October 2004

Sunday, October 31, 2004

Capcom Fighting Jam to head up Osaka Gaming Expo
Posted by White_Pointer at 04:03:23 CST
After the huge success of their Capcom Fighting Jam (called Capcom Fighting Evolution outside of Japan) tournament last month at the Tokyo Game Show, Capcom are hosting another tournament for their upcoming fighter at the Osaka Gaming Expo. The game heads up quite a list of the playable games Capcom will have on display at the show but it's the only fighting game to make the list.

The Expo will be held on the 13th and 14th of November with CFJ/CFE tournament on the second day. Admission is free.
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DOA Ultimate ships
Posted by White_Pointer at 03:50:26 CST
Dead or Alive Ultimate, Tecmo's special compilation featuring reworked, online playable versions of DOA 1 and 2, has finally shipped to North America and will be on store shelves in a couple of days. In will be available in Japan early next month but still no word on a PAL release just yet.
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New Fan Art
Posted by White_Pointer at 02:40:52 CST
Joe Ikey has sent us a great computer-drawn picture of Ken from the SF series to add to our Fan Art collection. Check it out, as always, by visiting our fan art section, and the new artwork is in gallery 4. What about you? Are you a talented artist? Why not send your work to us to show it around the world? Just follow the above link or click on the fan art section in the menu for the simple submission instructions!
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DBZ: Budokai 3 goes gold
Posted by White_Pointer at 02:41:54 CST
The latest instalment of the DBZ fighting game series, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3 has gone gold and will be on store shelves across North America on November 23rd for the PS2.

“Since the first Dragon Ball Z®: Budokai™ game launched in December 2002, Atari has captured the excitement of anime fans everywhere and established the Budokai series as an annual top-seller,” said Matt Collins, Director of Brand Marketing for Atari’s Beverly studio. “By listening to fans, staying true to the Dragon Ball Z® animated series, and launching three weeks earlier than in 2002 or 2003, Atari has laid the groundwork for another successful holiday season despite intense competition in the marketplace.”

DOA Ultimate delayed again...in Japan
Posted by White_Pointer at 02:18:33 CST
It seems we haven't seen the last of the DOA Ultimate delays, because Tecmo have announced that yet again the release date has been pushed back, but only in Japan (the game apparently is due on US shelves tomorrow). Tecmo do however say that this is the absolute final delay and this one is only due to production delays at Microsoft. The reason why the game is actually being released in Japan after the US is because it's being released in a pack with a special edition blue XBox and a life-sized pillow with the character Kasumi printed on the front and back.

The game is now due in Japan on November 3rd.
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A new MK game every year
Posted by White_Pointer at 03:22:19 CST
Midway have come forward with a surprise announcement from CEO David Zucker. They have said that a new game in the Mortal Kombat franchise will be released annually. This doesn't necessarily mean a new traditonal fighting game...as their announcement of MK: Shaolin Monks shows us they are willing to expand their horizons and create different kinds of games (hopefully of much better quality than their previous attempts at it).

“Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is also our first step toward delivering something that Mortal Kombat fans have been calling for: a new game set in the Mortal Kombat universe every year," said Zucker, "We are planning our Mortal Kombat release schedule with the expectation that we will deliver a new Mortal Kombat title annually.”

Midway's Fight Night Chat
Posted by White_Pointer at 02:28:43 CST
On October 25th at 8:00pm US Eastern time, Mortal Kombat Online are hosting their Fight Night chat with the Mortal Kombat development team, including Ed Boon! If you aren't doing anything else at the time it'll surely be a good idea to attend. Here's the details you'll need:

Server: irc.webmaster.com -or- irc.webchat.org
Port: 6667
Channel: #mortalkombat

If you don't have an IRC client you'll need to download mIRC or a similar program. You'll be able to find out more details by visiting MK online.

Thanks to Scott Howell from MK Online for the news.
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New PC fighting game on the way
Posted by White_Pointer at 04:43:00 CST
A new PC fighting game currently named Mythic Blades is on the way, and this is a 1 on 1 fighting game set in Greek Mythology, so you get to play as icons of the Greek's Ancient beliefs. Vermillion Games in the developer and Cartel has been announced as the publisher.

