Late Night Consoling

Namco Bandai has revealed a new video game based on the Gundam property: Mobile Suit Gundam (working title), coming to PlayStation 3. The game will include a number of unspecified Mobile Suits from the popular anime franchise. Set towards the end of the One Year War, Mobile Suit Gundam will allow players to command a Mobile Suit battalion aligned with the Federation or the Zeon Mobile Suit Assault Force. By increasing their rank, players will be able to acquire new types of Mobile Suits and command more experienced pilots. Mobile Suits will have specific destructible parts, and battles will be affected by various strategic factors, such as the destruction of specific enemy buildings as well as the decision of whether to use short range or long range combat depending on the situation.

This isn't Namco Bandai's only upcoming Gundam-based next-gen title, with Dimps' Mobile Ops: The One Year War coming later this year to Xbox 360.

Mobile Suit Gundam, developed by BEC, is set to ship for PlayStation 3 this year.

Developer Day 1 and publisher LucasArts have announced that the two companies plan to collaborate on a new intellectual property for next generation platforms. No details about the first game to be part of this franchise were given, other than that it will feature "interactivity that is only possible with next-generation platforms." Today's announcement made multiple references to Day 1's proprietary game technology. Speaking on the partnership between the two companies, LucasArts' vice president of product development Peter Hirschmann said, "The phenominal technology created by Day 1 affects gameplay in extremely innovative ways--and it perfectly complements the engaging story and intriguing characters you'd expect of a LucasArts title." On the reasoning for signing with LucasArts as a publisher, Day 1 president Denny Thorley said, "It's a privilege to work with the creative minds beyind some of the most successful franchises in entertainment history."

Day 1 was responsible for the MechAssault series on Xbox, and is currently handling the Xbox 360 port of Monolith Productions' PC action title F.E.A.R. The LucasArts-published game announced today may be a PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 action title uncovered earlier this year via job listings on its official site as well as other employment sites.

Electronic Arts today announced a new edition of its NBA Street franchise, in development for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game, as of now referred to only as NBA Street without any number or subtitle, is being developed by EA Canada and is slated to ship in spring 2007. "Since its unveiling in 2001, NBA STREET has always raised the bar with innovative gameplay and fresh visuals," said executive producer Wil Mozell. "The power of the Next Generation hardware gives us the horsepower to break new ground for consumers, making it the perfect stage for the next iteration of NBA STREET." As in the prior series entries, the upcoming game features 3-on-3 games. It will include well known courts as well as some based on the hometowns of various NBA players.

Appropriately named fansite Gearheads of War has an interview with Cliff Bleszinski on Epic's upcoming Gears of War (X360).