Man. I hate boredom. Next to waiting for new consoles to poke fun at to Disney Infinity now out on consoles, there isn't much to look at. I wonder what will pop up in front of me.
It’s been revealed that the Call of Duty: Ghosts unveiling was
actually done on PC, with Xbox One controllers plugged in. With only
three months before the launch of both the console and the game, some
may be worried by this, although it’s not really as bad as it sounds.
Wait a minute. You mean to tell me that the unveiling of Call of Duty: Ghost was done on the PC? Well that's gonna mess up those who wanted to buy it on the consoles.
Anyway, various news sources pointed out that the Call of Duty unveiling wasn't done on the X-Box One, but on a PC with similar specs to an X-Box One. As a matter of fact, IGN's Scott Lowe has this to say.
This week’s Call of Duty: Ghosts event wasn’t just the first opportunity
to see the game’s much-anticipated multiplayer content, it was also my
first chance to see how the new Xbox One controller performs when
playing a competitive first-person shooter. While the controller wasn’t
paired with the Xbox One console — rather, PCs configured to next-gen
specs — the demos highlighted the new changes to the ergonomics,
thumbsticks, d-pad, and trigger design.
If you want to see more about Call of Duty: Ghosts, check out the video below
Works Cited:
GamesReviews
Monday, August 19, 2013
Thursday, August 8, 2013
NPD June 2013: After Comic-Con edition.
Folks, I'm running late again reporting for the NPD in August instead of July. Man, why do I keep getting late over this?
Before I get into details, last week Phil Fish rage quits over a tweet and ends up cancelling Fez II.
Polytron's Phil Fish has quit the games industry, cancelling the development of Fez II in the process.
Fish announced his decision through various channels on Sunday. He gave no specific reason for the move.
A statement published on the official Polytron website read: "Fez II is cancelled. I am done. I take the money and I run. This is as much as I can stomach. This is isn't the result of any one thing, but the end of a long, bloody campaign. You win."
Poor Fish. He's been fried badly. And now we'll never know the sequel to Fez. But what was it that caused the Fish to lose it?
While Fish claims that his departure is the culmination of a, "long, bloody campaign," it is believed that a recent Game Trailers video may have been the final straw.
In an episode of the GT web series Invisible Walls, Marcus Beer called out Phil Fish and Jonathan Blow for refusing to offer comment to Game Informer on rumours about Microsoft's decision to allow self-publishing on Xbox One. Beer called both Fish and Blow "hispter ***holes" and "tosspots" for their lack of communication with the press, saying, "You should be grateful that these guys still consider what you say to be something of use."
Fish subsequently took to Twitter to provide more context for his decision. "To be clear, I'm not cancelling Fez II because some boorish **** said something stupid," he said. "I'm doing it to get out of games.
"And I'm getting out of games because I choose not to put up with this abuse any more."
In other words, this is what happens when fish and beer meets. You end up getting a tasty, breaded dinner, or someone named Marcus Beer should have felt bad for what he did.
Anyway, Lemme count down the Top 10 games of June 2013.
At number 10: Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon by Nintendo for the 3DS. Who's up for pranking Luigi with a Ghost costume?
At number 09: Battlefield 3 by Electronic Arts for the 360, PS3 and PC. It still ain't like Call of Duty
At number 07: Donkey Kong Country Returns by Nintendo for the 3DS and Wii. No Kremlings allowed
At number 06: Injustice: Gods Among Us by Warner Bros Interactive for the 360, PS3 and Wii U. Meanwhile, Cyborg got in trouble for eating Raven's Nachos.
At number 05: NBA K13 by Take 2 Interactive for the 360, PS3, Wii U, PSP and PC. Good thing Dennis Rodman didn't screw up this Top 10
At number 04: Call of Duty: Black Ops II by Activision Blizzard for the 360, PS3, PC and Wii U. I'm surprised this game is still doing well with Ghosts coming around the corner
At number 03: Minecraft by Microsoft for the 360. Wait a minute, Minecraft? How did that make it onto the Top 10?
At number 02: Animal Crossing: New Leaf by Nintendo for the 3DS. Hey wait a minute. How did that get up there?
And at Number 01: Last of Us by Sony for the PS3. Nothing more needs to be said.
But what about hardware sales? Well, it is official. The 3DS truly overtook the 360.
Nintendo 3DS: 225K
Xbox 360: 140K
Is it a transition, or is something more sinister on the horizon? Stay tuned for the NPD July 2013 as we bring you more on the NPD fallout.
Works Cited:
Games Industry
NeoGAF
Before I get into details, last week Phil Fish rage quits over a tweet and ends up cancelling Fez II.
Polytron's Phil Fish has quit the games industry, cancelling the development of Fez II in the process.
Fish announced his decision through various channels on Sunday. He gave no specific reason for the move.
A statement published on the official Polytron website read: "Fez II is cancelled. I am done. I take the money and I run. This is as much as I can stomach. This is isn't the result of any one thing, but the end of a long, bloody campaign. You win."
