Political leaders, politicians and policemen have already downloaded the GTA IV trailer, watched it numerous times, and gone ape at the fact that the fictional city resembles New York.
While the city does resemble New York, it's actually the GTA hold haunt Liberty City, which, as we all know, is heavily based on NYC.
"Setting Grand Theft Auto in the safest big city in America would be like setting Halo in Disneyland," said City Councilman Peter Vallone, chairman of the council's public safety committee.
The New York Daily News reported "Grand Theft Auto is set in a mythical city that bears a striking resemblance to New York." Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly isn't one bit impressed. "It's despicable to glamorize violence in games like these, regardless of how far-fetched the setting may be."
Jason Post, a spokesman for Mayor Bloomberg, put the final nail in GTA IV's coffin: "The mayor does not support any video game where you earn points for injuring or killing police officers."
via cvg
Hopefully you've got plenty of games in your 'to do' tray because over the next few weeks there's going to be slim pickings. After the deluge that greeted the PS3 launch weekend (some 63 titles) we are now down to just six.
Yep, just six major releases. So don't blame us that Prince of Persia: Rival Swords on Wii is the standout title, there's really not much to sift through. At least we can all look forward to the magnificent God of War II that is most definitely scheduled in for April 13.
The complete list of games released in the UK this week (06/04/07):
Last month, THQ told analysts in a quarterly conference call that it would be introducing its SmackDown vs. RAW series of wrestling games to the Nintendo DS, Wii, and PlayStation 3 this year. Today the publisher spilled the first details on SmackDown vs. RAW 2008, which will also appear on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and Xbox 360, combining for the company's largest cross-platform WWE release yet.
THQ also gave a glimpse of what to expect from this year's installment of the game, saying that WWE spin-off league Extreme Championship Wrestling will have a "significant" presence in the game, with a number of ECW stars, arenas, and weapons included. As for the gameplay focus, THQ said that "realism and strategy are at the forefront" with its new struggle submission system, which uses analog controls to let players dictate the amount of pressure applied to their opponents in submission holds.
SmackDown vs. RAW 2008 will also sport adjustments to features included in last year's game, with new rosters, more interactive "hotspots," a combined season and general manager mode, and revised action outside the ring and online community options.
English Premiership
English Championship
Primera Division
Serie A
Ligue 1
Bundesliga
Eredivisie
Bwin Portugese League
Turkish League
Scottish Premiership
Greek Superleague
Russian League
Israel League
Let's hope this isn't an April fools joke. I believe this would be the first football/soccer game for PS3.
Speaking about the recently unveiled Nintendo-Sega collaboration, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games, Jeffery said that we won't see another Sonic title on a next-gen platform for quite a while.
"We are actually undergoing a fairly considerable refresh of Sonic as an intellectual property, as a character," he told Newsweek.
"Sonic on the Wii is probably the first product that's come to market that reflects that. We're not going to be bringing another game out on the other platforms for quite some time, because we feel that it is time to reinvent Sonic, to make Sonic contemporary again. At the same time, even the recent 360 and PlayStation 3 games have sold extremely well."
Sony has denied that PS3 titles Lair and Heavenly Sword are due to arrive in May - despite a listing which says otherwise on the official PlayStation website.
Speaking to our sister site, Eurogamer.net, a spokesperson said, "Both those dates are wrong. We haven't got any release dates for those at the moment; they're just pencilled in for 2007."
Heavenly Sword is a third-person action game in development at Ninja Theory. It has been promoted as a flagship title for PlayStation 3 since it was unveiled at E3 2005.
Lair is being developed by Factor 5. It will see players taking to the skies on the back of a fire-breathing dragon, and is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious PS3 titles so far.
Ticket prices for October's E for All Expo have been set by the show organisers IDG.
Single day tickets will be priced at USD 50 (EUR 37) for the Thursday and Friday, while Saturday and Sunday tickets have been bumped up to USD 75 (EUR 56). A full pass for the four days will cost USD 110 (EUR 82), according to a report on GameSpot.
Last week Nintendo confirmed it would be an 'anchor exhibitor' for the event, with more ESA members expected to pledge support for the consumer show shortly.
The event will take place at the LA Convention Centre and feature product showcases, games tournaments, a job fair and a retail section in Kentia Hall.
The E for All Expo will take place October 18 – 12.
Electronic Arts has officially announced new PS3 and Xbox 360 title Rock Band, revealing that several key music publishers have already agreed to supply tracks for the game.
News of the title emerged earlier this morning, when it was reported that Rock Band is being developed with Harmonix and MTV and will use four instrument-themed controllers.
Now Electronic Arts has released an official statement confirming that "unprecedented deals" with record labels have already been signed. As a result, the game is set to feature "master recordings from the biggest songs and artists of all time", spanning "all genres of rock".
Several major music publishers will offer access to their track catalogues, including EMI Music Publishing and Warner/Chappell. Along with EMI Music and Warner Music Group's Rhino Entertainment, labels which have agreed to supply songs include Hollywood Records and Sony BMG plus Universal Music Enterprises.
"Our vision for Rock Band is to completely change the way people interact with and enjoy the music they love," said MTV executive Jeff Yapp.
"By joining forces with EA and the music industry’s largest record labels and publishers, we are striving to create a groundbreaking new platform that allows people to connect with their favorite music and artists in ways they never have before."
Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos commented, "Harmonix was founded to create new ways for everyone to experience the pleasure and satisfaction that comes from playing music. Our work on Guitar Hero was an instrumental step toward that goal.
"But Rock Band is Harmonix’s most ambitious project to date, and it will take music gameplay to an entirely new level. MTV has given us the freedom and the resources to really swing for the fences and make the game we’ve always wanted to make."
Rock Band is due out on PS3 and Xbox 360 this Christmas.
The launch of the PlayStation 3 has seen Sony's first-party software invade the charts across Europe, with Resistance: Fall of Man taking the top position in Italy and Spain.
Although official chart positions are not yet available in Germany, Media Control GfK International has revealed that the three best-selling PS3 titles in the country are Resistance: Fall of Man, MotorStorm and F1 Championship Edition.
In the first week of release, 48,000 PlayStation 3 software units were sold in Germany. In comparison, the first week of Nintendo Wii software sales were 42,000, while Xbox 360 software shifted 33,000 units after one week on sale.
In Italy, MotorStorm was just ahead of F1 Championship Edition, at two and three respectively, while in Spain the positions were reversed.
