Team Ico‘s Project Trico recently – I mean that in no sense of the word - received a name face lift, and here’s the reasons as to why. According to Kotaku, Yasuhide Kobayashi, SCEE senior vice president, stated that The Last Guardian (Project Trico) was given a English title so that it would appeal more to the US and European markets.

“There are so many issues we have to solve, and the biggest challenge is that the market in Japan is shrinking — they key is gaining success in the US and Europe,” stated the exec. “At the time of the original PlayStation the Japanese market was one third of the global market, and production costs weren’t that high — so we were able to generate profit from that market alone.”

“But now we’re in the era of the PlayStation 3, and the Japanese market is only one fifth of the global market — when it comes to production costs, those are swelling, so it means that unless we gain success in the overseas market our studio will go bankrupt,” said Kobayashi. “It’s a crisis we recognize.”

For sometime now Japanese gamers have been enjoying the delights of playing White Knight Chronicles, but they haven’t had the ability of talking to one another. However, it seems that voice chat may be added by the time the game hits our shores in the US this winter.

In a chat with the PlayStation.Blog, Tsubasa Inaba, producer of the US version of the game, admits that he knows that the inclusion of voice chat is important.

“We realize the necessity of voice chat,” Inaba says. “We’re trying to get this in before the release on the US market. We’re working on it.”

In addition, he talked about worldwide mutliplayer possiblitys.

“That’s one area where I can’t commit to yet,” Inaba says. “We’re looking into it. We’re doing online testing domestically and also overseas. It is in our mindset — we’re just trying to make it happen.”

[White Knight Chronicles Could Be Getting Voice Chat via Kotaku]

Sony has alot of upcoming titles for their PlayStation 3 this year, but this is one game that sounds like if it’s too good to pass up.

Apparently, in the pages of the Dutch Official PlayStation Magazine they announced a ‘secret’ project that Sony is planning to reveal next month to them. But, because they are beneath a ‘strict embargo’ they weren’t welling to say anything about the title. But, it does sound pulpy…

“We can’t because of a strict embargo, not yet much lost (or better said entirely nothing), but next month we fly to the US to bring [a new] title for [the] PlayStation 3… [from] Los Angeles,” reads the Dutch Official PlayStation Magazine magazine.

Well, isn’t this something. Most of us already know that the 360 outsold the PS3 3-to-1 this past Thanksgiving holiday, but this is a whole other story. Today, Reuters has reported that the Nintendo Wii has meet the demand for this past Thanksgiving week and the sale have increased since last year.

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata told Reuters in an interview that more than 800,000 Wii systems were sold in the US during the week of the Thanksgiving holiday, more than double the 350,000 units it sold in the same period a year earlier.

“When the economy is strong, people tend to buy three things from the top of their wish list. But when things are bad, people often buy only the first thing on their list,” Iwata said. “Fortunately for us a lot of shoppers put our products at the top of their list.”

Iwata also said sales of its DS handheld were up about 20 percent during the Thanksgiving holiday week in the U.S. compared with a year earlier.

Fable II outsold the software competition in the United States last month with sales of almost 800,000 copies sold. Now, Microsoft has announced that since its launch in the US on October 21, 2008, Lionhead’s Fable II has sold more than 1.5 million units worldwide. No wonder Peter Molyneux was so happy about the sales the other day. This means that this game is the fastest-selling RPG on the Xbox 360 right now.

[Fable II sales reach 1.5 million worldwide via VideoGamer]

Well, no one saw this one coming. According to Kotaku, at 1pm Japan Time today, Square Enix will be outlining its plans for a friendly takeover Tecmo, which is having some trouble at this time. The Square Enix takeover should help the company gain a stronger foothold in the U.S. market with popular Tecmo titles like the Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive. This can also help Square Enix with their heavily dependent on RPGs.

This isn’t the first time Square Enix has moved in on a beleaguered company. In August 2005, Square Enix acquired Taito and wholly owned the company as a subsidiary by September 2005.

I think it’s time to stop jumping around. According to a live blogging thing over at IGN , Square Enix exec Shinji Hashimoto said that “they will complete the PS3 version in Japan, then start a localization for the US and Europe while they start development on the 360 version.”

Many people many not understand that this means, it means a longer wait time in the U.S., not even a so called delay, it more feels like a super delay if you ask me. So why did they announce the game this early in it’s development? Because they think it’s a good idea for you to wait until the game comes out so that they can build the hype up.

Microsoft has sent out the official details on the Gears of War re-release, the re-release is due out on June 24 for $39.

Press Release:

On June 4th, "Gears of War" will be offered at the new estimated retail price of $39.99 (Xbox 360) and $29.99 (Games for Windows) throughout the U.S. and Canada.

In addition to a new price tag, an updated two-disc retail version of "Gears of War" (Xbox 360) will arrive in the U.S. and Canada beginning June 24. The two-disc version includes previously released multiplayer map packs, the Annex game mode, and the ability to earn up to eight additional multiplayer Achievements worth 250 Gamerscore. Gamers will also get a taste of the highly anticipated sequel, "Gears of War 2," through trailers and other extras.

Two-Disc Version Contents:

DISC ONE – GAME DISC

DISC TWO – EXTRAS

Gears of War
• Map Packs 1 & 2
• Theme – ‘Emergence Day’
• Gamer Pics – ‘Gears of War,’ ‘Emergence Day’

Gears of War 2
• Trailers – ‘Duel,’ ‘Assault’
• Theme – ‘Bare Your Teeth’
• Gamer Pics – ‘Crimson Omen’

"Gears of War," winner of over 30 Game of the Year awards, redefined the third-person action genre upon its November 2006 release and has gone on to sell 4.7 million copies worldwide. The struggle for survival continues this November with "Gears of War 2."