Poor Fish. He's been fried badly. And now we'll never know the sequel to Fez. But what was it that caused the Fish to lose it?
While Fish claims that his departure is the culmination of a, "long, bloody campaign," it is believed that a recent Game Trailers video may have been the final straw.
In an episode of the GT web series Invisible Walls, Marcus Beer called out Phil Fish and Jonathan Blow for refusing to offer comment to Game Informer on rumours about Microsoft's decision to allow self-publishing on Xbox One. Beer called both Fish and Blow "hispter ***holes" and "tosspots" for their lack of communication with the press, saying, "You should be grateful that these guys still consider what you say to be something of use."
Fish subsequently took to Twitter to provide more context for his decision. "To be clear, I'm not cancelling Fez II because some boorish **** said something stupid," he said. "I'm doing it to get out of games.
"And I'm getting out of games because I choose not to put up with this abuse any more."
In other words, this is what happens when fish and beer meets. You end up getting a tasty, breaded dinner, or someone named Marcus Beer should have felt bad for what he did.
Anyway, Lemme count down the Top 10 games of June 2013.
At number 10: Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon by Nintendo for the 3DS. Who's up for pranking Luigi with a Ghost costume?
At number 09: Battlefield 3 by Electronic Arts for the 360, PS3 and PC. It still ain't like Call of Duty
At number 07: Donkey Kong Country Returns by Nintendo for the 3DS and Wii. No Kremlings allowed
At number 06: Injustice: Gods Among Us by Warner Bros Interactive for the 360, PS3 and Wii U. Meanwhile, Cyborg got in trouble for eating Raven's Nachos.
At number 05: NBA K13 by Take 2 Interactive for the 360, PS3, Wii U, PSP and PC. Good thing Dennis Rodman didn't screw up this Top 10
At number 04: Call of Duty: Black Ops II by Activision Blizzard for the 360, PS3, PC and Wii U. I'm surprised this game is still doing well with Ghosts coming around the corner
At number 03: Minecraft by Microsoft for the 360. Wait a minute, Minecraft? How did that make it onto the Top 10?
At number 02: Animal Crossing: New Leaf by Nintendo for the 3DS. Hey wait a minute. How did that get up there?
And at Number 01: Last of Us by Sony for the PS3. Nothing more needs to be said.
But what about hardware sales? Well, it is official. The 3DS truly overtook the 360.
Nintendo 3DS: 225K
Xbox 360: 140K
Is it a transition, or is something more sinister on the horizon? Stay tuned for the NPD July 2013 as we bring you more on the NPD fallout.
Works Cited:
Games Industry
NeoGAF
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Good bye Darkstalkers?
Folks, it's been awhile since I posted last. I was at the San Diego Comic-Con enjoying the time there. I also test drove 4 Wii U titles and 1 3DS title
Super Mario 3D World
Sonic Lost Worlds
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Bayonetta 2
Zelda: A Link Between Two Worlds.
BTW, for those of you who own a Wii U, download Earthbound to the system and check it out. You will not regret it.
Speaking of Comic-Con, some sad news. The Darkstalker's franchise, which suppose to have been resurrected, is recently put back in its grave. Destructoid has this to report
Capcom is done with Darkstalkers for the foreseeable future, it seems. Speaking with Siliconera at San Diego Comic-Con, Capcom product manager Matt Dahlgren suggested the beloved fighting game franchise is being put on ice following the tepid release of Darkstalkers Resurrrection.
"Darkstalkers Resurrection did not perform as well as we would have liked to perform," Dahlgren lamented, confirming early reports of disappointing sales. "There is nothing Darkstalkers on the immediate horizon for sure," he added, dashing any hope of seeing the long-awaited fourth installment in the series anytime soon.
Dahlgren's words echo those of former Capcom senior vice president Christian Svensson. The recently departed executive indicated the title was selling poorly a few months back. Svennson chalked up the lackluster performance to a lack of promotion and the declining popularity of fighting game re-releases. Perhaps a full-fledged sequel might have fared better at market.
A darn shame. Really. I didn't buy the game because I haven't touched my 360 in awhile. But it still sucks that the Darkstalkers franchise would once again be thrown into the morgue again. Who knows when the next time we'll see Darkstalkers again.
Works Cited:
Destructoid
Super Mario 3D World
Sonic Lost Worlds
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Bayonetta 2
Zelda: A Link Between Two Worlds.
BTW, for those of you who own a Wii U, download Earthbound to the system and check it out. You will not regret it.
Speaking of Comic-Con, some sad news. The Darkstalker's franchise, which suppose to have been resurrected, is recently put back in its grave. Destructoid has this to report
Capcom is done with Darkstalkers for the foreseeable future, it seems. Speaking with Siliconera at San Diego Comic-Con, Capcom product manager Matt Dahlgren suggested the beloved fighting game franchise is being put on ice following the tepid release of Darkstalkers Resurrrection.
