Wow, Pac-Man Sure Is A Lot More Complicated Than I Remember
Oh wait, this isn't Pac-Man at all, just an overly-complex free-to-play Puzzle & Dragons clone called Pac-Man Monsters, now available on Google Play and iOS.
Social Game Company President Sued for an Alleged Forced Abortion
According to reports out of Japan, the president of social gaming giant Gree, Yoshikazu Tanaka, is being sued for allegedly making a young woman get an abortion.
Stabbing at Tokyo Game Studio
This morning, at the Tokyo offices of game developer GeePlus, two employees were injured in a knife attack. Their attacker was a 32 year-old temp worker at the same company.
This Sounds Like The Coolest X-Men Game Ever... Oh, Wait.
They had me at drawing on heroes and villains from the X-Men's past, present and future. Then they lost me.
There's a New Star Ocean Game. But Don't Get Excited Yet.
Hey, guess what! There's a new Star Ocean coming out in Japan. But it's probably not what you expect.
Playing Dance Dance Revolution on Your iPhone Isn't Exactly Dancing, Now Is It?
I'm all about seeing my favorite franchises represented in the mobile gaming space, but Dance Dance Revolution seems like a series best left to controllers that won't shatter if you stomp on them. Maybe Dance Dance Revolution: Dance Wars will prove me wrong.
GREE Closes OpenFeint, Gives Game Developers a Month to Avoid a Potential "Poor Player Experience"
Before Apple had Game Center it had OpenFeint, a gaming network that brought a cohesive online experience to countless iPhone, iPad and eventually Android games. Some of us may have opted to miss out on its fun features, but for many game developers it was a priceless tool. Come December 14, OpenFeint will be no more.
Disgaea is headed to Japanese smartphones as a card-based social game.
Checking Out The New Metal Gear Made for Social Butterflies
With Metal Gear Social Ops, Metal Gear is returning to smartphones! This time the game is a tap-based card game in which you sneak from point A to point B, pulling off "Stealth Chains" as you go.
That City Building Assassin's Creed Spin Off Is Actually Fun
Assassin's Creed Utopia for iOS is a new take on the world of Assassin's Creed. As previously mentioned, you build a 17th century colony and watch it develop right up to the American Revolution. And best of all, it's pretty damn good.
Emperors Saga, the latest Saga game, is a card-based title for Japanese smartphones.
Brand New Metal Gear! It's..Um...a Social Game
Today at the Metal Gear 25th Anniversary event in Tokyo, Konami announced that a new Metal Gear was incoming, but it might not be coming to the platform of your choice.
In Japan, Social Game Makers To Phase Out "Gambling" Elements
Japanese social game makers DeNA and Gree both said they will begin phasing out controversial "complete gacha" elements in their games. Losing $700 million in one day sure is convincing! [Reuters]
Capsule Toys are Cool. This is Not.
We have Gree and DeNA, two huge social gaming companies, to thank for the massive growth in Japan's social gaming industry. But their business models use a method called "complete gacha"; it is currently being called unfair, and it may be regulated by the Japan's Consumer Affair Agency.
Japan's Youngest Self-Made Billionaire Lost $700 Million Today [Update]
Think you had a bad day? Japan's youngest self-made billionaire, Gree honcho Yoshikazu Tanaka, just lost US$700 million bucks.
Key Developers Leaving Square Enix...for Social Gaming
Turnover at game companies is high. But Japanese game developers who work on big titles for big companies tend to stay put. But what happens when your company is being eclipsed?
Is This the Most Daring Pokémon Rip-Off Japan Has Seen?
In years past, whenever Pokémon knock-offs appeared in other countries, Japanese netizens would post them online to laugh and point. This time, it's not a foreign rip-off. It's homegrown.
Mega Man's Creator Launches First Post-Capcom Game, Dr. MoMo's Island
Keiji Inafune gave us Mega Man, one of gaming's immortal heroes and mascot for Japanese publisher Capcom. But then Inafune had a seemingly tense break with his longtime employer over creative differences. News of his new companies Comcept and Intercept followed his departure and the first new game from Inafune just…
Short Name. Big Booth. Mystery to Westerners.
This booth was one of the biggest booths at the Tokyo Game Show. It took up one tenth of the entire show floor. It wasn't Sony's. It wasn't Square Enix's. It wasn't Capcom's. The booth belonged to Gree. So what the hell is Gree?
Resident Evil Reborn As Social Networking Game
This June, Resident Evil: Outbreak Survive will hit Japan's Gree social networking service. Set in Raccoon City, the game has players work together with friends, sharing healing items and putting together teams of rescued allies to complete missions.
