360 Outsells PS3 for the 2nd Time in Japan

For the 2nd time in history Xbox 360 has outsold the PS3. The last time this happened was the release of Final Fantasy creator Sakaguchi's Lost Odyssey!

But that's not the amazing part of the article. Xbox 360 has outsold the PS3 nearly 3 times more. The actual numbers? PS3 sold 9,673 and the Xbox 360 with 24,962. That's 19,000 more then the previous month for the xbox 360.

So why the sudden boost of sales for Microsoft in the land of the rising sun? The only game that Japan cares for... Final Fantasy! Last month, Yoichi Wada, President of Square-Enix, announced Final Fantasy XIII on the Xbox 360 along with the JRPG line up consisting of The Last Remnant, a new Star Ocean game, and Infinite Undiscovery.

But Final Fantasy XIII isn't coming out for the 360 in Japan you say? Yes but also a factor that might of resulted in this is the price cut. The new SKU rumored to be at $399.99 120GB, $299.99 60GB, clearance 279.99 20GB, and $199.99 256MB might of happened a bit earlier in Japan.

Eventhough all these things that might of caused it, my conclusion is that in Japan all they care about is JRPGs and once a big project like Lost Odyssey and Final Fantasy is around the corner, the local japanese folks are willing to spend that money to get their fantasies fulfilled.

But all in all my bottom line is... japanese girls are HOT!

source: joystiq, kotaku, ign

E3 Sony Press Conference impressions

Not as impressive I must say. I found myself waiting the whole time. And when finally something comes up that I've been waiting for it was just a few seconds.

God of War 3 came up but it was just a teaser. Nothing of a big news.

The revamped 399.99 PS3 sounds good but still no backwards compatibility.

I felt like I am when I ate a burger but still not as full so I need to reorder for more food. Too much statistics and not much games and showing off the game running and playing. I wanted more games but gave me history.

Jack seemed to stutter alot and lose his words during his presentation. He seemed nervous but still pulled it off. You could tell that Jack isn't really a gamer and made statements take came off as more business corporate and not a real nerd geeky gamer kind of feel. Jim Lee was a real gamer. He really gave us the gamer angle in the presentation.

Sony really need to bring up its game if it plans to keep their 10 year console cycle because I don't think Resistance 2, Killzone 2, MAG,... and those other games that I can't think of out of the top of my head will overcome the title of Gears Of War 2, Fable 2, Last Remnant, Star Ocean, Fallout 3, Rockband 2, Guitar Hero World Tour.

E3 Sony Update: God Of War 3 and Infamous

The Annoucement of God Of War 3 is coming...

A demo comes on screen...

My impressions???

No real time footage just yet. Just a teaser. Oh boy more waiting.

Infamous is now shown, looking good. It would be pretty exciting to be a crazy powerful being like this. Lets get our hands on it! Please Sony!!!

Zipper is on the stage, introducing MAG, Massive Action Game, 256 players online. It will be determined with rankings for squad commands. Character growth is also a thing in this game to improve your player. A demo shows.

I don't know how this large scale commanding system will work but they are really pushing it. Let's hope for the best for this game.

E3 Sony Update: New SKU and more PS3

80GB version for 399.99 without the backwards compatibility and 2 USB ports and no card reader. Its a bigger hard drive of the 40gb version.

Now this is something new. We all thought that Sony wasn't going to give a price cut but here it is. Its kinda butchered but still a price cut.

Think of this as a bigger HDD. Instead of a 40gb you get a 80gb for the same price.

Now they're showing developers enjoying the programming of the playstation. Different companies claiming that they have only used half the processing power of the cell processor. If that is true then lets seem them games!

Another montage comes up...
Little Big Planet
Motor Storm 2
Metal Gear Solid 4
Quantum of Solic
SoCOM Confrontation
Ghostbusters
Soul Calibur
Resistance 2
The Agency
Naruto Storm
Mirror's Edge
Resident Evil 5
Sing Star
Guitar Hero World Tour
NBA 09 The Insider
Buzz
Killzone 2

E3 Sony Update: Now for the good stuff... PS3!!