"Gears of War" is rated M for Mature by the ESRB.

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According to a post on the PlayStation forums, the Special Limited Edition Gun Metal Gray PS3 MGS4 bundle is selling on Ebay for about $10,000.

After seeing this on eBay, this is definitely sad! Especially for everyone who wants to actually get one for themselves, not to resell.

US $9,999.99? An extreme example! Though the Special Limited Edition Gun Metal Gray PS3 MGS4 bundle is popping up on online auction site eBay. The average starting price is over $900, which is more than Konami’s $599.99 sticker tag for the pack. Not exactly sure how this works as the bundles haven’t actually been shipped to customers or even eBay’s policy on this (we imagine frowny faces). Always a shame to see profiteers move in like this! But we imagine this will persist as long as the machines are hard to get and folks are willing to part with their money. Gun Metal Gray? More like gun metal gray market.

Check it out here

[Thanks to Kisaburo on the official PlayStation forums]

Blockbuster Inc. , a leading global provider of in-home movies and game entertainment, today announced it has rolled out retail video games and game hardware to all U.S. corporate-owned BLOCKBUSTER stores as part of a broader plan to significantly expand its game business.

Now, for the first time, customers can go into any U.S. corporate-owned BLOCKBUSTER store and purchase video game titles, hardware and accessories for the Sony PS3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS game systems. In addition to expanding its retail games offering, Blockbuster is adding more game titles for rental with more copies than before across all platforms.

Blockbuster is featuring its expanded game offerings — including hardware and accessories, along with rental and retail titles such as "Mario Kart" and the soon-to-be-released "Grand Theft Auto IV" — on the new release wall in a specially designated game section.

"We are committed to offering a full assortment of everything gamers want in our stores — hardware, accessories and retail and rental games across all platforms — including Nintendo Wii, Sony PS3, Microsoft Xbox 360 and Nintendo DS," said Rod Murray, vice-president, games merchandising, Blockbuster Inc.

To further support expansion of its game business, Blockbuster will also be implementing a variety of special consumer game offers, such as an exclusive Sony PS3 movie and game bundle. The bundle, available at corporate-owned stores while supplies last for $499.99, excluding tax, includes: a 40GB Sony PS3 game console that also plays Blu-ray DVDs, PS3/Blu-ray DVD remote, HDMI cable, "Spiderman 3" Blu-ray disc, "Transformers" PS3 game and a BLOCKBUSTER 12-week PS3/Blu-ray rental card that entitles users to one free PS3 or Blu-ray rental per week for 12 consecutive weeks.

5.5 million households brought home an HDTV set for the first time during the 2007/2008 holiday and Super Bowl season this year. A recent study of consumers across the U.S. indicates that 25 percent of U.S. households or 28 million now have at least one HDTV set, that up from a penetration of 20 percent in September 2007. In a study conducted shortly after Super Bowl XLII, Frank N. Magid Associates identified an impressive three million homes added a second HDTV during this same time frame, bringing multiple HDTV set homes up to nearly 10 million.

"Consumers who become accustomed to the sleek and contemporary appearance of their first HD set are now looking to bring that benefit into other rooms in their home," says Maryann Baldwin, Vice President, Magid Media Futures(TM). "However owning an HDTV set and actually viewing HD are still two very different pursuits for many."

Due to falling prices and the upcoming digital transition, a larger percentage of younger adults 21-34 purchased HDTV’s this holiday season. Among those who purchased their HDTV set in the past year, 18 percent say they did so to connect it to a high definition video game console like Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3.

"Now that the early majority has joined the ranks of the HD adopters, the demographic makeup of the HD population is looking more like the overall U.S. TV viewing universe," says Jill Rosengard Hill, Vice President and Managing Director.

Among those who reside in a household with at least one HDTV set, the number who have taken steps to arrange for HD programming reception hold steady compared to other recent studies at 70 percent. Among the 30 percent of HDTV set owners who have not made these arrangements, many site costs and a limited number of channels available in high definition. Satellite customers make up half of this group, and most of them say they are not prepared to purchase the new equipment necessary to add this service. Just three percent of homes own an HDTV set that is receiving HD programming from their local stations via an over-the-air antenna.

HD adoption appears poised to continue its accelerating growth rate. Not only do three-in-ten households plan to purchase a new TV in the next year, nearly all of them indicate that if they make this purchase, the new television will be an HDTV set. Much of the demand seen this year is driven by both the continuing decline in HD set prices, and the belief among some consumers that the digital television transition slated for February 2009 requires that consumers actually purchase a set capable of displaying high-definition.

Findings also show that 24 percent of those who do not currently own an HDTV set feel it is important they will be able to watch the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in high-definition, another driver that could lead to higher than normal second quarter TV sales, a quarter typically known for its slow TV purchase activity.

While few said the Super Bowl drove their purchase intent, 25 percent of U.S. households watched some portion of the match up between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots in high definition, either in their own home, or in the home of a friend or a family member representing a third of all Super Bowl viewers.

Current HD owners will also drive demand for HD sets. Nearly four-in-ten current HDTV set owners plan to purchase yet another HDTV set in the next 12 months.

Magid conducted this online research among 1,235 consumers nationally representative of the U.S. online population, age 21 and over. A written report on the study is now available for purchase. Contact Jill Rosengard Hill at 212-515-4523 or Jrosengardhill@magid.com.

Please Note: This was a press release