NAMCO BANDAI GAMES AMERICA AND NAMCO NETWORKS AMERICA TO JOIN FORCES. Companies Will Integrate to Capitalize on Today’s Gaming Market, Under the NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. Label.
SAN JOSE, Calif., August 5, 2010— NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., and Namco Networks America Inc., today announced that the two companies will integrate under the NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. label to further NAMCO BANDAI Holdings vision of creating games that appeal to a mass audience and to best compete in the worldwide gaming industry.
Under the NAMCO BANDAI Games America label, the company will leverage talent from both the mobile and console businesses to develop and publish interactive content across multiple platforms – including all major video game consoles, Apple iOS products, mobile, PC and the Web. It will not only continue to build upon its rich portfolio of immersive and interactive gaming titles, but will also further strengthen the company’s position by expanding its presence in the social gaming space.
“We strive to make games accessible to gamers across multiple platforms. Combining the companies’ deep pools of talent and resources is the best way for us to achieve our goal of broadening our consumer base,” said Kenji Hisatsune, President, CEO and COO of Namco Networks. “I am very excited about uniting these dynamic groups and look forward to delivering top-notch content that’s appropriate for multiple gaming platforms and communities.”
The companies expect the transaction to be complete in Q1 2011 and will operate as one united organization. At that time, Kenji Hisatsune will serve as the newly-appointed President and CEO of NAMCO BANDAI Games America.
One of the major concerns regarding Kinect ahead of its release this November is lag.
Besides the lack of any physical feedback, the lag that some demonstrations have had between when a player moves and that action is registered on-screen has some people worried. But according to Blitz Games chief technical officer Andrew Oliver, the lag we've seen doesn't need to be there and could be eliminated by developers.
Blitz Games is currently working on, among other things, The Biggest Loser for Kinect. Oliver was asked about the issue of Kinect lag in an interview with Gamasutra, and he explained that Blitz is not using a skeletal system like other fitness games which "takes a little bit of time to calculate." He said, "But this is all software-based, so where some people might see some little cracks, they're easily fixable by software."
Asked if there is any actual delay between the camera and what you see on the screen, Oliver explained, "It depends on what technology you're using. I have seen a few games with a bit of lag, but that is the software choice of the creators; they've programmed it a certain way, and they'll come up with new techniques. We will tighten and tighten it. There doesn't need to be a lag. We can get it down to maybe two frames behind, which is pretty insignificant; you won't notice. We're just learning new tricks. Ours is pretty tight."
Oliver likens the current learning process to developing for a new game console: "... game designers are running forward in a completely new area and learning this stuff. It's like any console. The first few games will look like nothing compared to second and third generation."
This isn't the first time a developer has suggested that lag won't be an issue; back in June, Rare's executive producer of technology and communications, Nick Burton, claimed, "Lag is not an issue." That was, however, what you would perhaps expect to hear from a Microsoft-owned developer. Blitz is arguably less likely to be biased, but whether or not that is indeed the case, hopefully lag really is an issue that we won't have to deal with in Kinect games for long.
The “Fable III” pre-order tool invites fans to design their own villager with over 2,000 possibilities; pre-order incentive includes bonus quest and gold fortune.The Villager Maker, launching today in the U.S. and U.K. and worldwide later this week, is available for everyone to access and experiment with.
Great heroes of the past and present all know one thing is true: the revolution starts with you. That’s why Microsoft and Lionhead Studios are giving fans the chance to get into the action now before “Fable III” launches in the U.S. on Oct. 26. With the all-new character creator tool, called the “Fable III” Villager Maker, fans who pre-order the game can create and bring their personalized villager to life. Your custom in-game villager will deliver to your hero a thrilling new quest and 1,000 gold fortune, and then continue to interact with you on your journey to become ruler of Albion.
The Villager Maker, launching today in the U.S. and U.K. and worldwide later this week, is available for everyone to access and experiment with at www.xbox.com/fable3. Fans can utilize the tool to create a male or female villager with more than 2,000 different variations, including an enthralling backstory for the character, unique personality traits, clothing, accent, hairstyles and the region they hail from. Whether you create a valiant ally, an evil villain, or perhaps the perfect spouse, let your imagination run free as you make your mark in the fantastical world of “Fable III.”
The fun doesn’t stop there. With the Villager Maker, you’ll be able to save your character as a desktop wallpaper and share your creation with your friends on Facebook and Twitter to see who has the coolest design. Anyone can start designing, but transporting the villager into “Fable III” is a reward given only to fans who pre-order the game at participating retailers. A redeemable code will be provided that allows players to bring their character creation to life in “Fable III” when the game launches.
