Late Night Consoling

Capcom held a press event today,and many announcements were made. A recap:

• Clover Studio's gorgeous action/adventure title Okami (PS2), rendered in a style evocative of traditional Japanese artwork, has had its release period clarified to the third quarter of this year. You will buy it.
• The recently announced Lost Planet, Capcom's Xbox 360 mecha-tinged action game, will be hitting North American shelves some time in the first quarter of 2007. It will be Live-enabled.
• Three for PSP: PSP owners looking to revisit classic titles should be pleased by Capcom's upcoming offerings for the system. One game PSP fans have been wanting is some kind of remake of Ghosts 'n Goblins, and Capcom confirmed today such a game will in fact be coming to North America. Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins is a sidescroller with 3D models and environments, and will be hitting shelves in the third quarter of 2006. Capcom also announced that that ports of Dreamcast 3D fighters Power Stone and Power Stone 2 will be coming to Sony's handheld in the form of Power Stone Collection in the fourth quarter of this year. Finally, one more compilation is one the way with Capcom Puzzle World, outfitting PSPs with Super Puzzle Fighter II, Super Puzzle Fighter II: Y, Super Puzzle Fighter II: Z, Block Block, Buster Bros., Super Buster Bros., and Buster Buddies.

Perhaps hoping to catalyze the currently lackluster Xbox 360 performance in Japan, Microsoft has announced that Microsoft Japan Xbox Division manager Yoshihiro Marayuma has been replaced by former marketing and game content head Takashi Sensui. Marayuma, who once worked for Square Enix, has been reassigned to a position within the company's Entertainment and Devices division. "We acknowledge that achieving success in Japan will not come easily or quickly for Xbox," Sensui stated. "But we are confident that because Xbox 360 is the most powerful video game and entertainment system, delivering the best content for Japanese gamers, enabled by the online capability of Xbox Live, we will earn more of their business moving forward." - Press release.

Online reports accompanied by alleged article scans around the internet seem to suggest that the angled cradle-like stand shown supporting Nintendo's upcoming Revolution in its vertical form is actually a power supply for the console. The article from UK publication Official Nintendo Magazine shows a picture of a Revolution being slid into the stand, with the caption, "This stand also acts as a power supply for the DVD-case sized Revolution hardware." Any Shackers with access to that magazine want to confirm?

While at first glance it seems like a feasible idea, there are some contradictory issues to consider. For one thing, the machine is able to sit not only vertically, but horizontally; it even has rubber feet on two faces for just that purpose. It wouldn't make sense for the stand to be horizontal as well. Various Revolution patents were also recently uncovered with illustrations containing an obvious power port, in the same shape as the GameCube's power port, on the back of the console. There have also been no pictures of the cradle with visible power contacts or cables (to my knowledge), though that may very well be for simple aesthetic reasons. If this news is in fact true, it seems safe to assume that the machine will also include a regular power adapter and cable for use without the cradle.

Following up on the company's previously announced financial woes, Atari has issues a followup press release with specific corporate plan. CEO Bruno Bonnell announced that approximately 20% of Atari's worldwide workforce will be laid off in an attempt to save costs and restructure the corporation. "Today's decisive action will provide us with the flexibility necessary in a changing business environment," stated Bonnell. "Adjusting our cost structure is a significant first step and demonstrates our commitment to restoring shareholder value." The move will likely result in the loss of about 100 jobs.

GameSpot has coverage of Capcom's Gamers Day and an interview with company execs.

Cubed3 speaks with Greg Szemiot of Crossbeam Studios, currently working on a Revolution action/adventure/RPG called Orb. One of its designers is named James Bond. I just thought you'd like to know.

1UP has centralized its previews and impressions from Capcom's Gamers Day, and so has Game Informer.