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Net sales down for Mad Catz, Q2 earnings show rise in PS3, Xbox 360 biz

by David Hinkle { Nov 10th 2009 at 9:32PM }

Plastic peripheral powerhouse Mad Catz has unleashed its fiscal 2010 Q2 earnings results (that's the three months ending September 30, 2009 for us normal folk) and, while the company is still making plenty of cash ($21.6 million this quarter, to be exact) it saw losses of 16 percent when compared to the same period last year, where Mad Catz' net sales earned it $25.8 million. Its biggest market, North America, also saw a dip in sales this year to the tune of 18 percent; US sales have fallen nearly 20 percent this quarter, while Canadian sales rose 55 percent.

When comparing its gross sales by platform, Mad Catz only managed to lose a small fraction of its PC platform business, while simultaneously building its PS3 and Xbox 360 revenue streams by ten and four percent, respectively, and growing its specialty controller business nearly 20 percent. The company did take a considerable hit in its Wii business -- sales dropped eight percent -- as well as in other platform markets, however.

Citing what its key products were during its fiscal Q2 2010, Mad Catz obviously had a lot of love for Capcom, as several of the fight sticks it offered for 2D fighters were top earners. Aside from that, it pointed to its new line of Rock Band accessories and some Wii items such as its Remote and z-Chuk as other successful ventures.

While this quarter may not have been the best for the company, all signs point to it being a successful fiscal Q3 2010 for Mad Catz. With its collaboration with the biggest game in the universe and its venture with Capcom to offer new fighting game stuff -- the company also confirmed that Marvel vs Capcom 2 stick is legit -- we have a feeling our next post on its earnings will probably have an image of Scrooge McDuck in it.

Super Street Fighter IV getting 8-person lobbies for online multiplayer

by Ben Gilbert { Nov 10th 2009 at 9:01PM }

Much to the chagrin of many Street Fighter fans trying to get their online multiplayer on, matchmaking issues and lack of a multiplayer lobby system really stood out as glaring missteps in Street Fighter IV. Thankfully, it appears that Capcom has taken the hint and will be including an eight-person multiplayer lobby for groups to observe other matches and virtually "quarter up," as it were.

SSFIV's Masahiro Taguchi let the cat out of the bag on the official Japanese blog for the game (translated by Andriasang), saying that the regular ol' Street Fighter IV did not properly convey "the feeling of players gathering together for fights." He says that the ability to create multiplayer lobbies was on the table before creating SFIV, but was scrapped in favor of the one-on-one model currently in place. As frame rate can be a particularly important issue with fighting games relative to other genres, Taguchi makes a point to dispel any worries of online stuttering while observers look on to games in progress, though admitting that the process of making this lag free was a bit of a "technical feat." We're looking forward to putting Taguchi's claims to the test in 2010 when Super Street Fighter IV lands on our consoles.

[Via Andriasang]

Resident Evil 4: Mobile Edition ported to Zeebo

by Justin McElroy { Nov 10th 2009 at 10:30AM }

Zeebo, the 3G console available in countries like Brazil, Russia and China, reminds us that right after food, water and shelter, access to Resident Evil 4 should be a top priority for all developing nations. It was revealed yesterday that Capcom will use the MascotCapsule eruption engine to port the well-received mobile version of RE 4 to the platform.

You know, it's funny, we know Resident Evil 4 was a classic, but we never expected it to become the new Tetris -- ported to every system imaginable. Which reminds us: Shinji Mikami, be forewarned: You're probably going to have to grow a beard.

Resident Evil 5: Alternative Edition content coming as DLC

by Griffin McElroy { Nov 9th 2009 at 4:20PM }

Remember when Capcom conducted a poll asking how we wanted to receive the additional content being offered in Resident Evil 5: Alternative Edition -- in a boxed version of the game or as a DLC expansion to the original? Turns out the questionnaire wasn't a pointless exercise. A majority of the participants answered that they'd rather receive the new features (including motion-control functionality) as a downloadable pack. After deliberating with the RE5 team in Osaka, Capcom has announced that the new content will come to the U.S., Europe and Australia as DLC for the core game.

