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Electronic Arts recently had a conference call with analysts regarding some of its more recent (and more popular) titles, and we're here to give you the lowdown on what sort of talk was tossed around during that fateful conversation. We've already covered the part where they talked about the challenges they had with the Sony PlayStation 3, and now we're moving on to Rock Band (Xbox 360, PS3) breakdowns, a potential Wii version, and Spore (PC, DS, Wii).

Yes, you read that right. The Nintendo Wii is getting a Rock Band of its very own, confirmed by none other than Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello. No, we didn't quite get a release date, but the fact that a Wii version of the highly-popular rhythm game should be enough to tide us over until more info comes along.

With that out of the way, let's talk Rock Band instrument breakdowns. In the conference call, Riccitiello reported that the amount of instrument breakdown complaints are seriously overstated, with the numbers only reaching the single digits. If anything, the breakdowns themselves are not the reason for the delay of Rock Band's European release.

As for Spore, Will Wright's upcoming epic about creature evolution, Riccitiello seemed a bit cautious as to the status of the game. He said that they're paying enormous attention to it, and that he's confident it will be released before the holidays. This is a bit strange to say, in contrast to an earlier statement of his that puts Spore's release date as somewhere near March, April, or May.

Well, that's some of the big news doled out by the conference call. Keep it locked right here for more developments as they happen.

 

Capcom developers behind Devil May Cry 4 (Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3, PC) recently shed light on design decisions that made the action-packed game as promising as it is. Some interesting factoids were brought up, such as the reason behind not requiring Xbox 360 owners to install the game in their hard drives, DMC4 having hot babes, and Dante's badass Pandora weapon.

Aside from confirming Dante loves pizza - simply because it's that good - producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi explained one of the reasons why the sword-slinger starts off with a plethora of kick-ass abilities off the bat. According to him, it's because Dante has become a very powerful character story-wise, as seen when Devil May Cry 3 (a prequel featuring younger Dante) ended with him able to utilize four combat styles then became stronger with a superior Devil Trigger form in the first DMC.

On the other hand, both PS3 and Xbox 360 owners can be assured that they're not missing anything, since the only difference Kobayashi noted is that the version on Sony's console is clearer. This is due to different compression methods used and not because of the larger Blu-ray format, he said.

Those keeping tabs on the game already know it asks PS3 owners to install the game to the hard drive before playing. According to Kobayashi, the same could've been implemented on the Xbox 360 version if Microsoft gave the green light. The platform holder apparently disapproved because some models of its consoles don't have hard disk drive storage.

When asked how Devil May Cry 4 improves on its predecessor, director Hideaki Itsuno took the opportunity to let everyone know that this iteration of the demon-slaying series is friendly not only to fans, but also to those who haven't played the game.

On adding more than a single hot lady to the game, Itsuno said, "We weren't thinking so much about balancing out the roster of characters as much as we just wanted to put a lot of sexy ladies in this game! The more cool guys and sexy ladies the better, right?"

Of course, now that both Trish and Lady are in a single package, Itsuno reassures old fans will enjoy learning more about Dante's relationships with the two. "I'm also hoping that new fans will become interested in the other games in the series after learning a bit about Dante and his very interesting friends," he added.

Dante's Pandora, the multi-purpose weapon which can transform into various guns and even a rocket launcher, also piqued our interest. Here's what Itsuno had to say about it:

I wanted to have a transforming, multi-purpose firearm in Dante's arsenal... In its final form I wanted it to transform into something that would be even bigger than Dante himself. I was thinking about Gundam when I asked for this. I also wanted the weapon to shoot out a lot of small missiles, kind of like some of the fighters in Macross.

He admitted that it could have been in Devil May Cry 3, but idea didn't materialize. In that installment, we were able to wield an electric guitar and talking twin swords, so it's difficult to complain.

For the full interview, click on the "Via" link below.



