q2 2011
Latest
Child of Eden due Q2 in Europe
We haven't seen or heard from Tetsuya Mizuguchi's Child of Eden since TGS last September, but it's still on the way. A release schedule sent to European media outlets by publisher Ubisoft today puts the launch window for the techno-psychedelic rail shooter in the second quarter of 2011. That constitutes a delay, since a schedule sent out last month still listed the game for Q1. Since today's update was a Europe-only release schedule, it's as yet unconfirmed whether Q2 is the target release window for North America, as well; however, Amazon currently lists a June release for the Xbox 360 version (and, for some reason, July for the PS3 version). The retailer could just be relying on placeholder dates, of course, so these don't constitute solid evidence. We've contacted Ubisoft to learn exactly when we'll be able to wave our arms to create swirling synaesthetic soundscapes.
Cave porting Deathsmiles to iPhone for spring release
Along with its big Xbox 360 release announcement, shooter company Cave had some good news for iPhone fans at its event over the weekend. Deathsmiles, the flying-magical-girl shooter released on Xbox 360 last year, is coming to iPhone and iPod Touch. "From arcade to Xbox 360," the trailer reads; "and then, from Xbox 360 to iPhone." Deathsmiles will be released in spring. Unlike packaged games, Cave can self-publish on iOS, and it's been good about localizing its games in a timely manner. So the insane shooting action in the trailer after the break need not be tinged with sadness.
Cave shmup Akai Katana coming to 360 in region-locked Japan release
Akai Katana ("Red Katana," or, we suppose, "Red Sword," depending on how much translation you need) is a horizontal scrolling shooter released in arcades last year by shmup master Cave. During an event last week, the developer announced that the game is coming to the Xbox 360 in an upgraded version called Akai Katana Shin. Shin adds redone graphics, an unspecified new gameplay system, a new stage, and a 16x9 mode that redesigns enemy and bullet patterns to fit better on a widescreen display. The original version will also be available on the disc, which is due in Japan on May 26 in both standard and limited editions. Unlike some other Cave Xbox games, the company announced that Akai Katana Shin will be region-locked when it arrives in Japan. "Hopefully one of our publisher friends will be interested as it looks grand." Aksys Games published Cave's Deathsmiles last year, so Cave does have at least one "publisher friend."
Operation Flashpoint: Red River begins in April
Flashpoint newsflash: Codemasters has announced the release dates for its next big shooter, Operation Flashpoint: Red River. Virtual troops will begin hitting the e-ground on April 21 in EMEA territories, and April 26 in North America. Despite CEO Rod Cousens' intent to keep Codies' games away from other "big shooters," that date sets Red River right between Portal 2 and Duke Nukem Forever. After the break, watch a new trailer that presents the game from the perspective of one "auto-rifleman" whose accent, unfortunately, does little to sell the realism of the game.
