PS3 Rumours / News of the Day

[Kiwi]

gamescom advisory committee paves the way for gamescom 2010

Committee and Koelnmesse prepare for the event in the coming year

Cologne - "Together with our partners we intend to pick up on the success of the gamescom premiere in the coming year and successively expand on the largest event and entertainment highlight for interactive games and entertainment." With these words, Oliver P. Kuhrt, Managing Director of Koelnmesse GmbH, and Olaf Wolters, Managing Director of the German Federal Association of Interactive Entertainment Software (BIU), summed-up the first meeting of the gamescom advisory committee, which met last week in Cologne. Together with the BIU, the other advisory committee members including members from the city of Cologne and from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Koelnmesse analysed the gamescom premiere and derived the potential for the coming event scheduled for 18 - 22 August 2010.

"Market research has confirmed the positive results of gamescom and at the same time shown where the potential for optimisation lies," states Oliver P. Kuhrt. One performance parameter, for instance, would be an even better interlocking of the individual elements of trade fair, festival and Game Developers Conference (GDC Europe). Furthermore, there are initial ideas for expanding on the event character and the "look and feel" of the overall event. Preparations for gamescom 2010 are already running full-speed ahead. Koelnmesse has already paved the way for 2010 with initial press trips to the United Kingdom and Austria and conducted intensive conversations with industry, press and trade on its expansion. Beyond the exhibitors who were at the premiere, numerous new exhibitors both from Germany and abroad have already signalled their interest in participating in 2010. "Compared with the previous year we are noticing that the industry is approaching their plans for participation in gamescom 2010 much earlier and with more decisiveness after the successful initial event. We are very pleased about this positive signal and display of trust on the part of the industry," says Kuhrt.

With more than 17,000 trade visitors (43.2% from abroad) and over 450 exhibitors from 31 countries (44% abroad), gamescom really put markers down internationally in August. More than 245,000 visitors overall and a successful gamescom festival for winning over new target groups also meant a new level for interactive games and entertainment. Also when it comes to media output, gamescom was able to achieve a positive result with over 4,100 journalists from 48 countries with the share of international media representatives being around 30 percent.

[frosty]

Hey everyone! Aaron Webber here again – some of you may remember me from the Valkyria Chronicles 2 blog post a while back. This time, I have the privilege of bringing you guys some more exciting news – news that I know many of you are about to be extremely excited about!

After months upon months of requests, a myriad of rumors, and even full campaigns that speak to the unparalleled dedication of the fans, we can finally speak those words that all of you have been waiting anxiously to hear. So, here they are:

Yakuza 3 is coming West.

Yakura 3 Coming to PS3

Featuring the original all-star Japanese voice cast and subtitled in English, Yakuza 3 chronicles the next steps in the life of the man once known as the Dragon of Dojima – Kiryu Kazuma.

As Kiryu works to begin a new life running an orphanage in Okinawa, the world he left behind in Tokyo also moves quickly. When the chairman of the Tojo clan is shot and the rivalry between the families plunges the city into chaos, even Okinawa is not far enough away to escape the grasp of the mysterious forces pulling the strings.

Yakura 3 Coming to PS3

Then, when one of Kiryu’s close friends in Okinawa is found with multiple gunshot wounds to the chest, things take a new turn for the worse. Driven to protect his friends, the Dragon is alive again – Kiryu returns to the dark city of Kamurocho, and will stop at nothing to find those responsible and give them his own taste of justice.

Releasing March 2010, the epic Yakuza saga continues, exclusively on the PlayStation 3.

Last but not least, we’d like to give special thanks to you guys, the Yakuza fans! Your passion and dedication has helped make this a reality, and we’d like to extend that thanks by letting you submit questions to the Yakuza 3 development team in Japan! To do so, just put *Dev Question* before typing your question here in the comments.

Until next time – we’ll have lots more news and in-depth looks at what Yakuza 3 has to offer very soon. Spread the word – Yakuza 3 is coming!

[masteratt]

Take 5 mins to check the boards frosty

[Kiwi]

Good job, frostbo

[Luis]

Good job, frostbo

I C wut u deed thar

[Kiwi]

Holy shit, major news, folks!!

