Announced last April, Beautiful Katamari was originally slated for release on both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. All previous Katamari titles resided solely on PlayStation platforms. However, Croal writes that Microsoft may have now struck a deal with Namco to secure the new sequel as an Xbox 360 exclusive. Collecting the recent spate of Microsoft-exclusive Namco Bandai titles such as Ridge Racer 6, Eternal Sonata, Ace Combat 6, and Pac-Man Championship Edition as evidence, Croal rolls on to conclude that the move is not all that surprising.

In the absence of series creator Keita Takahashi, Beautiful Katamari is under the direction of Jun Moriwaki, who previously served as co-lead designer on Me & My Katamari (PSP). The game will feature online multiplayer and content download when it hits stores this fall.