Considering Alternative Edition is going to Japan in a retail box, this move is fairly surprising. Perhaps even a little upsetting, if you've gone ahead and traded your copy of the game in towards the cost of Horse Life Adventures. Even more upsetting if you did that today. Like, right before writing this post. Gah!

Super Street Fighter IV trailer unlocks bonus stages

by JC Fletcher { Nov 6th 2009 at 12:20PM }

This latest trailer for Super Street Fighter IV shows off the new online modes, including the "Endless Battle" mode that allows up to eight players to play multiple matches, with the loser of each match going to the end of the virtual line; the "Replay Channel," which allows players to record and view replays together with voice chat; and a bunch of new tournament options.

It's all great stuff, but we know what you came here to see: If you skip to about the 2:30 mark, you can watch Ryu car bashing and barrel bashing! Check out how excited the kilted barrel-dropping machine operator is -- he loves watching his barrels get smashed!

[Thanks, Vince]

Confirmed: Car-bashing bonus stage returns in Super Street Fighter IV

by Ben Gilbert { Nov 5th 2009 at 3:18PM }

After scans from Famitsu all but confirmed it, Capcom today revealed that the crescendo of humanity vs. his own creations – car bashing – will return in Super Street Fighter IV. Though the image of Juri above is all we're offered by Capcom-Unity for now, various Capcom staff Twitter accounts lead us to believe we'll be hearing more about this bonus stage next week. In the meantime, we've dropped an excellent video of John Cleese beating up a car with a stick for you just after the break. You're welcome.

Continued →

USK: Phoenix Wright holding court on Wii

by JC Fletcher { Nov 5th 2009 at 9:45AM }

A rating on Germany's USK database suggests that Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is being planned for Wii. "Objection!!", you may say, thrilled to have the opportunity to work that in. "Didn't Ace Attorney Investigations producer Motohide Eshiro already say that the series would remain on handhelds?"

While it's true that future Ace Attorney games will probably be on handhelds, the series has already been ported to PC, proving that someone within Capcom -- and not necessarily anyone involved with actually making the Ace Attorney games -- has no issue with porting the existing titles, which is extremely likely to be what is happening here. And this is the same Capcom that said that Resident Evil 4 would be a GameCube exclusive.

Our guess would be an episodic WiiWare presentation of the first Phoenix Wright. Or a mistake in the rating description.

Dark Void dev diary focuses on that guy in front of the jetpack

by David Hinkle { Nov 5th 2009 at 6:30AM }

For us, the worth of protagonist Will in Dark Void isn't measured by his strengths as human being, but really just his awesome jetpacking. Airtight Games wants us to know there's more to like about the guy and aimed to make Will more in line with the typical Japanese game protagonist -- more believable and less of a "caricature."

The above video diary also shows us how Nikola Tesla ended up in the game. Tesla is just one cool dude, whether he's being played by David Bowie, building super awesome defense towers for the Russians, or -- in the case of Dark Void -- spearheading an entire rebellion by inventing jetpacks and gigantic airships.

Rumor: Car punching returns in Super Street Fighter IV

by Justin McElroy { Nov 4th 2009 at 9:45AM }

While Street Fighter may be the perfect symbol of man's inhumanity to man, we always considered SFII's bonus stage (which used the punching of a car as a John Henry-esque metaphor for the struggle to maintain humanity in the face of an industrial age) as the more poignant symbolism. Capcom appears to agree, as some new Famitsu scans seem to indicate that the car-punching bonus stage will return in Super Street Fighter IV.

Also depicted is the barrel smashing mini-game, though that doesn't represent anything ... except that it's fun to smash barrels.

