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PlayStation Suite SDK arrives this November
Ever since introducing the PlayStation Suite back in January, Sony has been slowly meting out information on the cross-platform service. But Sony blew out the service this morning during the company's TGS 2011 keynote, revealing that the Suite's software development kit will become available for devs this coming November. A brief demo of a basic sidescrolling shooter, named "Zero Gravity," was also shown, demonstrating the cross play between PlayStation Vita and the Xperia Play. Unfortunately, no price or exact date was given for access to the SDK, but Sony reps did demonstrate the ease of using the SDK for cross-platform development. A simple animation was created using a Sony tablet, which was then pushed across a variety of Sony and Android platforms -- "No play, no life," it read. We tend to be more of the "no food/air, no life" crowd, but we'll accept Sony's statement for the sake of demonstration.
Square Enix head Yoichi Wada sees a gaming future in the clouds
Tokyo Game Show 2011 is officially on, with today's keynote, delivered by Square Enix prez Yoichi Wada, kicking things off. Despite Mr. Wada's position at the JRPG giant, he's here speaking as the chairman of the Computer Entertainment Software Association, which means he had some pretty high level content to get through in his speech. In fact, his keynote is named, "The Nature of the Industry Revolution of Games." First and foremost, he's all about the cloud. No, not that Cloud, but the one that allows for remote gaming. "I think the cloud is a real revolution," Wada explained. In his eyes, he's got a variety of electronics with "huge processing power" -- processing power that could be harnessed for new gameplay experiences. "If you could concentrate such processing power on the cloud, then there's going to be a huge paradigm shift," he added. As for when this "paradigm shift" will happen, Wada is less clear. According to his presentation, he expects a move in that direction anywhere between now and 2015. In the meantime, he believes we're only just now experiencing the first in several new waves of change in the game industry.
We're live from the Tokyo Game Show 2011!
That's right! We're back in Japan for this year's Tokyo Game Show, and obviously we'll be getting intimate with the closer-to-final PlayStation Vita along with, hopefully, some of its just announced launch titles. While Nintendo's absent as usual (though it did throw its own party on Tuesday), we're still expecting some fresh goodies from the Xbox and PlayStation folks that should keep us entertained for awhile, plus we'll be scanning the show floor for the eccentric peripherals and other odd pieces, so wish us luck. Oh, and be sure to also check out our sister site Joystiq to get your extra dosage of TGS -- you know you want it. To follow all the action from TGS, use the tag TGS 2011.
Two new PlayStation 3 bundles (in blue and red) headed to Japan
Sony hasn't stopped trying to pique your interest in importing a flashy, Japan-exclusive PlayStation 3, announcing "Scarlet Red" and "Splash Blue" PS3s today during its Tokyo Game Show 2011 presser. Hitting stores on November 17, the freshly colored PS3s will pack 320GB HDDs and an asking price of ¥29980 ($389.85) They might not have fancy embellishments from popular RPGs, but they sure are purty.
Seen@TGS: The PS Vita and the men who love it
During Sony's TGS 2011 presser, a handful of company heads were trotted out to speak about their love for Sony's upcoming handheld, the PS Vita. And when the presser ended, they all got together for group pictures. We snapped some photos of the gentlemen, their smiles, and the Vita they so love.
Vita launches in Japan on December 17th [Updated, launch price, pre-order info]
While North American audiences won't be getting their mitts on Sony's sleek new handheld until sometime next year, Japanese audiences don't have much longer to wait. Sony's next system launches in its home territory on December 17th. Pre-orders for Japanese customers are available starting October 15th. Japanese gamers have a few different options when picking up a Vita. For the 3G-equipped model (with service courtesy of Japanese telco DoCoMo), MSRP is ¥29,980 (roughly $389.80 USD). For the Wi-Fi only model, it'll be a more modest ¥24,980, or $324.80 USD. Be sure to check out our liveblog for up-to-the-minute information live from Sony's TGS press conference.