"Darkstalkers Resurrection did not perform as well as we would have liked to perform," Dahlgren lamented, confirming early reports of disappointing sales. "There is nothing Darkstalkers on the immediate horizon for sure," he added, dashing any hope of seeing the long-awaited fourth installment in the series anytime soon.
Dahlgren's words echo those of former Capcom senior vice president Christian Svensson. The recently departed executive indicated the title was selling poorly a few months back. Svennson chalked up the lackluster performance to a lack of promotion and the declining popularity of fighting game re-releases. Perhaps a full-fledged sequel might have fared better at market.
A darn shame. Really. I didn't buy the game because I haven't touched my 360 in awhile. But it still sucks that the Darkstalkers franchise would once again be thrown into the morgue again. Who knows when the next time we'll see Darkstalkers again.
Works Cited:
Destructoid
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
NPD May 2013: Plus two bait and switches
Folks, before I go talking about the May 2013 NPD, which I am more than a month late on, I wanna discuss two issues that appeared before us.
Issue one: Nintendo demanding Smash Bros Melee to be taken down on EVO, then reversing their course.
I've actually questioned Nintendo lately. Questioned if they have any backbone what so ever. Last night, I thought they did have a backbone.
Competitive Smash Bros. fans have been working for years to gain acceptance from the greater fighting game community. Smash Bros. is very different from Street Fighter, Tekken, and Virtua Fighter, but as many have said, it still is a fighting game, despite what some of the more exclusionary members of the FGC may tell you.
These years of effort have more or less paid off. After raising nearly $100K for Breast Cancer research, Smash Bros. Melee was set to be a marquee title at Evo 2013 this weekend. As the live stream phenomena has grown in prominence and popularity over the years, so has Evo's online presence. Evo 2011 was streamed by over 2.2 million viewers (still working on digging up numbers for 2012). That's more than Bayonetta sold in the US.
You'd think that Nintendo would jump at the chance to use Evo to appeal to this passionate, influential cross section of videogame culture, but it looks like they have other plans. Nintendo has prevented Evo from streaming Smash Bros. Melee in any way. As a result, Evo has pulled Melee from the streaming aspects of the event, swapping it out for Persona 4: Arena and King of Fighters XIII.
Finally. It seems Nintendo did grow a backbone. But then they had to go and shrink said backbone when this was reported
Nintendo has reversed its decision! They're now allowing Melee to stream at Evo this year. Though Nintendo has its share of old codgers that don't know how to internet, maybe this proves that their younger colleagues have the capacity to shake them into reality, and in just a few hours no less.
Nintendo. What are you doing? You're just letting a bunch of kids take over. No wonder you're doomed to go into 3rd party. You have no backbone at all.
But then again, they have a better backbone compared to what I will discuss next
Issue 2: Demands for the original XBox One.
Sometime after E3, Microsoft announced that the X-Box One would remove a number of DRM features that left many fans angry. Well, those fans have had enough and want to tell the world that they want to be restricted.
Fans are petitioning Microsoft to bring back the restrictive DRM policies previously planned for the Xbox One, asking for a return to online check-ins and demolished ownership rights. Elsewhere, dogs around the world are asking owners to buy them tighter collars.
"This was to be the future of entertainment," writes campaign leader Dave Fontenot. "A new wave of gaming where you could buy games digitally, then trade, share or sell those digital licenses. Essentially, it was Steam for Xbox. But consumers were uninformed, and railed against it, and it was taken away because Sony took advantage of consumers uncertainty.
"We want this back. It can't be all or nothing, there must be a compromise."
The sudden pushback against Microsoft's shocking policy reversal has been interesting, with people suddenly swarming from the woodwork to defend the original Xbox One. Weird how, as soon as something goes away, there magically appears an army of those who loved the thing. Human nature, I suppose.
In any case, I'd find it hilarious if this thing gained ground. Not that Microsoft would appear so publicly weak as to re-reverse its decision, but I'm amused by so people declaring the Xbox One was the "future" when platform holders have continually struggled to handle the "present."
Where did Microsoft get all this sudden blind trust from people?
This isn't a Blind Trust, Jim Sterling. These are honest to goodness fans who wouldn't mind having their rights taken away all for pure gaming bliss. You don't know what they want, you need to bow before gamer guys, and I wouldn't mind a future where I have no gaming rights what so ever.
And now with those two issues out of the way, time to make this NPD a fast one.
At number 10: Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes from Warner Bros Interactive for the 360, Wii, DS, 3DS, PS3, Wii U, PSVita and PC. The beginning of a DC Sandwich.
At number 09: Battlefield 3 from Electronic Arts for the 360, PS3 and PC. Tastes like Miracle Whip
At number 08: Bioshock Infinite by 2K Games for the 360, PS3 and PC. This ain't no mystery meat
At number 07: NBA 2K13 by 2K Games for the 360, PS3 and PC. Just don't ask Dennis Rodman to slice the tomato
At number 06: Metro: Last Light by Deep Silver for the 360, PS3 and PC. Purely leftovers from THQ's buyout.
