, the Compile Heart-developed game is now due on October 16. The European version will be released on September 28.The latest trailer highlights Mugen Souls' battle system, which combines turn-based combat with free movement. It looks complicated and, as the trailer itself admits, overwhelming. You need that kind of power if you intend to conquer seven universes.%Gallery-163214%
Molyneux's 'Curiosity' delayed to September
What's inside the cube? You might have thought you were going to find out today, but Curiosity, the first "experiment" from Peter Molyneux's 22Cans studio, has been pushed out of its August 22 release date into September, as revealed in this new trailer.Wait – maybe it's not ever actually coming out, and the release date will be continually pushed in order to create an eternal feeling of curiosity in its would-be audience. Molyneux is potentially on some next-level emotioneering here. Just in case we haven't got it all figured out, we're checking in with Molyneux for the real reasoning.
Scott Pilgrim online DLC delayed until 'fall'
The new Scott Pilgrim vs. the World DLC, which adds online multiplayer and a new playable Wallace Wells, won't make its original release date – something you might have noticed already, given the XBLA release date was yesterday.Ubisoft did not offer Joystiq a reason for the sudden delay, but did clarify a new release window. "The DLC for Scott Pilgrim will be releasing this fall," an Ubisoft rep told us. "The PSN version will release during that same timeframe. We'll have more information as we get closer to launch."You've been waiting two years for this; you can probably wait a bit longer.
Castlevania Lords of Shadow: Mirror of Fate delayed into 2013
Konami has confirmed a delay of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate for 3DS. It was originally announced as a fall 2012 game, but the 2.5D action game is now due in 2013. Konami did not offer a reason for the bump in its statement to Game Informer.Konami did not delay the release of new screenshots, featuring returning heroes Alucard (the one with the white hair) and Simon Belmont (with his post-Castlevania Chronicles red hair).%Gallery-162556%
Toshiba backs out of Windows RT devices on launch, pins it on part delays
Microsoft was quick to champion its new Windows RT partners, but it'll have to count one out. Toshiba has opted not to join the ARM crowd at first and will limit itself to Intel-based Windows 8 systems, at least in the early days. The abstinence isn't coming from any misgivings about the platform -- there are unnamed "delayed components" that would make it "impossible" to put out a Windows RT system on time, Toshiba's Eric Paulsen says. There's no mention of when the company might dip its toe in the pool later on, and we're not getting any reassuring signs that it's anytime soon given that the firm is only "monitoring market conditions" rather than committing to a plan. Although Toshiba isn't hurting for tablets given an abundance of Excite devices, the absence narrows an ecosystem that Microsoft was no doubt hoping would grow wider.
PS Blog: PlayStation All-Stars delayed a month [update: confirmed]
An item on the front page of the PlayStation Blog (above) reveals a new November 20 release date for PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale, representing a delay of just under one month from the multi-mascot fighter's original October 23 release date.However, the link on the PlayStation Blog article does not open up a full article, leaving that headline on the front page the only official announcement for now. We've contacted SCEA for more information.[Thanks, Locke_Daemonfire!]Update: The post is up now on the PS Blog, confirming the new date of November 20 for North America and Latin America. "This will let us spend more time polishing and tuning the game, and it will give us a chance to incorporate some of the great feedback we're receiving from the current limited beta to ensure we are creating the best possible fighting game experience," said SuperBot president Park Chan.
Take a deep breath, Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 delayed
When you're a sniper – a ghost warrior, if you will – waiting for the perfect moment is key. Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 was originally going to take a shot at retail in March, but decided to wait for August instead. Now, it appears the timing still isn't right, as the game will now be released on October 9, Namco has informed Eurogamer.Namco is distributing the game in Europe, but GameStop and Amazon page now list the North American release for October 9 as well. We've contacted publisher City Interactive for confirmation.
