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Japanese Game VIPs Discuss 2004 Plans

Posted by simoniker on from the very-important-people dept.

Thanks to Game Science for their article revealing comments and plans for 2004 from many of Japan's top videogame publishers and developers. Among the items of interest is Sony's re-confirmation that "We will definitely release PSP in 2004... we'd like to release it mid-December", and that Capcom are "putting a lot of effort" into PSP launch titles - Konami, Namco, and Sega also mention planned PSP titles, although Square Enix are only "considering whether to release any PSP games." Elsewhere, Nintendo mention that "Miyamoto is hard at work on Zelda: Four Swords and Pikmin 2", and that they "plan to show the new game machine at E3" (a reference to their mysterious supplemental game hardware, rather than GameCube 2?), and Sega intriguingly note that they "plan to invest in an MMORPG for East Asia."

2 of 24 comments (clear)

  1. My best guesses by xenocide2 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    What seems most likely to me is the hardware in question is some sort of keychain device for migratnig data to and from arcades. Nintendo has neglected its arcade potential until just recently, and I think they might be moving toward a more integrated experinece, just as they've tried to move the GBA and cube together (somewhat successfully). The F Zero game has arcade attachments, and I think its done well for them in Japan.

    If its not that then it might be some sort of Hanfunda deal. I've wondered why Nintendo hasn't tried to introduce the world to the game they were founded on. It would have been pretty nifty to find an introduction and card game for the "No game has been inserted" software.

    I've also heard that a certain powerful figure behind the company is interested in Go. Perhaps they've found a program that can compete at a stronger level than amateur against humans.

    It may also be that they're reviving the Game & Watch series. Its not really a handheld, and its not really a console...

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  2. Ports on PSP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    I think this quote is most telling:
    "Namco (Yoichi Haraguchi)
    - We are looking forward to the PSP, we hope to release 2 or 3 titles at launch. It'll take a bit of time before original titles come out though."

    Seems like the PSP might be a port heaven after all. My guess it'll be to PSX as GBA as been to the SNES.