Charts figures for the week ended March 25 show that Activision's Call of Duty 3, Ridge Racer 7 and Virtua Tennis 3 were also strong launch releases in the Spanish and Italian markets.
Square Enix's Final Fantasy XII continues to prove popular in Europe, while Disney's Spectrobes is also enjoying a strong run in the top ten.
The top ten best-selling games for Spain, Italy and Germany follow:
Spain, week ended March 25
1. Resistance: Fall of Man
2. F1 Championship Edition
3. MotorStorm
4. Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training
5. Virtua Tennis 3
6. Call of Duty 3
7. Spectrobes
8. Final Fantasy XII
9. Ridge Racer 7
10. Big Brain Academy
Italy, week ended March 25
1. Resistance: Fall of Man
2. MotorStorm
3. F1 Championship Edition
4. Ridge Racer 7
5. Final Fantasy XII
6. Virtua Tennis 3
7. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2
8. Call of Duty 3
9. Genji: Days of the Blade
10. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Germany, week ended March 18
1. The Sims 2: Seasons
2. Final Fantasy XII
3. Mario Slam Basketball
4. Battlefield 2142: Northern Strike
5. Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training
6. World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade
7. Spectrobes
8. World of Warcraft
9. Test Drive Unlimited
10. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Upon the European launch, we wrote up an article about the "before" sales of the PlayStation 3 and let you guys guess where the numbers would land, given another week. Well, we had a very professional brain fart (in the form of multiple tests, group presentations, and an annoying large paper) and decided to let the "after" post come... today. What did we find? Good stuff.
At least, according to VGCharts, the PlayStation 3 has surpassed the 3 million mark. What's neat, too, according to the same chart, is that the PS3 has sold more in Europe in the course of two weekends than it has sold in Japan in four months! We've got more good PS3 sales news as the day progresses, but it almost seems like a slow news day right now. When do you guys think the PS3 will break 4 million, now that things will slow down?
In lieu of all the crazy implications that the PS3 isn't the coolest thing around, we're going to go ahead and say, "that, good sir, is at the very least a debatable subject to deliberate on... with dancing!" However, instead of inviting other people over for probably the most humiliating dance-off this side of the internet, we're just going to cast some news out there and hope a little fishy bites.
According to MeriStation, the PS3 has nearly sold out across all of Spain. They were allocated 110,000 units and have reportedly gone through 100,000 of them. Sony is planning to keep the supply up, granting Spain 20,000 units every week. In addition to this, the demand for the Blu-ray format has increased by 30% since the PS3's launch. Awesome, but not unexpected. It is awesome. I wish anything that I created would sell 100,000 copies. Eventually!
Despite a stellar reception from the press, not everyone was completely satisfied with the bandwidth-burning GTA IV trailer that hit the internet with a bang last week.
Three main trends among complainers crammed our comments section over the weekend, including outcries over the "untreatable" Russian main character, complaints of "yet again" returning to Liberty City and erm, apparently some people don't think the visuals look up to par.
"Talk about an anti climax! I was waiting hours for this watching the clock count down. I was expecting to see something fun that would make me need a 360 or PS3 but meh... It's Liberty/New York in a contemporary setting - how boring", said CVG user GiarcYekrub. "The only positive I can see is the bilboards look funny but that lasts how long?"
Believe it or not, others were more harsh in their criticism: "Oh my god, what a letdown", Burnsyboy2004 posted on Friday. "It's set in Liberty City again which is crap, and you're some dirty Russian gangster. Looks like they have run out of ideas boys and girls. Same old game again then but with better graphics."
But obviously not everyone was as disappointed over the GTA IV debut. Buffers32 defended the trailer: "I don't know what some of you were looking at but personally I just saw some the best graphics in a video game ever. Soft shadows, real-time lighting, volumetric lighting, massive draw distance, incredible detail, beautiful water...what more do you want?"
Whitepony888 echoed Buffers' comments: "Although I've seen better graphics on the Xbox 360, I honestly never anticipated GTAIV to look quite so beautiful. I haven't wanted to play a game this much since the series first moved into full 3D."
"I'm just glad that you don't have to be an american this time!" Piped in fellow CVG forumite Kapt15. We're with you on that.
At last weekend's GO3 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Perth, Australia, Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima spoke to a keen audience about how he will push the series forward with MGS4 on PS3.
"I went back to the drawing board, back to scratch", he said, according to Gamespot, "and looked at what I did for Metal Gear 1 and 2, and for Metal Gear Solid 1, 2, and 3".
He goes on to explain: "Now I can't make Snake go into space to do his stealth mission, and we've exhausted the concept of the place, so now I thought why not create a situation rather than a place? And then I thought of a battlezone or warzone as the situation where Snake has to sneak in. So MGS4's game concept is playing hide and seek within a certain situation."
Kojima detailed his vision of game that places the player in a the middle of a war between two armies. "To make it very simple, in the past Metal Gears, Snake was going into enemy environments--so everyone apart from Snake was an enemy. This time it's a warzone, so you have country A or country B, so Snake could interfere with either of the countries."
Interestingly, he says that this "does not necessarily mean that everyone is an enemy to Snake", suggesting Snake will have to work with or even sneak past allies - which makes us think of the CIA level in the original Splinter Cell game. "This creates a new tension in playing this new hide and seek," he promises.
Kojima also hopes to give Sony's shiny super console a fair old work out in some interesting ways, "for not only what you can see, but also psychological effects, or psychological battles, where it can affect your gameplay."
MGS4 is bound to kick ass, so whatever "psychological" stuff Kojima is thinking up, we hope he can get it done and whacked onto a Blu-ray disc for us to feed our PS3 with pronto. Q4 2007 is the current ETA.
Following this morning's reveal of WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008, first screenshots from the THQ sequel are body-slamming us and following up with a Chinese burn (15 screenshots in fact, which we've uploaded to this here page).
The screens are from the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game - Wii, PS2, DS and PSP iterations are also planned. Expect to see WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 toward the end of the year.
Those of you patiently waiting for a patch to let you play PES6 against your friends using your shiny new PS3 will be twiddling your thumbs a while longer, as Sony told Eurogamer this morning that we'd probably not see a fix until the next firmware update.
It's one of a handful of PS2 titles that has noticeable issues when running on the new console, prompting Konami to previously release a statement claiming that online play was incompatible due to the loss of internal hardware dedicated to PS3 emulation.
