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Speaking with a group of game writers earlier this week SCEA head Jack Tretton talked briefly about how Sony Computer Entertainment has benefited under the shift from Ken Kutaragi to Kaz Hirai. More »
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Being an independent developer is brutal. Just ask independent developer and Heavenly Sword dev Ninja Theory, and it'll tell you that being an independent developer is brutal. Says co-founder and chief developer Nina Kristensen: More »
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Pirates of Caribbean director Gore Verbinski is excited. Not so much about movies, but games. Just like at DICE, he's very peppy and very clueless. That's okay! So, what interests Verbinski about games? More »
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For Nintendo, "okay" won't cut it. Its games have a spit-shine sheen, and everything is just so. You know, perfect. So when Dylan Cuthbert, honcho at Pixel Junk dev Q-Games, worked at Nintendo on the Star Fox series in the 90's, what did he learn? Cuthbert says: More »
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Metal Gear Solid 4, Killzone 2, whatever. They're sideshows. Distractions. No, for Sony, the year's biggest game on the PS3 might just be LittleBigPlanet, with an SCEE rep saying it's "potentially our biggest Blu-ray release of 2008". That announcement was partly to let us know Sony are just psyched about the game, but also to say they're a lot more psyched about it than they were about those good-for-nothing PSN games. "This isn't a Warhawk or a Tekken: Dark Resurrection. This is a triple-A Blu-ray title". There there, Warhawk. I'm sure he didn't mean to be so...mean. More »
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Wired's Chris Kohler got the chance to interview Microsoft's Shane Kim while at DICE, and did not keep things brief. Good news for us, since Kim decides to talk about all kinds of things, from the challenges facing the 360 in Europe ("we're going to ramp up the focus") to the 360's pre-eminence among developers ("Xbox 360 is the lead development platform for 80% of the titles, maybe more now, being developed in the industry") to how they're going to trump the PS3 with the launch of GTA IV ("We already own it, I believe, from a content standpoint, because we have the exclusive episodes"). All interesting stuff! But my favourite comes when discussing Crackdown, where Kim says that despite Real Time Worlds moving onto something else, Microsoft "still love Crackdown", and are very aware that "customers would like to see more in that space". You're damn right we would. Hit the link for the full interview, it's a good read. More »
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Nintendo president Satoru Iwata runs the entire spectrum of emotions in an interview he gave with Japanese site Yukan Fuji. He discusses his surprise at the Wii and DS's success, while mentioning his sadness about critics claiming that Nintendo forces product shortages as part of its strategy. That's not all! Iwata also talks about people growing tired of games as entertainment, mentions his personal positive outlook and cracks what must be the unfunniest joke of 2008. All that, after the jump: More »
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If you enjoyed the original NiGHTS, the next couple of months will be grand. Team Sonic USA head and original NiGHTS designer Takashi Iizuka spearheaded NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams, which is out later this month in North America and Japan. Next year will see the original NiGHTS into Dreams... getting a PS2 remake for Japanese release. What are the chances of that getting an international release? Or what about a Wii port? Iizuka says: More »
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Sony Computer Entertainment of Korea is going head-to-head with Nintendo and Microsoft. After years of ignoring South Korea, companies have wised up and moved in for a piece of the country's gaming pie. How is SCEK attempting to separate itself? With services MegaTV (above) available on the PS3. The Video On Demand system kicks off this month in South Korea. Users can download movies and TV programs 24 hours after the original broadcast for a fee each month. It's possible to keep those shows on the PS3 for three days, after which they will be erased in accordance with Korean law. That might help separate the PS3 from the Xbox 360. But what about the Wii? SCEK mouthpiece Kang Hee-Won says: More »
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Third parties are important. Very, very important. So if the Wii is going to have legs and continue to be successful, the console is going to need strong third party support. Eidos' Julien Merceron (pictured) thinks this Christmas could be make or break for Wii third party support. His thoughts: More »
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According to game site 1Up, Sony Computer Entertainment of America Santa Monica game director Cory Barlog is leaving the studio. Barlog achieved fame as director of God of War II, which was a critical and commercial smash. Word is that Barlog is departing to follow other opportunities. According to a SCEA mouthpiece: More »
