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Doraemon merchandise license acquired by Viz Media

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As you probably have heard by now, or listened to us speak about it on our latest anime podcast, Doraemon is going to start being shown on North American television for the first time over this Summer on the Disney XD channel.

As such, Viz Media has some of their own news to share concerning Doraemon and it happens to pertain to the series’ merchandise. This means that Viz Media will be working to license and develop a new range of products for Doraemon in North America and Latin America. Currently no merchandise has been announced or detailed, but the company is planning on highlighting Doraemon at the Licensing Expo that takes place between June 17th to the 19th at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

XSEED to localize latest Harvest Moon title but with a new name

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You may remember that a new Harvest Moon called Harvest Moon: Tsunagaru Shin Tenchi was announced late last year and at the time, many gamers assumed that Natsume would be bringing the title to the West considering they have worked on the Harvest Moon series since it was created. However that is not going to be the case anymore as today XSEED Games has announced that they will be localizing the latest Harvest Moon game, but probably due to license issues with Natsume it will only be called Story of Seasons.

This localization change makes a lot of sense considering XSEED is owned by Marvelous AQL, the developers of the game. Yoshifumi Hashimoto, Head of Development at Marvelous AQL, stated in the announcement that “Story of Seasons represents a new chapter in our amazing tale. We are creating a new experience that will carry on the spirit of Bokujo Monogatari, and in doing so, will fulfill our loyal fans’ expectations and desires while ushering in a new generation of games to come.”

To go along with this localization announcement a number of new English screenshots for the game were released and you can check those out below. As for the game itself, it is currently set to be released in North America sometime later this year.

No Game No Life Episode 8 Impressions

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Cutey and a beast

No Game No Life
Episode 8: Fake End

Having learned last episode that their predecessor was not the fool he is proclaimed to be, Sora and Shiro have finally discovered what they need to challenge the Eastern Federation. Travelling to the Embassy with Steph and Jibril in tow, the siblings head towards their opponent with the most dangerous weapon they possess: a plan.

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Elementary, my dear Warbeast

So it would seem that Disboard is yet another fantasy world that is still held in the thralls of racism. What, you think we wouldn’t notice because they’re mythical creatures? You guessed wrong awesome anime series. I should note that this actually doesn’t anger me to any real degree, I just always find it interesting that fantasy shows can segregate their casts so much and still proclaim a functioning world. Get with the times you series’ set in the possible past. Anywho, more specifically this lack of racial compassion serves as yet another handicap for Imanity. It would seem that the Warbeasts still harbour palpable resentment towards Imanity due to a battle fought in the past…not an actual battle mind you, more of a race. A construction race to be specific. That’s right folks, apparently the leaders of not one but two races thought it wise to utilise their resources to build a bigger house than their neighbour. It’s actually kind of amazing how petty these races are…and dumb. Seriously, most of Disboard’s problems could be solved if the races just stopped being jerks to each other…though that’s true of any world isn’t it?

Anyway after rubbing down the leader of the Eastern Federation (not as creepy as it sounds), Sora and Shiro begin their mental attack on their new opponents. Raising every question from the last episode, the siblings systematically explain why the Eastern Federation act the way they do, despite the seeming lack of benefit. I mean, the actual game hasn’t even been chosen and Blank is already winning. How awesome is that? Very…the answer is very. But you may be wondering to yourself, “I thought the Warbeasts could read minds, how did they not see this glorious onslaught of logic coming?” Good question. It would seem that, in addition to being the most technologically advanced race in Disboard, the Warbeasts are liars. Conmen if you want to give them a little more credit. Apparently the whole “we can read your mind” shtick it nothing but a falsehood, a deception to fool the other Exceed into thinking that they are an untouchable opponent. Masters of the cold read, the Warbeasts pretend to scan an opponents mind when all they actually do is monitor body movement and functions. Still a nifty ability, but not to the degree everyone was led to believe. Between Imanity’s wit and the Warbeasts trickery, it’s interesting to see how each of the Exceed races carves out their niche for survival in the world of Disboard. It would seem that everyone is good at something. The trick is making your enemies think you’re better.

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Your move!

