Loads of news spilling out of Microsoft’s RPG press event in Tokyo tonight. Some of it important, some of it interesting, some of it…not. Ah well! To slam a more official seal on things – and ensure nothing of any import was lost in translation – Microsoft US have put out a press release rounding up the key announcements and release dates revealed during the event. Sorry Europe. That 2009 date for Tales of Vesperia was no typo. [Pic]
Upcoming Square Enix RPG The Last Remnant will be getting an Xbox 360 release before the PS3 one. The game was first announced in 2007, and Square Enix touted the fact that it would be getting a simultaneous PS3/Xbox 360 release in both Japan and North America this winter with Europe following later. Now, it looks like it will get a simultaneous Xbox 360 release and a PS3 one later. And get this, Square Enix now says the game will launch in Japan, North America and Europe at the same time this winter — on the Xbox 360.
Square Enix published, tri-Ace developed Xbox 360 title Infinite Undiscovery has been dated for North America (9/2), Europe (9/5), Japan (9/11) and Asia (9/11). The North America and Europe dates are ship dates, but presumably the other dates are actual in-store dates.
Infinite Undiscovery Dated [Famitsu]
Square Enix and tri-Ace’s RPG Star Ocean 4 is coming to the Xbox 360. The game has gotten a final title as well: Star Ocean 4: The Last Hope. The game will be released in 2009. SO4 was first announced back in 2007 at the Square Enix Party, and it will take place a few hundred years before the first Star Ocean title. The title was originally thought to be a PS3 exclusive. Obviously, because this is a Microsoft event, no word if and when it will appear on the PLAYSTATION 3. Hit the jump for the logo and title.
Microsoft’s Xbox 360 RPG Premiere 2008 press conference is about to get under way in Tokyo. Outside the event, a banner hangs with Namco Bandai Games’, Square Enix’s and Microsoft’s logos. Check back throughout the night for any breaking news from the event.
First Guitar Hero kicks the bucket, now this… Soul Calibur IV has been dated and priced for Japan. That’s good news! The game will be released on July 31st for ¥7,800 ($AU 76.89). Above is the official Japanese box art for the game, box art that features Darth Vader for the PS3 version. Yoda is on the Xbox 360 version’s cover. That’s, well, not such good news. By putting these iconic Star Wars characters on the box doesn’t it make Soul Calibur IV seem less like a Soul Calibur game and more like a Star Wars game? Yes, yes it does. You had a good run SC. Gonna miss ya.
Hit the jump for Yoda and try not to wonder why the Lightsabres aren’t slicing through the swords!
THQ wireless director James Scalpello thinks he knows why more guys than girls play games. They’ve got better things to do! Word has it that Scalpello said:
When girls play console games, they have to have gone through a whole other list of things they could have done before sitting down with them… Guys get home, have dinner, and play a computer game. It’s much higher up the list of priorities. To put it bluntly, girls have got better things to do.
Oh. Okay. Well. Yeah. Scalpello apparently went on to say, “I don’t think there’s ever been a successful game really pinpointed just for girls”. And after that, he went on to win the hearts of female gamers everywhere. James! James! He’s our man!!
Eds Note: According to game site CVG, these quotes originally appeared on CasualGaming.biz, but were later given ninja edits so that they read slightly different now.
Girly Games May Be A Lost Cause [CasualGaming.biz via CVG]
Afrika, Sony’s upcoming entry in the burgeoning savannah-wildlife-photojounalist-sim genre, has been given a final release date and price. It’ll be out on August 28, and will cost ¥5980 ($AU 58.98), which is a bit of a worry. I’d presumed this would be a neat little addition to the PSN’s lineup. A different way to blow $AU 15.8-$AU 21.07. But that price has it pegged as a, well, proper game. And what they’ve shown thus far doesn’t look like it has the legs/meat of a proper game at all.
Afrika [Official Site]
Don’t forget! We have a *another* contest going besides our MGS ‘stache. Reader Letsan didn’t forget, writing: “There’s only one Dragon Ball for three reasons: I was too lazy to make more of them, winter has my hands colder than the Balls itself, and there is no more orange juice. And they’re made out of frozen orange juice, while the little star was cut down from a rubber keychain. Almost forgot to thank Maglite for that nice Dragon Ball glow!” To bring everyone up to speed: Make a Dragon Ball. The best damn Dragon Ball you can! It cannot be drawn or virtual — it must be an actual three dimension Dragon Balls. Now! If you don’t know what Dragon Balls look like, you can click here. While the Dragon Balls you make should look like actual Dragon Balls, feel free to get creative with what you use to make them. The contest wraps up later this month. The finalists will win either the PS3 version or Xbox 360 version of Dragon Ball Z Burst Limit. Be sure to send entries to kotakucontestATgmailDOTcom and include a Kotaku sign. Losers get INTERNET FAME.
Hit the jump for more balls.