Sony's TGS 2011 press conference, live from Tokyo
After a harrowing flight and about fifty trains across the Tokyo metropolitan area, we've arrived at Sony's Tokyo Game Show 2011 press conference and we're ready to kick off the livebloggening. As Mr. Samuel Jackson might say, "Hold onto your butts." Any minute now ...
Square Enix announces Final Fantasy 10 remake for PS Vita - and PS3
The title says it all. As one of the few well-received bits of news during this morning's Sony TGS press conference, Square Enix announced that it will bring the PS2 hit, Final Fantasy X, to the Vita and its big brother in remastered form. Details on exactly what this means were scarce, but we imagine it'll look prettier and prettier-er on the Vita and PS3, respectively.
Toro and Kuro join Street Fighter X Tekken on PS Vita
Perhaps not as fitting an announcement as Cole McGrath duking it out in Street Fighter X Tekken on the PlayStation Vita, Sony has announced the inclusion of another mascot -- one who's too cute to have its face punched, we might add. Toro, a cartoon character popular in Japan (also known as Sony Cat) has been confirmed for the lineup during Sony's pre-TGS briefing. Kuro, his neighbor in the toons, will also be playable. Keep an eye on our liveblog for up-to-the-minute coverage!
Launch line-up for Japanese Vita launch leaks [Update: UMvC3 confirmed, more]
Sure, you're probably excited (or moderately curious) to see what Sony has in store for its TGS press conference that starts in ... oh, about five minutes or so. We wouldn't want to dampen any of that excitement, but someone made an oopsie and left a slide from Sony's presentation on the screen long enough for some enterprising individual to take a picture and, well, you see where this is going. The full list of Sony's Vita lineup at TGS is after the break.
Mario Tennis swings to 3DS in 2012
If Nintendo's pre-TGS press conference didn't feel like a show stopper to you, maybe you should know that the company plans on launching a brand new Mario Tennis game for the 3DS in 2012. Alright, calm down, we know how tingly you get at the mere thought of playing a game with Waluigi, but we've yet to see his crooked face appear in any of the media released.We've gathered all the available screens into a gallery below so you can see for yourself. It seems that Mario Tennis 3DS won't employ the now official (and still officially bizarre) "Slidepad," though time could change that, of course.%Gallery-133357%
Nintendo 3DS slide pad add-on is official, ships December 10th in Japan
Nintendo didn't say so on stage during the pre-Tokyo Game Show 3DS press conference tonight, but it really is shipping that odd-looking circle pad add-on. The "extended slide pad" is up on the gaming company's Japanese home page right now, with a shipping date of December 10th and a price of ¥1500 ($19.50). There's also a list of supported games available, including Monster Hunter Tri G, BioHazard Revelations, Snake Eater 3D and more. It's powered by a single AAA battery, which our country cousins at Joystiq note probably indicates you won't be getting any extra playtime added to your 3DS by slapping this "boat" on the bottom. Check the source link below for the official info -- we'll keep our eyes peeled in Tokyo for North American release info and of course, the color matched Misty Pink edition you're already looking for.
Nintendo 3DS to add 3D video capture, upgraded eShop and more
Satoru Iwata came on stage at Nintendo's pre-Tokyo Game Show shindig and announced the 3DS will be getting a few upgrades soon. No word on any hardware changes -- yet -- but owners can expect 3D video capture as well as upgrades to the Street Pass Mii Plaza and eShop. The press conference is still ongoing, so check back for more details as they're announced or watch the live video stream (in Japanese) embedded after the break. Update: And it's all over! Nothing else new to speak of on the hardware front, and we didn't catch any more news about those software changes either. We're just getting our TGS team on the ground in Japan now, so expect more news in the days to come.