Despite all of Sora’s careful planning and tremendous display of deduction, it would seem that Imanity is just a little unhappy with the details of his bet with the Warbeasts. Starting his campaign for war by betting Steph’s panties, because this is an anime and that stuff still flies, Sora upped his wager by betting the lives of every single Imanity in Disboard…so just a little bit more valuable than something Steph seems to lose every second episode. Understandably enraged by this, we see just how quickly a group can turn against someone. The same people that stood behind Sora and Shiro heart and soul now stand with torches clamouring for their resignation. Bunch of ingrates. Though from any perspective other than the one we have as the audience, Sora seems like a straight up loon. Tough, once again, Steph should realise that there is method to his madness, as she once again internally questions Blank’s position on the throne. Seriously, they’re her friends and the smartest people in the world, they beat God for crying out loud. You’d think by now the girl who has witnessed them defy probability would have a little faith…though Sora does pretty much call Disboard a game. Which doesn’t inspire great amounts of confidence…damn geniuses, why are they always so hard to understand? That being said, I guess I can understand their position, since apparently losing a Race Piece is viewed as the “de facto death” of a species, reducing them to nothing more than animals in the eyes of the world. Mainly due to the fact that the Ten Pledges no longer apply to such a species, which is an interesting side effect if you ask me. Perhaps Sora wishes to rid Disboard of the limitation of the Ten Pledges, allowing the Exceed to define themselves by something other than their skill at games. That’s my theory at this point. Though rendering Disboard closer to Earth does seem to go against the sibling’s hatred of Eath’s society, so who knows what they’re up to. Unless defeating each race will place them under the banner of Imanity. One race bound together by the Ten Pledges. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what their true plan is…damn geniuses.

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Alone…

So with their plan underway and victory all but assured against the Warbeasts who believe themselves better video gamers than Blank, everything is looking up Imanity…right? Apparently heading off to collect the final piece needed for their victory over the Warbeasts, Sora shares a touching moment with Shiro…and then disappears. Separated from her brother, the world turns grey for Shiro, which is unbelievably sad. Poor girl. After an ending sequence that is just a little different than normal, we find Shiro waking up in her bed…alone. Huddled and crying in a corner, she asks Steph where her brother is, only to be met with two words that shake poor Shiro to her very core: “Who’s Brother?”

Check out more No Game No Life Impressions HERE.

Psycho-Pass video game announced for the Xbox One

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Not only has Mages announced Chaos;Child for the Xbox One but they have also announced that they will be making a game based off of the anime Psycho-Pass. At the moment only a few details were announced for the game but the most important detail is the fact that this game is going to have an original story with new protagonists.

Psycho-Pass will interact with smartphones and also make use of the Xbox One‘s Kinect sensor but at the time of the announcement no details as to how this will work were revealed. We previously reviewed the Psycho-Pass anime’s English review and said review can be found here.

BETHESDA SOFTWORKS ANNOUNCES BATTLECRY

BETHESDA SOFTWORKS ANNOUNCES BATTLECRY 

Fight for Power and Glory in BattleCry Studios’ 32-Player Online Team Action Game

May 29, 2014 (Sydney, AU) — Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax® Media company, today announced BATTLECRY™, an all-new multiplayer action combat game featuring fast-paced and frenetic 32-player battles under development at BattleCry Studios.

BATTLECRY is the first project for the studio since it was formed in 2012 with one goal: to create fun, high-quality online experiences for a connected world. Led by long-time industry veteran Rich Vogel, the team at BattleCry Studios is comprised of seasoned developers with decades of experience working on critically-acclaimed action and competitive multiplayer franchises. Together they have created BATTLECRY – a fun and accessible free-to-play gamethat amplifies team-based combat by combining visceral brutality, striking art direction and competitive multiplayer action to create a refreshingly new gameplay experience.

Step into a bold, expressive world envisioned by Viktor Antonov (Half-Life 2Dishonored) where gun powder has been banned following a cataclysmic world war at the dawn of the 20th century. Traditional warfare is now a relic of the past and all conflicts are settled head-on by elite teams of chosen warriors in sanctioned WarZones. Trained and bred for battle they face off for the glory of their nations.