Soundgarden's first album in 13 years, "Telephantasm", to be bundled with "Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock".
Soundgarden and Guitar Hero break new ground in epic collaboration for the launch of Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock. New Single "Black Rain" to Debut Exclusively in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock and more..
Telephantasm - First New Soundgarden Album in Over 10 Years - to be Bundled with 1 Million Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock Launch Units Telephantasm will also be Released as Downloadable Content - Day and Date with the Game this September
Santa Monica, CA - August, 2010 - Hot on the heels of their highly anticipated reunion, GRAMMY® award-winning rockers Soundgarden and Activision Publishing Inc.'s (Nasdaq: ATVI) Guitar Hero®: Warriors of Rock will come together this September in a groundbreaking collaboration that marks the first time a new music album will be simultaneously released and bundled with a video game. All one million North American Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock launch units will contain Telephantasm, a 12-song career-spanning album, and will be exclusively available with the game for one week, prior to the album's retail release. Additionally, day and date with the launch of the game, fans and gamers alike will get full access to the band's new album as downloadable content for Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock. Delivering fans original content exclusively playable in Guitar Hero®, axe shredders, drummers and fearless frontmen will also have the opportunity to rock out to "Black Rain," the band's amazing, all-new single, as part of the 90+ on-disc song selection of shredtastic rock music.
"We're extremely excited to be collaborating with Soundgarden on this monumental moment in their music career," said Tim Riley, Vice President of Music Affairs for Guitar Hero. "Guitar Hero continues to break new ground by being the preeminent interactive platform for debuting original content and a stage for the biggest acts in all genres of rock and roll to reach new audiences in an all-new way."
In Addition, on September 28th A&M/UMe will be releasing three expanded versions of Telephantasm which will include a double-disc with 12 additional tracks, five of which are previously unreleased, and Soundgarden's first-ever DVD, featuring 20 videos, 13 of which have never been released, a Deluxe 3-LP Vinyl Edition and an individually numbered Super Deluxe Collector's Edition. The Super Deluxe Collector's Edition will be available for a limited time and will include two CDs, the limited edition DVD, three heavy vinyl discs, a collectible poster, lithos, and much more. These three expanded versions will be available at all music retail outlets and on the band's website.
According to EA, NBA Jam for Xbox 360 and will only be available with the purchase of NBA Elite 11. There are no plans as of yet on selling it as a standalone title.
Electronic Arts has revealed players who purchase the pro hoops simulation NBA Elite 11 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 will receive a free downloadable copy of NBA Jam.
Copies of NBA Elite will include a redeemable code to download the remastered arcade title. The PS3 and 360 editions of NBA Jam will feature three game modes: Play It Now, Classic Campaign and Online.
It's not clear how much the PS3/360 version of NBA Jam will differ from the Nintendo Wii release, which will sell for $49.99.
Mark from "Game Hunters" shares his first impressions of the soon to be smash hit, "Sims 3" for Consoles.
One of the highest-rated computer games in recent memory is making its way to consoles. Electronic Arts' The Sims 3 will be available on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii on October 26.
Can EA take a "lean in" experience, where you micromanage the lives of little people, and make it appeal to a more "lean back" gamer? From what we've seen at a recent press event in New York City, they've figured out how to do it.
First off, The Sims 3 for consoles has everything the PC version has, says EA, but with tweaked controls, a better suited user interface and fun extras such as karma powers and a reward system.
If you've ever played the computer version, you're well aware of how the game mechanics work: you take care of the needs and desires of your customizable Sims, mingle with the neighbors, excel in your career and decorate your home with unlockable items.
The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions, which mark the first time The Sims has appeared on next-generation consoles, also lets you exchange items with friends over the Internet, while the Nintendo Wii game has its own unique town and careers, a 4-player minigame, and the ability to swim in the ocean or go windsurfing.
One of the coolest new features of The Sims 3 on consoles is "karma powers," where you can cast a spell, of sorts, to help your sim out in a number of ways. For example, does a pretty Sim like someone other than your own Sim? Use "Cosmic Curse" to the take out the competition by giving her suitor some serious flatulence. Is your Sim feeling down and needs a "Best Day Ever"? Everything will go right for your Sim as they go to work and get a promotion, and then come home to find an attractive neighbor at their doorstep. Each power only lasts a couple of hours, so be selective when and how you use it.
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Under the NAMCO BANDAI Games America label, the company will leverage talent from both the mobile and console businesses to develop and publish interactive content across multiple platforms – including all major video game consoles, Apple iOS products, mobile, PC and the Web. It will not only continue to build upon its rich portfolio of immersive and interactive gaming titles, but will also further strengthen the company’s position by expanding its presence in the social gaming space. 