Eric Petersen, chief of operations at Cartel Games said," Vermillion Games is a high quality game development team and we look forward to working with them."

Miguel Angel Pineda Nieto, owner of Vermillion Games commented, "We are happy to be working with Cartel Games and are excited to publish Mythic Blades with them."

New Mortal Kombat comics coming
Posted by White_Pointer at 02:43:39 CST
In conjunction with the recent release of Mortal Kombat: Deception, Midway, along with Wam Entertainment are bringing forward a new series of MK comics, concentrating on the storylines of MK: Deadly Alliance and of course MK: Deception. For more information and to pre-order some of the first copies head over to Wam Entertainment's site.
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KOF 2002/2003 pack hitting PS2 next month
Posted by White_Pointer at 20:21:15 CST
Following the successful release of their KOF 2000/2001 combo pack, SNK have confirmed that their King of Fighters 2002/2003 combo pack will be hitting the PS2 in November for a recommended price of $39.99 (that's North America).

"With the release of THE KING OF FIGHTERS 02/03 combo pack and KOF: MAXIMUM IMPACT for the PlayStation 2 this fall, our loyal fans and new gamers being introduced to KOF will be very happy this holiday season" said Ben Herman, President, SNK NEOGEO USA CONSUMER CORPORATION.

Ertain developing new PSP fighting game
Posted by White_Pointer at 15:41:00 CST
Developer Think and Feel, a subsidiary of publisher Ertain, has announced that they are working on a new 3D fighting game for the PSP. On their official site (which you'll need to be able to read Japanese to understand) they are advertising positions for 3D modellers, with no previous experience necessary, only a high school education and a knowledge of 3DS Max.

No details have been announced about the game yet but we'll report on it once they become available.
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DOA Ultimate goes gold
Posted by White_Pointer at 18:20:17 CST
After several months of the game being delayed, Tecmo has finally announced that Dead or Alive Ultimate has gone gold and will be on store shelves later this month. Although Tecmo didn't give an exact date, retailers are listing the game to be available on October 26th in the US and Canada (no word yet on a PAL release). Thanks to the delays it's no longer the first 3D online console fighting game (MK: Deception takes that honour now) but this still seems very solid, with multiple play modes and of course, you get two games for the price of one. The original DOA is enhanced and DOA2 is completely redone with a new graphics engine.
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Thrustmaster's new PS2 and PC controllers
Posted by White_Pointer at 04:11:42 CST
Thrustmaster are putting out some interesting new controllers for the PS2 and PC that will no doubt be of interest to fighting game fans. For all intents and purposes it's the same as a regular PS2 controller with the notable change that it includes dual analogue triggers on the back, a feature previously only seen on Gamecube and XBox controllers. Any of the buttons on the controller can be mapped to these triggers. The Dual Trigger 2-in-1, compatible with both the PC and PS2, will be on sale this month for a recommended price of US$19.99. Next year Thrustmaster is planning on releasing several variations of this pad which take advantage of wireless technology.
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Tekken Roulette revealed
Posted by White_Pointer at 01:39:08 CST
Through a couple of screenshots, Namco have revealed a new feature that will be present in Tekken 5, called Tekken Roulette. It's not exactly clear yet how this will function, but apparently it will spin after every match and you win in-game money based on which character it lands on, so this appears to be an easy way to earn that in-game money. To see the screenshots, you can view them here and here.
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MK and SF nominated for Walk of Game award
Posted by White_Pointer at 04:07:13 CST
Similar to Hollywood's Walk of Fame where you can walk down the alley and see the star's names on the pavement, Sony along with Metreon have launched the Walk of Game, in which you vote for a game or character. The top four Games/Characters and the top two lifetime achievers will be inducted into Walk Of Game and have a 24" x 24", customized, brushed-steel star installed on the floors of Metreon.

This year's nominations see 2 fighting games nominated, Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter. Ryu from SF has also been nominated.

