Late Night Consoling
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Guitar Hero to rock out with wireless controller
[ps2]Publisher RedOctane today announced that it will be offering a wireless guitar controller for use with Harmonix's Guitar Hero (PS2) and the upcoming PlayStation 2 version of Guitar Hero II. The device will be released this November for a retail price of $59.99. Other than the wireless tech, it will contain the same features as its wired counterpart. An Xbox 360 version of Guitar Hero II has also been announced, though today's press release makes no mention of a wireless controller for Microsoft's current home console. Previously, company representatives confirmed at least the standard controller for the Xbox 360 game would be wired.
Guitar Hero II is set to ship November 7 for PlayStation 2. RedOctane is currently offering two pre-order bonuses for the game via its official site. Gamers who preorder the standard Guitar Hero II and single wired guitar bundle ($79.99) will receive a free Guitar Hero II shirt, and gamers who preorder the Guitar Hero II two-guitar bundle ($119.98) will receive a free dual guitar gig bag.
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Capcom trades it up on DS
[ds]Earlier this year, Konami made the surprising announcement that noted Metal Gear series director Hideo Kojima and his studio Kojima Productions would be producing a stock market trading game for Nintendo DS. Now, it seems Nintendo's current portable is shaping up to be the system of choice for wannabe traders, as Capcom has announced its own stock trading sim for DS. While Kojima Productions' effort seems to be more of a training application, Capcom's video game take on the stock market is more akin to how its well loved Phoenix Wright series treats the courtroom. Much like in the Phoenix Wright games, there are even stock battles against rival traders, presented in a dramatized manner.
Stock Trader Shun, named after the game's protagonist, is being directed by Yukio Ando (Breath of Fire III, Clock Tower 3) and produced by Tatsuya Kitabayashi (Breath of Fire III, Resident Evil 0, Mega Man Maverick Hunter X, Mega Man Powered Up). The game is slated to hit Japanese shelves next year. No release outside of Japan has yet been announced, though it may be worth noting that the somewhat similar Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (NDS) has exceeded Capcom's expectations in Western territories.
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Third party to offer rumble-enabled PS3 controller?
[ps3]Japanese publication Famitsu has a Q&A with a representative from Hori, who stated that the peripheral manufacturer is considering making a PlayStation 3 controller with rumble technology. During its pre-E3 press conference this year, Sony announced that its upcoming PS3 controller, later dubbed Sixaxis, would feature tilt sensors at the expense of rumble motors.
"We have some ideas," said the Hori rep. "However, we'd need cooperation from software makers." Since rumble is not a feature of the PS3 and is thus not part of the system's SDK, developers would have to include custom rumble code in their games designed specifically for Hori's potential controller. Given the historically low attach rate of third party peripherals, it seems unlikely that such a device would garner industry-wide support, but gamers who miss rumble's tactile feedback on PS3 may take whatever they can get.
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Sony to sell PS3 IOUs in Japan
[ps3]According to translated reports from Japanese site Mainichi Interactive, Sony has come up with a solution for what to do with prospective Japanese PlayStation 3 owners unable to acquire a console when it goes on sale this November: sell them IOUs. Apparently, the company will be giving out vouchers that guarantee their holders access to PlayStation 3 units when they become more widely available in 2007. Sony currently plans to ship only 100,000 units of the system to Japanese retail shelves on launch day. With this voucher strategy, the company might hope to dissuade consumers from picking up one of Nintendo's likely more plentiful Wii consoles, or--theoretically--an Xbox 360.
In related news, it appears that not only will Sony be issuing rain checks to consumers unable to get a PS3 at retail, it will refrain from selling actual PS3 units directly to Japanese consumers at all, at least initially. Traditionally, the company has taken pre-orders for its systems through its official website, but this time around its upcoming system will be available at launch only through third party retailers.
Sony has not made any statements about similar programs outside of Japan.
Misc. Media/Previews
PS2/PS3
Wired has an interview with former Clover Studio producer Atsushi Inaba about Clover's God Hand (PS2) (play this game).
Xbox/X360
IGN checks out Rare's Viva Pinata (X360) (so do GameSpot and GameSpy). GameSpot also previews Cavia's Bullet Witch (X360).
GCN/Wii
Wired's Game|Life has previews of Ubisoft Paris' Red Steel (Wii), Ubisoft Montpellier's Wii version of Rayman Raving Rabbids (Wii, also all), and Ubisoft Montreal's Wii version of Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent (Wii, also PS2, Xbox, GCN, PS3, X360, PC).
Portable
Screenshots: Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (NDS) artwork.
Console Game Of The Evening [Submit Yours!]
WWF Attitude for the PlayStation. "There was a time when motion-captured wrestling games were fun. Honest! Being the sequel to WWF War Zone, WWF Attitude featured a larger roster, and some new/improved features. Not the best wrestling game nowadays. but it was fun for it's time." (submitted by volitionism)
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SilverSnake
replySelling IOUs? Have Sony reached a new low? Sounds like they're as desperate as some shady companies with getting their hands on the customer's money as soon as possible, preferably a good while before delivering.
It's almost as if they need people to buy units and pay for them so they can afford to manufacture them. Weird.-
Initially I thought this was a tactic to ensure that retailers didn't lose out on profits from resellers on auction sites or whatever. I don't know if this would actually curb that or not.
It's probably a way to get impulse buyers and consumers trying to keep up with the Jones' instead of having them go out and spend that money on a Wii or (and this is probably reaching for Japan) an Xbox 360 which may actually be in stock. -
It's oddly reminiscent of the initial release of Star Wars action figures for which Kenner sold a piece of cardboard that was a promise the figures would be shipped to you as soon as they were available.
The practice makes sense from Sony's point of view. If somebody is in a store, ready, willing, and able to pay for a PS3, better to sell them the IOU than to have them dump that money on the next available console.-
But I can't see why you'd do that in a way...i mean preorders I can see because at least you're getting a position in line if you will...but an IOU means "once you can buy it and its available you can get one" so you've essentially promised to get one no matter what essentially...you've given them your money to do what they want with.
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"A fool and his money are soon parted".
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