Rockstar Games to Attend 2007 Games Convention

Rockstar Games is happy to announce its attendance at the GC in Leipzig, Germany this August. Two upcoming titles will be on display at the conference, including the world-wide unveiling of Rockstar's newest installment of the Midnight Club franchise, Midnight Club Los Angeles. Be among the very first in the world to see the game as live demonstrations happen throughout the day on the show floor. Also appearing at the show is the Wii version of Rockstar's award-winning title, Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis, which will be available to the public in hands-on form.

Now this is going to be fun, Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis is heading to the Wii this fall.

Developed by Rockstar Leeds in collaboration with Rockstar San Diego (which made the original version), the Wii version will of course use the Wii Remote's motion sensing. No screens yet, but it can't help but be sexy hot. I loved the game on the 360. Expect more broken televisions, like lots more.

Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis is heading to the Wii™

New York, NY - July 18, 2007 - Rockstar Games is proud to announce that Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis will be making its way to the Wii™ home video game system from Nintendo this Fall.

Developed by Rockstar Leeds in collaboration with Rockstar San Diego, Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis is the perfect Wii gaming experience. Feel the unmatched speed and intensity of the real-life sport with an authentic physics engine and intuitive gameplay that mimics the exhilarating experience found in international competition.

Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis made its debut in May 2006 on Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and was met with huge critical acclaim, winning Gamespot's "Best Sports Title" at E3 2006.

"Ever since we released Table Tennis, fans have been asking us to create a Wii version," said Sam Houser, Founder and Executive Producer of Rockstar Games. "By bringing Table Tennis to the Wii and utilizing the motion-sensitive Wii Remote™, a new audience can now experience a game that is beautifully designed and impossible to put down."

Addictive, fast-paced and above all fun, Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis is guaranteed to be the must have title for all Wii owners.

For more information please visit http://www.rockstargames.com/tabletennis

Rockstar Games is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

...(T)he game runs on the RAGE engine (which also powers the upcoming Grand Theft Auto IV), allowing for some spiffy high-res graphics. Toning them down would turn this already beautiful game into something a lot less appealing to the eye. Of course, that isn't the end of the world, but asking consumers to pay near the same price for it on the Wii with sub-par graphics and new controls might be a problem.

I say, technology-schmology. Rockstar can figure it out, and even if they can't, it doesn't mean that ping pong isn't in the Wii's not-too-distant future. Kim Phu

Rumor Rockstat Bringing Table Tennis to the Wii [Nintendo Wii Fanboy]

I spent a bit of timing hanging out with Rockstar's San Diego studio folks at PAX. They are they team responsible for Table Tennis and were hosting the Table Tennis tournament at the show.

It was interesting to listen to them analyze the gameplay. One of the guys said he fingered the winner of the tournament on the first day of play by his style.

He was standing just the right distance from the table, he said. Also he could play with any of the characters and adapted to new styles of play quickly.

Another guy was telling me that when they were creating the game they didn't really have any other games to look at, so they decided to use fighting titles as the model. I knew it. I knew there was something familiar about the back and forth, the subtle tactics of the game.

I, once more, asked the team to introduce fatalities to the game. I'm not sure if I should take their belly laughs as a yes or a no.

I shot some pictures of the modded Xbox 360 in action (One of the guys told me that the mod cost $3,500. Holy crap!). The ping-pong ball lights up during play, which is a cool little touch.

The winner also took home a copy of the game with some of the team's signatures on it. The runner-up won a framed poster for the game with all of the development team's signatures on it. Brian Crecente

This is the heavily modded Xbox 360 that Rockstar is giving away at their Penny Arcade Expo Table Tennis tournament. The pictures really don't do it justice. The thing, made by Llama, features a clear side panel with an embedded ping pong ball and attached paddle. The case is all slick and black and white. The controller is just as cool. It's black and white with a clear vaneer. I love this thing.

Rockstar's helping to put on a cross-country art show featuring a taste of all sides of the art world, live music and a Table Tennis tournament.

Soft Serve is a 40 day, 25 city traveling art installation by Buff Monster, Blake E. Marquis/Came Crashing, Alvaro IIizarbe/Freegums, Dim Mark, Hydrahead/Robotic Boot and Rony's Photobooth.

The show will include painting, music, video, screen printing, drawing, wheat pasting, clothing, photography and of course Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis. Brian Crecente

Soft Serve Tour

And hey, if Galaga hitting XBLA today wasn't enough for you, a demo of Rockstar Table Tennis is now available for download on Marketplace. From the website:

The free demo features one- and two-player modes, but no online play via Xbox Live. The demo is available to both Silver and Gold subscribers—as long as you have a broadband connection to the service, you can download the demo to your hard drive and check it out.

This one's getting a lot of flack because you can't heal yourself by spending a few minutes in the back seat of a Chevy Impala with a hooker, then beating the cash back out of her with a shovel. But it's a pretty swell game, well worth a free demo look. Florian Eckhardt

Try The Free Table Tennis Demo [Official Site]

I was up till 2 a.m. playing Table Tennis with a friend, via Live and by way of Rockstar of course.

The more I play that game, the more I like it. It's funny, because it's one of the few games, besides Uno Live, that I can play and carry on a fairly complicated conversation at the same time. Somewhere near the tail end of a 100-plus rally in the game, my friend and I started talking about how much better the game would be if they added some gold chains. Gold chains and fatalities.

