Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Save on Tales of Vesperia and Eternal Sonata by Chopin at Amazon]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/23/save-on-tales-of-vesperia-and-eternal-sonata-by-chopin-at-amazon/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/23/save-on-tales-of-vesperia-and-eternal-sonata-by-chopin-at-amazon/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/23/save-on-tales-of-vesperia-and-eternal-sonata-by-chopin-at-amazon/#commentsIf you somehow damaged your Tales of Vesperia disc, you can pick up one for $23 from Amazon as part of the retailer's Deal of the Day. Also available today: Eternal Sonata for $20, which is mostly noteworthy for its ability to qualify your Tales of Vesperia order for free shipping.

JoystiqSave on Tales of Vesperia and Eternal Sonata by Chopin at Amazon originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 Sep 2010 14:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftnamco-bandairpgTales-of-VesperiaxboxThu, 23 Sep 2010 14:21:00 EST<![CDATA[Tales of Vesperia Blu-ray unlocks additional PS3 content]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/27/tales-of-vesperia-blu-ray-unlocks-additional-ps3-content/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/27/tales-of-vesperia-blu-ray-unlocks-additional-ps3-content/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/27/tales-of-vesperia-blu-ray-unlocks-additional-ps3-content/#comments Tales of Vesperia continues gracing the PS3 with more and more content. The First Strike, an animated film prequel to the game, will be available on Blu-ray in Japan and it'll unlock extra costumes for the PS3 version of the game. (Undoubtedly, this will make some Xbox 360 owners quite angry.)

This isn't the first time a Blu-ray has been enhanced for the PS3. Most recently, District 9 featured a playable God of War III demo. Zombieland also includes a dynamic XMB theme. However, Tales of Vesperia seems to be charting new territory by unlocking additional game content via a Blu-ray movie. It's certainly an interesting experiment: one we'd like to see more and more movies take advantage of. See a trailer for the movie after the break.

[Via Andriasang]

Continue reading Tales of Vesperia Blu-ray unlocks additional PS3 content

JoystiqTales of Vesperia Blu-ray unlocks additional PS3 content originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animeblu-raynamco-bandaitales-of-vesperiatales-of-vesperia-first-strikeWed, 27 Jan 2010 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Tales of Vesperia voice actor says game is coming to Wii [update: Oops! He meant Tales of Graces!]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/07/tales-of-vesperia-voice-actor-says-game-is-coming-to-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/07/tales-of-vesperia-voice-actor-says-game-is-coming-to-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/07/tales-of-vesperia-voice-actor-says-game-is-coming-to-wii/#comments [Update: Abyssal Chronicles has updated their story, reporting that Mr. Koyama has updated his original blog post with the following clarification: "When I mentioned being on sale for the Wii, I meant Tales of Graces, and not Tales of Vesperia! I truly apologize to everyone for the misunderstanding!!!!" Well, we can see how that would be confusing. You'll find our original post below.]

Lock the doors and board up the windows, folks. Considering the seismic backlash to the announcement that the (formerly) 360-exclusive Tales of Vesperia would be coming to the PS3, we fear for what might happen when this story gets out. Japanese voice actor Rikiya Koyama, who provided the voice for Vesperia's pseudo-antagonist Duke, recently mentioned on his blog that, "Tales of Vesperia is coming out on one thing after another: Xbox 360, then PS3, and now upcoming, goes on sale even on the Wii."

While this may deeply excite RPG-loving Wii owners, keep in mind that it's entirely possible Koyama meant to say Tales of Graces, the franchise's next installment which is, in fact, coming to the Wii. Just think about that before you start snapping the pieces of your already-snapped 360 Vesperia disc in protest. Those edges can get pretty sharp.

[Via Kotaku]

JoystiqTales of Vesperia voice actor says game is coming to Wii [update: Oops! He meant Tales of Graces!] originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>namco-bandaiNintendorpgtalestales-of-vesperiavoice-actingWiiSat, 07 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Namco Bandai considering Tales of Vesperia sequel]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/18/namco-bandai-considering-tales-of-vesperia-sequel/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/18/namco-bandai-considering-tales-of-vesperia-sequel/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/18/namco-bandai-considering-tales-of-vesperia-sequel/#comments
During an event celebrating the recent theatrical release of Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike in Japan, Namco Bandai's Makoto Yoshizumi said there is a strong internal desire to develop a sequel to Xbox 360 and PlayStation Tales of Vesperia. According to Yoshizumi, staff have questioned whether a Vesperia 2 is in the publishers future, leaving him to jokingly respond, "Don't talk like a fan!" "We're thinking about it," he told press during the creator discussion in Japan's Shinjuku district.

