VGN for September 16th, 2005

Friday, 16 September 2005

VGN for September 16th, 2005

Video Game News:

Breaking Tokyo Games Show coverage!!!

Nintendo releases Revolution Info!!!
By Yukari Iwatani Kane and Michael Kramer
1 hour, 40 minutes ago

TOKYO (Reuters) - Nintendo Co. Ltd. (7974.OS) surprised the game industry on Friday with an unconventional one-handed controller for its next-generation "Revolution" console that aims to draw in new players.

Motion detector sensors in the controller, which resembles a TV remote, allows players to control the game by wielding it like a sword, waving it like a conductor's baton, or swinging it like a baseball bat depending on the game, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata said in a keynote session at the Tokyo Game Show.

"It's designed like a TV remote because that's familiar to everyone including those who are intimidated by a two-handed controller," said Iwata. "Its intuitive form allows both experienced and new gamers to stand on the same starting line."

Microsoft set the release date!!!!

By ALLISON LINN, AP Business Writer
Thu Sep 15, 8:55 PM ET
SEATTLE - The next version of Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox game console will be available in the United States two days before Thanksgiving, in time for the important holiday shopping season, the company said Wednesday.

The Nov. 22 launch of Xbox 360 in North America will be followed by a Dec. 2 launch in Europe and a Dec. 10 launch in Japan.

The releases will allow the Redmond-based software maker to get a head start over rival Sony's PlayStation 3, which is slated to replace the market-leading PlayStation 2 next spring.

Bonus!
Xbox 360 trailer

Video Games take on Michigan
Posted: 22:33 on 14 Sep 2005
By: Chris Leyton

The Entertainment Software Association responds firmly to the controversial new Act...

The American videogames industry today hit back at the State of Michigan and its controversial decision to restrict the sale of videogames containing certain violent content, stating that it contravenes the US Constitution's First Amendment on free speech.

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) will file suit asking that the state’s new Act be overturned, recalling similar laws found unconstitutional and thrown out in St. Louis, Indianapolis and Washington State, incurring taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees in the process.

"If this law is implemented, it will not only limit First Amendment rights for Michigan's residents, but, by virtue of its vagueness, it will also create a huge amount of confusion for Michigan's retailers, parents, and video game developers," said Douglas Lowenstein, president of the ESA, the trade group representing U.S. computer and video game publishers. "I'm confident the court will affirm our position given the rulings on similar statutes in other jurisdictions; indeed, the facts, the science, the law, and the U.S. Constitution have not changed since those decisions were handed down."

Focusing on the bill’s “hopelessly vague” definition of content subject to the Act, the ESA maintains that retailers will have no objective way to determine whether they are in compliance with the law and game developers not knowing whether their games would be covered.

Alleging that the bill will turn retailers into surrogate parents, the ESA states that video games are being unreasonably and unfairly singled out. President of the ESA, Douglas Lowenstein, acknowledges that although a few games have content that could cause offense, the same can be said for TV, films, music and books and asks the government not to regulate the sale of video games as is the case with these other entertainment industries.

Metal Gear Solid 4!!!
Posted: 02:00 on 16 Sep 2005
By: Chris Leyton

Inner qualities will pave the way towards movement away from realism...

Following the shocking revelation that Snake’s aged quite a bit since the last time we saw him (but don’t tell him we said so), Konami today revealed brief details on the title ahead of its 9-minute debut trailer at Tokyo Game Show.

Taking place in the not-too distant future Solid Snake must initiate his most dangerous mission yet. Using the breadth of PS3, director Hideo Kojima takes on the task of “creating inner qualities”. The inner aspect is unseen and establishes its presence only through time and the volition of the player. This will pave the way towards a revolutionary change that will lead us away from past concepts based on “realism” as we move towards the “natural”.

Sounds like Snake’s developing a softer side as he slips nearer to retirement; we’ll have more on Metal Gear Solid 4 soon.

What I've been Playing:

Burnout Revenge!!!!

Indigo Prophecy--Demo

Pirates!

The Suffering: Ties that Bind--Demo

Anime news:

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Finally a Final Fantasy movie based on Final Fantasy!

Join us for a free Midnight Showing of this gorgeous CG Masterpeice at Universal Cineplex at Universal Studios Orlando.

Wristbanding will begin at 10:30 and the Movie starts at Midnight!

Cya There!

Summary:
Two years after the events in "Final Fantasy VII", a disease called 'Seikon-Shoukougun', or 'Geostigma', is spreading through the planet. This disease is believed to have been caused by the body fighting off foreign material that invaded the body two years earlier, at the end of "Final Fantasy VII". Guilt-ridden and haunted by his past, ex-SOLDIER Cloud Strife has decided to live a secluded, solitary life away from his friends while maintaining "Strife's Delivery Service", whose headquarters is located in Tifa Lockheart's bar, the Seventh Heaven. Tifa's bar serves as an orphanage for children stricken with Geostigma. Here, Tifa keeps an eye on Barret's six-year-old daughter, Marlene, while Barret searches the planet for an alternative energy source to the fossil fuel, Mako. One day, Cloud receives a phone call from the former Shinra, Inc. president, Rufus, asking him for protection from a mysterious man named Kadaj. Kadaj, in the meantime, along with his brothers Loz and Yazoo, are searching for their "mother", and seem to believe that Cloud knows where to find her. Meanwhile, Vincent Valentine has been wandering the planet gathering information on Kadaj's scheme, and Cloud and his friends must come together again to fight these new enemies.

NEW GAIKING!!

"I think I need a bathroom break? Is this possible? -W"

Convention Corner:

I miss Dragon*Con...

Chris and Gary