via MCV


Nintendo has confirmed to MCV that today's reports claiming that SD-card based piracy hardware the R4 will not work with the upcoming DSi are correct.

The platform holder was not able to confirm whether this is a deliberate feature of the newly redesigned handheld. However, judging by recent history it’s not unreasonable to presume this is the case. ...

via Joystiq


Microsoft is ushering in the New Xbox Experience with A Kingdom for Keflings, the first Xbox 360 title to feature playable, in-game Avatars -- as GIANTS, no less. Developed by NinjaBee, who teased the game in June, the city-building sim supports 4-player Xbox Live multiplayer and "works perfectly with Xbox Live Party" (we should hope so!). While you can carry and assign jobs to Keflings (uh, the game's tiny, humanoid slaves), we have yet to confirm the ability to use Keflings to poke out other Avatars' eyes. But what an experience that would be!

A Kingdom for Keflings can be yours -- and your Avatar's -- for 800 [Microsoft Points] ($10) when it hits Xbox Live Arcade on November 19th. ...

via Computer and Video Games


The servers for LittleBigPlanet will be offline for most of today for essential maintenance, SCEE has said.

We know, you only got the game yesterday, but hopefully that means you'll still be ploughing through the offline story mode, because there'll be no online gameplay until 5pm today, as Sony confirms:


Hopefully those shiny new servers will be free of the terrible lag issues that have plagued the otherwise stunning platformer since launch. ...

via Eurogamer


Sony has already picked "loyal" European community members to join the PlayStation Home beta, and will send them invites when version 1.0 of the virtual world goes live.


When Home version 1.0 will launch nobody knows, unfortunately, but with American PlayStation 3 owners being invited as we speak, the estimate is soon.

And there's no need to worry if you don't get in, as TedTheDog says open beta "won't be far behind". Thank you TedTheDog. ...

via Games Industry


Grand Theft Auto IV for the PlayStation 3 has shot to the top of the Japanese software sales chart for the week ended November 2, according to data provided by Media Creat.

Rockstar's controversial title saw 133,000 unit sales in its first week on the PS3, which comes after weeks of the platform's flagging hardware sales. Square Enix's Valkyrie Profile: Toga o Seoumono for the Nintendo DS followed behind at number two with 80,000 units.

PS3 exclusive LittleBigPlanet debuted in third place with 52,000 units, with Pokemon Platinum for the DS coming in fourth at 47,000 units, and Wagamama Fashion Girls Mode, also for the DS, securing a place at number five with 40,000 units.

Rhythm Tengoku Gold, for the DS, took sixth place with 39,000 units, while Grand Theft Auto IV for the Xbox 360 debuted at number seven with 34,000 units.

Closing off the Japanese software chart were a number of new portable titles, each with approximately 26,000 unit sales, including the DS titles Personal Trainer: Walking and Cid to Chocobo no Fushigi na Dungeon: Toki Wasure no Meikyuu + , as well as Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G for the PlayStation Portable in eighth, ninth and tenth places respectively.


Japanese software sales chart follows:

01. Grand Theft Auto IV (PS3)
02. Valkyrie Profile: Toga o Seoumono (DS)
03. LittleBigPlanet (PS3)
04. Pokémon Platinum (DS)
05. Wagamama Fashion Girls Mode (DS)
06. Rhythm Tengoku Gold (DS)
07. Grand Theft Auto IV (Xbox 360)
08. Personal Trainer: Walking (DS)
09. Cid to Chocobo no Fushigi na Dungeon: Toki Wasure no Meikyuu + (DS)
10. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (PSP) ...

via IGN


With a little over one month left until the Japanese release of Dissidia Final Fantasy, coverage in publications like Famitsu and Dengeki appears to be increasing for the title. Our latest update comes from Famitsu, which offers this week a look at the game's Final Fantasy VI characters and modes of play.

The FFVI characters were first revealed at the Tokyo Game Show. Joining the Dissidia cast from the Super NES classic are Cefca Palazzo and Tina Branford. Both characters focus on magic attacks, and both gain the ability to float during EX Mode.

Primary modes of play for the title include Story Mode, Quick Battle, and Wireless Mode. These shouldn't require too much explanation. The magazine confirms that your character parameters from the Quick Battle mode can be carried over to the story mode. The Wireless mode lets two players face off in local play. The magazine also speculates that you'll be able to go to the Wireless mode to set up your AI characters for trading with other players.