Arcana Heart 3 coming to North America as PSN download
Aksys did two things today to maintain its status as a favorite publisher among fighting game nerds: (1) announced that it's localizing Arcana Heart 3, the third game in Examu's bizarre anime-girl 2D fighting series; and (2) in that announcement, said that the game is being released on PSN in North America. In doing so, however, the publisher also did one thing that might incite a bit of rage among some fighting game nerds: Aksys is only releasing the game on PSN (for PS3) in North America. In Japan, the fighter was released on disc for PS3 and Xbox 360. While it might be a loss for Xbox players, we're going to assume PS3 owners will be able to pick up the digital release for a bit less than it would cost them to import the disc version -- which sells for ¥7,140 ($86!). If you're unfamiliar with the series, Arcana Heart 3 is a hand-drawn 2D fighter featuring a cast of 23 female combatants, who can be paired with 23 different "Arcana" spirits to augment their abilities. Arcana Heart 3 includes three characters new to the series: Weiss, Eko and Scharlachrot, as well as a new, optional simplified control scheme for new players. It'll be available this spring; and a trailer is available right now, after the break.%Gallery-116622%
Dirt 3 kicks up dust on May 24
Date 3 has been officially dirted by Codemasters ... wait, no, Dirt 3 has been officially dated. Codies' latest rally racer will be splashing mud on virtual bystanders on May 24, a date that, according to Eurogamer, is worldwide. This fits in perfectly with CEO Rod Cousens' announced plan to launch the game in the second quarter of the year, avoiding the "congested period when everyone's putting out their shooters." To mark the announcement, the publisher sent out all of two new screens of European cars that will need to be washed very soon.%Gallery-115702%
Lay siege to Dungeon Siege 3 on May 31
Hackers and/or slashers, listen up. Dungeon Siege 3 has officially been given a North American release date. The Obsidian-developed dungeon crawler will hit shelves on May 31, and publisher Square Enix has detailed a number of retailer-exclusive pre-order bonuses to entice players. Most pre-orders include some in-game items, though both Walmart and Steam offer more tangible bonuses. Walmart is offering a mini Dungeon Siege comic from Dark Horse and a mini Prima strategy guide. Meanwhile, those who pre-order on Steam will receive free single-player versions of the original Dungeon Siege and Dungeon Siege 2. For the moment, it seems that the first two Dungeon Siege titles will be exclusive to those who pre-order the game. Whether or not they are offered for individual purchase in the future is "still under internal discussions" at Square Enix. See the breakdown of each retailer's pre-order bonuses after the break.
Final Fantasy IV Complete Collection completely available April 19
Square Enix fans going through Final Fantasy withdrawal will at last have another opportunity to buy something bearing the series name this spring. Square Enix today announced that it's localizing the Final Fantasy IV Complete Collection for PSP, with a North American release set for April 19. The collection will retail for $30. Complete Collection includes a new version of Final Fantasy IV (originally released on SNES as Final Fantasy II), with updated graphics designed for PSP and a new soundtrack arrangement. It also includes the game's direct sequel, Final Fantasy IV: The After Years, currenly available in North America as an episodic WiiWare release.
Tropico 4 coming to Xbox 360 and PC in Q2 2011
People of Tropico, rejoice! Our leader, El Presidente, in his infinite wisdom, has declared a launch window for Operation Tropico 4: next quarter, between April 1 and June 30. How thoughtful of our great leader to give us so many dates from which to choose -- but that's not all! El Presidente has also confirmed that his bold new vision will manifest not only on the PC, but on Xbox 360 as well. Recognizing the power and influence of our great El Presidente, more superpowers will open themselves up to diplomacy in Tropico 4. El Presidente has also announced he will be employing new ministers, who will help him shape this great nation through liberating policies. So, we say again: rejoice! (Not like you have a choice.) %Gallery-99369%
Conduit 2 delayed again, release date now April 19
High Voltage Studios' Conduit 2 just can't keep its grip on a solid release date. The Wii FPS is now scheduled for release on April 19, after slipping from February and March dates. A studio representative told IGN that the delay will allow the team to "continue to balance and enhance the game's multiplayer, one of the key features and focuses during the development of this ambitious sequel." Unfortunately, with the delay, it's hard to pinpoint another high-profile release to look forward to on Wii in the first quarter. It looks like Wii gamers will need to stick with Black Ops for now.%Gallery-115300%
Carnival Games: Monkey See, Monkey Do coming to Kinect in April
