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  Saints Row PSP Apparently Confirmed By…Swedish Metal Band

  According to a posting on the website of Nordic rocker band Opeth, THQ’s sandbox title Saints Row is coming to the PSP. Did you know this? I didn’t. *throws up devil’s horns* As of posting, the band’s website reads: We may not like playing video games all that much but we do like it when…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published July 17, 2009
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  PAL PlayStation Store Update: Sincerest Apologies

  As is the standard for the PAL PlayStation Store, there’s not much on offer this week. So much so that Sony Europe’s blog has issued a brief apology. SCEE’s Mike Kebby writes “I know this update looks light on content, and I do apologise for that”, before promising that in the coming weeks, there’s not…

  By Luke Plunkett Published July 17, 2009
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  Katamari Forever Gets Nutty New Trailer, Rolls Into PlayStation Home

  Continuing their support of Sony’s PlayStation Home, Namco Bandai have today announced that they’ll be bringing some Katamari Damacy stuff to the PS3 service. To be released to help promote the upcoming Katamari Tribute (or Katamari Forever as it’s known here), Japanese users will soon be able to pick up a Katamari t-shirt and adorable…

  By Luke Plunkett Published July 17, 2009
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  Microsoft Closes Game Development Program

  Microsoft have been getting into user-created gaming in a big way of late. First Xbox LIVE Community Games, then Kodu. Which means they have little use for their original games creator, Popfly. Released to minimal fanfare last year as a set of templates upon which people could build games with little or no programming experience,…

  By Luke Plunkett Published July 17, 2009
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  …And Atlus Accidentally Reveals Teased Title (Doh!)

  Japanese game company Atlus launched a teaser site with a July 24 announcement. But the reveal has already been revealed — and only hours after it first went live! Earlier today, Atlus put a teaser site online with a scrambled image. Above is the image unscrambled. It shows what could be the South Pole imploding.…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published July 17, 2009
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  Caution: Japanese Designer Pokemon Shirts Ahead

  Continuing their recent run of collaborations with the clothing label, Nintendo have teamed up with A Bathing Ape to bring us a line of Pokemon/Bape t-shirts that will no doubt set your wallet’s heart aflutter. There’s six shirts in the line, some heavy on the Pokemon, others heavier on a freaky, Pokemonised version of the…

  By Luke Plunkett Published July 17, 2009
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  Gears 2: All Fronts Launches Early For Half The Price [Update]

  The latest piece of Gears of War 2 downloadable content – the “All Fronts” pack – wasn’t supposed to be out until July 28. But for some reason, it’s out now, and is available for half the price. Yes, whether you buy the pack from Xbox.com or from the 360 dash itself, it doesn’t matter,…

  By Luke Plunkett Published July 17, 2009
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  How Do Dragon Quest’s Famitsu Scores Stack Up?

  Japanese game magazine Famitsu gave new DS title Dragon Quest IX a perfect score — the tenth game to get such a score. But how does it stack up to the others? Since Famitsu has been doing its 40 out of 40 reviews, the DQ titles have been rated: Dragon Quest II 38/40 Dragon Quest…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published July 17, 2009
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  Hey, You Can’t Take A PSP Into A Nuclear Warhead Facility!

  Three security guards at the ominous-sounding National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, have been suspended without pay after it was found they’d brought portable gaming systems to work. The complex is responsible for building, repairing and disassembling components for nuclear warheads, so yes, it’s a high securty, important place. And as such, it’s got…

  By Luke Plunkett Published July 17, 2009
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  What Does Brown Man Think of Dragon Quest IX?

  That’s Toshihiro Nagoshi. He makes those Yakuza games and created Super Monkey Ball. Amazing tan aside, he’s also just like 2.3 million other Japanese people. Nagoshi purchased Dragon Quest IX. What does he think? He says it’s easy to get into and the interface is good. “It’s a much better match for handhelds than home…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published July 17, 2009
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  It Was Only A Matter Of Time: Ryu vs Nude Cammy

  While some owners of the PC version of Street Fighter IV are editing the game to change movesets and faces, other owners are more direct. They don’t want new moves. They want to see Cammy, sans clothing (NSFW!)

  By Luke Plunkett Published July 17, 2009
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  Atlus Teases New Title

  Sigh. Another announcement of an announcement. This time it’s Japanese game maker Atlus. At least the teaser site is interactive! On July 24, Atlus will announce a new title. The teaser site is covered with a mosaic, but if you drag your cursor over the blue tiles, it reveals a view of the globe from…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published July 17, 2009
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  Watch Some Guy Play Gran Turismo PSP For Two Minutes

  Yes, watch as somebody from Spanish site Fase Extra puts Gran Turismo PSP through its paces for a few minutes, menu screens and all. It’s actually looking quite good! I think the downgraded graphics and d-pad input brings us back to a time when Gran Turismo meant “enjoyable racing sim”, not “soulless shrine to tedious…

  By Luke Plunkett Published July 17, 2009
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  PaRappa Creator: East And West Should Not Be “Too Separate”

  PaRappa the Rapper creator Masaya Matsuura is an international dude. Heck, he worked with American artist Rodney Greenblat to bring PaRappa to life. He knows the benefits of international collaboration. “Developers in the East and West should not be too separate,” said Matsuura at Develop Conference 2009 in Brighton, Uk. “It should me international, and…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published July 17, 2009
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  Porn Actress In The Running For New Yakuza Game

  SEGA held a cattle call for its upcoming Yakuza game with an open audition. Women with experience as cabaret hostesses were encouraged to apply. One finalist has more experience than that. Much more. Finalist Rio is one of the 16 to be in the running for a slot in the game. According to her personal…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published July 17, 2009
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  Midway Fires 20% Of Workforce, Including CEO, Ahead Of Sale

  Now that Warner Bros. owns Midway, there’s not much need for Midway’s corporate offices in Chicago. Warner Bros.’ offices can handle that sort of stuff just fine. So all 60 employees there have been laid off. As per the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, the employees were given 60 days notice on Monday. Those…

  By Luke Plunkett Published July 16, 2009
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  More About This White-Haired Boy Final Fantasy XIII Character

  His name is Hope Estheim. The white-haired boy did make an appearance in the E3 Final Fantasy XIII trailer, but thanks to this Japanese magazine article, we have more details about him. Hope wields a boomerang as his weapon, and there is a bit of friction between the fiery tempered character and bandana dude Snow.…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published July 16, 2009
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  Level-5 Announces It Will Announce New Games (Oh Great)

  Level-5, the Fukuoka-based developer behind those puzzling Professor Layton games and PS3 exclusive White Knight Chronicles, has announced an announcement. Yep. At upcoming event Level-5 Vision 2009 in late August, the developer will reveal a trio of new titles. Current games that Level-5 is developing include Studio Ghibli title The Another World, a new Professor…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published July 16, 2009
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  1 vs. 100 is Again a Free for All — Literally

  All you cheapskatin’ silver members in North America should know Xbox Live is opening 1 vs. 100 to everyone this weekend, meaning you can play for prizes – no purchase necessary! As you might have heard, this coming weekend last weekend will be was the first involving skill-based prizes for players during the 1 vs.…

  By Owen Good Published July 16, 2009
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  PlayStation Camera To Support Facial Recognition

  Forget full-body waggle, the thing that most excited me about Project Natal’s E3 demo was the promise that the camera could recognise my face, and log me into Xbox Live automatically. Yes, I’m that lazy. Not wanting to be outdone, Sony Europe’s Head of Developer Services, Kish Hirani, announced yesterday during the Develop conference that…

  By Luke Plunkett Published July 16, 2009