At number 05: Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon by Nintendo for the 3DS. Luigi's serving up some ghoulish grilled chicken.
AT number 04: Dead Island: Riptide by Deep Silver for the 360, PS3 and PC. You want some onions with that?
At number 03: Donkey Kong Country Returns by Nintendo for the 3DS and Wii. Are you sure bananas go great on a Sandwich?
At number 02: Call of Duty: Black Ops II by ActivisionBlizzard for the 360, PS3, PC and Wii U. Tastes like Best Foods Mayonaise
And finally, at number 01: Injustice: Gods Among Us by Warner Bros Interactive for the 360, PS3 and Wii U. And that tops the tasty sandwich
But what about the hardware fries and chips? Well there is good news and bad news. The good news is, the best systems this month are the 3DS and X-Box 360. The bad news? Both sit at around 114K and a bit at 115K. A horrible month for hardware, but decent for software.
I wonder if NPD June's NPD numbers will serve up hot dogs or Hamburgers?
Works Cited:
Destructoid Article 1
Destructoid Article 2
Issue one: Nintendo demanding Smash Bros Melee to be taken down on EVO, then reversing their course.
I've actually questioned Nintendo lately. Questioned if they have any backbone what so ever. Last night, I thought they did have a backbone.
Competitive Smash Bros. fans have been working for years to gain acceptance from the greater fighting game community. Smash Bros. is very different from Street Fighter, Tekken, and Virtua Fighter, but as many have said, it still is a fighting game, despite what some of the more exclusionary members of the FGC may tell you.
These years of effort have more or less paid off. After raising nearly $100K for Breast Cancer research, Smash Bros. Melee was set to be a marquee title at Evo 2013 this weekend. As the live stream phenomena has grown in prominence and popularity over the years, so has Evo's online presence. Evo 2011 was streamed by over 2.2 million viewers (still working on digging up numbers for 2012). That's more than Bayonetta sold in the US.
You'd think that Nintendo would jump at the chance to use Evo to appeal to this passionate, influential cross section of videogame culture, but it looks like they have other plans. Nintendo has prevented Evo from streaming Smash Bros. Melee in any way. As a result, Evo has pulled Melee from the streaming aspects of the event, swapping it out for Persona 4: Arena and King of Fighters XIII.
Finally. It seems Nintendo did grow a backbone. But then they had to go and shrink said backbone when this was reported
Nintendo has reversed its decision! They're now allowing Melee to stream at Evo this year. Though Nintendo has its share of old codgers that don't know how to internet, maybe this proves that their younger colleagues have the capacity to shake them into reality, and in just a few hours no less.
Nintendo. What are you doing? You're just letting a bunch of kids take over. No wonder you're doomed to go into 3rd party. You have no backbone at all.
But then again, they have a better backbone compared to what I will discuss next
Issue 2: Demands for the original XBox One.
Sometime after E3, Microsoft announced that the X-Box One would remove a number of DRM features that left many fans angry. Well, those fans have had enough and want to tell the world that they want to be restricted.
Fans are petitioning Microsoft to bring back the restrictive DRM policies previously planned for the Xbox One, asking for a return to online check-ins and demolished ownership rights. Elsewhere, dogs around the world are asking owners to buy them tighter collars.
"This was to be the future of entertainment," writes campaign leader Dave Fontenot. "A new wave of gaming where you could buy games digitally, then trade, share or sell those digital licenses. Essentially, it was Steam for Xbox. But consumers were uninformed, and railed against it, and it was taken away because Sony took advantage of consumers uncertainty.
"We want this back. It can't be all or nothing, there must be a compromise."
The sudden pushback against Microsoft's shocking policy reversal has been interesting, with people suddenly swarming from the woodwork to defend the original Xbox One. Weird how, as soon as something goes away, there magically appears an army of those who loved the thing. Human nature, I suppose.
In any case, I'd find it hilarious if this thing gained ground. Not that Microsoft would appear so publicly weak as to re-reverse its decision, but I'm amused by so people declaring the Xbox One was the "future" when platform holders have continually struggled to handle the "present."
Where did Microsoft get all this sudden blind trust from people?
This isn't a Blind Trust, Jim Sterling. These are honest to goodness fans who wouldn't mind having their rights taken away all for pure gaming bliss. You don't know what they want, you need to bow before gamer guys, and I wouldn't mind a future where I have no gaming rights what so ever.
And now with those two issues out of the way, time to make this NPD a fast one.
At number 10: Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes from Warner Bros Interactive for the 360, Wii, DS, 3DS, PS3, Wii U, PSVita and PC. The beginning of a DC Sandwich.
At number 09: Battlefield 3 from Electronic Arts for the 360, PS3 and PC. Tastes like Miracle Whip
At number 08: Bioshock Infinite by 2K Games for the 360, PS3 and PC. This ain't no mystery meat
At number 07: NBA 2K13 by 2K Games for the 360, PS3 and PC. Just don't ask Dennis Rodman to slice the tomato
At number 06: Metro: Last Light by Deep Silver for the 360, PS3 and PC. Purely leftovers from THQ's buyout.