Well folks, it was only a matter of time -- 2K Games' Play label this morning announced a new entry in the Carnival Games series, heading exclusively to the Xbox 360 with Kinect functionality in-tow. Dubbed Carnival Games: Monkey See, Monkey Do, the family-friendly followup to the previously Nintendo-only franchise will launch at retail "this April." 2K Play's Cat Daddy Games is handling development of the title, which plans on bringing back characters like The Amazing Wodin and introducing (we're not joking here) Monkey Barker. Apparently Mr. Barker is "smartly dressed and renowned for his dancing skills" -- sure, why not?%Gallery-115243%
Microsoft announces Q2 earnings: $6.63b profit, Xbox revenue up 55%, Windows down 29%
Microsoft just announced it's had itself a solid second quarter, posting an $6.63 billion profit on record revenues of $19.95 billion. That's more or less about the same as last year, when it racked up a $6.66 billion profit on $19 billion in revenue -- and while the numbers look stable and Redmond managed to slightly beat estimates, things are changing fast underneath the bottom line: strong Kinect and Xbox 360 sales drove Entertainment and Devices Division revenue up 55 percent to $3.6 billion, but Windows and Windows Live revenue fell nearly 30 percent to $5.05 billion. That means the revenue gap between Microsoft's consumer device business and the Windows business is now just some $1.3 billion, compared to $4.8 billion this time last year -- and it undoubtedly explains why Xbox got top billing at Ballmer's CES keynote this year, after traditionally being ignored, and why Microsoft is moving Windows to ARM as the mobile and tablet spaces heat up. As for Windows Phone 7, there's nary a peep, even though Microsoft was just crowing about moving 2 million licenses yesterday -- we're taking that to mean the infant OS hasn't had any meaningful impact on revenue yet. We're going to jump on the call at 5:30PM ET, we'll let you know if anything good happens. Update: Corrected the profit numbers: it's a $6.63b profit and a $8.17b operating income, not a $8.17b profit. Update 2: As noted by our friend Michael Gartenberg, Microsoft's Q210 Windows division revenue was boosted by the inclusion of $1.71 billion in deferred Windows 7 upgrade sales and OEM pre-sales, so if you take those out, the gap between Windows and Xbox went from 3.1 billion in Q210 to 1.3 billion this quarter, and Windows sales are down 8 percent. It's not a huge change for the big picture, but it's worth noting the revenue deferral in context -- Microsoft moved cash around so it would have a huge launch quarter for Windows 7, and now things are evening out.
Atlus picks up Divinity II: The Dragon Knight Saga for Xbox 360
Divine Divinity sequel Divinity II: Ego Draconis was released on Xbox 360 in late 2009 by CDV, but now it's getting a second release from a new publisher. Divinity II: The Dragon Knight Saga collects an "extensively remastered" version of Ego Draconis, the expansion, Flames of Vengeance, and all DLC to date in one bundle that new publisher Atlus estimates at 100 hours of content. Now that it's an Atlus game, Divinity fans will be able to get some "Spoils." Each copy of the game printed for the April 12 launch will include a soundtrack CD. If you're not a fan of the open-world action RPG series, perhaps it would interest you to know that the "Dragon Knight" in the title, who is the player character, is not a knight who fights dragons, but rather a knight who is also a dragon. Actually, he fights dragons too.%Gallery-115033%
LA Noire release date officially announced, May 20 in Europe
"But, but Joystiq, I already knew the release date for L.A. Noire was May 17! You ... you told me that on Saturday, why are you wasting my time?" Are we, Mr. Smart Jeans? Are we wasting your time? Sorry, we just thought you might like to know that the date was official, and not the puckish creation of trailer-leaking miscreants. Forgive us for thinking that verifying information is a poor expenditure of your blog-reading minutes. Also, Take-Two announced L.A. Noire is coming out on May 20 in Europe. Didn't know that one, didja, smart-o? Guess that makes two eggs on your face. Double-egged. And another thing ... we're -- we're sorry about being so crabby with you. We don't know what came over us. Let us get some coffee in us, the next post will be nicer. You'll see.
Get some Duke Nukem Forever on May 3, 2011 [update]
It will have taken over a decade to get here, but we can finally, definitively tell you that Duke Nukem Forever may really, actually launch on May 3 in North America, followed by its worldwide release on May 6. Game Informer exclusively revealed the launch date alongside cheeky remarks from Gearbox Software prez Randy Pitchford, who humbly characterized his company's experience with the project as "inconceivable, incorrigible and inspiring." 2K Games head Christoph Hartmann was equally excited, exclaiming, "The moment fans all over the world have been waiting for is almost here ... His return is going to be epic and one that will make video gaming history!" And we tend to agree -- DNF will be that rare game that's impressive simply for being released. Heck, we haven't felt that way about a game since Gran Turismo 5. Update: Catch the new trailer after the break. Update 2: Whoops! Looks like Gearbox spoke too soon and the Duke won't be arriving on May 3 after all.
