Ultra Combo News Report 09.28.2009 Wii Price Cut, Sony Motion Controller Details and Even More Game Delays!
Posted by Armando Rodriguez on 09.28.2009
Plus, Final Fantasy XII gets 250GB PS3 Bundle, No UMD Conversion for PSP Go and a lot more!
The Tokyo Game Show was going on this week, so there is a lot of news to cover. That means my usually long intro is going to be short. This week I continued playing the awesomeness of Batman: Arkham Asylum and also picked up NFS: Shift (Review coming soon!) and a used copy of NCAA Football 08 for $5. Yeah, I love sports games, but I rarely pay full price for them, so I wait for them to be really cheap. On to the news!
Wii Price Cut Made Official
It has been confirmed that the Wii's price has been cut down to $199. Nintendo made the announcement at the Tokyo Game Show and the new price debuted yesterday, September 27. The Wii is still bundled with the remote, nunchuck and Wii Sports disc, which means that Wii Motion Plus is still a separate purchase.
[Credit: Gamespot.com]
The Beatdown: We all knew this was coming, but I still believe this is a missed opportunity. Why not pack Wii Motion Plus with the system? Why not make a new bundle that could be attractive to consumers? I do believe this price cut will make the Wii a great option for parents looking to buy a cheaper console for their kids or for people that already own one of the other consoles and are looking at a second one. Still, I would not be surprised if the Wii came in second or third on console sales this holiday season, considering the other two consoles are now more affordable and that the hype of the Wii's innovation has died down considerably.
No UMD Conversion for PSP Go, No Rewards Program in America
At the Tokyo Game Show, Sony Computer Entertainment America and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe have confirmed that there will not be a UMD Conversion Program and that previously bought UMD games will not be playable on the PSP Go. The company cited legal and technical reasons for the lack of a conversion program. They also announced that the PSP Go Rewards program that will be made available in Japan (allowing you to claim three free games as long as you own one UMD) will not be extended to America.
[Credit: Gamespot.com]
The Beatdown: Wow, Sony has pretty much shot themselves in the foot on this one. As if my excitement for the PSP Go couldn't be any less non-existent, now the UMD conversion program has been scrapped, essentially forcing you to get rid of all your UMD games unless you have an older version of the PSP. I knew this could happen, because people could just trade their UMD's for downloads and then trade them in at their local store for credit, essentially keeping a ROM or ISO version of a game they don't own anymore. In other words, piracy. But if they knew of this, why did they promise it or even mention it? To add salt to our wounds, the rewards program won't be coming to America either. This pretty much dooms the PSP Go as far as current PSP owners upgrading. I mean, if I owned another model of the PSP and had a dozen UMD's sitting at home, would I really be stupid enough to trade in my old model and all my games for a new model that won't let me play the games I already have (making me buy them again!) and is also more expensive than the one I have at home? It seems Sony can't make one good thing without making a dumb-headed move that makes all the other good things obsolete.
PS3 Motion Controller Games Named
At TGS, Sony announced the list of games that will be compatible with their upcoming motion controller. The motion controller will hit stores at some point in Spring 2010.
NEW GAMES:
Echochrome 2
Ape Escape
Eccentric Slider
Champions of Time
Motion Party
Sing and Draw
The Shoot
Tower
OLD GAMES WITH MOTION CONTROL ADD-ON:
EyePet
Pain
Flower
Hustle Kings
High Velocity Bowling
[Credit: Gamespot.com]
The Beatdown: I am not excited at all about the Motion Controller, but it seems it will work with gimmicky games only and as such it looks like a solid addition, as long as they price it right. I know games like High Velocity Bowling and Pain will play great with motion controls and the new titles sound like something out of the Wii (Motion Party?) so if they are trying to get a niche market to buy a PS3 with this, it might actually work. They are still not getting my money for this, though.
Sony Details 250GB PS3 Bundle
Sony will be releasing a 250GB Final Fantasy XIII PS3 bundle…..in Japan. The bundle includes a copy of Final Fantasy XIII (of course) and features a white 250GB PS3 with a pink graphic of FFXIII's protagonist, Lightning. Sony also announced that they will sell the PS3 Dual Shock controller on 2 new colors: Deep Red and Metallic Blue. They join black, white and silver, the three colors currently available in Japan.