Talking about integration of google with the playstation...

Sony Online Entertainment is helping out. Showing is DC Universe Online. Introducing it is Jim Lee the comic book artist.

Oh neat!! Now finally someone that is a real gamer on stage. He's talking about everquest and how he was a paladin. DC Universe is okay but not really busting my bubble. Should be alot of fun but we could just wait and check it out.

E3 Sony Update: Video on Playstation Network and PSP and Resistance

Now they're talking about the video service on the playstation network.

Anyways so the PSP is up on stage...

Showing some different bundle packs. A Madden bundle and a Ratchet and Clank bundle. Costing at 199.99, still no price cut.

PSP Resistance is being showed. It seems to be running in real time but I'm not sure. If it is then this is really looking good. One of the best looking PSP games around. Its a 3rd person perspective game. Coming out spring 2009 so we have a while to wait.

E3 Sony Update: Home

Home is now being mentioned.

A video shows how home will impact us gamers... by meeting new friends, play with others, living game spaces. Just some stuff we are waiting for months now.

So I don't know if we are going to get more home but that's it for now with that.

E3 Sony Update: Game Montage and Gran Turismo TV

Ratchet and Clank Future quest for booty,
Fat Princess
Jixel junk
Pain
Flower
Siren Blood Curse
Ragdoll and Kung Fu
and other games

Gran Turismo-TV...

Pay-Per-View footages of racing events, makings of new cars, concept cars and alot of things cars. Looks exciting if your a car freak.

E3 Sony Update: Playstation Network and a game

Ps2 to Ps3 to PSP, you will have 1 user account to be used in all 3 platforms.

Were about to see a surprise game...

Ratchet and Clank Future Request for Booty.

Good enough, I was hoping of God of War. Hehe!

A demo plays. Shows some in-game footage.

E3 Sony Update: Playstation 2, that's right 2!

Now were going back to the past and checking out Playstation 2. They have 130 titles coming out soon to playstation 2.

Some of the games? EA tiger woods 09, Star Wars Unleashed, Warrior 2 orochi, Singstar 2, Yakuza 2, Madden XX, Mercenaries 2...

Buzz PS3 is coming out. With it is SingStar PS3.

E3 Sony Update: Little Big Planet

Jack gets back on stage.

Introducing Little Big Planet, they concentrate on the fact of Play, Create, Share. Basically Jack is recapping everything we all have known about it. Give us something new, Jack.

They are using Little Big Planet to show the statistics of the Playstation brand.

Some titles are shown to cost 29.99, with great titles.

They just said October is the release date of Little Big Planet. Alright!! We want it so bring it!!! We will make it!

E3 Sony Update: Upstart the Conference with Resistance

Showing some games as intro anything from PSP to Playstation Network to resistance to anything playstation.

Jack Tretton, saying that it will be one heck of a press conference. We'll have to see as this goes on.

Right now he's just blabbing about the history of the Playstation.

*on standby

okay now they're getting into the PS3. Lets see what's in store...

Resistance 2 is the first game they're showing. Its running in real time. Using a bazooka with ah gigantic monster around them. Wow! These are the games we've been waiting for. Looks really grand! Graphically seems to be not as good as I expected it to be. The furniture and the ground seems to be flat and dull but the focus on the monster is really something else. Looks really promising!

8 player coop, 60 player online game experience. Something to really look forward to.

Tim ends his presentation with a latest trailer of the game.

E3 Nintendo Press Conference impressions

It seems that the theme of Nintendo is still casual gamers and more to the general audience. We saw Star Wars The Clone Wars but never really went into it. The showed Grand Theft Auto but never really got into it.