According to the panel, Vesperia's story is far from over as Namco Bandai is already brainstorming ideas if the opportunity for a new film in the series arises. "I don't know when it will happen, but we'd like to show [these things] in video form," Namco Bandai's general manager told those in attendance. Hopefully Namco Bandai will release a potential sequel for all platforms simultaneously, otherwise we may have a repeat situation of angry Japanese gamers on our hands.

JoystiqNamco Bandai considering Tales of Vesperia sequel originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>makoto-yoshizumiMicrosoftnamconamco-bandaitales-of-vesperiatales-of-vesperia-first-strikeXbox-360Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tales of Vesperia costumes offered as a Tales of Graces pre-order bonus]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/14/tales-of-vesperia-costumes-offered-as-a-tales-of-graces-pre-orde/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/14/tales-of-vesperia-costumes-offered-as-a-tales-of-graces-pre-orde/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/14/tales-of-vesperia-costumes-offered-as-a-tales-of-graces-pre-orde/#commentsIf Xbox gamers feel betrayed enough to destroy their discs and burn magazines over the PS3 port of Tales of Vesperia, how are they going to react to news that costumes from Vesperia are also no longer exclusive, appearing in the Wii's Tales of Graces? Will they stand for this minor outrage?

Given away as a download code on a pre-order bonus DVD, the costumes enable players to dress Aspel, Sophie, and Cheria as Yuri, Patty, and Rita. Look forward to some angry message board posts featuring a spurned gamer giving a ruthless thumbprint to his Xbox disc, or throwing it straight in the garbage, then pulling it out and cleaning it.

[Via Andriasang]

JoystiqTales of Vesperia costumes offered as a Tales of Graces pre-order bonus originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>namco-bandainamco-tales-studiotalestales-of-gracestales-of-vesperiaWed, 14 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PS3 version of Tales of Vesperia sells over 140K in one day]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/18/ps3-version-of-tales-of-vesperia-sells-over-140k-in-one-day/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/18/ps3-version-of-tales-of-vesperia-sells-over-140k-in-one-day/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/18/ps3-version-of-tales-of-vesperia-sells-over-140k-in-one-day/#comments Walking around the streets of Akihabara, you'd be hard pressed to find a copy of Tales of Vesperia for PS3. Why? The game has sold over 140,000 units in one day, according to initial reports from Japan. Already, that's more than the first month of sales for the original Xbox 360 version, and nearly equal to the lifetime sales for that version. The promise of added content and being on a system that Japanese people actually own both contributed favorably to Namco Bandai's sales.

While Namco Bandai must be pleased with the money it's raking in (from yesterday's sales, and from Microsoft), the publisher has yet to announce a US release for Vesperia PS3. We think there are a lot of new PS3 owners that would love to check out the game on Sony's console.

JoystiqPS3 version of Tales of Vesperia sells over 140K in one day originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 03:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>japannamco-bandaisalestales-of-vesperiaFri, 18 Sep 2009 03:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Microsoft exclusivity deals funding PS3 development in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/16/rumor-microsoft-exclusivity-deals-in-japan-funding-ps3-developm/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/16/rumor-microsoft-exclusivity-deals-in-japan-funding-ps3-developm/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/16/rumor-microsoft-exclusivity-deals-in-japan-funding-ps3-developm/#comments
 What do Vampire Rain, Tales of Vesperia, Lost Planet, Eternal Sonata and Enchanted Arms all have in common? Aside from being developed in Japan, every one of them landed on the Xbox 360 "exclusively" first, only getting ported (sometimes with additional content) to the PlayStation 3 a year or so later. One Japanese developer claims the exclusivity agreements are being used in lieu of financial help from Sony for game development -- essentially saying that Japanese developers are using Microsoft's capital to develop temporarily exclusive 360 games with the intention of inexpensively porting the games to PS3 later on.

"It was easier developing for the Xbox 360 ... if you sign an exclusive contract with Microsoft (you won't release it on other hardware for a year or similar), they will give you a lot of cash for development," read a Japanese developer's post (the original post has since been removed), translated by Sankaku Complex (site NSFW). "As a result, first you develop for the Xbox, reducing development costs. But the Xbox version won't sell [in Japan]. So they port it to the PS3 ... it's cheaper as you already have the game done."