At number 05: Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon by Nintendo for the 3DS. Luigi's serving up some ghoulish grilled chicken.
AT number 04: Dead Island: Riptide by Deep Silver for the 360, PS3 and PC. You want some onions with that?
At number 03: Donkey Kong Country Returns by Nintendo for the 3DS and Wii. Are you sure bananas go great on a Sandwich?
At number 02: Call of Duty: Black Ops II by ActivisionBlizzard for the 360, PS3, PC and Wii U. Tastes like Best Foods Mayonaise
And finally, at number 01: Injustice: Gods Among Us by Warner Bros Interactive for the 360, PS3 and Wii U. And that tops the tasty sandwich
But what about the hardware fries and chips? Well there is good news and bad news. The good news is, the best systems this month are the 3DS and X-Box 360. The bad news? Both sit at around 114K and a bit at 115K. A horrible month for hardware, but decent for software.
I wonder if NPD June's NPD numbers will serve up hot dogs or Hamburgers?
Works Cited:
Destructoid Article 1
Destructoid Article 2
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Sony and Nintendo from E3
Zzzz. Wha? Did I fall asleep again? Oy, now I'm really late on E3.
But before I go down that path, there is a bit of bad news. A few days ago, it was announced that Atlus's parent company, Index Holdings, has filed for bankruptcy.
Atlus’ parent company Index Holdings has declared bankruptcy at Tokyo District Court.
The company, which bought Atlus in 2006, is 24.5 billion yen in debt, which is roughlyt USD $250 million or GBP £160 million.
President Yoshimi Ochiai and Chairman Masami Ochiai intend to resign.
The Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission of Japan have been investigating the company for allegedly improper accounting via fictitious transactions, specifically under the suspicious of exaggerating revenues using round-trip transactions.
Meanwhile, Atlus Japan said everything is still on track with their upcoming game releases. Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl was released today in Japan, and Dragon’s Crown is due out on July 25.
A real bummer, isn't it? While we praise the company for the games it puts out, its parent company is getting slammed hard, financial wise.
But now, onto the losers of E3: Sony and Nintendo. I mean, what is so great about two Japanese companies when an American company is on the verge of owning these two next generation? It's not like the Playstation 4 was priced at Three Hundred and Ninety Nine Dollars.
Sony has finally revealed release information about its PlayStation 4 console: that it plays used, lent or rented games with no restrictions and its price: $399. That translates to 399 euros, and £349 where applicable, or if you missed it, $100, 100 euros and £70 less than what Microsoft just announced for the Xbox One. There's no specific release date or month yet, just "this holiday season" in the US and Europe. The official spec list confirms that for four bills, you get the system, a controller, USB, HDMI and power cables -- but no PlayStation 4 Eye.
SON OF A*CENSORED*
But I'm not here to panic. They don't have as many interesting titles as X-Box One.
FINAL FANTASY XV? AND KINGDOM HEARTS 3? Is this some kind of joke?
No, I am not gonna fall for this. I heard these games are coming to the X-Box One. The One is better than the Four. The One is better than the Four
Perhaps the biggest news post-console reveal here at Sony's E3 presser: the PS4 will play used games without any restrictions or authentication. In broader terms, that means that when you purchase physical media, that disc can then be traded-in at retailers like GameStop, lent / sold to friends or kept forever as part of your enduring library. What's more, unlike Microsoft's controversial Xbox One 24-hour offline gaming window, PS4 owners will not have to connect to the internet in order to continue playing games. Effectively, that makes the PS4 fully playable offline; it also arguably hands the E3 2013 crown to Sony. For a brief instructional (and intentionally cheeky) demo on how this used game process works, check out Sony's homemade video after the break.
Arrgh. This has got to be a sick joke. I'm already upset over Microsoft abandoning its DRM. What is Sony doing here?
But there is something at least good coming out of this.
Sony is delivering mixed blessings here at E3: while it's more than willing to avoid DRM on the PlayStation 4, it just echoed Microsoft's approach to multiplayer services. You'll now need a PlayStation Plus subscription to play online. That may be a small price to pay when both Plus and the PS4 itself are cheaper than Xbox Live and the Xbox One, but it's an unfortunate extra cost for those used to getting their multiplayer gaming for free.
Hah. Eat that free online gaming. You want to play online? You gotta pay yer fee.
But what about Nintendo? I bet they don't have anything worthwhile. And don't say Super Mario 3D World or Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. Those two don't count. At least give me something worth while.
Wait. Is that Bayonetta? I thought she was Microsoft forever. WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
Okay. Calm down. Calm down. Everything will be alright. They can't hit me even worse than that.
A Transformation-like Gundam-style RPG from MONOLITH SOFTWARE?" What is this? What's going on here?
Don't worry. It's going to go away. At least they can't surprise me with Smash Bros and put Mega Man into it.
.....
Ya know what? I think I'm gonna go sulk in a corner and cry on how Nintendo and Sony are picking on Microsoft with all this.