This emotion engine chip, the processor used in the PS2, was removed for PAL PlayStation 3 units. However, Sony promised that it would continue to support last generation of games with software updates to the system.
The most recent update was v1.6, which went live on 23rd March and significantly increased the amount of PS2 titles playable on the new console.
You can find a full list of those that work on Sony's backwards compatibility site, boasting around 1,240 golden oldies.
There's currently no news on when we can expect the next firmware update for PS3.
Ars Technica opines on Eidos' decision to hold off on PS3 games until 2008. Though they make a point of mentioning all of the great steps forward Sony and the PS3 have taken in the last month or so (LittleBigPlanet, Home, the EU launch), they feel this decision may have ramifications for the console.
"Though Eidos isn't the most prominent European developer--noteworthy releases for 2006 included the surprisingly decent Just Cause, Tomb Raider: Legend and Hitman: Blood Money--this may set a dangerous precedent for other developers. If Sony doesn't step up to become more proactive at keeping the flow of good games steady, the installed base may not continue to grow quickly enough and developers may begin to pull support, creating a lack of games. This vicious cycle is hard to escape, as Sony has previously learned with the PSP's port problem."
Playing video games is a dangerous business. If gamers aren't dodging flying controllers or getting inadvertently hit by their partner while playing Wii Sports, they're getting the dreaded Tekken Thumb after a few fighting rounds too many. Now, according to a UK report, it's official--gamers who button-mash too much can wind up in hospital.
In 2006 in the UK, a total of 577 children had to go to hospital for treatment for repetitive strain injury (RSI), according to British newspaper The Daily Mail.
RSI is a medically recognised condition which results from spending long periods of time making repetitive movements with the hands, wrists, arms, or shoulders. If these motions are performed on an almost daily basis (such as by an assembly line worker or a typist), inflammation can occur and not be given a chance to heal, since the muscles will continue to be used in the same way.
The figures are a 35 percent rise on those from 1999, and it is believed there is a direct link with the growing popularity of gaming.
Conversely, injuries related to falling out of trees were down 36 percent last year to 1,163, which The Daily Mail believes illustrates the trend for children to "turn away from basic outdoor activities."
features
Trick Remixer: This all-new trick system gives you the ball and puts it in your hand. Take control of your player's rhythm mixing quick tricks with elaborate moves using two trick buttons.
Game Breaker: Unleash a whole new set of over-the-top tricks and electrifying dunks, or watch in disbelief as your rival steals away the opportunity.
Take Your Game to New Heights: All-new dunk controls keep you engaged from take-off to throw down.
Showcase your Master Skills: The best NBA players have hidden master skills that separate them from the rest.
Become a Homecourt Hero: Go from an unknown talent to a playground legend and put your homecourt on the map by dominating courts from coast-to-coast.
Every Legend has a Beginning: The NBA's best all came from somewhere and many built their skills and reputations in their hometown playgrounds - including NBA Stars Carmelo Anthony and Richard Hamilton.
Fresh Create-a-player: New Create Player system allows you to quickly create avatars by melding your favorite NBA stars into the ultimate baller
That Girl's Got Game: Six of your favorite WNBA stars are featured for the first time ever, including Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird and Sheryl Swoopes.
Take Your Game Online*: Represent your homecourt online with your created player against the nation's greatest ballers-anywhere, anytime.
description
NBA STREET returns with a brand new game engine only possible with the power of next generation console systems, allowing the franchise to once again raise the bar with innovative gameplay and cutting edge visuals. With a new animation engine and control system, we put the ball in your hand and allow you to show off your own style by creating hundreds of tricks on the fly. Soar through the air to execute gravity-defying dunks and double dunks or step off the back of your teammate for a jump-off dunk.
NBA STREET Homecourt merges legendary playgrounds with the hometown courts of your favorite NBA stars, featuring 360 degrees of view. Plus, the NBA's best players are all rendered in meticulous detail, making true athlete likeness a reality and putting you up close and personal with every move and moment. Set roots in your own homecourt as an anonymous baller with big dreams. Earn a name for yourself and garner respect as you progress along your hometown journey and become a legend.
Any way you shake it, NBA Street Homecourt allows you to play like you never dreamed you could, right from the first time you pick up the controller.
features
The World of The Godfather: Experience a decade of the mafia in a living world New York City from 1945-55 with enhancements to racket truck heists, extortions, targeting, living world gameplay, and much more.
The Mean Streets of NYC are Even Meaner: The Godfather The Don's Edition on PlayStation 3 features more contract hits and 4 new rival family compounds to explore, control, and destroy.
Favors and Blackmail: "Someday, and that day may never come, I'll call upon you to do a service for me…." The way of favors is integral to the story line of The Godfather, perform all new ones for the Family or local businesses to gain greater reputation on the streets of NYC.
Give 'Em a Beat Down: Use your firearm as a smash-mouth melee weapon on the PS3. With the SIXAXIS controller, the Blackhand Control fighting power is in your hands; when you slam your controller, you slam your opponent.
Corleone Challenges: Race against the clock (and your rivals) to earn the highest score in challenges such as Road Rage, Killing Spree, and Safe Cracker.
Corleone Hit Squad: Advance up the criminal ladder in the Corleone Family and gain the ability to hire an entire Hit Squad for truly dangerous assignments. Seduce the "ladies" for a Femme Fatale to cover your back.
Explosive Death: Plant car bombs on stationary vehicles and watch the impressive explosions light up the sky.
Classic Film Moments: Take on film-based and original missions as you interact with classic characters and experience unforgettable moments from the film.
Put Yourself in The Godfather: Create your own mobster and get a piece of the action by putting yourself in a living, open-world New York City.
Choose Your Path: Earn respect and customize your character's abilities. Will you invest in the intimidation skills of the Enforcer or the negotiation skills of the Operator?
Persistent World: Interact freely with an assortment of characters. The characters remember your interactions-whether you were diplomatic, accommodating, or brutal-and will respond appropriately when you meet again.
Control New York: Your bid to take control of the Corleone Family and make New York City your own will be challenged by the other four families from the fiction: Tattaglia, Cuneo, Barzini, and Stracci.
description
A classic story about family, respect, and loyalty, Mario Puzo's The Godfather and the Paramount Pictures film based on that novel serve as the game's inspiration. The Godfather® The Don's Edition puts you at the center of the action in one of history's most revered cinematic masterpieces, allowing you to choose your path as you rise from lowly outsider to envied and feared Don in a living world 1945-1955 New York.