Though they didn't work on it, the developer claims to have seen this policy in practice with Tales of Vesperia. As Kotaku points out, it's quite possible that the dev did see such a practice on Vampire Rain, a game the mystery developer says they worked on.

JoystiqRumor: Microsoft exclusivity deals funding PS3 development in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessenchanted-armseternal-sonataexclusivityjapanMicrosoftnamcorumorsankaku-complextales-of-vesperiavampire-rainXbox-360Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tales of Vesperia demo next week, trailer teases new stuff]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/09/tales-of-vesperia-demo-next-week-trailer-teases-new-stuff/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/09/tales-of-vesperia-demo-next-week-trailer-teases-new-stuff/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/09/tales-of-vesperia-demo-next-week-trailer-teases-new-stuff/#commentsIf you've already played Tales of Vesperia, don't be surprised by how unrecognizable this new trailer is. Namco Bandai isn't holding back on the PS3 version of the RPG, adding tons of new content, from new playable characters, new dungeons, to new fully voiced cutscenes, like the ones you see above.

Japanese gamers will be able to test the PS3 version of Tales when a free downloadable demo releases next week, July 13th. If you make a Japanese PSN account of your own, you'll be able to try it -- just make sure you know Japanese first, okay?

We contacted Namco Bandai Games America about its plans for a US release and were simply told, "We have not announced Tales of Vesperia (PS3) for the North American region at this time. Therefore, we can not comment on additional content for the PS3 version of the game in Japan." Shucks.

[Via Kotaku]

JoystiqTales of Vesperia demo next week, trailer teases new stuff originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>demojapanpsntales-of-vesperiaThu, 09 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Famitsu unveils Tales of Vesperia PS3 bonus content]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/23/famitsu-unveils-tales-of-vesperia-ps3-bonus-content/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/23/famitsu-unveils-tales-of-vesperia-ps3-bonus-content/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/23/famitsu-unveils-tales-of-vesperia-ps3-bonus-content/#comments
That guy in the picture? He's saying "damn, I wish I'd waited and bought the PS3 version of Tales of Vesperia, instead of the 360 version." That's because he's just read the latest Famitsu and found out about all the cool extras that will be included with the game when it hits the PS3 later this year. This includes new Giganto Monsters and new areas of the world for them to inhabit, such as additional dungeon and desert environments.

Those who pre-order in Japan will also receive a redemption code for downloadable costumes from another game in the series, Tales of the Abyss. Not only that, but people who buy both Vesperia and the upcoming PSP Tales of VS will get even more goodies, as each game will include a password which will activate new content in the other.

[Via Andriasang.com]

JoystiqFamitsu unveils Tales of Vesperia PS3 bonus content originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>famitsutales-of-vesperiatales-of-vsTue, 23 Jun 2009 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Tales trailers: Vesperia on PS3, VS on PSP]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/10/tales-trailers-vesperia-on-ps3-vs-on-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/10/tales-trailers-vesperia-on-ps3-vs-on-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/10/tales-trailers-vesperia-on-ps3-vs-on-psp/#comments As long as you promise not to break or burn anything, we'll allow you to view these video clips of Tales of Vesperia PS3 and the PSP-exclusive Tales of VS. Above, you'll find a Japanese trailer for Vesperia. It features the all-new pirate character, Patty.

After the break is a trailer for Tales of VS, which is very much like Dissidia: Final Fantasy in the sense that both are cameo-based fighters. VS gathers 35 characters from across the Tales series. Popular personalities such as Yuri, Luke, Richter and Shing are all confirmed. Also, you may have noticed that the trailer was entirely done in English. What could that mean, if anything? Tales of Vesperia and Tales of VS are scheduled for Japanese releases in autumn and summer 2009, respectively.

Continue reading Tales trailers: Vesperia on PS3, VS on PSP

JoystiqTales trailers: Vesperia on PS3, VS on PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 Apr 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>namconamco-bandairpgtalestales-of-vesperiatales-of-vsFri, 10 Apr 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Japanese gamer breaks disc, burns magazine article over Vesperia PS3 port]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/08/japanese-gamer-breaks-disc-and-burns-magazine-article-over-vespe/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/08/japanese-gamer-breaks-disc-and-burns-magazine-article-over-vespe/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/08/japanese-gamer-breaks-disc-and-burns-magazine-article-over-vespe/#comments Perhaps "Tales of Rage" is a more suitable title for Tales of Vesperia on PS3, as fan reaction to the enhanced port hasn't gone over well. Fans of the series in Japan are livid at the announcement, seeing as many of these gamers bought systems just to play the formerly 360-exclusive game. In one case, a fan was so angry he snapped his game disc in half (... subconsciously telling himself he has a reason to pick it up again) and burned the PS3 announcement article.

While we feel sorry for such angered gamers, we do believe they should have known better. After all, the game was previously teased to appear on PS3 by Namco Bandai itself. Just couldn't wait, huh? No wonder they say patience is a virtue.

[Via Kotaku]

JoystiqJapanese gamer breaks disc, burns magazine article over Vesperia PS3 port originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>j-rpgnamconamco-bandairpgtalestales-of-vesperiaWed, 08 Apr 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tales of Vesperia movie confirmed, prequel to the game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/07/tales-of-vesperia-movie-confirmed-prequel-to-the-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/07/tales-of-vesperia-movie-confirmed-prequel-to-the-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/07/tales-of-vesperia-movie-confirmed-prequel-to-the-game/#comments
Oh, Namco Bandai, you sneaky sneaky publisher. You hold an entire press conference in Tokyo and wait all the way until the very end to sneak in an official confirmation of the Tales of Vesperia movie, titled "Tales of Vesperia: First Strike." Oh, and what's that? It's a prequel to the game featuring "Yuri and Flynn's days together among the Zaphian Knights?"

We're sorry, you're just going to have to do better than that. Oooh, you say it's being developed by I.G. Productions, the company that worked on previous film adaptations of various Tales games in the past? Keep talking. Seasoned animator Kanta Kamei, known not only for his work on Tales of Legendia but also as the visual supervisor for the animated segment in "Kill Bill Vol. 1" is directing it, eh? Well that certainly helps.

When "First Strike" releases in Japan "sometime later this year," it'd better be good! We'll let you off the hook this time -- but only this time.

[Via 1UP]

JoystiqTales of Vesperia movie confirmed, prequel to the game originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ig-productionskanta-kameikill-billnamco-bandaitalestales-of-legendiatales-of-vesperiatales-of-vesperia-first-strikezaphian-knightsTue, 07 Apr 2009 14:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Tales of Vesperia coming to PS3, Tales of VS for PSP]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/01/tales-of-vesperia-coming-to-ps3-tales-of-vs-for-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/01/tales-of-vesperia-coming-to-ps3-tales-of-vs-for-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/01/tales-of-vesperia-coming-to-ps3-tales-of-vs-for-psp/#comments
Like you didn't see this one coming. Namco Bandai has finally announced a PS3 version of Tales of Vesperia. The game's exclusivity to Xbox 360 was always questioned, especially after a few noteworthy slip-ups on Namco Bandai's part. Like Eternal Sonata before it, the upcoming PS3 version of Vesperia will be enhanced over the original. Details are scarce for now, but the game will feature at least one new character. Japan will receive the enhanced port later this year.

In addition to Vesperia, the Japanese magazine debuted another Tales game for the PlayStation systems. Tales of VS, a PSP-exclusive that looks to be Namco Bandai's attempt at a Dissidia clone. The screens showcase characters from a number of Tales games brawling in a 3D environment, and indicate that VS looks to outdo Square Enix's fighter by offering support for up to four characters. As long as games like VS continue to be announced, it looks as though PSP is going to have another monster year in Japan.

[Thanks to everyone that sent this in!]

JoystiqTales of Vesperia coming to PS3, Tales of VS for PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>namco-bandaitalestales-of-vesperiatales-of-vsWed, 01 Apr 2009 15:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Tales of Vesperia heads to Europe this June]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/25/tales-of-vesperia-heads-to-europe-this-june/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/25/tales-of-vesperia-heads-to-europe-this-june/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/25/tales-of-vesperia-heads-to-europe-this-june/#comments Gamers in PAL territories will finally be able to play Tales of Vesperia when it releases this June. The Namco Bandai RPG is the best-selling Xbox 360 game of 2008 ... in Japan. Nearly a year since its original release in Japan and America, our friends across the Atlantic can finally join in.

Regarded as the best Tales game ever by many, Vesperia transports players into the world of Terca Lumireis, a world where the people are no longer comfortable with the powerful imperial regime. The main character, Yuri, may look like a chick, but those that bear with the game will find him to be one of the most likable RPG characters in recent memory.

Gallery: Tales of Vesperia

JoystiqTales of Vesperia heads to Europe this June originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>namco-bandaitalestales-of-vesperiaWed, 25 Mar 2009 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox 360 outsells PS3 in Japan for fourth time, Four Horsemen draw closer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/26/xbox-360-outsells-ps3-in-japan-for-fourth-time-four-horsemen-dr/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/26/xbox-360-outsells-ps3-in-japan-for-fourth-time-four-horsemen-dr/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/26/xbox-360-outsells-ps3-in-japan-for-fourth-time-four-horsemen-dr/#comments
The Xbox 360 has only outsold the PlayStation 3 several times before, so we're reticent to bring the Four Horsemen out of their winter hibernation. However, if Japanese hardware sales tracker Media Create is to be believed, the 360 not only outsold the PS3 in Japan last week, it handily trounced all competition, with sales just over 25,000 units (compared to nearly 17,000 units for Wii and just over 16,000 for PS3).

Considering Star Ocean: The Last Hope was released this past week and is outselling every game on the chart by a margin of at least 3:1 (162,232 units, folks -- in one week!), we're taking a stab in the dark here and saying 360 sales had something to do with that. After all, the last few times we put out a call to the horsemen, two other JRPG titles were to blame: Infinite Undiscovery and Tales of Vesperia.

Can you remember the other game that put 360 on top in Japan for a week? Hint: It involves fire and liberation and ... fighter jets. Give up? Too bad! We're still not telling!

Continue reading Xbox 360 outsells PS3 in Japan for fourth time, Four Horsemen draw closer

JoystiqXbox 360 outsells PS3 in Japan for fourth time, Four Horsemen draw closer originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Feb 2009 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessinfinite-undiscoveryjapanese-hardware-salesmedia-createMicrosoftnamco-bandainamdaisquare-enixsqueenixstar-oceanstar-ocean-the-last-hopetales-of-vesperiaXbox-360Thu, 26 Feb 2009 12:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Tales of Vesperia to become anime movie]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/10/tales-of-vesperia-to-become-anime-movie/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/10/tales-of-vesperia-to-become-anime-movie/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/10/tales-of-vesperia-to-become-anime-movie/#comments 1UP took note of a tiny blurb in Japanese magazine Kinema Jumpo, which indicates that Namco Bandai is preparing a Tales of Vesperia movie. The animated film will allegedly be the first in the series to hit the the big screen. Tales of Phantasia, Eternia, Symphonia and Aneurismia (not real) have all received linear animated media releases, but not in theaters.

The Japanese version will feature voice talent from the game, but there's no word if the same is planned for an international version. 1UP speculates that the film could be used to cross-promote a PS3 version of Vesperia. We don't know about that, but Namco Bandai did eventually take its Xbox 360 exclusive, Eternal Sonata, to the PS3.

JoystiqTales of Vesperia to become anime movie originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animatedfilmMicrosoftmovienamco-bandaitalestales-of-vesperiaXbox-360Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Famitsu: Only one Xbox 360 game made Japan's Top 100 in sales]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/21/only-one-xbox-360-game-made-japans-top-100-in-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/21/only-one-xbox-360-game-made-japans-top-100-in-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/21/only-one-xbox-360-game-made-japans-top-100-in-sales/#commentsFiled under:


According to a Japan sales chart compiled by Famitsu, only one Xbox 360 game carried enough weight to be named a top seller in 2008, out of 100 titles. Capturing the 82nd slot was Namco Bandai's Tales of Vesperia, a real-time role-playing game and latest entry from the famed fourteen-year-old franchise, apparently only selling 161,070 units since it released in early August. As expected, Nintendo topped the list with 47 DS titles and 15 Wii titles in the region. One out of 100? We guess that is what you'd call progress. Right? Then again, no. No, it isn't.

[via Kotaku]

JoystiqFamitsu: Only one Xbox 360 game made Japan's Top 100 in sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bandai-namcofamitsujapanjapanese-salesnamco-bandaitales-of-vesperiaWed, 21 Jan 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft pushing for 1 million 360s in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/23/microsoft-pushing-for-1-million-360s-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/23/microsoft-pushing-for-1-million-360s-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/23/microsoft-pushing-for-1-million-360s-in-japan/#commentsFiled under:


With Japanese Xbox 360 sales recently reinvigorated, even outselling the Wii -- or coming damned close, depending on who you believe -- Microsoft is keen to keep up the momentum. Speaking to Edge, Xbox Japan head Takashi Sensui noted the sales boost, saying "[Microsoft needs] to make the strengthening of our RPG lineup a priority." In addition Sensui said that Microsoft is working to keep 360 supplies up in the region, no doubt referring to Japan's retailers exhausting the country's entire supply of 360 consoles following the debut of Tales of Vesperia. The next goal for Microsoft is to break the 1 million unit mark, a goal it's close to reaching with recent sales estimates hovering at nearly 720,000. Sensui is hopeful about the 360's prospects, saying "we believe that Japanese consumers will see what we have to offer and agree that is is the best option available."

With some big name RPGs on the way -- such as Star Ocean: The Last Hope (above) -- and the Tokyo Game Show taking place next month, we're sure we'll be getting an earful of Microsoft's strategy for Japan in the coming weeks.

JoystiqMicrosoft pushing for 1 million 360s in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>infinite-undiscoveryjapanstar-ocean-4takashi-sensuitales-of-vesperiaTue, 23 Sep 2008 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Infinite Undiscovery, price cut help Xbox 360 outsell Wii in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/17/infinite-undiscovery-price-cut-help-xbox-360-outsell-wii-in-jap/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/17/infinite-undiscovery-price-cut-help-xbox-360-outsell-wii-in-jap/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/17/infinite-undiscovery-price-cut-help-xbox-360-outsell-wii-in-jap/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


It wasn't so frightening when the Xbox 360 outsold the PS3 for a week back when Tales of Vesperia came out, but now that it's sold more than the Wii during the week ending Sept. 14 ... well, now we're stricken with panic. According to Enterbrain, the Xbox 360 sold 28,861 units during the week, while the Wii sold 27,057 (the PS3 managed 8,050).

Xbox 360 sales were more than likely spurred by the one-two punch of a Japanese price cut and the release of console-exclusive Infinite Undiscovery, which sold 86,708 units in its first week. MCV points out that the 360 has now sold 717,275 units in Japan -- the very foundations of our world would be shaken if it actually went on to sell a million units.

Gallery: Infinite Undiscovery

JoystiqInfinite Undiscovery, price cut help Xbox 360 outsell Wii in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Sep 2008 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>enterbrainhardware-salesinfinite-undiscoveryjapanjapanese-hardware-salesmedia-createmicrosoftprice-cutPS3salestales-of-vesperiaWiiXbox-360Wed, 17 Sep 2008 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Shipping This Week: Crashing edition]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/25/shipping-this-week-crashing-edition/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/25/shipping-this-week-crashing-edition/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/25/shipping-this-week-crashing-edition/#commentsFiled under:


There are two really notable things about the games releasing this week. One, you may recall that Tales of Vesperia was the game that single-handedly caused the Xbox 360 to sell out completely in Japan. Somehow, we doubt the game will have quite the same impact in North America (regardless of its quality). Two, after over two frakking years, Castle Crashers is finally landing on Xbox Live Arcade. Our anticipation around here is palpable. Perhaps you've noticed. Also releasing this week is Tiger Woods 09. We're not sure exactly what's notable aboout that unless, of course, the Jesus shot makes a return.

[Via Joystiq]

JoystiqShipping This Week: Crashing edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castle-crashersshipping-this-weektales-of-vesperiatiger-woodstiger-woods-09Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[New games this week: Tales of Vesperia edition]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/25/new-games-this-week-tales-of-vesperia-edition/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/25/new-games-this-week-tales-of-vesperia-edition/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/25/new-games-this-week-tales-of-vesperia-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


We had a little trouble picking our favorite release this week. Though Mario Super Sluggers made a compelling case, in the end, we had to go with the little game that helped the 360 rise, phoenix-like from the ashes in Japan (before, you know, it dug right back in to those comfy ashes the following week): Tales of Vesperia.

Portable players get some good news this week too with the handheld release of N+. Check the full list right after the break.

Gallery: Tales of Vesperia

Continue reading New games this week: Tales of Vesperia edition

JoystiqNew games this week: Tales of Vesperia edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DSnew-gamesnewgamesPCPS2PS3PSPtales-of-vesperiaWiiXbox-360Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Japanese Xbox 360 sales fall back to Earth]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/22/japanese-xbox-360-sales-fall-back-to-earth/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/22/japanese-xbox-360-sales-fall-back-to-earth/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/22/japanese-xbox-360-sales-fall-back-to-earth/#commentsFiled under: ,

Well that was fast. It seems like just last week we were reporting the bizarre news that the Xbox 360 had suddenly leapfrogged the PS3 in weekly Japanese sales, selling nearly 25,000 units on the strength of Tales of Vesperia's release. Things are back to normal this week, though, with Microsoft's system once again sitting comfortably in last place with 7,258 units sold. Don't get us wrong, this is still a relatively strong number considering the system's historically low sales and reportedly widespread supply problems in Japan. But anyone hoping that last week's numbers were a sign of a permanent realignment in the Japanese console market might want to return to reality's cold embrace.

JoystiqJapanese Xbox 360 sales fall back to Earth originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>japanjapanese-hardware-salestales-of-vesperiaxbox-360Fri, 22 Aug 2008 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox 360 sold out in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/20/xbox-360-sold-out-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/20/xbox-360-sold-out-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/20/xbox-360-sold-out-in-japan/#commentsFiled under: ,

tales of vesperia
Go ahead, rub your eyes and read the headline again. The Japanese are so gaga over Tales of Vesperia that they've gone and bought up every last Xbox 360, Engadget Japanese's Ittousai reports to Joystiq. Sold out!

Granted, Microsoft isn't exactly pumping units into Japan, but even this sudden surge in demand has knocked the console manufacturer square off its feet. A statement on the Japanese Xbox.com (clumsy translation) explains that new shipments of the standard model won't arrive at retail until September, followed by shipments of the Elite and Arcade SKUs sometime later. But by then, pigs may have landed and Hell could be all thawed out.

[Via Engadget Japanese; Thanks Ittousai!]

JoystiqXbox 360 sold out in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hell-freezes-overjapanpigs-flytales-of-vesperiaXbox-360Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Japan completely sells out of Xbox 360 hardware]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/20/japan-completely-sells-out-of-xbox-360-hardware/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/20/japan-completely-sells-out-of-xbox-360-hardware/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/20/japan-completely-sells-out-of-xbox-360-hardware/#commentsFiled under: ,

Well, well, well, look what odd Xbox 360 console sales news we have here. Xbox 360 hardware is completely sold out ... in Japan ... yes, Japan ... how WEIRD!

Over on Xbox.com's Japanese site, Microsoft issued an apology letter to potential Japanese 360 gamers admitting that console hardware is sold out in Japan and that they "deeply apologize for this inconvenience to our customers", hoping to replenish 360 console stock in the country as soon as possible. In other news, recently released JRPG Tales of Vesperia is 99.8% to "blame" for Japanese Xbox 360 sales and the subsequent lack of hardware in the country. Microsoft better send NAMCO-BANDAI a fruit basket or something.

JoystiqJapan completely sells out of Xbox 360 hardware originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>japanmicrosoftnamcotales-of-vesperiaxbox-360Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Vesperia helps Xbox 360 outsell PS3 in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/vesperia-helps-xbox-360-outsell-ps3-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/vesperia-helps-xbox-360-outsell-ps3-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/vesperia-helps-xbox-360-outsell-ps3-in-japan/#commentsFiled under: ,

We're not thinking it's another sign of the Apocolypse because we've seen it happen before, but we're always a little unnerved whenever the Xbox 360 outsells the PS3 in Japan. Thanks to the release of Namco Bandai's Tales of Vesperia, the Xbox 360 moved 25,000 units the week of August 10, up from 5,359 units the week prior. The PS3 sold 9,673 and, of course, the Wii beat both with 38,506 -- but that's not really news.

Tales of Vesperia debuted at fourth place on the Japanese sales charts with 108,000 copies sold. The game will be available in North America starting August 26. We doubt the game will help rally mundane Xbox 360 sales in the US.

JoystiqVesperia helps Xbox 360 outsell PS3 in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>MicrosoftNamcoNamco-Tales-StudioTalesTales-of-VesperiaXbox-360Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tales of Vesperia cracks top ten in Japan software sales]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/tales-of-vesperia-cracks-top-ten-in-japan-software-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/tales-of-vesperia-cracks-top-ten-in-japan-software-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/tales-of-vesperia-cracks-top-ten-in-japan-software-sales/#commentsFiled under:


It takes a special kind of game to crack the Top Ten in Japan ... if that game is for the Xbox 360, that is. Luckily for Microsoft a special kind of game recently hit the market in the Far East that has exploded in popularity. Tales of Vesperia, part of the classic Tales series, cracked the Top Ten titles sold for the week ending August 10 in Japan at number four. Could this spell a significant change for Microsoft's efforts in the Land of the Rising Run?