Buy: [ Devil May Cry 4 (360) ]
Buy: [ Devil May Cry 4 (PS3) ]
Buy: [ Devil May Cry 4 (PC) ]

Electronic Arts, known for publishing its titles across various platforms, recently admitted in a conference call that the development cycle for the Sony PlayStation 3 still lags behind the Microsoft Xbox 360. EA CEO John Riccitiello told an analyst during the call:

There s no doubt that Electronic Arts, along with many other publishers, had some challenges essentially meeting the technical specifications effectively on the PlayStation 3

He explained that development with the PS3 as the leading platform, such as what the game industry giant did with the latest Burnout, causes no problems. However, he continued, "In circumstances where we either led with the Xbox 360 or ran parallel production, for the most part, we re still experiencing some delay on the PS3."

According to Riccitiello, the PS3 development environment is still more challenging. He was quoted as saying, It s probably only a third of a problem for us as it was [nine months ago]. But there still remains some catching up to do on the engineering side for the PS3.

Because we can't get enough of Devil May Cry 4 (Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3, PC) before Capcom finally ships it west, here's another trailer made of gameplay footage and awesome accompanied by a fitting song from prominent Japanese band L'arc en Ciel. A good chunk features Dante head-to-head with Nero, but most parts are all about the new protagonist.

If anything, this new Japanese trailer is a collection of the best we've seen before - Fallen Angels swarming Nero, the Devil Bringer put into good use, and the good 'ol combos that end in slam dunks. Words aren't enough to describe how Capcom patched up something great from previously shown footage of Devil May Cry 4, so just watch the embed below.

Buy: [ Devil May Cry 4 (360) ]
Buy: [ Devil May Cry 4 (PS3) ]
Buy: [ Devil May Cry 4 (PC) ]

Now that the cat’s out of the bag, it’s only fair to start dealing out some details on the some of the new features you’ll get to experience in Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds, the reasoning behind the new title and what you can expect from the hours (hours, upon hours) of great golfing fun, both online and offline.

One of the things that the Hot Shots franchise has been known for is the way that it’s always found new way to immerse the player into the sport (be it golf or tennis). As past installments go, there’s always been a new something-something that’s had fans returning for more - of course, its needless to speak of the core features (fun characters, ease of use and great courses) that constantly bring in new fans as well.

While on the topic of new features, one of HSG:OB’s new cool features is the new shot mechanism, also known as Advanced Shot Mode.

As the image above shows, the Advanced Shot Mode (ASM) functions pretty much the same way as the traditional method. However, all the visual cues as to when to strike will rely more on you (the player) paying attention to your character’s swing motions.

Step 1: Like previous versions, you’ll have to adjust the direction of where you’d like to ball to go (where it eventually goes… that’s where the next steps play a crucial role).

Step 2: Once you press X your swing will commence. A good tip for first timers is to see the natural trajectory of the golf club… so hit X once and just watch the club as it progresses through from start to finish. One thing that you’ll notice is the club flashing twice (once yellow, once red). Try to remember these points as they’ll come in really handy!

Step 3: This is the point of no return! Start off the swing mechanism and watch the natural progression… and hitting X at any point will stop and start the downswing… this is how you set the power to your stroke, and you have to gauge the strength by the flashing points! Hitting X at the top of the swing (red flash) will set your power at 100%; hitting X at the yellow mark will put enough strength on to get to the cup (if you are close enough)… however, don’t forget to take the elements into consideration: the yellow mark is enough strength under optimal conditions (no wind, no rain, flat course, on the fairway, etc).

Step 4: Now you’ve done it, the club is hurling at an unmentionable speed towards the ball, and the Hot Shots Golf physics engine beings its true-to life calculations, taking account your character’s features (strength, loyalty, etc) as well as the course conditions (wind, ground condition, club, angle, etc)… it’s a digital chorus of 1’s and 0’s… but never mind that… you have to focus.

Once you set the power, you’ll see a white circle slowly contracting to the center of the ball. This is your moment of zen: you must press the X buttons at the precise moment when the ball and the contracting circle are each the same size and complete a virtual circle of life.

Final: The second (millisecond) you’ve strike the ball, the physics engine takes over and applies your timing into the trajectory physics. Here is where you’ll either see the ball fade into the horizon or just have it hit you on the head - - and you’ll know instantly how you did too! There are four icons that will appear at the moment of impact:

• Tortoise: you hit X too late.
• Rabbit: you hit X too early.
• Skull: for whatever (personal) reason you just didn’t press X within the allotted time period aka you got pwned.
• Music note: you hit X at the right moment and the ball is on its way to becoming one with the hole.