Currently MK and SF are ranked 16th and 17th respectively, and Ryu is 19th. If you want to see these games win this esteemed award, you're going to need to vote for them. Voting ends on October 31st, and once you are registered you can vote once every 24 hours. Visit www.walkofgame.com for all of the details!
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Guilty Gear Isuka goes gold
Posted by White_Pointer at 03:24:45 CST
Guilty Gear Isuka, the long-awaited next instalment in the GG series, has finally gone gold, and will be on store shelves in early November for a recommended price of $49.95.

"Guilty Gear Isuka is the long-awaited sequel in this critically acclaimed series, one that fans have been anticipating for nearly two years," said Tim Pivnicny, senior VP of Sales & Marketing, Sammy Studios, Inc. "The tremendous excitement behind this title stems from a number of groundbreaking features being introduced to the series. Additions such as four-player mode and a programmable fighter to what many already consider a premier fighting game series makes Guilty Gear Isuka the 2D fighting title to own for this generation's gamers."

SNK ships KOF: Maximum Impact
Posted by White_Pointer at 23:48:48 CST
King of Fighters: Maximum Impact, the first 3D KOF title (and also the first PS2 exclusive KOF title) has been shipped throughout North America. As we reported a few days ago SNK will be supporting the upcoming release with a massive marketing campaign that includes national television and magazine advertising, premium packaging, bonus pack-ins, a limited edition Terry Bogard hat, and a special November sweepstakes in conjunction with World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE).

"KOF: MAXIMUM IMPACT is the perfect synthesis of breathtaking 3D animation with the heart and soul of a classic 2D fighter." said Ben Herman, SNK NEOGEO USA CONSUMER CORPORATION President. "The fans have been so supportive of the series over the past decade, and we are confident they will love the game and all the bonus materials."

MK: Deception hits 1 million sales
Posted by White_Pointer at 14:22:21 CST
Only a week and a half after the game's US release, Mortal Kombat: Deception has sold one million copies nationwide, making it Midway's fastest ever selling game (outselling MK: DA by more than 35%) and one of the fastest selling fighting games in history.

In addition to this, the game's online mode, which only launched 6 days ago, has already had over 130,000 matches fought on the PS2 alone. And don't forget that with DOA Ultimate being delayed, MK: Deception is the first ever online 3D fighting game on consoles.

“Mortal Kombat is clearly a franchise that continues to deliver innovative gameplay along with the hardcore, intense fighting action that fans have come to know and love over the past 12 years,” said Steve Allison, chief marketing officer, Midway. “We’re extremely pleased to see that Deception has been received in such a positive light by both the media and consumers since we first announced the title in March. It’s a true testament to the Mortal Kombat team’s hard work and dedication that consumer interest is high enough to make Deception the fastest selling game in Midway’s history.”

Midway Arcade Treasures II ships
Posted by White_Pointer at 04:08:58 CST
Midway's long awaited second instalment of their Arcade Treasures series has finally arrived and has shipped throughout the US! This includes classic Midway fighting games Mortal Kombat II, Mortal Kombat 3, Pit Fighter and Primal Rage, plus 16 other games from Midway's back catalogue. It's out now for the PS2, Gamecube and XBox with a recommended price tag of $19.99...that's a bargain if I ever saw one, so go out and grab it!
For those of you in PAL territories...do not worry, the pack is scheduled to hit your countries on the 29th of this month so you don't have much longer to wait.
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Piracy doesn't pay
Posted by White_Pointer at 03:19:05 CST
A little off-topic with this one but it's worth reporting on. If anything would change your mind about pirating games then this will.

A two-year piracy investigation conducted by Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council Trading Standards supported by ELSPA (Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association) came to a successful close at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday, with a counterfeiter being fined a total of £42,000. That's about US $75,000!

Marco Granata of Granville Close, Wallasey, Wirral pleaded guilty to 30 counts of Trade Mark offences in respect of counterfeit Nintendo Game Boy Advance cartridges, and was fined £7,500 for the charges, prosecution costs of £5,847, and a further £28,964 under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Forensic examination of his computer revealed that he had made over £24,000 through Internet sales of counterfeit games at the time of the raid.