Zombified Londoners take to the streets for Resident Evil

by Ben Gilbert { Nov 4th 2009 at 1:00AM }

Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles may not come out until November 27 in the UK, but a gaggle of Resident Evil fans recently took to the streets to celebrate the impending release regardless. Following the end of the London Games Festival, Capcom organized around 50 undead at the Tate Modern for a good ol' group shamble.

As you can see in the image above captured by The Tanooki, the event erred on the side of Shaun of the Dead rather than 28 Days Later. Though now that we think about it, we're not sure if it's more or less terrifying if zombies are smiling. We're thinking more.

[Image credit]

Ghost Trick returns to haunt us with new trailer

by JC Fletcher { Nov 3rd 2009 at 4:50PM }

Capcom's Ghost Trick was one of the most memorable games of TGS (in our opinion), combining a novel puzzle mechanic with a memorable style. We've been eagerly awaiting any new information or media that may (Ghost) trickle out, and now we've got a new-ish trailer to share for the 2010 release.

We say new-ish because it features the same intro animation seen in the TGS trailer. But this extended video also has brief snippets of gameplay footage, in which we can see Sissel possessing and "tricking" things like a cabinet door (to make a dog move). Check out the trailer after the break.

Gallery: Ghost Trick (TGS 2009)

[Via GoNintendo]

Continued →

The Street Fighter II HD Remix intro that never was

by Richard Mitchell { Nov 3rd 2009 at 4:05PM }

We're sure everyone likes the redrawn, high definition art featured in Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, but did you know that Udon also redrew the original SSFII intro sequence? It's true, and Capcom Unity has the video to prove it. After the break, you'll find the intro movie that Udon created, though it never made it into the actual game. The video features Ryu doing his fireball thing, while Chun-Li poses and Cammy (for some reason) gives everyone a raspberry. Watch the redrawn trailer and the original after the break.

Continued →

VC in Brief: Fighting Street (TG16) and R-TYPE (SMS)

by David Hinkle { Nov 2nd 2009 at 8:15PM }

This week's Virtual Console releases kind of pale in comparison to last week's stellar offerings; Fighting Street is a crummy game that helped spawn one of gaming's best series, whereas R-TYPE is a great game, though the version offered this week is the lousier port. There's been a way more competent version of the game available since 2006!

Fighting Street (TurboGrafx-16 CD-ROM, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points)
R-TYPE (Sega Master System, 1 player, 500 Wii Points)

Every week, we like to check out what's new on the Virtual Console. We offer these videos as a sort of taste to help you decide whether or not you would want the game in question. We also toss in our own two cents because we're pushy jerks like that.

A ridiculously detailed guide to the changes in North America's Tatsunoko vs. Capcom

by JC Fletcher { Nov 2nd 2009 at 6:15PM }

forums.shoryuken.com/showthread.php

We know about the "big picture" changes made to Tatsunoko vs. Capcom for the North American release (and the Japanese re-release to follow): online play, new characters, no Hakushon Daimao. But those aren't the only changed. In every iteration of its fighting games, Capcom tweaks tiny behaviors and damage effects to balance the game.

The fighting game obsessives at Shoryuken have produced a list of minute changes that will affect how the game works. For example, the Megacrash move (which pushes the opponent to the opposite side of the screen) now pushes up in addition to away. And Roll's air dash is faster. Check out the wonderfully informative post for plenty more details that we never, ever would have noticed.

Gallery: Tatsunoko vs Capcom (TGS 2009)

[Via GoNintendo]

Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles cubecraft is sharp around the edges

by David Hinkle { Nov 2nd 2009 at 1:15PM }

If your fascination with the characters of the Resident Evil universe extends beyond the confines of each game, then you may like to know that Cubeecraft and Capcom Europe have teamed up to offer some papercraft versions of Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles characters. With little more than a printer, some paper and the ability to fold strategically, you can make miniaturized and highly flammable versions of your favorite characters, perfect for reenacting scenes from the games. Well, unless your favorite character is Steve Burnside. He's nowhere to be found, which may or may not be a really good thing.