The Godfather The Don's Edition for PlayStation 3 offers countless choices for solving the family's problems with brutal violence, skillful diplomacy, or a cunning mix of both. Use your powers of loyalty and fear to earn respect through interactions with police, businessmen, racket bosses, other mobsters, and more. The decisions you make have lasting consequences, just as they do in the legendary mob underworld of The Godfather books and films.
The Godfather film featured many of Holly-wood's finest actors and several are contributing to the game's development. Actors lending their voices to add a dramatic and cinematic touch to the game include the late Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone, James Caan as Sonny Corleone, and Robert Duvall as consigliore Tom Hagen.
So Kojima's address at GO3 contained...not much, aside from a casual stroll down memory lane. Straight afterwards, though, I had a chance to sit down with Mr. Kojima (sadly, no tea OR biscuits) and talk Metal Gear, movies and "the rumble guy".
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Metal Gear. 20 years. It's a long time to be making the same game. So I ask him if he's surprised that he's still churning out Metal Gear games this far down the line. "I'm very surprised", he says. "Twenty years ago when I created my first one, I thought it'd just be over. To be more extreme, I didn't think the fist one would sell at all!".
Oh, but sell they did, and when games sell, you make more of them. "But I have kept making Metal Gear games", he says. "When I look back, while it looks like the same game, I've been adding new features and using new technology each time, so it's never felt like I've been making the same game."
This focus on new tech was a big part of his address, as with each advance in console hardware he says he was able to make fundamental changes to the series, culminating in the crazy wartime escapades of MGS4. "I have to say, the evolution of technology, that has helped me to keep 'creating' Metal Gear", he adds.
Since Metal Gear Solid 4 has come up, I do the polite thing and ask how it's coming along. "Its almost at the 'shooting stage' of creating a movie", Kojima says. "All the design and scenarios are finished, we're just completing the actual game".
It's been a long time coming, so it can't have been easy. Kojima agrees. "Nothing was easy", he says. "Everything has been hard, because we've set not just a high bar for ourselves but a number of bars. So there's nothing easy, everything is hard!"
With rumble having been a key aspect of the series thus far, I ask him his thoughts on the issue now that Sony and Immersion have made kissy-kissy. "I want to use rumble, yes", he says, "but it's a race against time. If it can make it in in time I'd like to use it, yes."
"The part that's troubling me, I cant really say...". He pauses. Oh, do go on: "...but we always designed the game without rumble, and I had great ideas without rumble, so if rumble comes back we have a decision to make whether to leave that new feature in or to take it out and replace it with rumble".
Could you patch it? A later update would at least give players the choice. "I want to implement it, rumble, yes", he says. "I'm not thinking about a patch, though". Oh. Well, early days, I guess. Maybe rumble and motion-sensing can't get along after all?
He won't say, but if he had to choose between the two, it looks like rumble would win out. His "other" idea doesn't have a nickname and a long-term relationship with the company. "Ever since MGS1 there was a specific guy, nicknamed the 'rumble creator', who worked on it for us", he says. "But he's been on a long vacation since we didn't think rumble was going to be in MGS4, so we're calling him back right now". Hmm. Long vacation sounds...ominous.
Moving on, I remind him of a comment he made last year comparing each of the three current consoles to "different kinds of dinner". Did he still think that was the case, now that all three are on the market? Nope. "They're more like a movie theatre metaphor", he says.
"The PS3 is like the theatre, it's a little bit high-priced but it has to be high quality as well. The 360 is a DVD, it still needs to be high quality but you need more variations, while the Wii is almost like a TV channel, because every game you have it with your family".
I look for a funny/revealing insight into the comment, then realise he's probably quite close to the mark. Still, by that admission, if the PS3 is Hollywood, is he feeling the heat of being the system's first big, exclusive title? "Yes, there is pressure", he admits, "but there is Final Fantasy XIII coming out as well, so it's not all me!".
Still on MGS4, I ask whether this really is the end. He's said repeatedly he wants to walk away at the end of this game, and the trailers seem to show everyone from the series getting together for one final shootout. So when MGS4 hits, will you hang up your boots? "Well, atually its really up to the users, its up to them to decide", he offers.
"If users want more Metal Gear, then I will probably step up as producer, like the James Bond series does", he says. "That way I can have new, upcoming directors making MGS while I oversee the project, and then perhaps I can move onto something new".
Something new, eh? Like your long, and oft-rumoured collaboration with Suda? "The collaboration with Suda is a little different", Kojima says. "It's something I've been thinking about for about 10 years now, but unfortunately can't concentrate on right now because we're so busy with MGS4".
Pity. So, Devil May Cry 4, going multiplatform. Thoughts? Comments? "I think it's up to each project, and the individual producer", he says. "If they want to take it multiplatform, they will". I'm going somewhere with this question, and he knows exactly where that is...
"But like I said, MGS4 is aimed for the movie theatre, it's aimed for the PS3, so the game's scenario and graphics need this theatre-type hardware. It's when a producer has a game that can work on the 'DVD level' that a game will go multiplatform", he says. Sorry kids. Your "OMGMGS4360" banners will have to come out another day.
Since we've opened up this can of worms, I may as well get his thoughts on it. Why, I ask, do you think this rumour simply refuses to go away? "Because 360 owners want it on 360, obviously", he quips.
Righto. Moving right along, I ask about Kojima Productions. Does having your own company make it easier to focus on games, or are you finding yourself caught up in boring business stuff?
"That's a very difficult question to answer, because I can't really say", he says. "It's both. It's now quicker, the speed of making games is faster. But at the same time, because of this speed you need to make tough business decisions quicker, so it's had both its good and its bad points".
Anyone who's sat through a good, hearty MGS talk-fest knows Kojima loves his movies. So I ask, if you had your time again, would you have still gone into games? Or would you have rather made movies for a crust?
"Well, if I could go back in time to the point where I hadn't created a game yet, and didn't know how much fun they were, then I would probably choose to become a movie director", Kojima says. "But, don't get me wrong, it's really fun to create games, and knowing how much fun games are I'd take the same path. I hope I can continue to create games for as long as I live".
But what about media outside of movies? Do you draw inspiration from books, comics and music? "Well, yes, everything", he says. "Novels, comics, it all effects me and inspires me. I only have 24 hours a day, so I listen to music while I work, I can read books when I get home and only after those, because they take so much time, do I watch movies. But they all inspire me".