That in short is the new Advanced Shot Mechanism. Fans of the traditional method will be able to use that method as well, but if you want to add that extra bit of power (and challenge) ASM is the only way to go. Sure, at first you might get a bunch of animal icons and skulls thrown your way to start up your own pet cemetery… but with enough practice and dedication you’ll be a true Hot Shot champ.

I leave you now with this little gem:

Superstar publisher Electronic Arts took to the press waves, bringing along its preliminary results of the company's financial performance for fiscal year (FY) 2008. The report highlighted that EA gathered as much as US 1.503 billion as net revenue for the third quarter of FY 2008. On a year-on-year basis, that's a 17 rise from their third quarter rewards of FY 2007.

That, however, didn't help the company with its gross profits, as the quarters numbers the company managed to grab only racked in a total of US 721 million. When compared to the third quarter of FY 2007, EA saw an 11 drop. Net income also isn't doing well. When compared to last year's income of US 160 million, US 33 million in net loss for the third quarter of FY 2008 does cut deep.

Still, the company is proud of its revenue figures. Even EA's CEO, John Riccitiello went on to say, "This was a record revenue quarter for EA and the single biggest revenue quarter for any third party publisher in our industry." He also says despite the move of two crucial games' releases, they are proud of Burnout Paradise (Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3)'s success in the market and anticipate the reception of Army of Two and FIFA Street 3 (Xbox 360, PS3, and DS).

Sadly, the two games moved to EA's fiscal year 2009 (April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009) are Battlefield: Bad Company (PS3, Xbox 360) and Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (PS3, Xbox 360, PC). More news in the business of making games as soon as they drop by.

Hey, everyone. It’s time again for the PLAYSTATION Store weekly update.

Add-on Game Content

Folklore Add-On Packs

• Folklore Add-on 5 “Nightmares”($3.99)
  This Folklore download pack includes four additional side quests, which take place during the events of the original game, plus an extra Folk to capture and an alternative costume for Keats.
  File size: 93.8 MB
• Folklore Add-on 6 “Visions of the Tower” ($3.99)
  This Folklore download pack includes four additional side quests, which take place during the events of the original game, plus an extra Folk to capture and an alternative costume for Ellen.
  File size: 76 MB
• Folklore Add-on Bundle 3 ($5.99)
  Get two Folklore Add-ons for one low price! This Folklore Add-on Bundle includes “Nightmares” and the “Visions of the Tower” add-ons. Each add-on includes four side quests, plus an extra Folk to capture and alternative costumes for Ellen and Keats.
  File size: 169.8 MB

Rock Band
Build your Rock Band library by purchasing these song game tracks. For song credits, visit www.RockBand.com.

• “Siva” – Smashing Pumpkins ($1.99)
• “Working Man” - Rush ($1.99)
• “Ten Speed (of God’s Blood…)” – Coheed and Cambria ($1.99)

File sizes: 29.4 MB – 45.8 MB

Demos

Conflict: Denied Ops Demo
Conflict: Denied Ops is a highly accessible co-op FPS featuring massive, extremely explosive firefights across destructible environments. Work as a team to utilize the specific skills of each operative and experience the ultimate in destructive satisfaction with tons of exploding objects and an endless barrage of terrorists who are begging to be blown to hell.
File size: 988 MB
ESRB Rated M

Game Videos

Battlefield: BC Haggard’s Blog (free)
Private Haggard may not be the most charismatic guy, but he sure gets to the point quickly. Catch a glimpse of his heartfelt speech to his family in which he talks about some of his, well, mishaps, from the past.
File size: 98 MB (HD)

Go! Sports Skydiving Trailer (free)
Go! Sports Skydiving is a skydiving simulator that uses the SIXAXIS wireless controller to twist, turn and pull off tricks. The easy and intuitive motion control allows you to move through the skies into various skydiving team formations or solo tricks with the greatest of ease. Supports several single player modes, including formation, team match, landing and several online battle modes.
File size: 109 MB (HD)