RIM: QWERTY BlackBerry 10 phone launches in 'close proximity' to its all-touch cousin
RIM hasn't had much good news to offer along with its glum fiscal first quarter, but it has given a reason to mark early 2013 on the calendar if you're a BlackBerry fan. CEO Thorsten Heins revealed during the results call that the first QWERTY BlackBerry 10 phone will arrive in "close proximity" to its touchscreen-only counterpart. What that entails is still very much under wraps, although there were clues. Heins stressed that the early batch would focus on the "premium" space, while BlackBerry 7 would hold down the entry and mid-range markets until their BlackBerry 10 replacements were ready. The tidbits won't provide much comfort to someone who has to decide on a phone by the holidays, but they hint that the truly patient could be rewarded for their calm under pressure.
Huawei pushes Ascend D Quad production to August, pins it on processor hiccups
Those of us yearning to bring Huawei's Ascend D Quad on summer vacation will have to file that dream away for next year. The company's consumer division chief, Richard Yu, has pushed back the phone's volume production from this month to August. Blame for the setback rests squarely on that custom-developed K3V2 processor -- there have been "technical problems" getting it ready, if we go by Huawei's less than precise explanation. The timing certainly isn't what we'd call ideal: now that the Galaxy S III and One X are both common features of the smartphone landscape, the Ascend D Quad's performance won't be turning nearly as many heads when it arrives. We'll have to make do with the solid Ascend P1 in the meantime.
Rumor: Assassin's Creed 3 PC delayed to November
Assassin's Creed 3 for PC will allegedly launch in November, according to a Eurogamer publishing informant. Eurogamer reports it was tipped about the delay by a source, who provided a promotional image for the Czech Republic featuring the November date. Ubisoft told Eurogamer in follow-up, "The Windows PC release date is still to be announced."Awkward. Okay, we asked Ubisoft to clarify the PC release date and the publisher told us: "Ubisoft does not comment on rumors or speculation." So ... it's a rumor that the PC version was expected to launch October 30 with the console version?When it comes to Ubisoft, not having a staggered release between console and PC would be a huge surprise at this point.
AT&T says Galaxy S III pre-orders won't land until June 25th, Samsung decides to celebrate anyways
Samsung's US Galaxy S III launch is turning out to be quite the muted affair. Along with news of staggered Sprint and T-Mobile releases, AT&T is now adding that its Galaxy S III version likely won't make June 21st at all. Pre-order customers who were promised the phone this week are instead being told to wait until June 25th; they might get it early, should the smartphone stars align properly. If you're having pangs of regret for not pulling the trigger earlier, you'll have to wait up to 10 business days before before that Marble White or Pebble Blue beauty shows at your door. AT&T is pinning the delay on short supply, much like its fellow American launch carriers. Not that the lack of handsets is stopping Samsung from kicking off an elaborate launch campaign of its own. Along with the usual celebrity and Times Square stunts, the Korean corporation is starting up a curated media hub, Beacon, and placing NFC-equipped Share-to-Go Stations: those in the happy position of carrying a Galaxy S III in their hands can download free content just through swinging by a kiosk. You can catch the full details of Samsung's escapades after the break.
Sprint Galaxy S III won't hit stores tomorrow due to 'overwhelming demand,' pre-orders not affected
Eager to get your hands on a Samsung Galaxy S III with the little Sprint logo on the back? The Now Network is being ever the tease, confirming to us through an official company spokesperson that overwhelming demand has prevented sufficient inventory from reaching store shelves. This doesn't count for early adopters that pre-ordered a 16GB model, however: they'll likely still find the precious new smartphone on their doorstep tomorrow as originally anticipated. According to Sprint, pre-orders for the 32GB version will begin next week, but the carrier isn't completely certain as to when we can expect to see those shipped out -- we'll keep you posted as the news pours in.