Choose your faction and progress your warrior through the ranks. Each rank unlocks new abilities and effects allowing deep strategic builds for your warrior on every level. Risk life and limb as the powerful Royal Marines or the fearless Cossacks in imaginative WarZones each designed to combine positioning, spacing and verticality to redefine your core combat experience. Fight with transformative melee and ranged weapons that harness iron and energy and eviscerate your opponents with swords that transform into shields, bows that can punch an arrow straight through an armored skull or electrocute your foes with high powered blades crackling with electro-static energy.

“The BattleCry team is happy to unveil the game that bears our studio’s name,” said Rich Vogel, president and executive producer at BattleCry Studios. “We have been hard at work to create a fresh experience for gamers that brings together multiplayer action with visually stunning combat and are excited to share details about the game and have people play BATTLECRY in Bethesda’s booth at E3.”

The official announcement trailer can be seen today on BATTLECRY’official site:www.battlecrythegame.com.

The beta for BATTLECRY is set to begin in 2015 for PC.

About ZeniMax Media Inc.

ZeniMax Media is a privately owned media organization headquartered outside Washington, DC with international publishing offices in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Eindhoven, Sydney, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. Through its subsidiaries, ZeniMax Media creates and publishes original interactive entertainment content for consoles, the PC, and handheld/wireless devices.  ZeniMax Media divisions include Bethesda Softworks, Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, Arkane Studios, Tango Gameworks, MachineGames, Battlecry Studios, ZeniMax Europe Ltd., ZeniMax Asia K.K., ZeniMax Asia Pacific Limited and ZeniMax Online Studios.   For more information on ZeniMax Media, visit www.zenimax.com. 

About Bethesda Softworks

Bethesda Softworks, part of the ZeniMax Media Inc. family of companies, is a worldwide publisher of interactive entertainment software. Titles featured under the Bethesda label include such blockbuster franchises as The Elder Scrolls®, DOOM®, QUAKE®, Fallout®, Wolfenstein®, Dishonored®, Prey® and RAGE®.   For more information on Bethesda Softworks’ products, visit www.bethsoft.com.

About BattleCry Studios

BattleCry Studios, located in Austin, TX, brings together a group of seasoned developers with one goal: to create fun, AAA online global experiences for the connected world. Drawing on decades of experience from places like BioWare, Valve, 343 Studios, Treyarch, and more, BattleCry isn’t just a place where great games are created. It’s where designers, engineers, and artists work side by side to redefine a genre.

BATTLECRY, BattleCry Studios, The Elder Scrolls, Bethesda Game Studios, Dishonored, Arkane, The Evil Within, PsychoBreak, Tango, Tango Gameworks, MachineGames, Prey, Bethesda Softworks, Bethesda, ZeniMax and their related logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of ZeniMax Media Inc. in the United States and/or in other countries. Fallout is a registered trademark or trademark of Bethesda Softworks LLC in the United States and/or in other countries.  id, id Software, id Tech, DOOMQUAKEWolfenstein and RAGE are registered trademarks or trademarks of id Software LLC in the United States and/or in other countries.  Other product and company names referenced herein may be trademarks of their respective owners. All Rights Reserved.

Farming Simulator Heads to 3DS and PS Vita

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Farm livin’ is the life for me

Having sold over 2 million copies worldwide, Farming Simulator is a rather unexpected hit within the gaming community. It is due to this success that Giants Software and Focus Home Interactive have announced that the harvest is going portable, with a 3DS and PS Vita version of the game on the horizon.

Confront the challenges of a 21st century farmer as you do your best to maintain a bevy of agricultural features. Raise livestock, grow crops and sell your produce to acquire new equipment, vehicles and fields. You may even decide to hire workers in your quest to improve your land and carve out a profit in a vast and colourful world.

In addition to its physical release, Farming Simulator 14 will be available for download on the Nintendo eShop and PlayStation Stor on June 5th in Europe and June 24th in the US.  Check out the screenshots below and get a little taste of the farmer life. Your tractor awaits.

Chaos;Child announced for the Xbox One in Japan

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Over the years Mages and 5pb have been the best supporters of the Xbox brand in Japan and they aren’t going to stop anytime soon. We have previously seen the release of games like Robotics;Notes, Steins;Gate and other similar visual novels on the Xbox 360 and now the company has announced that they are working on a new visual novel for the Xbox One.