EA Sports Announcing "New Game" in January

EA Canada's community manager tweeted last night that "execs at EA SPORTS will announce a new game sometime in January. I wonder what it'll be?" Yeah, I wonder, too. Let's wonder together.

Some candidates, in decreasing order of likelihood:

• FIFA World Cup 10. Although, this is really no surprise, nor is it really a "new game." Technically it fits the definition.

• A downloadable title. Madden NFL Arcade has sold well, but unless this is an NBA Arcade or a sequel to the NHL 3-on-3 title (which stretches the language of this tease), there isn't much that's in season. It's also hardly the kind of thing that warrants an executive announcement as opposed to a statement.

• Grand Slam Tennis on the 360 and/or PS3. It was delayed from this autumn and these console versions are thought to be tied to Natal/PlayStation Motion Control, due in the coming year. But it would be very irregular for a title like this to put a date on a new technology before the maker of that technology does. It could also be a non-motion control version.

• As the astute Pasta Padre reasons, a WWE title. Pasta points out the license between the wrestling enterprise and THQ has until Dec. 31 to be renewed. "It is possible THQ informed WWE they did not intend to continue the license at which point EA could have jumped in and made an offer," says Pasta.

• Something entirely new, but it's tough to imagine EA Sports opening a new license after what Tiburon has just gone through, and the indication they'll focus on their existing franchises.

• Or, the hardway four on this crapshoot, the return of MVP Baseball. 2K Sports still has the exclusive Major League Baseball license into 2012, but given Take Two Interactive's pointed remarks last week, they would probably love to get that millstone off their necks. MLB 2K10 announced its cover athlete, so we're not talking about this year. But the tweet only said an announcement of a new game, not the time when it is released.

Source

¬_¬

A word of advice to whoever it is at EA Canada who posts stuff like this: Get your fat fucking arse off of Twitter, and do some real work. Thank you!

[GTAce]

holy Fucking Shit Ea Sports This Must Be An Amazing Game In A New Genre Its Going To Blow Up Our Brains In Its Awesomeness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111111111111

[jaxmkii]

[ZOMGBBWBBQ!!! i better throw Fallout 3 and gt5 in the fire to make room on the shelf for what is sure to be ORGOTY for 2010!!!11 head esplode!!!111!!1!

[Bsack]

wow...that's enthusiasm folks.

[BahnNZ]

I hope it's tiddlywinks. Or synchronized swimming. That would be so cool on PSN...

Eating hotdogs really fast is a sport, they could do that... Every year new mustard flavors.

It's too hot and I can't sleep.

[Luis]

Most likely a mud fighting simulator. Here's a pic from the incoming cover photoshoot:

[AC!D]

PSN Premium Service to Feature Special Changes to the Trophy System?

Okay first off this is not something from a “reliable source” or some sort of fake proof. This is pure speculation based out of Reasoning. So you can all have your opinions of this but here is what I think.

We all know about the Playstation Premium service that is coming out next year. We all know how it is going to be a source of revenue for Playstation. But that is all we know. We don’t know what is going to be affected by it, how much it will cost, or when it actually will come out specifically.


Remember this?


I think that this premium service will feature something along the lines of our old, fake rumor, Playstation Cloud. Playstation Cloud was supposed to be a type of Trophy comparison system for the Playstation 3. While I doubt it will be under the name Playstation Cloud I do believe that this premium service will include some type of special treatment towards Trophy Hunters. Among the features I foresee in this premium service are:

-Financial rewards for Playstation Trophies

-Advanced PSN profile looks

-Advanced comparison of trophies between friends

-Playstation Trophy Leaderboards

Now I’m not sure this will be included but I’m sure that there will be other features other than this as well. Do you think this would be nice to see in a premium service? Does it make you interested in a Premium service?

[Domination]

uh......no. This doesn't look worthy enough to have a price attached to it. Since this is Sony, I am expecting something esle compleltely off the wall to what Microsoft is doing, and this is not it.

[Luis]

Söldner X2 screenshots:

[Newboi]

Are all those 2D sprites? They don't quite look polygonal (refering to soldner X).

[Bsack]

Wow looks amazing VG.

