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Next-Gen Updates From Leipzig

The Leipzig Game Convention continues in Germany. Folks looking forward to the Wii should be happy to hear Nintendo has announced some new games. They announced the new titles at their press conference, an event which both Kotaku and 1up were on-hand for. Sony hasn't had a lot to say in the last few days. As promised, there are no playable PS3 games available; just the same, gamers can look forward to 27 playable PS3 titles at the Tokyo Game Show. Microsoft, meanwhile, spent time at the convention talking about Xbox Live, and showing off their new peripherals. 1up up was there for the Microsoft press conference as well.

18 of 63 comments (clear)

  1. Missing from the summary by JFMulder · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Microsoft apparently has grabbed exclusive license for the next iterations of FIFA from EA and Pro Evolution Soccer from Konami for Next-Gen consoles for at least a year. This deal doesn't prevent EA and Konami to release the games on current-generation consoles tough.

    I thought that was a pretty big blow to Sony, but then I realized, with the market share Sony will have this year, with the probable shortages and everything, there won't be that much people to buy the two games anyway, so it's probably simpler for these companies not to bother porting to the PS3 for this year. Unless this drives soccer (sorry "Rest of the world", I meant Football :p) fans to buy a 360 instead.

    1. Re:Missing from the summary by JFMulder · · Score: 3, Informative

      I should have posted a link to this news. Basically, the deal states that (from the article) the two leading football titles from Electronic Arts and Konami will not be available for Sony's PlayStation 3 until at least twelve months after release on Microsoft's console

      No word on the Wii at this moment.

  2. So... by UbuntuDupe · · Score: 3, Funny

    did the Germans there say "wee" or "vee" (for "Wii")?

  3. Cataan on XBLA! by Saige · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'm totally excited to hear that Settlers of Cataan (along with Carcassonne and Alhambra) is coming to Xbox Live Arcade! I absolutely love the board game, and if the XBLA version is decent, this is going to be a big, big time sink for me.

    --
    "You know your god is man-made when he hates all the same people you do."
    1. Re:Cataan on XBLA! by ackthpt · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I'm totally excited to hear that Settlers of Catan (along with Carcassonne and Alhambra) is coming to Xbox Live Arcade! I absolutely love the board game, and if the XBLA version is decent, this is going to be a big, big time sink for me.

      Have you seen the Microsoft implementation of Settlers of Cataan? I gave it a try, but thought it sucked bad. If you want to play a decent online version, get this. It requires Java, so you may not be able to play on your XBox, unless the MS game dev kit for XBOX lets you sneak Java in. It's pretty decent game play and a simple, easy to read and use interface.

      --

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    2. Re:Cataan on XBLA! by KDR_11k · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Or maybe he's a cellphone developer?

      --
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  4. And here are the 27 by _xeno_ · · Score: 3, Informative

    After a bit of digging, I found a larger list of titles than the two Reuters mentioned. Apparently the full list isn't available?

    • Devil May Cry 4
    • Blade Storm: Hundred Years War
    • Mahjong Taikai
    • Coded Arms: Assault
    • Fatal Inertia
    • The Eye of Judgement
    • Warhawk
    • Gran Turismo Series
    • Genji
    • Formula One World Championship
    • Heavenly Sword
    • Everybody's Golf 5
    • MotorStorm
    • LAIR
    • Resistance: Fall of Man
    • Mobile Suit Gundam
    • Ridge Racer 7
    • Armored Core 4

    Only two I'm interested in the entire list are DMC4 and AC4. Even so, neither are enough to make me interested in blowing $600.

    --
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  5. What I don't understand... by jizziknight · · Score: 2, Interesting

    ...is why Sony doesn't have any playable titles yet. Are they not ready? Do they not want to show off an unfinished game? If they're not ready now, are they going to be ready for launch? This doesn't really speak well for their readiness for a November launch. At this point, the launch titles should at least be playable to a point, and the remaining development should be mostly finishing touches and bug fixes. I just don't get where Sony is going with this whole "no playable titles" thing. Anyone want to bet on if they'll actually be able to deliver playable titles at the Tokyo Game Show?

    --
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    1. Re:What I don't understand... by jgrana · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I don't think there's any way Sony will be ready for TGS at this rate. I mean, they haven't even started manufacturing consoles and the launch is supposed to be what, 3 months away? At this point, we should've seen playable demos at E3 from Sony, and more demos in Leipzig. I mean, sure, we don't have a launch date for the Wii. But we have a ton of almost-ready-to-market games (thanks to the dev kit similarity between the Cube and the Wii) and we know what the gameplay looks like. Even with the hazy launch date, I think Nintendo's in much better shape right now than Sony is.

    2. Re:What I don't understand... by AuMatar · · Score: 3, Funny

      Remember when Sony execs said we'd buy the PS3 even if it had no games? They're going to test that.

      --
      I still have more fans than freaks. WTF is wrong with you people?
    3. Re:What I don't understand... by trdrstv · · Score: 2, Insightful
      "...is why Sony doesn't have any playable titles yet."

      Because it's too close to launch, and they know the graphics aren't nearly what they thought they should be by now (See Killzone 2 trailer). The MGS4 trailer is nice, but it's a CG trailer with no Hud or actual gameplay. My PS1 can play a comparable quality CG trailer.

      I'm Still waiting on those 'Real time Toy Story level graphics' on my PS2 Ken...