The Table Tennis we envisioned early this morning was one of big fros, bling, platform shoes, disco balls and face-smashing, paddle-flying temper tantrums. I want to be able polish off a 200-rally point with a hernia-forming ball-blast that sends the white ping pong, temporarily turned a glowing red, straight through my opponents chest. I want to lose gracelessly, hurling my paddle, discus-style, across the table to sever my opponent's head with its gloating smile from his sweaty neck. In other words, I want a Rockstar game.

Don't get me wrong, Table Tennis is hot, but it could be so much hotter if the developer added a bit of violence to the thing. It doesn't have to be real violence, I'll settle for cartoon violence. Oh, and don't forget the unlockable jumpsuits, bling, haircuts and the occasional weapon. I totally want to see Tommy Vercetti slamming some Ping Pong. Brian Crecente

We can't recall hearing this before, but News4Gamers.com is reporting that the graphic engine for GTA IV is actually the same RAGE engine used in the recently released Rockstar Table Tennis.

An excellent choice. RAGE is known for its excellent fluid physics. In Table Tennis, this can most obviously be seen in the way the beads of sweat realistically spray off the foreheads of the players. Imagine an opalescent string of pearls realistically jiggling upon the neck of an avatar and you will understand the full potential of this technology when applied to GTA IV... and, more specifically, it's forthcoming mod, 'Hot Coffee with Milk'. Florian Eckhardt

First Screens of GTA IV's Graphics Engine In Action [News 4 Gamers]

Rockstar serves up some very hip Table Tennis schwag. Sure, that ping-pong ball has been bouncing since E3, but deserves definitely deserves a mention. And doesn't the wrist band just screams "sweat in me please"? Brian Ashcraft

More Here [Xbox Collector]

When the week's most notable release is a ping pong game, you know things are a bit off. The week is actually chock full of strong titles, including HOMMV and Lemmings. I'll be waiting for reviews on both before making a decision. Here's what's new and notable.

Field Commander (PSP)
Sony Online Entertainment's 3D turn based strategy game features wireless play and 15 different army divisions.

Heroes of Might and Magic V (PC)
The game that set the standard for turn based strategy returns with new 3D visuals, new multiplayer gameplay modes, and "addictive" RPG elements.

Jaws Unleashed (PS2, Xbox)
Not a remake of the 1987 NES game, as this time you are the shark in this underwater adventure title from the Ecco the Dolphin team.

Lemmings (PSP)
The looooong running puzzle strategy game goes PSP with a level editor and Wi-Fi support.

Monster Hunter Freedom (PSP)
Based on Monster Hunter G for the PS2, this port lets up to four players go hunting wirelessly.

Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis (Xbox 360)
The Xbox 360 exclusive gets a budget-like ping pong release from the GTA crew.

Steambot Chronicles (PS2)
The western-style, mech combat RPG from Irem formerly known as Bumpy Trot features open ended adventuring and a protagonist name Vanilla Beans! Adorable.

Considering that I'm still only halfway through New Super Mario Bros. and that free Xbox 360 still hasn't arrived from Microsoft, I'll be keeping my wallet closed this week. What are you picking up this week, dear reader?

This new video from Rockstar's Table Tennis shows actual gameplay, according to the Rockstar folks. I'm told they just detached the camera to control the angles. The game itself plays from a sort of over the shoulder third-person view.

Man, first I got excited about a tennis game now I'm all weak-kneeded about Ping Pong. What's the world coming to?

Update: Hmm, for some reason I'm having trouble loading it onto YouTube. Until I figure it out you can check out the video here.

The PlayStation 3 rumor mill was definitely... milling this week with price speculation spinning it nearly out of control. Fortunately, the PR folks stepped in to clear up the issue. Kids, don't expect real pricing details on the PS3 until (I'm guessing) fall.

Microsoft held a press conference in Japan last week to talk about the company's future releases, including new RPG's from Tri-Ace and, well, not much else. Stateside, the company welcomed Lionhead Studios to the collective, adding Peter M's uniqueness to its own.

Third-place console king Nintendo now has at least one official game for its Revolution console. The latest Game Informer has pics of Red Steel, the first person shooter from Ubisoft. Despite the Rev's underpowered specs, the shots look pretty damn good.

Now that Apple has released Boot Camp, Mac gaming is looking less like a barren wasteland and more like a dual-boot hassle dream! Videos of folks playing Oblivion and Half-Life 2 at (near) max detail gives potential MacBook Pro owners hope for the future.

Rockstar dropped some more screens and video of its Xbox 360 exclusive Rockstar Presents Table Tennis. Probably not the exclusive Microsoft was hoping for, but the thing looks damn fun regardless.

Ready to *gag* trick out your Oblivion steed? Now you can thanks to the Xbox Live Marketplace (and sadly the PC) with a mere 200 points (about a buck sixty). Is this what the world of gaming is coming to? Time to bail out! I really wonder how much those Oblivion mods are going to cost. I mean, with the topless mod being free, why should I pay for anything else?

Finally, some more grist for the rumor mill are these PSP shots that are allegedly the recently revealed PS1 emulator. Fake? Probably. Exciting? Yes!

The official site for Rockstar's Table Tennis launched today with a whole bunch of eye candy. I've posted the screens above, you can hit up the video on the link.

Table Tennis [Rockstar]

Rockstar Lays Its Balls on the Table [CVG]

And Now for Something a Little Different [IGN]