I guess Nintendo really is a general audience and is not a core gamer's system. We wanted to see GTA and Clone Wars but was not given.

For the general audience though they got a hand full of stuff like the WiiSpeak and the WiiMusic with all the exciting family stuff that Nintendo is strong for.

Over all Nintendo is Nintendo and alot of people respect that and unlike Microsoft which appeals to the core gamers are trying to get into the general gamers where they fail miserably. They should just stick to their market and go great in it.

E3 Nintendo Update: 6th not so surprise (ending)

All concluding, recapping the different games, Reggie points out that the Wii is not a fade and here to stay.

That's basically it.

E3 Nintendo Update: 5th Surprise

The next surprise is the new nintendo music game.

Showing the drums, looks pretty complicated. But this guy uses it like he's a pro.

Now Miyamoto comes out with a sax and looks good playing it. This is pretty simple and sweet and looks like alot of fun.

WiiMusic is the title. Using the WiiMote and the WiiBalanceBoard for drums, you could make the sounds and music on the screen. 50 different instruments will be playable with these controllers.

They showed the piano, the drums, violin, gong, guitar, and others.

This game will be online capable where you could record and play your performances. They also have the orchestra.

A demonstration of the orchestra, with 6 players playing the mario theme song. Looking great and very promising. Looking like dorks but still we all do when were playing these games.

E3 Nintendo Updates: 4th Surprise

Reggie is coming in stage introducing Wii Motion Plus. It makes the WiiMote more accurate, more precise, and more motion sensitive actions.

WiiSports Resort is the new game to example this equipment. Showing a disc throwing game with a dog, you have to throw it so the dog can catch it.

Reggie shows of the new Jet Skiing game. He's messing up! Not really a gamer.

Now showing the Sword game. Looks really fun. It really looks like this game will be the seller as the first WiiSports was the number one game.

E3 Nintendo Update: 3rd surprise

A female representative shows up on stage. I don't know this girl.

Talking about Guitar Hero On Tour, the demo graphic of gamers are becoming par between guy and girl gamers on the DS. I'm all for it! More gamer chicks are always welcome in my book.

Now showing off GH On Tour, followed by Spore on the DS.

The next Pokemon si coming soon.

Custom version of Grand Theft Auto is coming to the DS dubbed Chinatown Wars. Trying to appeal to the core audience, I'm not quite sure about this. DS is still for casual gamers.

E3 Nintendo Update: 2nd Surprise

Reggie gets on the stage and talks about nintendo's stand as the number one in the market right now.

Reggie feels unsatisfied. They want to give us more then what they have right now.

Now talking about the Nintendo DS and sales statistics.

Showing different 3rd party companies, Reggie shows us that they are leading the competition.

They show now the Clone Wars. Using the WiiMote as your lightsaber you get to be a jedi. Coming November.

Next is the Rayman Raving Rabbids TV, some new fun from the same cool game. Coming sometime in fall.

The Wii is getting Call Of Duty World at War. Using the WiiGun you get into the battlefield of the game.

E3 Nintendo Update: 1st Surprise

Nintendo says they have surprises today for us so what are they? What is the first?

Animal Crossing is the first. One of the best selling game cube titles will now make a leap to the Wii it will be dubbed Animal Crossing: City Walk.

It will now be a real time. Has in game auctions. It seems to be an MMO type game. You could actually use your Mii as your character.

Here is the new equipment for the Wii. The WiiSpeak, where people will be able to talk to each other. Nintendo's answer to the Xbox live headset. Nintendo's approach is a more living room setting then a personal one on one like they have on Microsoft. Nintendo continues to get the whole family involved in the fun.

Live Blogging: Nintendo Press Conference

Nintendo is about to take their turn in showing off whatever they have in store for us in the coming holidays. Lets see what they have in store for us. I will be live blogging as it goes on live at E3. Hope anyone that's reading enjoys. I know I sure do.