The offender, a 46-year-old air traffic control assistant employee of Manchester airport, was raided in July 2002 following an investigation into his website offering pirated Nintendo cartridges. The raid revealed 668 games as well as the ability to manufacture many more with components imported from Thailand. It was the first time ELSPA had encountered a home 'factory' for producing the Game Boy cartridges. Granata first came to the attention of ELSPA in 1998 for offering 'chipping' devices over the Internet.

Food for thought everyone.
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Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks announced
Posted by White_Pointer at 03:04:03 CST
Literally days after the release of MK: Deception, the November issue of Game Informer magazine has an exclusive look at the next instalment in the MK series, titled Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks! However, this doesn't appear to be your typical fighting game and is more likely going to be a spinoff game much along the lines of MK Mythologies, instead featuring Liu Kang and Kung Lao. There's nothing else to report on at this point...so make sure you pick up the November issue of Game Informer to get the info!
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SVC Chaos ships for XBox
Posted by White_Pointer at 04:34:05 CST
SNK have announced that the XBox Live port of SNK vs Capcom: SVC Chaos has been released! It differs from the arcade original in several ways, boasting more characters, extra game modes and of course the ability to play against anyone online.

"We're giving our fans everything they want with SVC CHAOS - the greatest fighters from SNK and Capcom, now with the ability to go head-to-head via Xbox Live." said Ben Herman, SNK NEOGEO USA CONSUMER CORPORATION President.

Endorphin chosen for Tekken 5
Posted by White_Pointer at 18:52:25 CST
Endorphin, a powerful 3D animation package by NaturalMotion Ltd has been chosen by Namco to be used on their soon to be released Tekken 5.

Endorphin basically allows the developers to create 3D animation in real-time, opening up huge possibilities and making it much easier to sequence fighting action and create end poses and so on. It also cust animation expenses dramatically.

"endorphin allows us to create realistic fight actions and reactions very quickly, helping us to build great content for Tekken 5," commented Shinichiro Yoda of Namco.

"We are proud that Namco has selected endorphin for such a high-profile title," said Torsten Reil, CEO of NaturalMotion, "and we are delighted to see that they have already used it in the Tekken 5 trailer."

Nintendo to co-develop a new fighting game
Posted by White_Pointer at 04:38:28 CST
Nintendo have confirmed earlier reports that a new fighting game named Super Jump Stars is in development for the Nintendo DS, and they will in fact be co-developing the game. The game's name may sound strange but it actually has some degree of sense to it; the characters featured in the game will come from the weekly manga series Shonen Jump. Naruto Uzumaki, the hero from the popular ninja manga and anime series, is a confirmed chartacter. Surprisingly, Goku from Dragon Ball Z and Monkey D. Luffy from One Piece will also be playable in the game.

Not many other details have been released about the game, apart from the fact that it will obviously incorporate "manga" style features. But you can bet it'll fully take advantage of the DS's dual screens and stylus.

We'll report more information on the game as it becomes available.
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Capcom Fighting Jam ready for release
Posted by White_Pointer at 01:22:54 CST
Capcom Fighting Jam, Capcom's highly anticipated new 2D fighter is ready to hit Japanese arcades this Friday the 8th of October. The PS2 version will be available in Japan on December 2nd.

The US version, titled Capcom Fighting Evolution, will be on store shelves for the PS2 and XBox on November 16th.
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Win an SVC Chaos arcade machine
Posted by White_Pointer at 01:12:55 CST
To celebrate the upcoming XBox release of SNK vs Capcom: SVC Chaos, SNK Playmore are currently conducting a sweepstakes which gives you the chance to win your very own SVC Chaos arcade machine, valued at US $5000. That's not the only prize on offer though, a total of over $8000 in prizes will be awarded, including copies of SVC Chaos for the Xbox, one-year Xbox Live subscriptions, and 30-day trial subscriptions to Gamefly.com.