And that was that. Charming fellow. And rad MGS4 shirt to boot.
It certainly looks that way to us - particularly after talking to Matt Brown, executive vice president of Sony Pictures Europe, whose job it is to persuade us all to buy Blu-ray media. Formerly with Dreamworks, and steeped in films, Brown declares that "the future is high-definition TV" and that the PS3 - which at £425 in the UK is steeply priced for a games console, but comparatively cheap for a high-definition player (Blu-ray players in the UK cost more than £500) - is "the ultimate home entertainment device". All of which you'd expect him to say. But talking to Brown, it's clear that Sony is happy to take its financial lumps in terms of losses in the games console market if it means guaranteeing a win in the high-definition video war. And the best way to do that? Lose money selling the players, and rake it back by selling the "software" - games and especially films. In the long term, Sony has far more to gain from winning the DVD format wars than it stands to lose in the gaming ones, since it could keep making the PS3 for the next decade.
While the PS3 has not given Sony any clear advantage in the games field, it certainly has in the high-definition DVD market. At the Consumer Electronics Show in January, the HD DVD camp could claim 175,000 players sold in the US, well ahead of Blu-ray. But Sony can now claim a total of 1.8m PS3s sold worldwide (says nexgenwars.com).
Wood thus sounds confident when he claims: "Blu-ray discs are outselling HD DVD by three to one in the US." And, he adds, "if I do a good job then in six months we won't be having a conversation [about formats]. And the PS3 is going to help us do the job ... Potentially, we'll have 10 times more [Blu-ray] players [in the form of PS3s] out there by the end of the year." Projections for Sony by the research company Understanding & Solutions suggest there will be nearly 4m Blu-ray players (including PS3s) installed across Europe by the end of this year, compared to 55,000 HD DVD players; by the end of 2008, it forecasts 13.45m Blu-ray against 1.6m HD DVD drives (which will by then also include computers). For the US, it predicts a smaller gap - although still running 9 to 1 in favour of Blu-ray.
So is it game over for HD DVD? The HD DVD camp said at CES that owners of their players bought an average of 28 discs each, because they had chosen the format, rather than finding it bundled with their games console. Blu-ray owners hadn't bought many discs. But we remember a time when Netscape could claim to have many more people using its browser than Microsoft's Internet Explorer. Then Microsoft bundled the browser, and Netscape went pear-shaped. Someone at Sony has probably remembered their internet history, which says that victory goes to the most widely installed - not necessarily the most widely chosen.
With Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix + Re: Chain of Memories at last out in Japan, Tetsuya Nomura and crew can now devote all their energy to their next project. And that appears to be another Kingdom Hearts game, or at least another tie-up with Disney. But is it Kingdom Hearts III?
Speaking with Japan's Gemaga and Dengeki PlayStation publications, Nomura gave a few hints on the new project, which he's previously hinted would see formal announcement later this year.
Gemaga asked if the characters who appear in the new CG "secret movie" that has been added to Final Mix are from the new title. "They are people who have some relation to the new series. However the next title won't just be Kingdom Hearts III. If it were III, we wouldn't call it a new series."
Asked if Sora and Riku would make an appearance in the new game, he said with a laugh, "I can't say." He also hinted that the new game would have something to do with Xehanort, the main villain of the Kingdom Hearts series.
He was just as direct when Dengeki PlayStation asked for some details on the new title. "First, it's not Kingdom Hearts III. Of course, because we're calling it a 'new' series, it won't be KHIII. Also, it's a series, so it probably won't be just one title."
Nomura once again promised an announcement of the new game, whatever it may be, some time this year. In the meanwhile, he suggested that players attempt to unlock the Final Mix secret movie and starting imagining.
It's no secret that 2007 is going to be a big year for online shooters. Shadowrun, Unreal Tournament 3 and Team Fortress 2 are all to hit shelves before the year's end, and Splash Damage's Enemy Territory: Quake Wars will likely see retail release as well. We say likely because during a recent play session with the title, neither id Software nor Splash Damage representatives were willing to specify an exact date. Rather, they repeatedly told us it'll be done when it's done, and were focusing on a 2007 release for PC. As for the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions, little information was available. Console gamers can expect the versions to be content identical to the PC, and be finished when they're finished as well.
While id Software and Splash Damage were hesitant to talk about their high profile shooter competition, they were more than happy to talk about the PC version of Quake Wars. The game is structured much like Splash Damage's 2003 free multiplayer download Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory. As either Strogg or Global Defense Force, you pick one of five classes, each with its own special abilities, and fan out with your team over each of the game's large maps. Before hopping in you'll need to review the map objectives, since they're more complicated than going prone under a flag until it's captured. On a map called Sewer, the GDF need to break the Strogg's hold on a sewage facility in Japan, a process undertaken in stages. First, the GDF need to send an Engineer class to construct an EMP disruptor outside the facility to gain access. Next, a few Soldier class players have to swarm the facility and plant explosives on sewer grates to bust into an underground area. Finally, to secure victory, a Covert Ops class is required to hack the plant's main controls.
It's the middle of the afternoon and we're sitting in absolute pitch black trying to eat what feels and tastes like some kind of duck curry. The reason we're fondling round a plate in the dark is because we're about to get a long-awaited hands-on with The Darkness - 2K Games's upcoming comic-based supernatural shooter. Beforehand though, we're having lunch in a place called Dans Le Noir, a restaurant where you eat in absolute darkness, for larks. See what the event organisers did there? Those clever PR people.
Those black tendrils replace the HUB and show health/dark power.
Even with the crushing panic attacks, the numerous stains down our front - having blindly tackled a pudding - and the endless recurring flashbacks of stifling, claustrophobic horror every time we shut our eyes, it was still worth it. You see, The Darkness is shaping up to be one of this year's most imaginative titles - but then we'd expect nothing less from Starbreeze, developer of the excellent Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay. Despite only playing a three-level demo, we came away from The Darkness feeling suitably impressed.
The Media manager gets another release and this time has support for PS3 too.
Heres whats new:
General:
Relook picture form
Add PS3 movie encoding Manage picture:
Relook picture form Manage movie:
Corrected some bugs MOV files encoding
Add PS3 movie encoding
Convert movie to PS3 format with bitrate and resolution selection : 640x480 to 1920x1072
Add PSP firmware 3.30 (with movie encoding on 720 x 480) Configure path:
Add PS3 movie encoding
Add PSP firmware 3.30 (with movie encoding on 720 x 480)
id Software has revealed that cross-platform play won't be a feature of the forthcoming Enemy Territory: Quake Wars.