Final Fantasy XIII is "Playstation 3 only" in Japan

Not anymore since this morning's announcement. I guess they'll have to take this ad out of the air.

E3 MS Update: Ripping Xbox 360 Games to HDD

You can now download your full games to your HDD on your Xbox 360. This will be coming during August. You still need your disc for license purposes. Details still to be gathered so check up on us from time to time.

E3 MS update: Xbox 360 and Microsoft Announcements

Microsoft to use the internet to make the change.

The new interface of Xbox Live is coming soon. The new fall update is looking to be simple and sleek.

Also was the Avatar system. Now you have your own microsoft version of Miis. More selections and more items to choice it really looks good. Though a jump on the bandwagon of avatars, we all wanted it so here it is.

This looks to be the answer to Sony's Home. Its not a vitual word but you could have an online party. It seems to be an online chat room.

Primetime is an online gaming community. 1 vs 100 is an online xbox 360 game that's online. Wow! People are going online. Social online gaming is really going to the next step.

Geometry Wars 2 is shown now.

A sequal to Galaga called Galaga Legions on xbox live next month.

Portal content will be coming exclusively

South Park is having a game also.

Netflix is now part of Xbox live. You could download movies and tv shows straight to your xbox. I guess now your 120gb hdd is now going to fill it up. You could also watch movies at the same time with people you have in your friends list.

So much to chug in. You have a great time searching of stuff about these announcements.

E3 MS Update: Gears of War 2

Starts out with a clip demo of Gears showing the massive war going on with Marcus holding a dead body of the enemy charging into the battle.

Cliff Bleszinski now enter's the stage.

They play a coop game. They pan the scenery and the game is crazy beautiful. Smoke everywhere, stuff falling, alot of things happening. Showing off some fire effects.

You could see that epic has really pushed the hardware as much as possible. The frame rate is fluctuating from smooth to choppy but graphics just everywhere.

They show off the new hordes of Locusts coming from a distance getting your blood boiling. Now showing the Brumack and Marcus and Dom talking about riding it. Awesomeness!

There is also a 5 player cooperative mode called Horde which will bring the 5 to take up hordes and hordes of Locusts. This should be exciting.

November 7 is the re-emergence day.

E3 MS Update: Fable 2 is Finished

"Fable 2 is finished."

Is the opening statement from creative director of Lion Studios, Peter Molyneux. People rejoice and clap. Now they show a clip of the game. Doesn't seem to be real time but looks great. Now its running real time. The game starts from a boy and the game will evolve up to the time your a full blown hero.

Having orbs to bring people playing online to invite them in your game.

October is the date announcement.

E3 MS Update: Resident Evil 5

Jun Takauchi, producer of Resident Evil 5, shows us a playable demo of the game. Running in real time, this game is really looking just like the demos.

BSAA is the new organization Chris Redfield. Coop is available for the game. Essential parts in the game will need the cooperation game play. This is really awesome. It looks just like or even better then the trailers previously shown.

Resident Evil 5 will be available March 13, 2009. It seems to be delayed but it looks to be really promising.

E3 MS Update: Fallout 3

Trailer will be available on Xbox Live. Makers of Oblivion is hard at work with this game. Having a live demo on stage. You could play 1st or 3rd person's perspective.

I'd say this is a merge of a turn based, first person, third person, real time combat all in one game. Pretty awesome.

Fallout's story is that the nuclear war has happened and people from vaults from survive. Its looking good.

At the end of the presentation, they announce that Bethesda is giving extensive exclusives for Xbox 360.

Other E3 MS announcements in the press conference

Microsoft in E3 2008

This was really a hand full of announcements. Here are just a few things that came up during the press conference.