Virtua Tennis 4 coming to PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii this spring
Sega has lobbed out its official announcement for Virtua Tennis 4. Previously announced only at a Sony conference, the new Sega note reveals that the tennis sequel is bouncing to Xbox 360 and Wii as well, all due in spring 2011. All three versions will include motion-control capabilities -- the PS3 version's Move compatibility was known (and motion controls for the Wii are obvious, though they will be "MotionPlus" controls), but this will be the first true tennis "sim" to make use of Kinect, since March's Top Spin 4 will not be Kinect compatible. In addition to those new waving-at-the-game options, Virtua Tennis 4 also brings a new "World Tour" mode that builds a unique career path based on your decisions on the court. Spoiler alert: Deciding to win more will result in a better career. "Match momentum" is also new, adding an on-screen gauge that builds your player's "confidence" as it fills. The new online mode provides tournaments and matchmaking services for "the most engaging online experience for tennis gamers ever." Combined with the motion controls, that's going to result in a lot of really awkward-sounding, breathless voice chat.%Gallery-114770%
MX vs. ATV comes Alive in May
THQ's MX vs. ATV Alive was finally made official today, as the publisher announced that the experimental off-road racer will be released this May for $40 on PS3 and Xbox 360. It's experimental, by the way, because this is THQ's long-discussed first "hybrid" game, with a "budget" disc price accompanied by an "unprecedented digital content distribution strategy" -- basically, there will be a bunch of DLC at launch and beyond. Shake off all those thoughts of business models and content strategies, and then head past the break for a teaser featuring lots of wheels on dirt -- and, apparently, lots of Gatorade spilling out of racers.%Gallery-114621%
MotorStorm Apocalypse crashing down April 12
The mere mention of a "motorstorm" itself sounds pretty apocalyptic to us. Just imagine: 1000-pound engine blocks falling from the sky! Given that, can you even begin to imagine how severe a MotorStorm Apocalypse could be? Well, you don't have to, it's happening, as Sony has announced the game's April 12 release date on the PlayStation Blog. With a few months to go before the arrival, you've still got some time to save like, so, so many coins for that 3D TV. You do want to experience the Apocalypse the way it's meant to be played -- in "mind-blowing 3D" -- don't you?%Gallery-114376%
Persona 2: Innocent Sin delayed to April in Japan
The Japanese PSP remake of Persona 2: Innocent Sin was originally set to come out in Japan on March 3. However, Atlus issued a statement today to let fans know that the release date has been pushed back a month, to April 14 -- a date that is now reflected on the official site. It'll be available both on UMD and PSN. According to Dengeki, Atlus cited no specific cause of the delay, instead just affirming that there were "various reasons." We're okay with the delay anyway, as it just gives Atlus USA more time to announce that North American release before the game hits Japan. Right, Atlus? Right?
Michael Jackson: The Experience moonwalks onto PS3 and Xbox 360 April 12
Someone whose name has been lost to history once said, "Don't stop 'til you get enough." And that's exactly what Michael Jackson fans have done with Ubisoft's Michael Jackson: The Experience. Fans have not stopped buying the game to the tune of two million copies so far -- what Ubisoft's declared a "global holiday hit" -- in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, across the currently available Wii, DS and PSP releases. As for the forthcoming PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, Ubisoft has announced you'll be able to pantomime along to the hits using Kinect or Move on April 12 in North America, and on April 14 in EMEA territories. Additionally, the "Blood on the Dance Floor" and "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" songs will be exclusive to these versions, "with additional tracks to be revealed soon." Update: The "additional tracks" are ... "Stranger In Moscow" and the Walmart-exclusive "Another Part of Me." The full track list is posted after the break.