"Console players will not play against PC players", id's Kevin Cloud told GameZone in a recent interview on the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 multiplayer action game.
Cloud explained that it isn't a case that it can't be done, but obviously a serious challenge to deliver a level playing field across platforms, "Consoles require a certain [adaptation], and that wasn't something that we wanted to take on".
However, he did say that id wants to bring the Quake Wars console experience "up to speed with the PC version... We may do some adjustments to bots, but we want the experience to be the same on PC and consoles."
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars combines action with a dose of RTS-style features and finds Earth's Global Defence Force battling the Strogg war machine. It's expected to release later this year.
Protect your Playstation 3 Six Axis controller while improving your grip with this silicon protective cover. Effective against scratches, small shocks, and sweaty hands! Available in Black or Clear version.
Over 11 years since the original was released, Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars has entered the All Formats charts at number one, knocking software for the newly released PlayStation 3 down the charts, GamesIndustry.biz reports.
Sales of Sony's best-selling title Resistance: Fall of Man dropped by 66 per cent, nudging it down to number two in the charts, while MotorStorm sales also fell by 62 per cent, as it reversed into the number three position.
Codemasters' multiformat Brian Lara International Cricket 2007 slips into fourth place this week, with SEGA's Virtua Tennis 3 at number five.
A strong performer this week is Ubisoft's TMNT: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which climbs the charts from number 19 to number six. EA's UEFA Champions League 2006 - 2007 also climbs into the top ten this week, from number 15 to seven.
Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories is at number eight this week, just ahead of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 at nine and Activision's Call of Duty 3 at ten.
This week's highest new entry is EA's Medal of Honor: Vanguard for the Nintendo Wii, just missing the top ten by debuting at number 11.
Hands On Mobile, Inc. announced today that they have entered into an agreement with Activision to produce a Guitar Hero mobile game for handhelds. While we aren't sure if that means cell phones, PlayStation Portables, Nintendo DSs, Game Boy Advances, HP calculators or all of the above, it's further proof of the massive juggernaut that is the Guitar Hero franchise. Although this franchise was announced before, then canceled, it's now apparently been reborn.
Plus with the announcement earlier today of Harmonix' Rock Band, Ubisoft's Jam Sessions for the DS, and even the Mother 3 soundtrack being made available on iTunes -- it's clear that games and music are currently making waves. It's like the horror genre in movie theaters right now. Soon you'll be seeing things like Hammered Dulcimer Champion and Harmonica Savior hitting store shelves
Ive been following the site DiGG over the last few months and a trend occurs that really puts a downer on these social voting sites.
Whenever big sites such as Engadget, Joystiq, Gizmodo, Kotaku and others post a digg even if the digg post was sourced from another site that had already submitted a Digg they because of their size nearly always get the stories from them made popular.
So the little sites who the story originated from just cant compete with sites who get mega hits each day.
Maybe there should be a source link on each digg post (if one exists)
Am i the only one who thinks its just a case of the big sites winning each time or could i be wrong.
Should sites like Digg/Slashdot and others change to make sure say that the proper site gets the linkages?
I should say that i have nothing against the sites above but maybe a fairer system is needed ?
Lair was one of the first playable games shown on PS3, with its impressive wide-open and detailed environments, and neat use of the Sixaxis tilt controls.
Here, we have 14 more screens showing off the beautiful water effects and the awesome detail on the dragons. And it looks better in motion on a nice big 1080p-enabled TV, believe us.
But we don't want to look at it no more. We want to play the full game, in which you fly around on huge dragons battling with other giant flying beasts in insanely chaotic battles. We enjoyed it when we got an early look at a playable demo.
It's no surprise that it's cool - it's being developed by Factor 5, the guys responsible for the awesome Rogue Squadron games on GameCube.
So when is it coming out? Not until September, according to the most recent release schedule. Hopefully the time being put into the game will help make sure it's as good as we hope when it finally does land on PS3.
Sales of the PlayStation 3 have dropped dramatically on the second week of release in the UK, with official Chart Track figures revealing a fall of 82 per cent, GamesIndustry.biz is reporting.
Chart Track data is gathered from 7000 UK retail outlets representing 90 per cent of the software market, including GAME, Gamestation, Play.com, Asda and HMV.
A spokesperson for Chart Track confirmed the figure to GamesIndustry.biz this afternoon, stating: "Yes, sales of PS3 hardware have dropped by 82 per cent."
Last week, Chart Track revealed that the PlayStation 3 had sold 165,000 units in the first two days following the launch, making it the fastest-selling home console in the UK.
"We publish the first week figures because there's such a clamour for them that we can't keep it a secret," said the spokesperson.
This week's software charts revealed that sales of the top two PlayStation 3 titles, Resistance: Fall of Man and MotorStorm, had dropped by over 60 per cent.
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe declined to comment.
Sega Toys has just launched the cutest companion you could have, conveniently in time for Easter. Dream Chick (not the kind that you normally see on the Internet), is a fluffy hand-sized chick that flaps its wings when held. Making you feel even more adored, it makes “peep peep” noises when its head is stroked. Dream Chick is available for 1,507 yen ($12.90/£6.62).
The column should have appeared in Edge magazine, but as its author explains, "my column has been pulled from the next issue, because it was felt to be too much of a personal attack on a certain individual."
We've had a look as Mr Biffo has posted the entire article on his website and we believe it to be more on the embarrassing side of things rather than a full-on personal attack on the Sony head of studios Phil Harrison.
The story involves Phil Harrison, PS3 and a Marillion gig in Amsterdam. Intrigued? Hit this link for what is bound to be Mr Biffo's most read page EVER!
A research report has revealed that Nintendo Wii is outselling PS3 more than 2-to-1 in Japan.
The Enterbrain report says that Nintendo has sold 1.95 million units of Wii as of March 25. The console launched in Japan December 2, 2006 last year. Sony, on the other hand, has sold 812,000 of its latest console since November 11.
Bloomberg says that "As the PlayStation 3 loses market share in Japan, it becomes more difficult for Sony to recoup investment in the machine."
If there was ever a time when PS3 needed some killer games to come along, it's got to be now. Especially with reports flying around the web that sales in the UK of the machine have fallen drastically since launch on March 23.