Works Cited:
Gematsu
PS4 E3 2013 information
Nintendo Direct E3 2013 info at Engadget
But before I go down that path, there is a bit of bad news. A few days ago, it was announced that Atlus's parent company, Index Holdings, has filed for bankruptcy.
Atlus’ parent company Index Holdings has declared bankruptcy at Tokyo District Court.
The company, which bought Atlus in 2006, is 24.5 billion yen in debt, which is roughlyt USD $250 million or GBP £160 million.
President Yoshimi Ochiai and Chairman Masami Ochiai intend to resign.
The Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission of Japan have been investigating the company for allegedly improper accounting via fictitious transactions, specifically under the suspicious of exaggerating revenues using round-trip transactions.
Meanwhile, Atlus Japan said everything is still on track with their upcoming game releases. Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl was released today in Japan, and Dragon’s Crown is due out on July 25.
A real bummer, isn't it? While we praise the company for the games it puts out, its parent company is getting slammed hard, financial wise.
But now, onto the losers of E3: Sony and Nintendo. I mean, what is so great about two Japanese companies when an American company is on the verge of owning these two next generation? It's not like the Playstation 4 was priced at Three Hundred and Ninety Nine Dollars.
Sony has finally revealed release information about its PlayStation 4 console: that it plays used, lent or rented games with no restrictions and its price: $399. That translates to 399 euros, and £349 where applicable, or if you missed it, $100, 100 euros and £70 less than what Microsoft just announced for the Xbox One. There's no specific release date or month yet, just "this holiday season" in the US and Europe. The official spec list confirms that for four bills, you get the system, a controller, USB, HDMI and power cables -- but no PlayStation 4 Eye.
SON OF A*CENSORED*
But I'm not here to panic. They don't have as many interesting titles as X-Box One.
FINAL FANTASY XV? AND KINGDOM HEARTS 3? Is this some kind of joke?
No, I am not gonna fall for this. I heard these games are coming to the X-Box One. The One is better than the Four. The One is better than the Four
Perhaps the biggest news post-console reveal here at Sony's E3 presser: the PS4 will play used games without any restrictions or authentication. In broader terms, that means that when you purchase physical media, that disc can then be traded-in at retailers like GameStop, lent / sold to friends or kept forever as part of your enduring library. What's more, unlike Microsoft's controversial Xbox One 24-hour offline gaming window, PS4 owners will not have to connect to the internet in order to continue playing games. Effectively, that makes the PS4 fully playable offline; it also arguably hands the E3 2013 crown to Sony. For a brief instructional (and intentionally cheeky) demo on how this used game process works, check out Sony's homemade video after the break.
Arrgh. This has got to be a sick joke. I'm already upset over Microsoft abandoning its DRM. What is Sony doing here?
But there is something at least good coming out of this.
Sony is delivering mixed blessings here at E3: while it's more than willing to avoid DRM on the PlayStation 4, it just echoed Microsoft's approach to multiplayer services. You'll now need a PlayStation Plus subscription to play online. That may be a small price to pay when both Plus and the PS4 itself are cheaper than Xbox Live and the Xbox One, but it's an unfortunate extra cost for those used to getting their multiplayer gaming for free.
Hah. Eat that free online gaming. You want to play online? You gotta pay yer fee.
But what about Nintendo? I bet they don't have anything worthwhile. And don't say Super Mario 3D World or Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. Those two don't count. At least give me something worth while.
Wait. Is that Bayonetta? I thought she was Microsoft forever. WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
Okay. Calm down. Calm down. Everything will be alright. They can't hit me even worse than that.
A Transformation-like Gundam-style RPG from MONOLITH SOFTWARE?" What is this? What's going on here?
Don't worry. It's going to go away. At least they can't surprise me with Smash Bros and put Mega Man into it.
.....
Ya know what? I think I'm gonna go sulk in a corner and cry on how Nintendo and Sony are picking on Microsoft with all this.
Works Cited:
Gematsu
PS4 E3 2013 information
Nintendo Direct E3 2013 info at Engadget
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Microsoft: From E3 to now
Last week Monday, Microsoft talked more about the X-Box One and the system that will unite gaming under one DRM roof. I mean, how much will this system cost?
Despite Microsoft's enthusiasm for its next-generation console, one important piece was missing from its Xbox One announcement last month: the console's price. Luckily, the company's E3 press event presented the firm with the perfect time to remedy the mistake: the Xbox One will sell for $499 in the US, 499 euros in Europe, and £429 in the UK when it launches this November. The console will be rolling out to 21 countries in all, so let the countdown to launch day begin!
499 US Dollars. Alot cheaper than when the PS3 released at 599 US Dollars. Woot. We're better than Playstation 3.
But it's not just that cost, but also where it will be available....
Microsoft has now provided a full list of those 21 countries: United States, France, Netherlands, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Mexico, Spain, Russia, Brazil, Italy, Sweden, Australia, Ireland, Norway, New Zealand, Belgium, Finland, United Kingdom, Austria, Denmark
Guess what Japan: YOU DON'T GET AN X-BOX ONE!