Penny Arcade's XBLIG game delayed on the precipice of release
The release window for Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice 3 has been tricky to nail down. First, it was due on July 10 on PC and Xbox Live Indie Games, and then PA boldly moved the date forward to June 25, with mobile versions to follow.Now, due to the late discovery of a bug (the game crashes if you remove a memory unit from an old Xbox while saving to it), the XBLIG release has been delayed. "We can't resubmit for another seven days, so we (and you, if you want to play it on there) are in kind of a holding pattern," Penny Arcade's Jerry Holkins said.The PC version will still be released on June 25.[Thanks, Tim.]
Sprint warns it's a 'little behind' on Samsung Galaxy S III, T-Mobile staggers its launch
That delayed Canadian Galaxy S III launch may have been a harbinger of US delays to come: Sprint has let Engadget know that it's running a "little behind" on shipments. The company still hopes to get all pre-orders of the 16GB model to customers by the official June 21st release, but warns that orders might slip by one or two days. We also hope 32GB customers weren't planning their schedules around the 21st -- the higher capacity won't ship until the following week. Sprint is citing both "overwhelming demand and limited supply" as the root causes, although it hasn't quantified just how whelmed those sales are. T-Mobile, meanwhile, is telling Galaxy S III buyers in some areas to sit tight. We've directly confirmed through a spokesperson an earlier leak from TmoNews that claimed Magenta will only focus June 21st retail sales on the "top 29 markets," most of them major cities. If you fall outside of those areas, you'll have to wait until shortly afterwards to pick one up, the provider tells us. As it stands, AT&T, US Cellular and Verizon still haven't committed to exact release dates and are currently off the hook.
Platinum just now hearing about Anarchy Reigns delay, apologizes to fans
Yesterday's announcement of a Q1 2013 release window for Anarchy Reigns was a surprise to us. It turns out it was also a surprise to developer Platinum Games. Producer Atsushi Inaba issued a statement to fans today in a series of tweets, expressing his surprise and explaining what he knows."First of all," he said, "we are done with all international versions of Anarchy Reigns. The delay is not due to further development of the game." In fact, "Today's Q1 2013 release news was the first we'd heard of it." Inaba apologized to fans for the confusion, and confirmed that the Japanese release will take place on July 5 as planned.
Anarchy will Reign in early 2013
Good news: the restructured Sega has not canceled the western release of Anarchy Reigns. However, Sega has delayed the release of Platinum's brawler again. Once set for July 2012 (which was a delay), then "to be confirmed," Sega has now given the game a Q1 2013 window in a brief message on Twitter. This game was supposed to be released in fall 2011.If you have access to a PS3 and a Japanese PlayStation Network account, you can download a demo of the game right now, under its Japanese name, Max Anarchy. The Japanese version comes out July 5, right around the time of its former US/Europe release window.
Crimson Dragon delayed in Japan, no new release date provided
Crimson Dragon was recently given a June 13 release date in Japan. However, even if you do have access to a Japanese Xbox Live account, you shouldn't expect it on XBLA this week, as the Kinect game by Panzer Dragoon creator Yukio Futatsugi has been delayed at the last minute.The Japanese release of the game currently has no announced release date – quite a change from June 13. No reason was offered for the sudden delay.
A different shade of Galaxy S III spotted in Germany (video)
While Europeans earnestly wait for their pre-ordered pebble blue superphones to appear, a hands-on video from Germany is purportedly showing us a darker, grayer version of Samsung's Galaxy S III. While the skeptic in us would say it's just a lighting issue, the back cover looks perceptibly different to the blue-hued slab we spent time with during its big reveal. It looks almost monochromatic -- and even shinier, if that's possible. The color borders on gun-metal gray and we have to admit, we're already a little smitten. Samsung's had issues bringing the blueish hue to the masses, so this could turn out to be the new non-white color option. Black and white is a bit played out, so our fingers are crossed that we'll get to have our pebble-colored cake and eat it. Check out the possible new look in a hands-on video after the break -- and bring on the hot pink option.