The internet was grinded to a halt last night by the arrival of the first massive trailer of this year's biggest game, the legendary fourth instalment of Grand Theft Auto. Hit this link and download it now, in case you've just woken up.
After pushing our office hours to the very limit and wrestling with old Captain Bandwidth to get at the biggest video size possible, we've dissected to the GTA IV trailer thoroughly and picked out all of its little secrets you may have missed the first time around.
So magnifying glass in hand, here's what we've discovered...
It's Liberty City!
Despite internet reports claiming otherwise, GTA IV is indeed set (at least partially) in Liberty City - or more likely Liberty State, the area beyond Liberty City. If you're still not convinced, you can see the words 'Liberty City' plastered on a docked tanker in the trailer, a ferry and of course there's also a glimpse of the 'LCPD' patrolling the GTA IV streets.
As you can see from the comparison screenshots at the bottom of the page, the layout of GTA IV's Liberty City seems to resemble we remember from the PS2 - though obviously there's a whole lot of extra detail washed onto the streets.
As for what's beyond the walls of the famous GTA III locale, the trailer confirms GTA versions of the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty and a fun park including rollercoaster, which were all missing from the PS2 instalment.
The time setting
While there's already plenty of debate over what time setting the next game takes place in, there are plenty of cues in the trailer to suggest a modern day setting for GTA IV.
The vehicles in the trailer all look pretty 2007 to us - including a BMW look-a-like and a sports car that has a very post-2000 design. There are also plenty of advertisements plastered around Liberty City that also cropped-up in the 90s-set GTA III, including Burger Shot and Cluckin' Bell.
Is that really the main Character?
The narrator in the trailer is a Russian character whose background seems to revolve around murder, smuggling and erm, selling people. The internet is already shouting from the electronic rooftops that this Eastern European chap will be the main protagonist in GTA IV, but really the trailer confirms nothing of the sort.
What it does confirms is that the story will somehow bring Eastern Europeans into the equations, which leads us to wonder what's happened to the Leone kingpins from GTA III.
Hit the water
Multiple-viewings make the GTA IV trailer's emphasis on water-based travel even more apparent; there are shots of bridges, ferry ports, a dock and some of the prettiest water effects we've seen to date in a sandbox game.
A realistically floating buoy 16 seconds in seems to suggest dynamic water physics for the fourth instalment, and of course you can see the gorgeous refraction effects later on in the trailer. A spot of boating for GTA IV seems a near-cert then, but - for as much as we hope - we just can't see jet-skiing going down in the Liberty City harbour.
Cast Your RAGE
As has always been heavily assumed, the next GTA ditches Renderware to make use of the graphically-spectacular Table Tennis RAGE engine (Rockstar Advanced Game Engine).
The confirmation comes from a Rockstar representative who told Gamespot: "We can confirm that all footage in the trailer was captured directly from 720p gameplay running real time in our Rage engine on a next-gen gaming console."
And the engine seems to be working well for the series - as you can see from the trailer tech-wise GTA IV is looking very impressive.
Super Pedestrian
We're expecting lots of advancements in how realistically the inhabitants of Liberty City live and work, but already there are a number of improvements on show in the short teaser.
At the beginning of the video you can see that the driver of the blue sports car is adjusting his rear-view mirror - a very nice touch indeed that we would never have seen working on the PS2. The pedestrians on the streets also have fully-modelled faces and carry groceries and books, which certainly adds a more realistic vibe to surroundings that the aimlessly-walking residents in GTA III.
The funny is back!
Oldschool movie buffs will recognize the spoof reference in the GTA IV trailer straight away; the music is from Godfrey Reggio's Koyaanisqatsi, a dialogue-less documentary film from the early eighties that mixed landscape footage with a rolling soundtrack. The music, in case your wondering, is a piece from minimalist composer Philip Glass, who created the music for Koyaanisqatsi.
Further proving that GTA hasn't lost it's trademark humour are the plethora of fake adverts available for glimpse in the video, including upcoming TV show "America's Next Top Hooker" and "Sprunk", a beverage we probably won't picking up on the next trip round Tesco.
You can checkout the Koyaanisqatsi trailer here. Anyone for a cool glass of "Piswasser"?
Visit Vice City!
Keen-eyed viewers with seriously-ninja Photoshop skills will notice an interesting in-game ad five seconds into the trailer. On the top left of the shot just above the wall is a sign that says "Visit Vice City - $300", leading many internet forums to explode with messages of "OMG!!11 MULTIPLE CITIEZ IN GTAIV!1"
So yeah, we might be getting a tiny bit ahead of ourselves taking this tiniest of glimpses as evidence that GTA IV will contain multiple, country-wide locals, but what would be more next-gen than a trip to all three cities that we've explored so vigorously on PS2? Having said that, would Vice City even look like Vice City in a modern day setting?
Doc Oc attacks!
Another one for the eagle-eyed among us is the brief glimpse of a cable car travelling behind a bridge 30 seconds in to the trailer, leading us to fantasise over the Spider-Man-style mischief we could have jumping around fighting an imaginary Doctor Octopus.
Having said that, we're hoping Spidey's influence stretches all over GTA IV; we just can't look at that massive Crysler building without planning a Crackdown-style route up to the top, and it would be an absolute crime if we can't base-jump from one of those skyscrapers.
Clever birds
Going from the trailer, we can see that the birds and pigeons in GTA IV are detailed and have some sort of behaviour system going on - which should please virtual game hunters everywhere.
In one scene you can see a seagull flying underneath a bridge, and in another we get a glimpse of two pigeons sitting on a statue. Will we be able to chase those dirty flying-rats through the streets? Pick them out of the skies with high-calibre rifles? At this point we'd bet money on it. (CVG doesn't condone the harming of pigeons).
Thanks to GTAForums.com for comparison shots (that have been stripped from the trailer). If you want to see the better quality shots, hit this link.
See anything we may have missed? Let the world know below.
Shoot for the Final Four with the 2007 entry in Visual Concepts' and 2K Sports' college b-ball game. Leadership makes a difference this year, as team chemistry plays a vital role in a team's performance--especially come tournament time. The college atmosphere is fully realized with updated mascots, improved crowd interaction and more fight songs. Also featured are over 325 NCAA Division 1 schools and a deep legacy mode.
Combine raw horsepower with awesome firepower in a race that demands both precision aim and breakneck speed. Fierce combat-racing ensues as you strategically use destruction to win races as well as leave massive devastation in your wake. Players can destroy the environment to dynamically change track conditions to block competitors, open new paths, or crush opponents with falling debris caused by well-timed missiles. Full Auto 2: Battlelines has been fully re-designed over the original, introducing a new Arena Mode featuring team play and six different levels. Across 20 regular combat-racing tracks, players can get behind the wheel of 25 different vehicles ranging from classic muscle cars and low riders to monstrous SUVs and industrial vehicles, each of which can be customized with more than 20 explosive weapons as well as multiple paint schemes and wheel styles.
The book by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola's classic film serve as dual inspirations for Electronic Arts' action/adventure The Godfather. In it gamers can join the Corleone family to exploit loyalties and fear as they rise through the ranks to become Don in 20th century New York City. Carry out orders, earn respect, and make the Big Apple all your own. This expanded edition for PlayStation 3 offers brand new ways to go from Street Soldier to Don as you gain control of the streets of New York. Follow the path an Enforcer or Operator; each with its own unique perks and abilities to earn. Now you can chat up specific characters to get the skinny on dirty cops, take down two additional revised compounds of rival Families, execute five new contract hits, and call in larger Corleone Hit Squads when the going gets tough.
A next-gen entry in EA's rim-rockin', arcade-style street ball game. This entry in the franchise still allows you to throw down and go to town on others like any other NBA Street meet, but its focus is all about basketball giving hope to the streets that the sport is known in. Downtown streets are dangerous, and cities aren't always safe. There're villains, sure. But also, we've got heroes. And this game is about the heroes, the ballers whose skills on the court inspire those not sure which way to turn in life. In 3-on-3 basketball play, you battle to earn respect for your hometown. The ultimate goal is to beat NBA superstars from their hometown courts to the legendary parks across the land, finally putting your neighborhood on the map. Become a streetball legend, 90 feet at a time.
In this superhero-filled action-RPG, players assume the roles of more than 20 Marvel Super Heroes including Spider-Man, Wolverine, Blade and Captain America, and through their actions determine the fate of both planet Earth and the Marvel universe. The game features total team customization, where players create their own team name, icon and vehicle, as well as establish their team reputation as they play throughout the story. Battle the world’s most notorious Marvel Super Villains in the air, underwater, and on the ground, using grappling, blocking and dodging moves, and even environmental objects as one and two-handed weapons. The storyline is designed open, and the missions that you choose to accept affect the outcome of the Marvel Universe. Also featured are competitive and co-operative multiplayer modes.
The reaction to Activision and Treyarch's Spider-Man 3 game trailer has been less than stellar. "It's Spider-Man 2 with better graphics," fanboys have screamed across the Internet, but after a day in the Activision offices and some hands-on time with the wall crawler, I can tell you, folks are selling this game short.
"You can see that we've really redone the city from the ground up," said Will Townsend, associate producer on Spider-Man 3 as he maneuvered Spider-Man around New York -- a New York that's 2.5 times bigger than it was Spider-Man 2. "It's been his office before, but now, it's his playground."
Grab your tights, everything you loved about Spider-Man 2 is back; sandbox gameplay, Bruce Campbell's biting wit, secret tokens, villains, the Daily Bugle... and the stuff you hated about Spider-Man 2 is gone.
Sales of the PlayStation 3 have dropped dramatically on the second week of release in the UK, with official Chart Track figures revealing a fall of 82 per cent.
Chart Track data is gathered from 7000 UK retail outlets representing 90 per cent of the software market, including GAME, Gamestation, Play.com, Asda and HMV.
A spokesperson for Chart Track confirmed the figure to GamesIndustry.biz this afternoon, stating: "Yes, sales of PS3 hardware have dropped by 82 per cent."
Last week, Chart Track revealed that the PlayStation 3 had sold 165,000 units in the first two days following the launch, making it the fastest-selling home console in the UK.
"We publish the first week figures because there's such a clamour for them that we can't keep it a secret," said the spokesperson.
This week's software charts revealed that sales of the top two PlayStation 3 titles, Resistance: Fall of Man and MotorStorm, had dropped by over 60 per cent.
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe declined to comment.
The Full Moon Show, an Insomniac podcast, recently released "Episode 2" where they interviewed some guy who called himself David Jaffe or something like that. Ever heard of this lout? He thought he could explain why Calling All Cars, made by this other guy named... hmm... well, shoot, we completely forgot! Was it something like Javid Daffe? Either way, here's the explanation from the man himself.
During their extensive playtesting, there were instances where one player would just blow away the other players, creating a gap in score that kept growing to silly amounts. Sensing that it would draw away from the fun, Jaffe retreated to some devs who worked on older, arcade-style games for some coding help. Enter the image of Jaffe conversing with a Council of Elders in Developerland. Jaffe and crew are currently testing out some of the strategies for fixing the issue as given by these other developers. At least he's trying to make it fair for everyone, right?
Moving on, I remind him of a comment he made last year comparing each of the three current consoles to "different kinds of dinner". Did he still think that was the case, now that all three are on the market? Nope. "They're more like a movie theatre metaphor", he says.
"The PS3 is like the theatre, it's a little bit high-priced but it has to be high quality as well. The 360 is a DVD, it still needs to be high quality but you need more variations, while the Wii is almost like a TV channel, because every game you have it with your family".
I look for a funny/revealing insight into the comment, then realise he's probably quite close to the mark. Still, by that admission, if the PS3 is Hollywood, is he feeling the heat of being the system's first big, exclusive title? "Yes, there is pressure", he admits, "but there is Final Fantasy XIII coming out as well, so it's not all me!".
Still on MGS4, I ask whether this really is the end. He's said repeatedly he wants to walk away at the end of this game, and the trailers seem to show everyone from the series getting together for one final shootout. So when MGS4 hits, will you hang up your boots? "Well, atually its really up to the users, its up to them to decide", he offers.
"If users want more Metal Gear, then I will probably step up as producer, like the James Bond series does", he says. "That way I can have new, upcoming directors making MGS while I oversee the project, and then perhaps I can move onto something new".
Something new, eh? Like your long, and oft-rumoured collaboration with Suda? "The collaboration with Suda is a little different", Kojima says. "It's something I've been thinking about for about 10 years now, but unfortunately can't concentrate on right now because we're so busy with MGS4".
Pity. So, Devil May Cry 4, going multiplatform. Thoughts? Comments? "I think it's up to each project, and the individual producer", he says. "If they want to take it multiplatform, they will". I'm going somewhere with this questi