This title is called Chaos;Child and it is the fourth game in the series. It will take place six months after the events that take place in Chaos;Head. Currently there is no set release date for the game in Japan but the Xbox One is set to be released in there on September 4th.

Forbidden Magna preview trailer released

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Since Forbidden Magna was announced back in February, not a whole lot has been revealed about the game outside of the initial details. However today a preview trailer for the game composed entirely of anime cutscenes was released and it looks like it introduces us to some of the main spirits in the game.

Along with this preview trailer the official website for Forbidden Magna was also updated with some character details and artwork. Forbidden Magna follows the story of Lux, a young man who has taken over his family’s inn only to find it in shambles. However he soon finds himself meeting various spirits who will help him out and possibly develop a relationship.

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Currently the title is set for a 3DS release in October and at the moment there has been no mention of a localization, though considering the game is being developed by many members of the Rune Factory 4 team, there is probably a fairly good chance of it eventually being released in the West.

Xbox One to be released in Japan on September 4th

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While the majority of Microsoft‘s userbase has already had access to the Xbox One for seven months now, in places like Japan the console is still not available for purchase. Considering the Xbox brand is generally a weak seller in that country, it is no surprise that Microsoft has taken their time to prepare for the consoles launch.

Recently Microsoft announced that the Xbox One will be released in Japan on September 4th and there will be a 49,980 yen version that comes with a Kinect while a 39,980 yen version does not include a Kinect. Currently the launch line-up for Japan will involve Forza Motorsport 5, Kinect Sports Rivals, Dead Rising 3, Ryse: Son of Rome, Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, Thief, Murdered: Soul Suspect, and Call of Duty: Ghosts.

WATCH DOGS™ SETS UBISOFT® RECORD FOR FIRST DAY SALES

WATCH DOGS™ SETS UBISOFT® RECORD  FOR FIRST DAY SALES

PARIS, FRANCE – May 28, 2014 – Today, Ubisoft announced that Watch Dogs sold through more copies in its first 24 hours of availability than any previous title in the company’s history*.

Players were understandably eager to get their hands on Watch Dogs, one of the most anticipated and critically-acclaimed titles of 2014. Reviews praised Watch Dogs’ hacking gameplay, breadth of content, seamless nature and the depth of the open-world experience. Notable reviews included the following:

  • “Original and compelling gameplay, intelligent level design and immersion guaranteed.” ² – Jeuxvideo.com, 18 out of 20
  • “It’s huge, diverse and intricately detailed.” ³ – IGN, 8.4 out of 10
  • “Watch Dogs was so well received at E3 2012 not for its looks, but what it promised: a truly new way to play open-world games in which the concept of agency extends beyond choosing where to go and what to do next. And whether you’re on foot, behind the wheel or in combat, Watch Dogs delivers on that promise.” ¹ – Edge, 8 out of 10
  •  “Impressive.” 4– The Escapist, 9 out of 10

Ubisoft’s co-founder and CEO Yves Guillemot weighed in on Watch Dogs’ early success, saying, “Watch Dogs is an amazing achievement and our teams should be proud that the creativity, innovation and long hours they invested in making this game are paying off. It’s great to see so many players enjoying the game, and it shows that Watch Dogs has cracked the code for developing a new blockbuster IP and a thoroughly new-gen experience.”

Watch Dogs is set in Chicago and lets players become Aiden Pearce, a brilliant hacker seeking justice following a violent family tragedy. Pearce hacks into Chicago’s Central Operating System (ctOS), which controls the city’s infrastructure (security cameras, traffic lights, public transportation and more) as well as key data on the city’s residents. The game uses the all-new Disrupt game engine to deliver stunning visuals and an incredibly immersive world.

For more information about Watch Dogs, please visit the official website, Facebook page and Twitter account.

About Ubisoft

Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Just Dance, Tom Clancy’s video game series, Rayman and Far Cry. The teams throughout Ubisoft’s worldwide network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all popular platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2013-14 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1,007 million. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.

©2014 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Watch Dogs, Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries.