"We started the in-house development team a couple of months ago and we're starting with downloadable content because the team is still small," explained the studio's US president John Yamamoto. "All formats – Xbox Live, WiiWare, PlayStation Network – are all viable formats for us"

The LA studio will also be investigating middleware solutions, after successfully using the Unreal Engine 3 for The Last Remnant. "I want to [...] evaluate lots of middleware," said Yamamoto, "because western middleware is much more advanced compared to Japanese middleware. So we will study and feed back information to Square Enix in Japan."

Square Enix LA studio to focus on digital titles [GamesIndustry.biz]

"Pokémon strives to create fun products and events for players of all skill levels and interests," said J.C. Smith, director of marketing for Pokémon USA, Inc. "The Pokémon Video Game Showdown provides the most skilled Pokémon players an opportunity to determine who is truly the best."

POKÉMON ANNOUNCES VIDEO GAME SHOWDOWN BETWEEN U.S. AND JAPAN

The Most Talented Pokémon Players Will Compete in Los Angeles and New York for a Chance to Battle the Best Players from Japan

Bellevue, WA - May 15, 2008 - Pokémon USA, Inc., has announced the first-ever Video Game Showdown, pitting the most skilled Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl players from the United States and Japan in a battle to determine the ultimate champion. The Pokémon Video Game Showdown will take place August 16 in Orlando, Florida and will feature 32 of the most talented players from each nation.

To win a seat in the Pokémon Video Game Showdown, players must compete and win at one of two Qualifier Tournaments taking place in Los Angeles and New York on July 12 and July 19, respectively. A total of 256 players in each city will battle for sixteen paid trips for two to Orlando to compete in the Pokémon Video Game Showdown. To enter for a chance to play in the Qualifier Tournaments, players must register and complete a Pokémon online quiz at http://showdown.pokemon.com.

"Pokémon strives to create fun products and events for players of all skill levels and interests," said J.C. Smith, director of marketing for Pokémon USA, Inc. "The Pokémon Video Game Showdown provides the most skilled Pokémon players an opportunity to determine who is truly the best."

More information, including prizes, tournament locations, times, and rules, can be found by visiting http://showdown.pokemon.com.

We've got 15 different projects cooking right now (and more to come) - many that have been announced like Dark Void, Street Fighter 2 HD Remix, Commando 3, Rocketmen, Talisman, MotoGP, Okami Wii, and many more titles that haven't even been announced. Yet.

15 Projects Cooking and We Need More Chefs [Capcom US The Blog - Thanks Seth!]

Even when Sony was claiming that there'd be 2 million PS3 consoles available at launch, we made a prediction: if you wanted a PS3 on launch day, you would need to pounce on the one guy in your city who managed to get one as he walked out of your local EB, crack his head against the pavement until he passed out, consume his heart for his strength, then fight off the rest of the gaming scavengers who had swooped down upon his corpse, eager to steal his shiny PS3.

Of course, that was before Sony announced that the PS3 would cost about $600. That price point definitely slimmed demand. Of course, we still stand by the prediction, because now Sony's backed down on their 2 million PS3s claim. Not only have they delayed the PS3's launch for the vast majority of the world, but look at these new numbers on how many PS3s will be available at launch date.

• North America: 400,000 Units
• Japan: 100,000 Units

Does that look like a lot to you? Keep in mind Microsoft's global launch was 1.5 million units, and there were still massive shortages.

You know, when I was at GC06 a couple weeks ago, I had a talk with one of the Microsoft guys about the PS3 launch. I noted that, after all of the screw-ups Microsoft made with the 360 launch, you'd really think Sony would have taken that as an object lesson on how not to handle a console launch, instead of doing everything in their power to fuck up the PS3 launch even worse. Microsoft guy's response? "Yeah. You would think that, wouldn't you?" Florian Eckhardt

European sales of Sony's PlayStation 3 delayed until March [International Herald Tribune]

If you see someone carrying a box that looks like this out of a Gamestop on June 11th, he's the one you should mug. - Florian Eckhardt

US DS Lite Package Art

Here is UCLA's video game quartet, The Jumpmen, singing tunes from Super Mario Bros.. Fun sure, but man, I hate acapella.

Clip Here [GoNintendo]