-Microsoft Avatar system
-Dashboard Fall update
-Gears of War 2
-Fallout 3
-Fable 2
-Geometry Wars 2
-Resident Evil 5
-Lips
-Guitar Hero World Tour
-Rockband II
-Scene it
-You're In The Movies
-Netflix integrated in Live
-Last Remnant
-Infinite Undiscovery
-Star Ocean
-Final Fantasy XIII

E3 MS Update: Final Fantasy XIII

The biggest news that JRPG fans or any RPG fans or any Square Enix fans... ANY fans of video games is that Microsoft and Square Enix has just announced that Final Fantasy XIII is coming to XBox 360.

When president of Square Enix, John Yamamoto, announced the 3 exclusive games on the Xbox 360 and left the stage, he comes back on stage and interrupts the presentation and askes if he could announce one more thing? That's when the video plays showing the trailer of Final Fantasy showing an extended version of previous trailers of the game.

It was inevitable. Sony's PS 3 was just not cutting it. With the recent release of Metal Gear Solid 4, Sony's sales was up but not as much as they thought. With Sony's recent statement "we are going to make profit", they have no plans of cutting the price. So this is probably why Square Enix sees in the market and decided to go with Microsoft.

This is not an excluxive move by Square Enix but it will definitly destroy Sony fans spirits.

This I believe will be the nail in the coffin. Microsoft fans are saying "Haha! We have Final Fantasy!!!" Will this sell more consoles in Japan? We don't know. Will this sell more consoles in America? Definitly! With 3 exclusives, Square Enix is really on the Microsoft bandwagon. All the people that had the notion of "I'll buy a PS3 when Final Fantasy XIII comes out" now will have that notion disappear.

This is really big! What do you think?

E3 MS Update: Square Enix games

Infinit Undiscovery will come out September 2nd. Star Ocean is also another xbox exclusive. This is coming out spring 2009 and will be the next installment from the great RPG Star Ocean. The Last Remnant is off to make it at the holidays of 2009. They also showed a new footageof the game and it looks awesome. Using the xbox's graphical power to the utmost. Square enix is releasing the game worldwide on Novermber 11, 2009. So much info to eat up from JRPG fans. These 3 games are all exclusives.

UPDATE!!!
It is official!!!! Final Fantasy XIII is going to the Xbox 360!!! HELL HAS BROKEN LOSS!!!

E3 MS Update: Rockband 2 to be exclusive for Xbox 360 on Septemeber

This is awesome! Xbox 360 is getting Rockband 2 exclusively this coming september. That is earlier then we expected. It has songs from ACDC and exclusive songs from Guns and Roses. So what will it be fans? Guitar Hero or Rockband?

Guitar Hero IV's Drum Kit Revealed

The news has been going around for a while now about Guitar Hero IV's full band instruments following the nature of Rock Band. Having the essential instruments to put your own garage band is a bass guitar, a lead guitar, a rythem guitar, a singer, and expecially the drums. Since the 3 guitar roles are almost doable in any guitar model, the important instrument is the drums. We all want to shred the drums and fulfill our rock star dreams.

Activision has revealed their first (not finalized just yet) model of their drums for the upcoming continuation of their number one francise Guitar Hero. The cool and most noticable thing is the 2 symbals above the 3 drums, giving it 5 inputs and still have the bass drum peddle. Having the symbles would definitly make a more realistic experience then the current Rock Band drums.

I feel that Neversoft is on the right track in their design on this but will it be enough for people to actually buy a whole new set of instruments? Let's just hope they release those seperately sold instruments the same time they release the game. I don't know about you guys but I already have the X-plorer and the Les Paul and I might not need another guitar (But I'll probably still buy the next guitar for collection purposes). Or will people go ahead and want the GH drums over the Rock Band drums and just stash away their current Rock Band drums and buy the GH drums?

WCG Philippines currently on Eliminations

The World Cyber Games are currently running in The Philippines. Players from all over the country are duking it out in many games as like Warcraft III: DOTA, Counter Strike, and for the first time in asia Guitar Hero, particularly the 3rd installation.

