Square Enix announced today (via4Gamer.net) that aFinal Fantasy trading card gamewill be released in Japan starting on February 25, 2011. The game will be published by Hobby Japan. Exactly what sort of collectible card game this new Final Fantasy product will be was not revealed in today's announcement. All that was promised was that the cards will feature"characters and summons creatures from the Final Fantasy series."Among the few sample cards released, some feature a more cartoony art style (like Cloud's card above) while others more closely resemble the games' 3D models (such as Lightning fromFinal Fantasy XIII). The cards won't be available for purchase until February, but Square Enix will be including a"promotion card"with the upcoming PSP title,The 3rd Birthday.
вторник, 30 ноября 2010 г.
Final Fantasy Trading Card Game Launching in February
понедельник, 29 ноября 2010 г.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Tops in Japan
It may not havebroken any recordshere butCall of Duty: Black Opsis the number one selling game in Japan according to the weekly Media Create sales figures (via4Gamer.net). Nearly 170,000 copies of the multi-platform shooter were purchased, with the bulk of those being the PlayStation 3 version. Ranked separately, the PS3 version was first overall while the 360 version was in seventh place. In second place was a sequel to Nintendo'sFossil Fighters, a game where players dig up ancient remains and revive the creatures to do battle, Pokemon-style. It outsold its predecessor, released in 2008 in Japan, by 7,000 copies. Call of Duty would prove to be the only Xbox 360 game in the top 20 despite November 20th being the Japanese launch day for Kinect. No specific sales data for the accessory has been made public, but it would appear that none of the new Kinect games managed to sell more than 8,000 copies. According toGpara, Konami'sDanceMastersis the highest one on the chart in 24th place. Japanese hardware sales were up overall by a third. While the Xbox 360 got a bump from the Kinect launch, as did the DSi thanks to anew Pokemon bundle, the biggest winner was the PSP. The already popular console more than doubled its sales fromthe week before, moving nearly 100,000 units. 4Gamer speculates this sudden demand could be inspired by the new color schemes that debuted on the 18th or it could be anticipation for the new Monster Hunter game. However, that sure-fire hit doesn't go on sale until December 1st and it will launch alonside a redesigned PSP-3000 for Monster Hunter fans. The full Top 10 software chart (new releases inbold): And the hardware sales: Home Consoles: Handhelds:
воскресенье, 28 ноября 2010 г.
Castlevania Harmony of Despair Adds Two DLC Characters
Afterleaked images hit the weband anXbox Live malfunction delayed their arrival, two DLC characters were finally released yesterday forCastlevania Harmony of Despair. The new hunters joining the battle are Yoko Belnades and Julius Belmont fromCastlevania Dawn of Sorrow. Each one costs 240 Microsoft points ($3 USD). Yoko is a descendant of Sypha fromCastlevania IIIwho wields a wimpy weapon but casts powerful fire, ice and lightning spells. Julius, as a member of the Belmont clan who appear in nearly every Castlevania game, uses a whip along with traditional weapons from the series (throwing knifes, crosses, and so on). He can whip in eight directions and swing from hooks like Simon did inSuper Castlevania IV. There is still no confirmation regarding the appearance of Maria fromRondo of Bloodwho appeared in leaked footage over the summer but is nowhere to be seen on thegame's official site. Then again, there's plenty of room for more portraits to be added to that page in the future.
суббота, 27 ноября 2010 г.
Kinect Sells 26,000 Units in Japan
Media Create, the company that tracks sales data for Japanese video game software and hardware,amended its weekly report todaywith an assessment of Microsoft's Kinect. Describing it as having"a quiet start,"the company reported that 26,000 units were sold during its launch weekend of November 20th&21st. That figure includes stand-alone units as well as those bundled with a console. Media Create made the inevitable comparison to PlayStation Move, stating that Kinect sold"about half"of what Sony's motion controller sold during its October debut. Considering a major retailer estimated this week thatKinect was selling one-quarter of Move's numbers, that's an improvement. Also worth noting is the significant cost difference between the two: Japanese Move bundles start at only 5100 yen (approximately $60.89 USD, cheaper than a typical new game) while Kinect units cost 14,800 yen ($176.70). Software-wise, no Kinect games crackedthe top 20 games sold in Japanthat week. Media Create revealed today thatDanceMasters, the highest-ranking title on the list, sold 6,000 copies.Looking back at the Move's launch week, four Move-compatible games made the top 20 and combined to sell over 50,000 copies.