[Credit: Gamespot.com]
The Beatdown: I hope the bundle and new colors make it to America. I know FFXIII bundle will sell like hotcakes and I really want a white controller: they look badass. I wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft makes an FFXIII bundle as well.
Resident Evil 5 Alternative Edition Detailed, Features New Motion Controls
It has been confirmed that a new version of Resident Evil 5 will hit the PS3 this spring (at least in Japan). Resident Evil 5 Alternative Edition features a brand new chapter featuring Chris and Jill and also adds support for Sony's Motion Controller. The new chapter will occur prior to the events of Resident Evil 5. Although no 360 port was confirmed or even talked about, there is a slight chance that this game will be revealed as one of Capcom's Project Natal games.
[Credit: Gamespot.com]
The Beatdown: Resident Evil 5 was awesome and this new chapter that apparently lets you play one of the most memorable flashback scenes from the game is sure going to please fans. I am not terribly excited about motion controls, but I will not judge it without playing it first. Lastly, there was no mention of a 360 port, but they did mention that they wanted to add the new content somehow (I expect the new chapter to be made available on XBLA) and with Capcom apparently having a lot of Project Natal games in development, I would not be surprised if this version of RE5 makes it to the 360 later next year. Could it be a reverse case? I mean, usually 360 gets things first, this might be the first time PS3 users get something first.
New Super Mario Bros. Release Date Announced
At TGS, Nintendo officially announced the release date for New Super Mario Bros. The game will ship for the Nintendo Wii on November 15. The game will focus on the cooperative multiplayer experience, with up to 4 players teaming up to solve environmental puzzles and will retain the traditional platform gameplay.
[Credit: Gamespot.com]
The Beatdown: This game looks like the platformer version of Super Smash Bros. and that is enough to make me want it. Nintendo's multiplayer titles are usually a riot and this looks like no exception. I expect them to reveal some sort of competitive action as well, because if they don't I am sure my friends and I will waste a lot of time killing each other for no reason.
Gran Turismo 5 Officially Coming in 2010
For those of you that still held hope that Gran Turismo 5 would make it to retail before 2009 came to a close, you will be disappointed. Sony confirmed at TGS that Gran Turismo 5 will be released in March 2010 in Japan. An American and European release date was not revealed.
[Credit: Gamespot.com] The Beatdown: A game as massive as Gran Turismo 5 takes a long time to develop, but I believe this is overkill. They teased it back in 2005, released Prologue about two years ago and we are still waiting for the full game. This is one of the games that can move systems and could have been a huge hit this Christmas. Since it comes out in March in Japan, I expect it to hit sometime around June in America. Hey Ramon, maybe you can use the following question on Fact or Fiction this week: With so many big name titles getting delayed until 2010, is 2010 going to be the best year in gaming history?
Splinter Cell Conviction Delayed Until 2010
Over at TGS, Ubisoft announced that Splinter Cell: Conviction will be released on February 23, 2010 in America and will ship that same month in the UK and the rest of Europe. Conviction features the series hero, Sam Fisher, now a former agent who finds his agency has betrayed him.
[Credit: Gamespot.com]
The Beatdown: Although there was no official release date beforehand, many retailers had the game as shipping in October and November 2009, but as you can see, that is not the case anymore. I am eagerly awaiting this game's release because it looks like it reinvents the series as a whole and turns Fisher into a much more interesting character. Granted, I only played the first game in the series on the PS2, so I am not that familiar with the franchise.
Quick Hits:
- After originally dismissing the idea, Sony confirmed at TGS that a demo for God of War 3 will be packed with God of War Collection. The demo will be the same one shown at E3.
- Rocksteady has confirmed that Batman: Arkham Asylum's DLC will be Playstation 3 exclusive in North America. The DLC will be released for the 360 in other areas of the world. Looks like I picked up the "good" version of Batman then.
- A sequel to BlazBlue is already in the works and will be released in Japanese arcades during the summer of 2010. The game's official title will be BlazBlue: Continuum Shift.
- There is a strong rumor going around that Microsoft will purchase Electronic Arts. Speculation has already driven both companies stock upwards, but if this is really true, I believe Microsoft will win the console wars for the next 20 years.
- Yakuza 4 is already in the works. Can we please get part 3 in America?
Finish Him
Mileena Wins!
Until next week folks! Have a great week and good gaming!