    4. Re:What I don't understand... by jizziknight · · Score: 2, Funny
      I'm Still waiting on those 'Real time Toy Story level graphics' on my PS2 Ken...
      Clearly your Emotion Engine isn't configured properly.
      --
      Everything I say is a lie. Except that... and that... and that, and that, and that, and that... and that.
    5. Re:What I don't understand... by Rallion · · Score: 2, Interesting
      Because it's too close to launch, and they know the graphics aren't nearly what they thought they should be by now


      I think you're right. I wouldn't argue that the PS3 can't deliver the visuals Sony is looking for. However, I don't expect developers do be able to make it spit them out, at least not yet. It's a new system based on a completely new type of processor. They get all excited about how it's different, when in fact this is a case where being different is bad.

      This is another thing that people don't seem to consider when thinking about the Wii's graphics. They say, it's just a more powerful Gamecube! And they're right. But they mistakenly think that's a BAD thing. Developers KNOW how to harness the Gamecube. That will translate over to the Wii.

      The PS3 will undoubtedly look much better in the long run -- once the actual battle is long over. It'l look some amount of better right off the bat, but not as much as some people seem to think.
  6. Re:Everything Is Wii And PS3 From Now On by mikeisme77 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Nintendo and Sony showed next to nothing at the conference... The two games Nintendo showed were already rumored (and in the case of Strikers had been announced the week before, albeit only semi-officialy). Sony delayed their conference (although that wasn't mentioned in the summary) and then apparently showed next to nothing (unless their conference STILL hasn't happened)... Microsoft had the most announcements, but they don't exactly have any reason for secrecy as they aren't currently riding on a wave of hype--they're trying to create one (without much success...) Microsoft jumped the gun when they launched the 360, but in doing so they put pressure on Sony and that's showing as Sony's armor currently seems to be crumbly fairly quickly, partially due to their own ego but also because they're trying to meet a launch window that appears to early. Nintendo seems to have the only console that's ready--with a large number of quality launch titles (and other quality titles to come in the first year), a growing 3rd party developer group, and a system that they've been manufacturing for at least a month and recently increased production of (and without the hardware worries of their competitors since they're using fairly standard/very stable tech--as opposed to bleeding edge).
    That's not to count Sony out, they have the mindshare still and they more than likely have either at least one more "surprise" or they'll have some lie they'll tell to convince the stupid people (at least 75% of the population) that nothing can beat the PS3. Microsoft has a decent foothold in the North American market, but they just haven't done enough to win over the other markets--although they're trying (the exclusive rights to FIFA for a year and the Japanese RPGs are steps forward... but it, sadly, probably won't be enough...)

  7. Re:Everything Is Wii And PS3 From Now On by realmolo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I pretty much agree.

    I think of it this way:

    With the Playstation/Saturn/N64 generation, we were introduced to "3D games". But they didn't look that great. Well, the N64 looked pretty good, but it was hampered by using cartridges instead of CDs.

    With the PS2/Xbox/Gamecube generation, we didn't get any new *types* of games, but we got *good-looking* versions of the games we had on the previous generation. And they really did/do look good.

    Now with this generation, we get *better looking* versions of the games we have been playing. But they're the same types of games, and they don't look all that much better. It feels like we're getting a relatively minor cosmetic upgrade, though the online features are nice. And the price! The 360 and PS3 are ridiculously expensive.

    The Wii, of course, *will* have new types of games, and still will look great, and is likely to be the cheapest. Which is why I think it will sell pretty well.

  8. Sony Still Reeling by PaulMorel · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I have been confused about why Sony has been so quiet. True, the annoying PSP marketing campain never seems to end, and there are still some good titles coming to the PS2 (Scarface, GoW 2), but when it comes to the PS3 and it's launch, Sony has been way too quiet.

    Isn't this about time where they should be ramping things up? I mean, MS just launched the first true next gen titles for the 360 (Dead Rising, Saints Row), shouldn't Sony be flaunting their great next gen exclusives (Assassin, MGS)?

    The problem is that Sony has 27 titles that are close to playable, and none of them are killer apps. Devil May Cry 4 looks like the only decent title that will be available at launch, and the other titles that look good also look like they're a long way off. So what does that leave Sony left to talk about? Yep, they will launch in time for Christmas!

    Personally, I think that they're still reeling from the 3-fingered-shocker that is XNA. I think that Microsoft's XNA software package is the straw that broke the camel's back. Everything that Microsoft had done to try and gain an edge just didn't seem like it was enough until XNA was announced.

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    burrocrisy
    and that would be what? Ruling by jackasses? Never has a slashdot misspelling been more apropos
  9. FUD by badboy_tw2002 · · Score: 2, Informative

    You'll be able to develop shaders and compile directly to managed code which, yes, is a VM but don't let that confuse you with "access to the the hardware". This sounds like it will be much better than the POS PS2 Linux box that said "OMG you can make games" when really you couldn't do much of anything you'd need to do to make a "real" game. MS has said that you'll be able to make games worthy of professional titles with the kit, and is pushing the exact same tech for developers to use in XBLA games.

  10. Re:Everything Is Wii And PS3 From Now On by sammaffei · · Score: 2, Insightful

    What? Have you even seen "Dead Rising?" Definitely not the same old XBox,,,

    --

    Political correctness is the newest form of slavery.