PSP to be offered in Red

The new slim PSP could be one of the hottest gifts this coming Christmas. The new svelte look for the Sony PSP really suits it well and makes it a sleeker looking gadget. The new colors (blue, silver and pink aside from black and white) are also making it a more visually desirable product.

But now you can also add red to the color offerings for the PSP. The new color — officially called Deep Red — will become available this December 13. With new peripherals and uses being given to the PSP (cameras, GPS, TV tuners) the PSP may just have a few more years added to its lifespan.

Posted December 12th, 2007 by Maki | Comment (1)

Xbox 360 outsells PS3 in Japan

Microsoft’s Xbox 360 may be a success in the US, but go to Japan and the American made console lags behind both the Nintendo (the current blockbuster console) and Sony (whose PlayStation 3 is getting respectable number lately). Microsoft’ third place showing in Japan shows that the fiercely loyal Japanese are not that easily impressed by something that is American. In fact, even some of the games that are developed by American developers are not usually very popular among the Japanese.

It came as a surprise though this week when the Xbox 360 actually outsold both the PS3 and the PS2. According to the Media Create top 50 Sales Chart, the Xbox 360 sold 17,673 units in one week, effectively pushing total sales to 500,000. This is a figure that the original Xbox never managed to achieve.

The PS3’s sales numbers are actually very near the 360’s at 17,434. In fact, it may be likely that the PS3 beat the 360 in sales because Media Create only makes an estimation based on a sampling of stores. Thus, the 360’s triumph may be more of a moral one.

The true test for Microsoft is if it can continue the numbers for the following weeks. It will also be a gauge whether the Japanese has finally embraced a foreign console.

Posted November 12th, 2007 by Maki | Comment (0)

Quirky video games in Japan

When it comes to quirky games nothing can beat the Japanese. They have practically invented the genre and the market for games that are so out of this world in concept and gameplay that you wouldn’t even think that it is playable, much less marketable. And yet, the Japanese have proven time and time again that their formula actually succeeds in capturing the imaginations (and the wallets) of gamers.

Of course, most of these quirky games would really cater more or less exclusively to the Japanese domestic market itself. Take for example the popularity of “dating” simulators. These dating games are one of the biggest game genres in Japan but it has yet to really penetrate the market abroad. But thent there are games that are soo out there in concept and gameplay mechnics but still manages to get a worldwide audience.

Katamari Damacy is a puzzle/adventure game. You play the role of an alien who needs to replace “lost” stars in the sky and the only way you can do that is by accumulating all types of things on earth by rolling a “sticky” ball until you reach a desired diameter. It’s a really crazy concept but it became a really huge game when it was released and even spawned a sequel.

I think we should try to imitate the Japanese people’s ability to become open about new changes and ideas.

Posted October 27th, 2007 by Maki | Comment (0)