Rockstar unveils exclusive Xbox 360 title... Table Tennis?

"WTF?" was my original reaction. Hey, it could be a great game. It's just...odd...to see this coming from Rockstar. You'd expect this from the guys that made TopSpin or someone else.

This talk of Virtua Tennis being a good game confuses me. Im a huge tennis fan, I play at least twice a week and I picked up VT (PSP) based on word of mouth and review scores. The game is simply not any fun at all. There's no real variety to shots its absolutely impossible to ace anyone. I will just stick with the tried and true Super Tennis for my tennis game fix.

As for this table tennis game, Im not going to judge it. I think it has potential if implemented well.

Some of the reactions posted above saying "WTF?" "This is going to suck!" etc. is whats wrong with the game industry. The majority of game players arent willing to try or accept new ideas. People scream for innovation and then bash this new idea. This is a large part of the reason the market is saturated with sequels and yearly rehashes.

Just keep an open mind, it may turn out good.

Totally hoping this is serious.

Rockstar have a habit of only making games where you're supposed to be a criminal. Really, making Table Tennis is about the best way they could still be satirical after San Andreas.

So Rockstar ushers in a wave of violent urban sandbox games but says that they're really trying to buck the sci-fi/fantasy stuff that's clogging the industry. Then the violent urban sandbox game becomes the hottest trend since the joystick and Rockstar ushers in a wave of hyper realistic casual sports games and effective says that they're going to buck the trend they originally started.

They DO have balls!

hmmm... ping pong is a popular sport in asian countries.... the x360 is in need of something to net asian buying tastes... hmmmm

besides, they need the press that a positive game will give them after taking several hits to their stock over the last year.

"why they're making it a 360 exclusive and not a REVOLUTION exclusive. WHY THE HELL DO THEY THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER ON THE 360?"

probably because they want to sell more than 10 or 11 copies

Revolutin could do a table tennis game muchbetter easy.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6145348.html

I wonder if the camera at XFEST and that link has anything to do with this game...

Once the Freehand on the Revolution becomes popular, it's going to be a very short amount of time before Sony and Microsoft begin to use similar technologies... IMO, at least. Nintendo might be saying that competition is not what they are aiming at, but I doubt Sony and Microsoft have discounted the hype surrounding the Revolution...

Just had an idea:

a game of fooseball (or table top football) ((soccer to the yanks)) that would be so sweet.
Plus it would be perfect with the revolution control pad.

One day I will regret giving out all my ideas on the net without copyrighting them first.

:)

maybe this will use the new camera to control the game ?

I personally think this would be cool. Sometimes its good to go for something different.

Can anyone translate what the arabic says in the background of that picture?

I'm of the camp that is really excited about this game. I loved Virtua Tennis and Top Spin even though I'm not a Tennis fan. Most video games could only hope to provide the kind of reflex-driven play you have in Table Tennis. It makes tons of sense to me but since it's Rockstar people seem to think it's a joke. This is gonna be sleeper hit of the year when it comes out, almost makes me want to get an Xbox 360, although I hope some of the Revolution speculation is true. I personally suck at table tennis, it's like trying to keep your balance standing on a flagpole... so "touchy". Hit the ball too hard and it goes flying. Play it sometime, or play it again, and I think you'll see Rockstar might not be joking.

Anyone who does not see the potential of this game has never played extreme ping pong - the kind that leaves marks on you body.
Yeah if you are one of those guys who hold the paddle flat and kind of make mushy motions with your arms, it could be boring. But if you have ever bought the genuine butterfly rubber and paddle blank, custom built a paddle to your style, and used it to hammer 50 mph topspin slams into these idiots, you might understand why some of us are looking at this as a top title for the 360.
Why is it inconceivable that this game could be better than a game where it takes a whole bunch of people to move this huge ball down this huge floor and throw it in this huge hoop? Let me tell you a true fact about ping pong...at the highest level, it is played by your spinal nerves...there is not enough time to transmit the signal to your brain...reaction time is more critical here than in a first person shooter.

My predictions on game control:
One joystiq controls position of player
Other joystiq: Front/back controls paddle angle
right/left controls forehand/backhand arm reach
shoulder trigger unleashes the hammer

Memo to Sam Houser:
Title the damn thing Pong. Make them eat their words.