But what great games did the X-Box One get? Well from games like Metal Gear Solid V, to the next Halo, Microsoft is providing high quality games as long as you keep phoning home.
Who cares if this game is also coming to the 360, PS3 and PS4. Heck, it should be only on that console if you want to play.
Seems there's no putting down Master Chief.
But the biggest surprise is the return of an old fighting franchise to compete against both Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. That's right, I'm talking about Killer Instinct
The game itself will go free to play and will offer Jago available right off the bat. So I hope you got your card ready since there will be NO Microsoft points. I mean, who needs those other has-been fighting franchises? They never made any sense compared to Killer Instinct.
But that's not all. Wanna create your own games? Leave it to the Smartglass enabled, needs Kinect Project Spark
You can go ahead and wipe Angry Birds off since you can create a better and Angrier Birds.
BTW. Ignore anyone saying that this game is also coming to PC and the 360. Because this is X-Box One only
I mean, why are they claiming it's also for the 360 and PC? The 360 is outdated trash and the PC? I wouldn't use that for games if I can't use the One controller to rule all.
And that's it for the X-Box One. I can assure to you that happy days are ahead for Microsoft
You told us how much you loved the flexibility you have today with games delivered on disc. The ability to lend, share, and resell these games at your discretion is of incredible importance to you. Also important to you is the freedom to play offline, for any length of time, anywhere in the world.
So, today I am announcing the following changes to Xbox One and how you can play, share, lend, and resell your games exactly as you do today on Xbox 360. Here is what that means:
An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games – After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again. There is no 24 hour connection requirement and you can take your Xbox One anywhere you want and play your games, just like on Xbox 360.
Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today – There will be no limitations to using and sharing games, it will work just as it does today on Xbox 360.
In addition to buying a disc from a retailer, you can also download games from Xbox Live on day of release. If you choose to download your games, you will be able to play them offline just like you do today. Xbox One games will be playable on any Xbox One console -- there will be no regional restrictions.
These changes will impact some of the scenarios we previously announced for Xbox One. The sharing of games will work as it does today, you will simply share the disc. Downloaded titles cannot be shared or resold. Also, similar to today, playing disc based games will require that the disc be in the tray.
......
You were suppose to be the One console future where you held us all in the palm of your hands.
Excuse me, while I go weep in the corner.
Works Cited:
Engadget E3 2013 Microsoft Links
Xbox.com
Despite Microsoft's enthusiasm for its next-generation console, one important piece was missing from its Xbox One announcement last month: the console's price. Luckily, the company's E3 press event presented the firm with the perfect time to remedy the mistake: the Xbox One will sell for $499 in the US, 499 euros in Europe, and £429 in the UK when it launches this November. The console will be rolling out to 21 countries in all, so let the countdown to launch day begin!
499 US Dollars. Alot cheaper than when the PS3 released at 599 US Dollars. Woot. We're better than Playstation 3.
But it's not just that cost, but also where it will be available....
Microsoft has now provided a full list of those 21 countries: United States, France, Netherlands, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Mexico, Spain, Russia, Brazil, Italy, Sweden, Australia, Ireland, Norway, New Zealand, Belgium, Finland, United Kingdom, Austria, Denmark
Guess what Japan: YOU DON'T GET AN X-BOX ONE!
But what great games did the X-Box One get? Well from games like Metal Gear Solid V, to the next Halo, Microsoft is providing high quality games as long as you keep phoning home.
Who cares if this game is also coming to the 360, PS3 and PS4. Heck, it should be only on that console if you want to play.
Seems there's no putting down Master Chief.
But the biggest surprise is the return of an old fighting franchise to compete against both Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. That's right, I'm talking about Killer Instinct
The game itself will go free to play and will offer Jago available right off the bat. So I hope you got your card ready since there will be NO Microsoft points. I mean, who needs those other has-been fighting franchises? They never made any sense compared to Killer Instinct.
But that's not all. Wanna create your own games? Leave it to the Smartglass enabled, needs Kinect Project Spark
You can go ahead and wipe Angry Birds off since you can create a better and Angrier Birds.
BTW. Ignore anyone saying that this game is also coming to PC and the 360. Because this is X-Box One only
I mean, why are they claiming it's also for the 360 and PC? The 360 is outdated trash and the PC? I wouldn't use that for games if I can't use the One controller to rule all.
And that's it for the X-Box One. I can assure to you that happy days are ahead for Microsoft
You told us how much you loved the flexibility you have today with games delivered on disc. The ability to lend, share, and resell these games at your discretion is of incredible importance to you. Also important to you is the freedom to play offline, for any length of time, anywhere in the world.
So, today I am announcing the following changes to Xbox One and how you can play, share, lend, and resell your games exactly as you do today on Xbox 360. Here is what that means:
An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games – After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again. There is no 24 hour connection requirement and you can take your Xbox One anywhere you want and play your games, just like on Xbox 360.
Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today – There will be no limitations to using and sharing games, it will work just as it does today on Xbox 360.
In addition to buying a disc from a retailer, you can also download games from Xbox Live on day of release. If you choose to download your games, you will be able to play them offline just like you do today. Xbox One games will be playable on any Xbox One console -- there will be no regional restrictions.
These changes will impact some of the scenarios we previously announced for Xbox One. The sharing of games will work as it does today, you will simply share the disc. Downloaded titles cannot be shared or resold. Also, similar to today, playing disc based games will require that the disc be in the tray.
......
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
You were suppose to be the One console future where you held us all in the palm of your hands.
Excuse me, while I go weep in the corner.
Works Cited:
Engadget E3 2013 Microsoft Links
Xbox.com
Friday, June 7, 2013
April NPD 2013: The Calm before the storm
Folks, E3 is just around the corner. Can you smell that new era smell? Smells alot like greenbacks. In a few days, Microsoft will be talking about the Always-on X-Box One and why it will dominate a market of non-DRMed systems.
But before we do that, we better get down to the doom and gloom that is the NPD. Actually, there is a small bright spot.
At number 10, MLB 13: The Show from Sony for the PS3 and Vita. Baseball at its finest.
At number 09, Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins by Nintendo and Traveler's Tales for the 3DS. Any change of Chase becoming apart of Smash Bros 4 by any chance?
At number 08, Skylanders Giants by Activision Blizzard for the Wii, 360, PS3, 3DS and Wii U. At 5 O'Clock, Spyro the Dragon on trial for Asheep and Battering Ram.
At number 07, NBA 2K13 from 2Kgames for the 360, PS3, Wii, Wii U, PCP and PC. Bet Michael Jordan can't dunk this
At number 06, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon from Nintendo for the 3DS. Who needs the Real Ghostbusters when you have Luigi?
At number 05: Defiance from Trion worlds for the 360, PS3 and PC. Perhaps one of the most open of games out there.
At number 04: Call of Duty: Black Ops II from Activision Blizzard for the 360, PS3, PC and Wii U. No dogs allowed on this game.
At number 03: Bioshock Infinite from 2K games for the 360, PS3 and PC. Somehow, I do miss the days of Rapture
At number 02: Dead Island: Riptide from Deep Silver for the 360, PS3 and PC. You do look good on the barbeque.
And finally at number 01: Injustice: Gods Among Us from Warner Bros for the 360, PS3, and Wii U. Now we can answer on who the better hero is: The Flash or Green Lantern
But overall, game sales are down that month and even more so, there is barely any new games that made the list with Injustice serving as the bright point.
Now there is good news and bad news. The good news is, the X-Box 360 is number 1 again for the 21st consecutive month in a row. But the bad news?
Only 130K units sold. A huge drop with the 3DS right behind it.
The PS3 is rumored to have sold even less than that. And the Wii U, down at around 37K. The biggest loser is the PS vita, which sold even less than 20K.
It's a dire market. Does May bring better sales? Stay tuned.
Works Cited:
NeoGAF
But before we do that, we better get down to the doom and gloom that is the NPD. Actually, there is a small bright spot.
At number 10, MLB 13: The Show from Sony for the PS3 and Vita. Baseball at its finest.
At number 09, Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins by Nintendo and Traveler's Tales for the 3DS. Any change of Chase becoming apart of Smash Bros 4 by any chance?
At number 08, Skylanders Giants by Activision Blizzard for the Wii, 360, PS3, 3DS and Wii U. At 5 O'Clock, Spyro the Dragon on trial for Asheep and Battering Ram.
At number 07, NBA 2K13 from 2Kgames for the 360, PS3, Wii, Wii U, PCP and PC. Bet Michael Jordan can't dunk this
At number 06, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon from Nintendo for the 3DS. Who needs the Real Ghostbusters when you have Luigi?
At number 05: Defiance from Trion worlds for the 360, PS3 and PC. Perhaps one of the most open of games out there.
At number 04: Call of Duty: Black Ops II from Activision Blizzard for the 360, PS3, PC and Wii U. No dogs allowed on this game.
At number 03: Bioshock Infinite from 2K games for the 360, PS3 and PC. Somehow, I do miss the days of Rapture
At number 02: Dead Island: Riptide from Deep Silver for the 360, PS3 and PC. You do look good on the barbeque.
And finally at number 01: Injustice: Gods Among Us from Warner Bros for the 360, PS3, and Wii U. Now we can answer on who the better hero is: The Flash or Green Lantern
But overall, game sales are down that month and even more so, there is barely any new games that made the list with Injustice serving as the bright point.
Now there is good news and bad news. The good news is, the X-Box 360 is number 1 again for the 21st consecutive month in a row. But the bad news?
Only 130K units sold. A huge drop with the 3DS right behind it.
The PS3 is rumored to have sold even less than that. And the Wii U, down at around 37K. The biggest loser is the PS vita, which sold even less than 20K.
It's a dire market. Does May bring better sales? Stay tuned.
Works Cited:
NeoGAF
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