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Capcom launches multistage assault on TGS attendees' wallets
While we're sure there will be plenty of video games and stuff to cover, it's going to be difficult for us to spend our time at Tokyo Game Show doing anything but documenting Capcom's wonderful shop offerings. In addition to the tiny Chibiterasu paw screen cleaning straps seen here, Capcom is offering a shirt with Okamiden art.There's also the requisite pile of Monster Hunter and Sengoku Basara gear, as well as Resident Evil (the zombie shirt!) and Lost Planet 2 stuff. The real big-ticket item for us (in terms of both interest and, unfortunately, price) is the Ace Attorney jacket, featuring a Blue Badger graphic.[Via Andriasang]
Microsoft's Tokyo Game Show lineup exposed
Microsoft has unveiled it's Tokyo Game Show 2009 lineup and, as usual, we've got a selection of expected blockbusters sprinkled with games catered to the Japanese market. And Infernal: Hell's Vengeance is there for some reason, too. Some of the big games that will be playable include Assassin's Creed 2, Halo 3: ODST, Lost Planet 2, Bayonetta, Tekken 6 and Forza 3. Playable XBLA games will include Bomberman Live Battlefest, Raystorm HD, 0 Day Attack on Earth and ... Shadow Complex. Naturally, there will be some RPGs and some established Japanese franchises on the floor as well, including Front Mission Evolved, End of Eternity (a.k.a. Resonance of Fate), Nier Gestalt, Ninety-Nine Nights 2 and more. There will also be some video-only showings, including Alan Wake, Splinter Cell: Conviction, Halo Legends and others. We're not sure if any of the videos will be new, but there's bound to be surprise or two. Head over to IGN for the full lineup.
Sony TGS lineup includes unannounced games, newly announced games
Sony announced its lineup for Tokyo Game Show today, minus, of course, the stuff that it hasn't announced yet. After the break, you can find the list of games that will appear at Sony's booth in Tokyo. Strangely, the company quantified the number of unannounced titles that will be present: two for PS3, three for PSP, and one new old game on Game Archives. Thexder NEO, just found on the ESRB database, is also official now, as it's in the lineup. A new PSP game from NIS, called Disgaea Infinite, also appears in the list. The new comic distribution service, Home, and other non-game services will be on display as well.
Plan your TGS 2009 adventure with this show floor map
click to (slightly) enlarge Tokyo Game Show 2009 is only two weeks away and we've finally caught a glimpse of what to expect thanks to (a supposed leak from) Konami. Today, the house that built Metal Gear revealed the TGS show floor map on its special event website, before the outline for the upcoming event was detailed by the group organizing it. While most of the map is labeled in Japanese, major booths can be spotted. Microsoft is situated near Square Enix, which is across from Sony's main booth.Other details for the event have been slowly trickling out over the last few weeks, and hopefully we'll know more before the event begins on September 24. Make sure to keep refreshing Joystiq throughout TGS 2009, as we cover the event live from Tokyo.[Via Andriasang]
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker demo to be beamed out at TGS
Compared to previous teaser nonsense from Kojima Productions (including the site that teased Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker), this TGS Peace Walker site is mercifully direct. In fact, we think that the big, bold site might be a satirical overreaction to the criticism the last teaser site received.The result is that the site is very clear about the information it wants to get across. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker will be playable at the Tokyo Game Show, both in the form of demo units and a downloadable version, which will be nice to play while attendees are in line for other demos.