пятница, 26 ноября 2010 г.
New PSP Firmware Adds Qriocity Music Sharing Support
Just in time for Thanksgiving, Sony hasreleased a new PSP firmware update, version 6.35 for those of you scoring at home. If that home happens to be in North America or Europe, this update will add a Qriocity logo to your XMB. Sony hasn't yet revealed whenthe company's new"Music Unlimited"service will go live, but now that the software is already in place on the PSP, that launch looks like it's coming sooner rather than later. For Japanese PSP owners, Qriocity is not an option so they get an XMB shortcut for a map/guidebook service calledx-Radar Portable. A radar-like display points out nearby businesses, train stations, and the like. Digital guidebooks covering specific information (restaurants, zoos, even maid cafes) are available for purchase via the PlayStation Store. There's also a free scavenger hunt game called Monster Radar. The x-Radar Portable service was originally released months ago as a separate application on the web, but now PSP users can download the free software directly from the XMB.
четверг, 18 ноября 2010 г.
BioWare Making Multiplayer-Focused Mass Effect Spin-Off?
AsKotakureports, a"development source"tells them the game is being made by BioWare Montreal, which contributed toMass Effect 2during that game's development. And by"multiplayer-focused,"that doesn't mean to expect a massively multiplayer game likeStar Wars: The Old Republic; rather, the source says it's more along the lines of the multiplayer offered in the Call of Duty series. Which makes enough sense, since the core action in Mass Effect is essentially an over-the-shoulder shooter. This source also says the game will have a single-player component, but it'll put players in control of a character other than Commander Shepard. And while obviously none of this is confirmed yet, there is some corroborating evidence: Kotaku points out that BioWare Montreal was specifically looking for multiplayer programmers back in June (viaCinemaBlend), and BioWare CEO Greg Zeschuk has also previously stated that they intend to make more games in the Mass Effect universe outside of the main trilogy. Still, we'll have to wait until the VGAs on December 11 to find out for sure what BioWare has in store for us next.
Yesterday, BioWarerevealeda single teaser image for a new game they plan to announce during the Spike TV VGAs next month. And in what will sure come as no surprise to you, it took only 24 hours for an anonymous source to spread a rumored synopsis of what we can expect: a multiplayer-focused Mass Effect spin-off.
FarmVille Maker's New Game, CityVille, Takes Inspiration From SimCity
FarmVille maker Zynga has announced its next major title, CityVille. Described by the publisher as"Monopoly meets Main Street,"CityVille is a social game that builds on the success of FarmVille and FrontierVille by taking it to the streets and allowing players to"build their dream cities from the ground up." CityVille's official site isnow live, and Zynga promises that a beta program will begin"in the coming weeks."
OnLive Console Shipping in December for $99
Cloud streaming game service OnLive will begin shipping its MicroConsole TV Adapter unit on December 2, and has announced a new monthly flat-rate subscription plan. The MicroConsole (pictured above) allows users to access and play with the OnLive service without a computer, and attaches directly to a modern television using either HDMI or component inputs (component adapter sold seperately). The package comes complete with a wireless controller, two AA batteries, and Ethernet and HDMI cables. It is available for preorder now for $99, an includes a voucher for one free game (valued at $49.99 or less). Buyer beware: the free game voucher is only part of a special holiday promotion, and may not be included come next year. In addition to the standard game rental and purchase options, OnLive will also offer a flat-rate subscription service later this year for what it is describing as back-catalog, indie and classic games. The company is promising"approximately 50"titles will be available in 2010, with 100 games"in the pipeline."Further details (including available games and subscription pricing) are not available at this time. 1UP has had a review unit in the office for a couple of weeks now, check out our hands-on impressionshere.