Nintendo launching 'Misty Pink' 3DS handheld on October 20th
You heard right -- The Big N's own Satoru Iwata just announced that a "Misty Pink" Nintendo 3DS console would be shipping (at least in Japan) on October 20th. Funnily enough, that was just after showing a chart proving that right around half of all DS gamers are ladies. (But Iwata -- what if the dudes dig pink, too?) At any rate, no specific price was mentioned, giving us some level of certainty that no premium will be attached. %Gallery-133313% %Gallery-133315%
The Game Archaeologist and the What Ifs: True Fantasy Live Online
As an extremely amateur historian -- and an extremely attractive archaeologist -- I've always been fascinated with the "what ifs" of gaming's timeline. What if Blizzard had pulled the plug on World of Warcraft during development as it did for Warcraft Adventures? What if Hellgate: London had a lot more time and resources before it launched? What if North America had embraced the free-to-play model much earlier instead of the subscription model? What if Shawn came to his senses before he hired me? Life would've been a lot better. Or worse. That's the problem with counterfactual history: We can make educated guesses, but we'll never really know. While it's sad to see MMOs shut down due to underperformance, it's especially maddening to contemplate MMOs canceled before they even made it to the starting gate. In a new periodic series here at The Game Archaeologist, I'm going to look at a few of the "what ifs" of prematurely terminated MMORPGs. And to kick us off, I'm tackling probably one of the most frustrating, painful subjects that still linger amongst potential fans. I'm talking, of course, of True Fantasy Live Online, the game that could've shown the true potential of console MMOs. Or, y'know, not.
Tokyo Game Show 2011 makes hearts dance Sept. 15-18
Tokyo Game Show organizer CESA has announced the final dates for this year's event: September 15 through 18, at the usual Makuhari Messe venue in Chiba. After announcing last year that it was considering axing one of the business-only days for TGS 2011, CESA has decided to keep the two-business-day and two-public-day structure in tact. For which we business-only types, and everyone who has ever tried to play any Capcom, Square Enix or Level 5 game at TGS, say thank you. Following up on amusingly upbeat slogans like "GAME, it's so energetic" and "GAME goes to a new chapter," the tag line for this year's event is (according to Andriasang's translation) "If your heart dances, it's a game."
Caption contest: not feeling so Mega today
This year's Tokyo Game Show is naturally full of people in interesting costumes, but there was just... something about this Mega Man that caught our eye, making him stand out from the sea of similarly giant-headed mascots. Despite having a laser for an arm he just didn't look like he was having a particularly good day. Josh T.: "Ladies, here's one you don't want to miss. Tall, handsome, shoots fireballs, ice, or electricity from his left arm, total sex machine. Bidding starts at $200." Tim: "You'd be making this face too if you had a saggy diaper that leaks." Darren: "P90x... what a rip-off." Paul: "If I have to star in one more shameless reissue cash-in..." Sean: "...but not as dour as the day he posed for the original Mega Man box art." Vlad: "Stewie was far from happy. He'd specifically asked for an aquamarine supervillain outfit, not turquoise. Philistines!" Chris: "When he gets like this, autograph sessions usually end in a fatality or two." Richard Lai: "Have you seen the size of his cannon in the Mega Man movie? No wonder he's mad."
Gran Turismo 5's weather effects and X1 Prototype in video
You've already heard about the new stuff coming to Gran Turismo 5, but Sony's uploaded a couple new trailers that better show off the X1 Prototype and weather effects -- both are past the break. Finally, we can all crash expensive cars in the snow like real rich people!
Phantasy Star Online 2 announced at the Tokyo Game Show
Phantasy Star Online is dead -- long live Phantasy Star Online 2! Sega just announced the sequel to the hit MMO during a livestream event at the Tokyo Game Show. Slated for release in 2011, PSO2's unveiling was a surprise to just about everyone. Phantasy Star Online released for the Sega Dreamcast 10 years ago, and launched a series of updates, iterations and sequels (including Phantasy Star Universe). While Sega was reluctant to show any gameplay or release any other details, the mere existence of the above title screen should send fans into a happy frenzy. You can read the announcement at PSOWorld and watch the livestream video below.
Sony's Monster Hunter PSP with modified analog stick hits Japan in January
In case you missed it during our liveblog, Sony announced a new special edition PSP-3000 at the Tokyo Game Show. What's special? Well, besides the Monster Hunter Portable 3rd graphics, the newly refined PSP also ships with a slightly enhanced analog stick and beefier 2200mAh capacity battery. Look for it to ship on January 12th for ¥19,800 (about $232).%Gallery-102425%