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Here's how the story goes: Dude creates Tetris, dude gets no royalties. Poor, poor dude. WRONG! Creator Alexey Pajitnov tells GameSpot: More »
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A man's got to eat. And that man is Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi. His studio Mistwalker is releasing two RPGs for the DS next year. First up is AWAY ~Tsuresarareta Hitobito~ out January 21, 2008. Sakaguchi is responsible for the scenario, while famed composer Nobuo Uematsu will be supplying the music. The game is developed by Artoon. Characters are created by Naoto Oshima, who recently did Vampire Rain. March 2008 will see Blue Dragon DS (temporary title), which we previously covered. It's developed by FeelPlus+ and is akin to the Xbox 360 version. Both games are being published by AQ Interactive and price at ¥5,980 (US $51) each. Gooch DS gaming doesn't come cheap, kiddos! More »
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Sony Computer Entertainment Kaz Hirai is a man of no regrets. High PS3 pricetag? No problem! PlayStation creator getting the boot? Whatever! Kaz sounds off on that initial price shocker, saying: More »
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Halo 3 sales? We're impressed、Nintendo of America honcho Reggie Fils-Aime, he's not. Like really, really not. According to Reggie: More »
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Ryu Ga Gotoku arrived on Western shores as the dubbed Yakuza. PS2 title Ryu Ga Gotoku 2 didn't. Now with the third Ryu Ga Gotoku, a period game, is slated for PS3s next Spring, the question remains: Will North America and PAL territories see a release? Will it get a PS2 or PSP release? Says SEGA fashion plate-slash-game producer Toshihiro Nagoshi: More »
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Ack!! That's popular anime character Haruhi Suzumiya. Bandai is bringing popular series to the PSP as an adventure title, and the game's official website shows off a 3D polygon model that actually responds to movement of your computer mouse. For example, move it right, and her eyes dart right. Move it up, and she looks up. For real fun fun, move it in circle and quickly. Proof that giant faces are way creepier when they move. More »
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Things the PLAYSTATION 3 has been called: A computer, a hub and a multi-media center. And that's just by Sony! Previous Sony Computer Entertainment president Ken Kutaragi himself called the PS3 a "super computer." New SCE honcho Kaz Hirai is here to set the record straight: More »
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Nintendo honcho Satoru Iwata doesn't just like to talk Nintendo games. He talks other stuff. Deep stuff. Stuff like reproduction and DNA and how this factors in why we compare out strengths and weaknesses. I'll let Iwata say it. It sounds better: More »
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Number time: In Japan, the PS3 is catching up with the Nintendo Wii! Well, sorta. In August, the Wii outsold the PS3 3-to-1, moving 245,653 units compared with 81,541. The July ratio was 4-to-1, and the June ration was 6-to-1. At this rate, it's only a matter of time before the Wii is only outselling the PS3 2-to-1. Compare this to Microsoft, who sold 11,288 Xbox 360s in Japan in August. Yup, that means the Wii is outselling it almost 22-to-1. Yikes! More »
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Western gaming market? Huge. Japanese market? Not so huge. When not recommending that developers use the PS3's "unique characteristics" to add "extra flavor," Sony Computer Entertainment president Kaz Hirai alleviates domestic fears in an interview with site IT Media. A good chunk of the interview is discussing whether or not the PS3 will still have Japan-centric games. Traditionally, different games appears to players in Japan and abroad. Serious stuff! According to Kaz: More »
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Screw critics and consumers. What does Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto think about The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass? That guy is a perfectionist and no doubt would come down hard on something that wasn't quite up to par. The game's producer Eiji Aonuma dishes: More »
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Just because Microsoft doesn't have the home field advantage doesn't mean the company is going to sit on the TGS sidelines. Yes, the company will be announcing something. In an interview with Canada.com, lippy Microsoft exec Jeff Bell hints at what Microsoft will be showing at the Tokyo Games Show, namely Alan Wake, Fable 2 and Halo Wars. As well it should be! Those are all first party games, though. What about third part stuff? Bell stirs the hornet's nest: More »
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Ack! We went from squinty Ken Levine to this. And thank you, Vonthora for this. Some PR person sent us actual respectable Ken Levine PR glamour-shots. We probably won't use them, but have posted them after the jump. You know, in case you want to make a Ken Levine coffee mug or something. Onto the post: More »
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