All you need to do if you want to be in the running for this prize is to register your details at www.snksweeps.com between October 12th and December 1st. That's it! Note that the contest is only available to residents of the USA and Canada.
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Mortal Kombat: Deception released!
Posted by White_Pointer at 02:49:29 CST
This is it MK fans, the day you have been waiting for! Today, Mortal Kombat: Deception ships to retail for the PS2 and XBox in the US! If you preordered it, you would also have been able to pick up your special edition version with the collector's card, arcade perfect port of the original MK, exclusive boxart, Comprehensive “The History of Mortal Kombat” from inception through MK: Deception, and Additional 15 character video bios (25 total).

So what are you waiting for? Get out there and get it now!

Don't forget Gamecube gamers, your version is due out early next year without the online play but with extra exclusive features to make up for it.

And don't worry PAL gamers, as we reported earlier the PAL version is due out on November 5th in many PAL territories, and November 19th for the rest, so you don't have much longer to wait.
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Tecmo wins legal battle over DOA hackers
Posted by White_Pointer at 20:59:29 CST
2 years ago, a small software publisher called Westside released a utility that allowed players to temporarily hack their PS2 copies of Dead or Alive 2 to remove the clothes from the character Kasumi. After a long standing legal battle, Tecmo have finally won the case in the supreme court in Tokyo, meaning Westside needed to pay about 2 million yen (US$18,205) for infringement of copyright. This may seem like a slap on the wrist but along with their legal fees, this might mean Westside is in a bit of financial trouble. They still continue however to release utilities that allow players to extract data from their games or temporarily modify them in some way.
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Wedding bells for Sega and Sammy
Posted by White_Pointer at 04:05:19 CST
As of October 1st 2004, Sega and Sammy are officially operating under Sega Sammy holdings. They are set to become one of the biggest amusement game and pachinko manufacturers in Japan, with forecasted net sales of 442.48 billion yen ($4.01 billion) for the current fiscal year. They predict rapid growth over the next couple of years.

As we reported earlier they are really getting developers on board under the merger, with more than 30 companies already under their belt, including Dimps who are the developers of the DBZ fighting games.

"In order to become the world's top entertainment industry, Sega and Sammy will work together to provide entertainment towards people of all ages throughout the globe," said Sega Sammy Holdings president and CEO Hajime Satomi in the company's press release.

SNK launches KOF: MI with massive marketing
Posted by White_Pointer at 17:50:07 CST
You might remember that Namco's marketing of SCII before its release was huge, but compared to what SNK have planned for the release of King of Fighters: Maximum Impact on October 12th, that was nothing.

Starting in October, SNK will be running spots on networks such as ESPN, Comedy Central, Spike TV, MTV, and G4 in support of the game's release. In addition to the national television ads, the game will be supported by a multi-month print campaign featuring full page ads in publications such as FHM, WWE Magazine, DC Comics, Game Informer, GMR, and GamePro.

In November, SNK will launch a sweepstakes with the WWE that will award one lucky consumer (and a guest) a trip to a WWE Live Event to meet a WWE superstar and play against him in KOF: MAXIMUM IMPACT. The contest will run from November 1 to November 30, 2004 and be promoted on WWE’s website and in their various publications.

Consumers who purchase KOF: MI will receive a limited edition Terry Bogard “Fatal Fury” hat, (supplies will be limited) as well as a bonus DVD featuring behind the scenes footage, developer interviews, character profiles and much more. An extra guide to each KOF: MI character – revealing their stories and listing their game combo moves will also be a part of this premium package.

“For the past ten years consumers worldwide have helped make THE KING OF FIGHTERS franchise one of the most popular fighting games of all time,” said Ben Herman, SNK NEOGEO USA CONSUMER CORPORATION President. “We consider the launch of KOF: MAXIMUM IMPACT as a ‘fan appreciation’ day – we’re giving our fans lots of bonus materials to thank them for supporting KOF this past decade.”

Official Godzilla: Save the Earth website opens
Posted by White_Pointer at 04:03:18 CST
Featuring tonnes of screenshots, movies and gameplay information, the official Godzilla: Save the Earth website has been launched by Atari. Along with the site launch is the announcement of the official release date of November 2nd. You can check out the official site at Godzilla.com.
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