Thursday, June 5, 2008

So, Yeah, iPhone’s Coming To Japan (Should I Get One?)

11:40PM Brian Ashcraft | To: Crecente From: Ashcraft RE: Sushi Sushi As you may or may not have heard, the iPhone is *finally* announced for Japan. There’s no price and no release date, but it has a carrier: Softbank. I think it’s gonna do pretty well in Japan, seeing how popular Apple is here. My question: Should I get one? Like… Is it worth it? Keep in mind that I accidently put my last cell phone in the washing machine (and my iPod Shuffle after that) and I honestly don’t leave the house very much. At all. For days on end. Weeks, even. (Though today I went to McDonald’s to purchase a soft serve ice cream cone because pregnant lady had to have one right now. The woman at the drive through warned me that they couldn’t put it in a cup or a holder or something. Try driving with a soft serve ice cream cone. Not easy!) What you missed last night Kojima Productions says no 90 minute cutscenes (possible spoiler) How much time do Americans spend with 360s, PS3s, Wiis? Fishy copies of MGS4 in UK hands After Itagaki announcement, Tecmo stock price drops MK vs DC Batman Microsoft not happy with overcrowded live More »

Casual Gamers? Serious Business

11:00PM Brian Ashcraft | Casual gamers want better! Their expectations are becoming high says Ubisoft. According to the company’s Games For Everyone executive producer Pauline Jacquey, it’s competitors that are raising the stakes. Says Jacquey: When you’re reaching out to somebody who plays one or two games a year, it’s very easy. You don’t need to follow the rules of previous markets. But as they play more and competitors emerge, you have to rethink the way you do the games. The casual audience is becoming more demanding, for sure, and we need to make sure we’re proving more than what they’re anticipating… Young girls, for instance, are now used to games that are made just for them – and have started thinking they want something better. Imagine Babies, anyone? Anyone? Casuals Demanding More [CasualGaming] More »

Bomberman Wii Screens Are Simple, Joyous

10:30PM Luke Plunkett |

Wii Advertising Wins Advertising Award

9:30PM Luke Plunkett | What are the odds! One minute, someone pokes fun at Wii advertising (and the Wii itself), the next minute, said advertising goes and wins a prestigious international advertising award. Ad agency Leo Burnett, who were behind Nintendo’s “Wii Would Like To Play” campaign, picked up the top prize at the 40th Annual Effie Awards, held in NYC on Wednesday. In explaining away the decision, the Effie’s organisers said: More »

Kojima Productions Says ‘No MGS4 90 Minute Cutscenes’

9:00PM Brian Ashcraft | Late last month, magazine PSW stated that upcoming Metal Gear Solid 4 has 90 minute cutscenes — which, the magazine pointed out, could be skipped. Website GamePro fired back, confirming that the game does have “occasionally lengthy” cutscenes and calling the 90 minute cutscenes “a pretty big exaggeration.” Magazine EDGE offered this in its review: “The cutscenes here are sure to invoke that thousand-yard stare, two in particular coming perilously close to the 90-minute mark.” But what’s the official word from Kojima Productions? Metal Gear Solid 4 Assistant Producer Ryan Payton tells Kotaku that the 90 minute cutscene claim is a “gross exaggeration.” Hit the jump for his full statement and POSSIBLE SPOILER. More »

Warhawk Expansions Bundled In A Combo Pack

8:30PM Luke Plunkett | Sony have announced that, sometime in the future - probably the near future – they’ll be releasing a Warhawk-themed value pack over the PSN. Said pack will roll both Warhawk expansions (Omega Dawn and Operation Broken Mirror) into the single release. As of now there’s only British pricing available: the pack will go for £4.99, a charitable offering when you consider they each went for £3.99 when first released. North American pricing can’t be too far away. Warhawk DLC bundle incoming [CVG] More »

Upright New Persona 3, Oneechanbara VorteX Figurines

8:00PM Brian Ashcraft | Japanese figure maker Alter has put up new listings for its fall figurine line-up which includes a Persona 3 Elizabeth from sculptor Fumiki Saitou and an Oneechanbara VorteX Aya from Goutarou Takeuchi. The Elizabeth (pictured) is 22cm tall and books at ¥6,090 (US$58), while the Aya (after the jump) is 25cm tall and priced at ¥8,190 (US$78). Aya, of course, is more expensive because she is 3cm higher and not because she is in her skippies and carrying swords. Oh no. More »

Get A Closer Look At Europe’s Classy DS Lites

7:30PM Luke Plunkett |