Welcome to another instalment in our weekly news digest where the team at PSU Towers picks our favourite slices of gaming gossip from the past seven days, before proceeding to offer our two cents on each story for good measure.
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GTA V will be 2012’s biggest release
Grand Theft Auto V was always going to be one of the year’s biggest multiplatform games, and many analysts have already weighed in on potential sales figures for the crime sequel. However, EEDR’s Jesse Divnich reckons it’ll pull in the punters to the extent of outselling this year’s Call of Duty game, becoming 2012’s best-selling videogame. As far as CoD competitors go you’d be hard pressed to find something that boasts more commercial clout under its belt than GTA, though whether or not it’ll outsell the military shooter remains to be seen. However, anticipation has been building for a couple of years now, and I think it’s fair to say that GTA V certainly stands a good chance of toppling Call of Duty than anything else out this year.
God of War IV listed on composer’s CV
Nothing like starting off the New Year with a fresh God of War IV rumor to light the old fires again, is there? Indeed, if the prospect of online co-op with Kratos and his brother wasn’t enough to whet your appetite, then the fact the game has popped up on the CV of a composer further adds weight to previous reports that the bloody hack-‘em-up adventure series is set to return in the not-too-distant future. Well, to be more specific, U.K. publication PSM3 reckons we’ll see everyone’s favourite slap head make a comeback in fall 2012, though given we haven’t even heard official confirmation on GoW IV yet that seems highly unlikely. Still, an E3 reveal for Q1 2013 release doesn’t seem entirely out of the question, does it?
Rumor: Monster Hunter hitting PS Vita later this year
Depending on who you ask, Capcom’s Monster Hunter franchise has largely been responsible for saving PSP’s bacon in Japan. Every time a new game hits shelves, you can pretty much guarantee that eager punters will lap it up, sending thousands more PSPs flying off the shelves. Understandable, then, that PSP owners were pretty miffed when Capcom failed to confirm a new title in the series for PlayStation Vita, instead lifting the wraps off the 3DS-exclusive Monster Hunter 4. However, according to the latest rumblings, the franchise will in fact be making the transition to Sony’s new pocket brick, and what’s more, it’ll release this year. Of course, this is just a rumor at present, but it’s surely only a matter of time until the series hits Vita; how can Capcom ignore the platform given how well the Monster Hunter franchise performed previously on PSP?
Soul Calibur V goes gold, pre-order bonuses announced
Namco’s confirmed that Soul Calibur V has entered the manufacturing process ahead of its release later this month, and unveiled a boatload of pre-order bonuses for select retailers. Those of you in the U.S. will be treated to some extra goodies from the likes of GameStop and Best Buy, including a download code to play as Dampierre and Ivy Valentine Bobble Bud figure. Get the full skinny in our story via the link above.
Japan: PSP outsells PS Vita for second week
Sony’s new handheld has been on the market in Japan for less than a month now, and already folk are labelling the launch as something of a lacklustre effort. True, sales have stalled since its release weekend on December 17, and the latest charts have showed that things don’t seem to be picking up, with PSP managing to eclipse it in weekly sales. However, the handheld market in Japan at the moment is pretty saturated, with the new Vita, plus 3DS, PSP and numerous incarnations of the DS all battling for consumers’ hard-earned cash. These days, it takes something like Mario or Monster Hunter to really turn the tides, and that’s something Vita sadly lacks right now – a killer app. Sure, the likes of Uncharted: Golden Abyss are certainly triple-A worthy in terms of quality, but it’s a western-made game, and Japanese punters are likely wanting something a little bit more up their street. Monster Hunter would definitely fill this void, or perhaps something a little more quirky – look at how well Brain Training did on DS, for example. There’s no doubt Vita sales will pick up, but right now it’s lacking those killer Japanese titles.
Rumor: PS4, Xbox 720 to see E3 reveal
We’re only a week into the New Year and chatter on next-generation of consoles has already reared its premature head. This time though it’s pretty substantial, with MCV claiming BOTH the PS4 and Xbox 720 will be unveiled at E3 in June. Not only would this put a rather large spanner in the works of Nintendo’s Wii U plans, but it would also make for quite possibly the most exciting E3 in years, with all three platform holdings flexing their rippling next-gen physiques. Of course, this is all just speculation at this point, and I’m personally sceptical that Sony will have anything to show; PS Vita and PS3 are still very much the main focus, and I think Microsoft is more likely to have something up its sleeves out of the two. Indeed, a tech demo of the Xbox 720 at E3 doesn’t seem like too much of a stretch, though I seriously doubt Sony will have anything on offer on PS4 until next year at the earliest.
Sony ‘still excited by PS3,’ says Worldwide Studios boss
Sony has been trumpeting its long-term to commitment to PS3 for a good while now, though it hasn’t put a lid on any speculation related to PS4. Nonetheless, Shuhei Yoshida, head of Sony’s Worldwide Studios, has laughed off (both literally and figuratively) chatter on a successor to PS3 during an interview with CVG, and made it clear Sony’s commitment very much lies with its five year-old black box. To be exact, he said the console maker is still ‘very excited’ with the platform, which again ties in with the company’s 10-year commitment to PS3. Chatter on PS4 isn’t likely to die down any time soon, but I’m personally in no rush to see a new console. After all, there’s still plenty of life in the old dog yet (aka PS3), and with the likes of The Last Guardian and The Last of Us still yet to see the light of day, we should probably see in 2013 before thinking about next-gen.
The Best of the Rest…
Real or Fake? Video shows WipEout technology in real life
Hideo Kojima says ‘gamers are very happy with what they have’
The House of the Dead 3 & 4 confirmed for PSN
Kaz Hirai to replace Stringer as Sony president, says report