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Did you find yourself up last night, hugging your knees, rocking back and forth, cursing Peter Moore, and mourning the loss of 360 backwards compatibility? Well, have no fear. The fine folks at Gamerscore Blog did a little sleuthing:

“Lots of talk about backwards compatibility online today.  We wanted to get to the bottom of it all, so we went right to the team working on the next back compat update.  We hear directly from them that they’re in the testing phase of another update, and it should be out in the next few weeks.  We saw the list they’re testing, and it looks like they’re hoping to add at least a dozen titles.”

So there you go. Backwards compatibility still going strong. Well, going anyway. Gamerscore Blog assures us that the “Emulation Ninjas” are still hard at work, just like Santa’s little elves (if Santa’s elves were badass ninjas).

Word has it that remakes of Tomb Raiders 1 and 2 are on the way:

“According to a secret email sent to Kotaku, Eidos is planning to commemorate Lara Croft’s 10th birthday will be celebrated with remakes of Tomb Raider I & II. Apparently, both games would be featured on a single disc and receive complete graphics upgrades plus more.”

If these are true remakes—not ports—handled by Crystal Dynamics, it could actually be something really special. Then again, it could just be Eidos shamelessly cashing in—just like the old days. No platform was disclosed in the email. Let’s hope it’s more than a PSP port.

Anyone want to start sending me anonymous emails?

—via AMN

Game Politics has posted a list of the most controversial upcoming games of 2006. Leading the pack is of course GTA4:

• Grand Theft Auto 4
• Resevoir Dogs
• Sadness
• Bully
• Hitman: Blood money
• 50 Cent: Bulletproof G Unit Edition

Most of those are controversial for obvious reason. The curious standout is Sadness. Having read a little about the project now, I have to say, it sounds cool. Sadness is a survival horror game in development for Wii. The website for it mentions using the Wiimote for waving torches, tossing lassos, and slitting throats. It’s this last action that puts it on GP’s controversial list. Wii has the potential to let supposed “murder simulators” actually simulate murder. Instead of pressing a button, players can actually “stab” someone, for example. Interesting.

 Controversial or not, Sadness sounds like it could be a cool title.

Everyone’s favorite sneaky bastard, Solid Snake, has been added to the Smash Bros. Dojo. After much consideration, the developers have decided not to give Snake real world guns and have opted for heavy explosives instead. Mines and Nikita missiles would be fine by me. Check out more images after the break.

Continue reading “Snake (Snake? Snaaaaaake!) Now on Smash Bros. Dojo”

Kikizo spoke with Peter Moore recently on the issue of Xbox 360 and backwards compatibility. Moore had some interesting things to say:

“Nobody is concerned anymore about backwards compatibility. We under promised and over delivered on that. It’s a very complicated thing… very complex work. I’m just stunned that we have hundreds of games that are backwards compatible. […] More are coming, but at some point, you just go, there’s enough, let’s move on, or people aren’t as worried about a game being backwards compatible – and I like to think we’ve upheld our end of the bargain in making at least two or maybe three hundred games backwards compat.”

Under promised and over delivered would we? Look, backwards compatibility isn’t really important to me—I would have been fine without it—but that statement is just asinine. I like Peter Moore—he helmed the launch of my beloved Dreamcast—but give me a break. A good 3/4 of the Xbox games I own are not backwards compatible. I’d say “over delivered” is a bit of a stretch.

As Xboxic points out, this quote may signal the coming end of backwards compatibility altogether. They’d better get Capcom Classics and Street Fighter Anniversary Collection on that list, or I will write them a nasty email so fast. Oh yes, I will.

—via Xboxic

In a recent interview with German Magazine—say it with me now—Der Spiegel, Sony Exec Phil Harrison lays down a quote that I’m sure will soon be famous:

“We believe that the PS3 will be the place where our users play games, watch films, browse the Web, and use other computer functions. The PlayStation 3 is a computer. We do not need the PC”

Call it a leap if you will, but I’m guessing that the PS3 won’t include a word processor, photo editor, web editor, or a multitude of other PC functions. Still, I find this continued dismissal of the PS3’s main function disturbing. Not only that, diversifying the PS3 too much will confuse consumers. If people (ie Moms) see the PS3 as a computer, they will have a more complex choice to make. Let’s imagine a little exchange shall we?

Consumer Mom: What is this exactly? My child wants one.

Mr. Sales Guy: Why, it’s a PS3. It’s like having a “Super Computer.”

Consumer Mom: But we already have a computer.

Mr. Sales Guy: But this can play Blu-Ray movies!

Consumer Mom: We already have a DVD player…

Mr. Sales Guy: Exactly! Blu-Ray is like DVD only better. Look at that picture!

Consumer Mom: I can’t tell the difference…

Mr. Sales Guy: Um…Well, it plays games, too!

Consumer Mom: Yes, that’s what little Billy wanted. How much?

Mr. Sales Guy: Five hundred dollars.

Consumer Mom: Gadzooks! Why so much?

Mr. Sales Guy: Well, it’s like a “Super Computer” remember?

Consumer Mom: Okay…do you have anything that just plays games?

And so on and so forth. I know Sony is counting on tech savvy adults to buy this for themselves, but the truth is that a lot of little kids will be wanting a PS3 under the Christmas tree. If Sony wants to sell these things to Mom, they’d better be damned sure to exemplify the PS3’s primary function. Then again, I’m not sure even Sony knows what that is anymore.

—interview quote from Gamasutra

Not exactly news—we’ve all heard the rumors—but research and consulting firm Diffusion Group is forecasting that Microsoft will release a portable games console in late 2007 or early 2008. The report issued by the firm states that Microsoft has now achieved the brand recognition necessary to facilitate a handheld, which would no doubt use Xbox branding of some sort. It would also likely include multimedia functionality akin to the PSP. With handhelds making more and more money, it’s pretty much a no-brainer that Microsoft would want a piece of the action.

Personally, I’m excited by the idea. If the 360 is any indication, the multimedia functionality of the Xbox Handheld would be much more user friendly than the PSP. Let’s hope they learn from Sony’s mistakes and give it more comfortable controls and longer battery life. If Microsoft could strike the right balance of DS, iPod, and PDA, they might just get my money.

Then again, it’s not like it will be replacing my DS any time soon.

—via Gamasutra

In an interview with MCV, SCEE President David Reeves mentioned that the PS3 would be manufactured for Europe first:

“I hope we will be day and date with US and I hope that we’ll get the same quantities as US as well,” said Reeves. “I don’t think we’ll be disadvantaged. In fact I believe the first PS3s being manufactured are being made for Europe – which is a first.”

Of course, if Europe is launching day and date with the US, I’m not sure it matters which units are allocated for which country. Perhaps more interesting though, were his comments on the PS3’s high price tag:

“When Blu-Ray players come out in Europe they are probably going to be between €900 and €1,000. So €599 for a Blu-Ray player – which is what a PS3 is – and a games machines with lots of good titles coming out as well is actually a steal. And the €499 unit, because that will also play Blu-Ray, is even better value.”

Sony is putting a lot of emphasis on the PS3’s Blu-Ray functionality. David Reeves went so far as to call the PS3 a Blu-Ray player before he called it a game console. With a price tag so high, I guess that’s understandable. I’m just not sure it bodes well for the actual games.

 
In a bit of shocking stupid news, Infinium Labs—known primarily for its nonexistent console, “The Phantom”—has changed its name.

Troubled former Infinium Phantom ‘console’ developer and current Lapboard accessory creator Infinium Labs has announced, via an SEC filing, that it plans to change the company name and double the amount of outstanding shares issued, and will vote on these changes at a stockholder meeting in July.”

The new name? Phantom Entertainment Inc., of course. While perhaps fitting, Phantom Entertainment isn’t really the best name for a software/hardware company. Why no one over at Infinium Phantom marketing hasn’t figured this out, I have no idea. They might as well call the company “We Really Do Have A Product, Honest! Inc.”

Seriously guys, Phantom Entertainment?

—via Gamasutra

Japanese website PC-Success recently featured the Wii for the startling price of 18,000 Yen (roughly US $160). The page was quickly taken down but not before some savvy web denizen captured the image above. Wii for twenty-one bucks more than a DS? Where do I sign up?

—via Gamebrink