Our very own Team ANAME (for those of you who didn't notice ANAME is short for ANimation and gAME) which is also Team BULATE has joined and is currently scheduled for the 3rd round. They have survived the first 2 days. Lets keep their spirits up by giving them a thumbs up.

Video games has been a great influence to society for quite a while now but still considered as a "TOY" in alot of categories. We must unite as gamers to make them take us seriously and fight the good fight. Video games has taken over all industries like the music and now the movie industry. Video games, now the number one industry, is grossing more then anything out there. Just this 1st quarter of 2008, the industry ranked in $4.46 Billion. That's 27% higher then last quarter which was the 4th quarter of 2007. Compare that to $9 Billion for 2004 for the whole year. We have come a long way and we are taking over!

Gamers rule!

Rumor: Xbox 360 Slim

The rumor is out that Microsoft is coming out with a shrunked version of their current Xbox 360 console. We don't know how is going to look like but here's a picture of a customized attempt to slim down the 360. No word as to this point whether it will be a slim or a smaller model. Joystiq calls it Xbox 540.

Whatever it is, its said to come out about Fall of 2009. The said chipset motherboard to be used is the Valhalla. That's a jump from the rumored Jasper chipset. We can only spectulate now but as gamers all we can do is wait. We'll keep you updated.

Rumor: New light on the SKU PS3, 160GB!!

Someone has just posted a comment on our blog here in Animation and Game, stating that Sony has planned to release a new 160GB PS3. Found in the forums of Pro Evolution Soccer by one of our members here, someone has a reliable source from Sony Japan leaking the information and this is what he gave...

* 160gb 2.5 SATA 5400rpm HDD
* CELL Broadband Engine (65nm process) @ 3.2ghz
* PPU x1, SPE x8
* RSX GPU (65nm process) @ 550mhz
* Blu-Ray Optical Disc Drive @ 2x
* Memory Card Reader- Memory Stick Duo, Compact Flash, Secure
* Digital
* 6x USB 2.0 ports
* 2x HDMI 1.3 ports
* 3x Gigabit ethernet ports
* DUALSHOCK 3 controller

Now I'm spectulating the 6x USB? The 2 HDMI ports? 3 Ethernet ports? These things maybe good to have on a PC but I don't think a console will need 3 different internet connections and 2 monitors to output 2 player co-ops? I don't know about this but like the title said, its a rumor.

What do you think? True or not true? Post your comments.

Gamefly - Rent Video Games without Late Fees

Can never go wrong with renting video games with no late fees. Just queue up your games and they'll send you the next one in line. Keep it as long as your account is active.

Rumor: New Sony Playstation 3 SKUs up on the drawinboard

It seems that Sony is having another SKU in the near future. Rumor has it that Sony will be having anywhere from 120GB to 160GB HDD Playstation 3 SKU up for ideas. This will include the new Dual Shock 3 controller that is rumble enabled. About the backwards compatibility which the 80GB PS3 lacked, we don't know anything about that. The price wills till be $499 so it will be replacing the current 80GB model. Byebye 80GB!

The source of this rumor is an Ars Technica "mole". Right now it's just a rumor where Sony Europe and Sony America has only to say "we don't comment on rumors". But isn't that the same thing that Kaz Harai and all the other Sony officials have said about the rumble enabled controllers?? ...assassin's creed going to the 360??? ...the price cut??? ...and they all came true. But don't take my word for it.

Madden 08 Tournament at Play'N'Trade

PLay N Trade (9530 S. Eastern, Las Vegas) is hosting a Madden 08 PS2 Tournament that will be played on Groundhog Day (February 2, 2008). It will be a fundraiser for the Southern NV PKD Foundation.

There is a $50 Masters tournament for the hardcore players (Madden Challenge-caliber) and a $25 Open Tournament for those who enjoy the game. All entry fees are tax-deductible.

Please spread the word...send an e-mail to playforpkd@cox.net for more info.