[cliffbo]

Sony's plans to win the console war

* Posted December 8th, 2009 at 23:35 EDT by Adam Dolge
* 54 Comments

Ever since the start of this current generation of consoles, Sony has been playing catch up to Nintendo, and to a lesser degree, Microsoft. Whether it was due to launching a year after the Xbox 360, or retailing at a more expensive price point than the Wii, the PlayStation 3 struggled in its infancy. But, ever since the price drop and the introduction of the PS3 Slim, the brand appears on strong legs, and Sony says it is poised to have a significant 2010.

Today we had a chance to speak with John Koller, director of hardware marketing at Sony Computer Entertainment America, about Sony’s momentum leading into the holidays. When asked about catching up to its competitors, Koller said, “We are making every effort to do so.”

“We know our heritage, we have the PlayStation and PlayStation 2, and we’re a company of strong sales,” he said. “We really enjoy providing consumers with what they ask for. There’s tremendous value in the PS3 and going into next year, we have so much wind at our back. Consumers are still going to be heavily demanding our product in 2010.”

In 2010, Sony will introduce its motion controller, a concept that Koller describes as “the holy grail of gaming, placing people in the game.” The PlayStation version will be more precise and fun than any other product on the market, he said. If Sony’s motion controller appears to rip off the Wii’s technology, it’s important to note that Sony has been developing its motion control technology for many years.

Beyond the new motion controller, Sony has a stellar list of games launching for the PS3 in 2010. We already know about God of War III, MAG, Heavy Rain, and ModNation Racers, but Koller says Sony has some big tricks up its sleeves in the software department, both first and third party titles. We’ll have to wait for more details, but it sounds like 2010 is going to be a huge year for Sony as it builds off the momentum from the past few months.

We will have more of our interview with Sony shortly, along with a look at a time that we believe is Sony’s new golden age.

http://www.psu.com/Sonys-plans-to-wi...a008433-p0.php

[TimmyJ]

Well, once the next generation rolls around, the PS3 is going to be the only console that can offer:
-- a robust online service that can already go toe-to-toe with Live
-- Blu-Ray, which means playback of FullHD movies, 3D movies, and the capacity to cope with slightly dumbed down versions of next generation games
-- motion control which can compete with or outdo both the Wii and Natal if Sony play their cards right

I think Sony are in a very good position when it comes to the rest of this generation whether it lasts 10 years without a crossover or 10+ years with a crossover. My only real concern is with the motion controller, which I still think stands every chance of being gimped.

[cliffbo]

Simon Cowell Interested In Jumping Into Video Games
Media personality reportedly in talks with Sony's Howard Stringer about latest venture.
By Kat Bailey, 12/09/2009


You'll find Simon Cowell everywhere if you turn on a television, but he hasn't quite made the jump to video games. The British television personality reportedly aims to change that, meeting with high profile figures like Sony CEO Howard Stringer in an effort to launch his latest venture.

"I should have had 20 games [by now]," Cowell told GQ (via MCVUK). "If you've got a game that's worth more than our shows and we're in 100 countries, something is a bit out of control.

"[British reality show] X-Factor should have been the initial vehicle to have Activision come to us and say: 'You've got all the [consumer] traffic. Can you help launch Guitar Hero?"

Instead, he's teaming up with entrepeneur Philip Green to rebrand Cowell's Simco Ltd. as Greenwell Entertainment, calling it the 'new Disney.' He reportedly called Stringer 'the other week' to discuss potential video game deals.

"He came to London and we got on well," said Green. "Without being rude or conceited, he knew what we were on to was going to shape the future... He sent his Board [over] from New York."

"I said [to them]: 'Look at what we can do together. You've got massive manufacturing capability. You've got retail business. You've got PlayStation. You're one of the biggest TV suppliers in the world. He [Cowell] is one of the most watched men on TV!... Suddenly, people started to say: 'You're right.'"

Green believes that Cowell has huge potential in the video game market, "Look at Guitar Hero. It's a billion dollar business. [Simon's] got more viewers, more hits, more everything - and he hasn't even got a website!"

Cowell wouldn't be the first celebrity to try and cross over into gaming. Other big names include fashion designer Marc Ecko and former pitcher Curt Schilling. For his part, Cowell expects to have Greenwell Entertainment up and running early next year.

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3177247

[TimmyJ]

Great, because he just hasn't done enough by gradually killing off the intrigue of "what's going to be the Christmas no. 1?"

Christ I hate everything that man stands for.