News
New sites see Final Fantasy XIII near
Pictures for you
Square Enix's next RPG in you know which series may be some way off still, but both Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy XIII Versus take a step nearer today, with the launch of official websites.
The site supporting Versus is only a shell at present, but the proper Final Fantasy XIII site is looking quite good.
New images are the order of the day, while Square's opus is looking inevitably stunning.
Versus is presently a PS3 exclusive, while the 'main' sequel is coming to both the PS3 and the Xbox 360 (the latter in Western markets). More soon.
Sony chief talks up PlayStation clout
Home, sales and more from Stringer
Rebuffing speculation that Sony's PlayStation division is suffering, big boss Sir Howard Stringer has revealed that the combined worldwide userbase of the PS3 and the PSP is now a huge 61 million.
Speaking in a keynote address at the CES show in Las Vegas yesterday, Sony Computer Entertainment chief Kaz Hirai also revealed that Sony has so far sold over one-million USD work of 'things' in Home.
Home did of course launch in the run up to Christmas, and while the 3D social world has faced criticisms Sony are standing by their new networking tool.
Kaz and co are predicting big things for PlayStation in 2009, although even today one retailer hinted that the PS3 price may need to fall amid tough economic conditions.
Low Tomb Raider sales hurt Eidos
Outlook foggy for British game publisher
Eidos Interactive have admitted this morning that sales of their Tomb Raider game, Underworld, have not lived up to expectations, the company admitting that North American sales of the game are below forecasts.
This admission sees the British publisher revising its full year sales forecast, knocking 20 million GBP off their outlook, moving their prediction from 180 to 200 million GBP, down to between 160 and 180 million GBP.
Shares in the game maker lost 25% of their value, falling to 13 pence.
Eidos said heavy discounting in North America, coupled with reduced stocks on shelves, had hurt forecasts and may lead to discussions with banks regarding the firm's finances.
Eidos' big hope for 2009 appears to be Batman: Arkham Asylum. More soon.
GameStop urges PS3 price cut
Retailer says system looks expensive
Speaking in the wake of bumper Christmas sales, GameStop boss Daniel DeMatteo has stated that the PlayStation is a good console, but that the price is simply too high given the harsh economic times.
Sony's PS3 costs 400 USD stateside, while the cheapest Xbox 360 is 200 USD, the Wii 2350 USD. The PS3 does of course boast a hard-drive and Blu-ray drive, but DeMatteo suggests the headline figures are just too different.
Sony yesterday affirmed to the world that the PS3 represents better value than its rivals, because of the all the features included in the console, which sometimes cost extra in the case of other consoles.
Still, given the dire economic outlook, the implication at retail is that the PS3 still looks pricey by comparison. Thanks VG247.
Sony admit Home was announced too soon
Project was hampered by early attentions
Chatting with Develop magazine this week, Home director Peter Edwards has admitted that Sony may have announced the existence of Home rather too early.
"Initially, there was real excitement from people, because we were showing something really different and that had a lot of potential," Edwards offered on the original announcement of the online social world.
"And then there’s the realisation that, well, we probably announced it too early - GDC 07 was a long time ago. I think there was sort of recognition amongst developers of ‘Oh, this is interesting, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.'"
More Home news as we get it.
PSN gets MTV shows
Sony grab SpongeBob
Yet more tittle-tattle out of the CES show this sunny morning, as we learn that a potentially important deal has been penned between MTV and Sony, that will see the TV network's programmes broadcast via the PlayStation Network.
Big name MTV shows such as The City, South Park, SpongeBob SquarePants and Rock of Love Bus with Bret Michaels will begin arriving in February - according to word from VG247.
Other programming will be added to the PSN in the future, Sony are quick to point out, although it isn't clear how much the platform holder hopes to charge users who partake of these newly confirmed delights.
More to be revealed next month, no doubt.
Square Enix look global in 2009
Wada outlines challenge for his firm
Speaking with 1UP.com (freshly acquired by UGO), Square Enix big-boss man Yoichi Wada has said that the Japanese publisher must look global in 2009, and garner strong sales beyond their homeland.
He said that games selling two to three million copies worldwide were a must for the firm, and that these titles should have international appeal.
"For better or worse, the game marketplace has become one of very high stakes. Our games are completely global now; we have to be global, both in terms of the consumer marketplace and where the games are developed," Wada explains.
"Being ‘global’ up to now simply meant Japanese companies would export game systems and titles overseas, but that’s no longer the case — you have to consider every possibility available, from selling Japan-made games overseas to selling overseas games in Japan."
Wada has in the past called for Japanese game makers to pool resources, and is concerned that Western developers seem to be stretching ahead in terms of success and innovation.
MS correct Halo Wars dating error
New schedule offered up
During his CES keynote, Xbox chief Robbie Bach appeared to confirm new dating plans for Ensemble's forthcoming RTS biggie Halo Wars. However, it appears that Master Bach made something of an error.
In fact, Microsoft's release plans for the new game remain firmly as they were prior to the Bach's speech, with the game due out in North America on the 3rd of March, and in Europe on February 27th.
So Halo Wars will be out in Europe before the US, after all.
A demo version of the game, meanwhile, will arrive worldwide on the 5th of February. Sorted.
Bach denies Xbox 360 Blu-ray plans
Drive speculation fades
This is a story that will never die. Yes, Robbie Bach has, once again, been answering questions about whether a Blu-ray drive will ever be added to the Xbox 360 console in some form. To which the Xbox exec has, big surprise, said no, it won't.
Speaking with Techflash at CES, Bach said the cost and compatibility issues made the addition of Blu-ray unlikely, stating Microsoft has no plans.
He said that despite the hype, very few gamers are asking for Blu-ray, while the fact that developers are unlikely to be able to actually use the drive also makes it doubly implausible.
"It doesn’t help us in the core of what Xbox does, which is in gaming. We can’t have publishers produce games on Blu-ray disc. Because then they won’t play on the 28 million Xboxes we’ve already shipped. So it doesn’t help us in the core gaming space," the big cheese offers.
Instead, Bach sees movies being delivered more and more in download and streaming form, via Xbox Live.
EA Sports leaping into Home
New dedicated area takes shape
More news out of CES 2009 this morning, Electronic Arts confirming that they will launch a brand spanking new 'EA Sports Complex', deep within the bowels of the PlayStation Home social world... thing.
This initiative marks EA's first tentative steps into the the online world, and we're told it'll give players access to "exclusive" EA Sports multiplayer games, leaderboard access, trailers and also serve as a space for socialising.
We also hear that "EA is currently working with Sony with further PlayStation Home support, with announcements coming in the future."
More from EA, Sony, and of course CES later. Probably.