Movie and Blu-ray Disc Trailers

Prince Caspian Trailer (free)
The characters of C.S. Lewis’ timeless fantasy come to life once again in this newest installment of the “Chronicles of Narnia” series, in which the Pevensie siblings are magically transported back from England to the world of Narnia, where a thrilling, perilous new adventure and an even greater test of their faith and courage awaits them.
File size: 153 MB (HD), 204 MB (1080)

Prom Night Trailer (free)
Donna’s senior prom is supposed to be the best night of her life. After surviving a horrible tragedy, she has finally moved on and is enjoying her last year of high school. Surrounded by her best friends, she should be safe from the horrors of her past. But when the night turns deadly, there is only one person who could be responsible…a man she thought was gone forever.
File size: 27 MB (SD), 99 MB (HD), 131 MB (1080)

Across the Universe Trailer
The enduring songs of The Beatles, set the tone for Across The Universe, a love story about a British boy and an American girl set against the backdrop of the social upheaval of the 1960s. The stirring music of the Fab Four will drive the narrative, with the actors singing and dancing to the classic tunes.
File size: 122 MB (HD), 156 MB (1080)

Daddy Day Camp Trailer
DADDY DAY CARE pals Charlie and Phil are back in this hilarious, all-new adventure: DADDY DAY CAMP! When the dads expand their childcare magic to Camp Driftwood - serving up sports, crafts and teaching the kids a thing or two about nature, they discover the camp has everything it needs except a plan to put the bullies of rival Camp Canola to shame.
File size: 90 MB (HD), 120 MB (1080)

PS3 Themes

PixelJunk Monsters Theme 2 (free)
Customize your PS3 system with a cool PixelJunk Monsters theme. This theme allows you to change up the look of your background and XMB icons.
File size: 710 KB

PS3 Wallpaper

(2) PixelJunk Monsters Wallpaper (free)
Customize the background of your PS3 system with this new PixelJunk Monsters Wallpaper.
File sizes: 143 KB - 551 KB

Here is this week’s content release for the PLAYSTATION Store for PC. To download these games to your PSP, navigate to http://store.playstation.com. There, you’ll find descriptions of the content and directions on how to get started. For more on the PLAYSTATION Store for PC, please click here.

Downloadable Games

• Neopets: Petpet Adventures - The Wand of Wishing ($15.99)

PSP Wallpaper (free)

• Neopets: Petpet Adventures - The Wand of Wishing Wallpaper

Hope you enjoy!

Last week we posted an announcement that Sony had struck a deal with MTV to bring some of their shows over to the UMD format. Judging by the comments, the one you readers were most interested in was Aeon Flux (good call, IMO). Somewhat related: PSP Fanboy is running a drawing where they’re giving one reader all 10 of the UMD collections (skinny, death-prone brunette animation included). Effort required to enter is minimal, just get your entry in by Groundhog Day (Feb 2). Just a heads up!

Greetings Folklore Fans! Today we’re announcing the final installment of download packs. I want to thank each and every one of you for your kind words and support on the blog - it definitely makes it all worth while. I know there are a few unanswered questions (like the Folklore soundtrack) that I’m not at liberty to discuss at present. Hopefully, those of you that were interested will keep an eye on the Blog for satisfactory answers and will continue to post similarly good questions - we’ll continue to do our best to provide accurate and timely answers. In the meantime, I hope you will purchase, download, and enjoy packs 5 and 6 as much as we do.

Folklore Add-on #5 “Nightmares”

Add to the original storyline as you discover what is causing O’Connell’s nightmares. Wake Charlotte from a deep sleep, undertake the mysterious quest to find out why Livane attacked a tree and complete the Faery Photo mission started in The Origin of Belgae Pack.

This pack also includes a suave top hat and tux for Keats and provides the opportunity to encounter Automata, a Large, robotic Fire Folk that fires a beam of hot magma.

Folklore Add-on #6 “Visions of the Tower”

Continue the awe-inspiring adventures of Ellen and Keats with this Add-On. Learn the reason behind the puzzling sightings of the tower, find out why so many faeries are becoming lost, receive a surprise letter and begin to understand the motives of the Faery Lord.

Also included are an additional Folk, and a new outfit for Ellen, fashioned in the Hell Realm.

Thank you once again.

There's no end zone in sight when it comes to high quality American football games on PlayStation. So here's some sensational Super Bowl styled software to get your blood pumping and fingers twitching.