Birth by Sleep awakens in this 'new' Kingdom Hearts trailer
The DS-based 358/2 Days hasn't arrived in the States yet, but Japan is already preparing for the next installment in the hugely popular Kingdom Hearts franchise. The PSP-exclusive prequel, Birth by Sleep, should be arriving in Japan this winter, and Square Enix is prepping its marketing muscle by opening the game's official website -- and with it, debuting a new direct-feed trailer for the masses. (An off-screen capture was taken at last year's exclusive Closed Mega Theater at TGS.)This story-heavy trailer shows off a number of Disney movies in action, like Cinderella, Snow White and Alice in Wonderland. (Hey, where's Stitch?) Birth by Sleep will be a huge presence at Tokyo Game Show soon, so expect our hands-on reporting later this month.%Gallery-29323%[Via PSPHyper]
First Okamiden footage: it's Okami, but smaller
As part of a "Tokyo Game Show Click Theater" showing off its TGS lineup, Capcom released a brief teaser for the DS Okami followup, Okamiden. The gameplay footage looks slightly choppy, and the textures are slightly rough, but the game is unmistakably Okami and looks pretty impressive for a DS game. Besides, it's still in an early stage.We're officially torn now. We don't want to trust an Okami game that doesn't involve Clover Studio, but Chibiterasu is unbelievably cute, and we want to own anything with his/her image on it. The game will be playable at TGS, and attendees will receive a free fan (with Chibiterasu on it, so see above for our opinion of the item).
Nomura: No Closed Mega Theater at TGS, but playable FFXIII, Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep
Tokyo Game Show attendees will have one fewer giant line to contend with this year: Square Enix will not run its traditional "Closed Mega Theater," during which new trailers are debuted. Producer Tetsuya Nomura told Famitsu (as translated by Andriasang) that the company is putting its efforts into promoting games that are coming out sooner, which means playable demos instead of giant trailers for distant games. The focus on playable and near-future titles also means that Square Enix won't be showing games like Final Fantasy Versus XIII, Final Fantasy Agito XIII, and The 3rd Birthday -- all of which appeared in trailer form at the last TGS, but still aren't playable. Instead, trailers for a few upcoming games will be shown to attendees who play the demos for Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep (coming this winter!) or Final Fantasy XIII. [Image credit, more Birth By Sleep screens]
Tatsunoko vs Capcom's four new characters to be revealed at TGS 2009
Capcom have revealed it will announce four new characters for the US and European release of Tatsunoko vs Capcom at the 2009 Tokyo Game Show. The four characters -- two from Capcom and two from Tatsunoko -- were teased to Gamespot at GamesCom by producer Ryota Niitsuma, but the game's producer would not name the additions. We're still holding out hope for some Phoenix Wright love, even though the fighting game's dev team claimed the character was once added but removed due to balance issues.Tatsunoko vs Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars adds an improved online mode, with skill level matchmaking allowing US and European players to face-off against gamers from around the world. A release date has yet to be revealed for the Wii-exclusive, but we're almost positive that whatever it is, it won't be soon enough.%Gallery-32421%
PAX 2009 Omegathon events and contenders revealed
At last, the terror-inducing gauntlet of games that participants in this year's Omegathon must navigate has been revealed by a recent press release. Listed below are the six rounds that will serve as the unforgiving battlegrounds for twenty contestants (who are named after the break) -- we can't wait to see how tournament-style Bookworm Adventures will play out. Blood will be shed, boys will become men, girls will likewise become women -- and only one will triumph with tickets to this year's Tokyo Game Show (and $5,000 in walkin' around money) clutched in their victorious paw. Round 1: Mario Kart Wii Round 2: Bookworm Adventures Round 3: Halo 3: ODST Round 4: Unnamed rhythm game (DJ Hero or The Beatles: Rock Band, perhaps?) Round 5: Connect Four Final Round: ????? %Gallery-30939%
Kaz Hirai keynoting Tokyo Game Show 2009
Riiiiiiiidge Racer! ...... Phew. Now that we got that out of our system, we can calmly inform you that Sony CEO Kaz Hirai will be delivering a keynote speech at this year's Tokyo Game Show. The title of his address: "New Tactics for 2009." Considering the reveal of the PSP Go and its download-only business model, we're looking at "digital distribution" as a big part of those new tactics. But what about old tactics? You know, slimming and trimming in an effort to reverse the recent sales slide.Additionally, a panel discussion will help fill out the Sony exec's two-hour time slot, featuring bigwigs from Capcom, Sony, Bandai Namco, and Square Enix. Other TGS speakers have yet to be confirmed.
