Late Night Consoling

Flight combat games don't appear with the frequency they once did, but Heroes of the Pacific developer IR Gurus looks to be trying to keep the genre going strong. Codemasters today announced that IR Gurus is currently developing Heatseeker, a modern day aerial jet combat game heading to PlayStation 2, Wii, and PSP. Heatseeker includes a number of real world craft, including the F-22 Raptor, F-15 Eagle, F-35 Lightning II, and SU-47 Berkut. The game is based on an improved version of the one used in Heroes of the Pacific, which came to PS2, Xbox, and PC. Like Heroes, it seems to be aimed more in the arcade direction than the hardcore sim direction. "If you like fast and furious action, and blowing everything in sight to bits, then Heatseeker is a dream come true," said Codemasters senior producer Andrew Wensley. "Expect the greatest military aircraft armed to the teeth with the latest hardware, big explosions, great smoke trails, and gung-ho heroics."

Codemasters sent along some PS2 screenshots and a single Wii shot. The game is expected to ship in Q1 2007.

Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Europe VP Jamie MacDonald stated that European consumers do not seem to be bothered by frequently getting video game industry products last, compared to other major markets North America and Japan. Recently, PlayStation 3 was delayed until March 2007 in Europe from its previously announced worldwide November 2006 release. "European consumers have shown that historically they don't mind that, because they end up buying as many PlayStations, if not more, than the US and Japan, he stated. Europe has long been a particularly strong territory for the PlayStation brand. "In Europe, it doesn't seem that the release of our platforms after the US and Japan--in the long run--affects how consumers feel," he continued. MacDonald's statement is somewhat more striking, considering it follows his admission that he was "gutted," "absolutely gutted," and "disappointed" at the news of the delay, calling it "unfortunate."

Interestingly, when presented with an inquiry as to whether the UMD movie format is performing as well as Sony had projected, MacDonald states that "I think you'll find in general the market for movies on discs of any type is not particularly great at the moment." This statement comes after, earlier in the interview, MacDonald had pointed out PS3's Blu-ray player as one of its defining characteristics that adds value to the machine.

The International Business Times is reporting that Nintendo is increasing production on its upcoming Wii console, indicating that it should have no problem meeting its shipment goals. According to financial services firm UBS' Alex Guana, the company has already built 2 million machines, and expects to build 7-9 million in the fourth quarter of the year. This would exceed Nintendo's previously stated target of 6 million consoles within its current fiscal year. The system is set for a worldwide release this November and December.

Capcom sent word that it has launched the official site for Clover Studio's upcoming action game God Hand. If you aren't familiar with the game, please watch this amazing trailer. God Hand ships for PlayStation 2 on October 10, 2006.

Ubisoft today announced that an Xbox 360 demo of Ubisoft Montreal's Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas (PS3, X360, PSP, PC) will be coming to Xbox Live Marketplace this November, and will include one single-player level. The game ships November 14, 2006.