While you won't be fighting, expect to spend a lot of time in the various gallery modes. The PP Catalogue mode lets you exchange PP that you've earned in quick battle and story modes to purchase battle BGM, Another Forms for each character, and other items. The Museum mode lets you view items that you purchased in the PP Catalogue mode and movies that you encountered throughout the game.

Dissidia is so big that it has two modes for settings. The Player Data Settings mode lets you set your name, and review how much time you've spent playing the game. The main Options mode lets you set up camera controls, audio levels and all the other things you'd expect from an options menu. You can also chose to install the game to Memory Stick for faster load times. The installation lets you select from 245, 373 and 528 megabytes, depending on how much space you want to give up.

Square Enix appears to be trying out some new things with Dissidia to keep players playing. In additon to the above modes, the title screen displays the date and time and even gives you access to a calendar of some form. On certain days, you'll see special icons indicating that you can get more experience by playing on that day. It's possible that there are other bonuses as well, although Square Enix ain't talking yet.

There's definitely a lot packed into the Dissidia experience, and thankfully there's just over a month to go until the Japanese release. You can bet we'll be importing this one and delivering plenty of impressions and movies. ...

via IGN


With a little over one month left until the Japanese release of Dissidia Final Fantasy, coverage in publications like Famitsu and Dengeki appears to be increasing for the title. Our latest update comes from Famitsu, which offers this week a look at the game's Final Fantasy VI characters and modes of play.

The FFVI characters were first revealed at the Tokyo Game Show. Joining the Dissidia cast from the Super NES classic are Cefca Palazzo and Tina Branford. Both characters focus on magic attacks, and both gain the ability to float during EX Mode.

Primary modes of play for the title include Story Mode, Quick Battle, and Wireless Mode. These shouldn't require too much explanation. The magazine confirms that your character parameters from the Quick Battle mode can be carried over to the story mode. The Wireless mode lets two players face off in local play. The magazine also speculates that you'll be able to go to the Wireless mode to set up your AI characters for trading with other players.

While you won't be fighting, expect to spend a lot of time in the various gallery modes. The PP Catalogue mode lets you exchange PP that you've earned in quick battle and story modes to purchase battle BGM, Another Forms for each character, and other items. The Museum mode lets you view items that you purchased in the PP Catalogue mode and movies that you encountered throughout the game.

Dissidia is so big that it has two modes for settings. The Player Data Settings mode lets you set your name, and review how much time you've spent playing the game. The main Options mode lets you set up camera controls, audio levels and all the other things you'd expect from an options menu. You can also chose to install the game to Memory Stick for faster load times. The installation lets you select from 245, 373 and 528 megabytes, depending on how much space you want to give up.

Square Enix appears to be trying out some new things with Dissidia to keep players playing. In additon to the above modes, the title screen displays the date and time and even gives you access to a calendar of some form. On certain days, you'll see special icons indicating that you can get more experience by playing on that day. It's possible that there are other bonuses as well, although Square Enix ain't talking yet.

There's definitely a lot packed into the Dissidia experience, and thankfully there's just over a month to go until the Japanese release. You can bet we'll be importing this one and delivering plenty of impressions and movies. ...

via Games Industry


Capcom's director of production Adam Boyes has said that online console gaming via the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade are still in their infancy.

The company recently canned its digital title Talisman - based on the Games Workshop table top game - with Boyes citing the difficulty of replicating the close social interaction users experience when playing board games.


However, Boyes does agree that board and card games can succeed on PSN and XBLA, where gameplay isn't so time consuming, and Capcom is still open to bringing such product to the services.


The rights to create a game based on the Talisman board game have now reverted back to Games Workshop. ...

via Games Industry


Capcom's director of production Adam Boyes has said that online console gaming via the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade are still in their infancy.

The company recently canned its digital title Talisman - based on the Games Workshop table top game - with Boyes citing the difficulty of replicating the close social interaction users experience when playing board games.


However, Boyes does agree that board and card games can succeed on PSN and XBLA, where gameplay isn't so time consuming, and Capcom is still open to bringing such product to the services.


The rights to create a game based on the Talisman board game have now reverted back to Games Workshop. ...