Ha! Good one. No, seriously. This will sell a few more units before people remember they don't care about the Xbox 360 ... you know, until another RPG exclusive drops in their lap. At 108,000 units sold in its debut week, Tales of Vesperia is the fastest selling title in the history of the Xbox 360.

Jump in for the Top Ten Sales chart from Japan.

Continue reading Tales of Vesperia cracks top ten in Japan software sales

JoystiqTales of Vesperia cracks top ten in Japan software sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bandai-namcojapannamco-bandaitales-of-vesperiaFri, 15 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Pigs can fly: Xbox 360 outsells PS3 in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/pigs-can-fly-xbox-360-outsells-ps3-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/pigs-can-fly-xbox-360-outsells-ps3-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/pigs-can-fly-xbox-360-outsells-ps3-in-japan/#commentsFiled under:


Sony may have won the July NPD battle against Microsoft, but things have changed quite a bit in Japan. Shockingly, Microsoft's console has beaten the PS3 across the Pacific -- a strange coup we never saw coming. The wild demand for Tales of Vesperia, an Xbox 360 exclusive (for now) spurred sales of the non-Japanese console, defeating the unusual xenophobic fears of the Japanese gaming public ... if only for this week.

Nintendo DS - 60,434
PSP - 58,501
Wii - 38,506
Xbox 360 - 24,962
PlayStation 3 - 9,673
PlayStation 2 - 8,503

The difference between Xbox 360 and PS3 this week in Japan almost fully negates the one month lead PS3 earned in America. With Microsoft aggressively pursuing other RPG franchises, like Star Ocean and Final Fantasy, it'll be interesting to see how fierce the console wars can get in Sony's home territory.

JoystiqPigs can fly: Xbox 360 outsells PS3 in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Aug 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>japanps3salestales-of-vesperiaxbox-360Fri, 15 Aug 2008 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Tales of Vesperia gets special edition treatment]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/tales-of-vesperia-gets-special-edition-treatment/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/tales-of-vesperia-gets-special-edition-treatment/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/tales-of-vesperia-gets-special-edition-treatment/#commentsFiled under:


Once upon a time, special editions of games were truly special. Nowadays, it seems like very single game gets a special edition. We're not complaining though, because it means fans can almost always count on some extra swag with their favorite games. The latest title to jump on the special edition wagon is Tales of Vesperia, the upcoming RPG from Namco. As special editions go, it's fairly standard. For the price of $69.99 you get a spiffy metal case and a special 10th anniversary soundtrack CD (Tales of Vesperia is just the latest in the Tales series, you see). The CD packs 14 tracks from Tales of Vesperia, while the remaining tracks have been culled from other games in the Tales series. Worth an extra ten bucks? You be the judge.

[Via Joystiq]

JoystiqTales of Vesperia gets special edition treatment originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>namconamco-bandaitalestales-of-vesperiaWed, 06 Aug 2008 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tales of Vesperia special edition has many tales to tell]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/tales-of-vesperia-special-edition-has-many-tales-to-tell/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/tales-of-vesperia-special-edition-has-many-tales-to-tell/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/tales-of-vesperia-special-edition-has-many-tales-to-tell/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Tales fans likely don't need extra incentive to secure a pre-order for Tales of Vesperia; the only question that remains is if they're happy with the regular version or want to pony up the extra gald for something shinier. Besides being wrapped in metal and artwork by series character designer Kosuke Fujishima, the $69.99 Tales of Vesperia special edition will also include a soundtrack CD celebrating a decade of console role-playing.

While specifics haven't been revealed, Namco Bandai notes that of the 25 songs included on the disc, a hefty 14 will be pulled from Vesperia, with the remainder coming from Tales of Symphonia (4), Tales of the Abyss (3), Tales of Phantasia (2) and Tales of Destiny (2). However, as much as we enjoy our ears, this limited offering is a step back from the Big Daddies and cat helmets we're used to, though we doubt that will stop fans from switching their pre-orders over in the run up to the game's August 26 release.

Gallery: Tales of Vesperia

JoystiqTales of Vesperia special edition has many tales to tell originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Aug 2008 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>limitedlimited-editionlimitededitionnamconamco-bandainamcobandaispecial-editionspecialeditiontalestales-of-vesperiaXbox-360Wed, 06 Aug 2008 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tales of Vesperia demo available on NA Xbox marketplace]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/tales-of-vesperia-demo-available-on-na-xbox-marketplace/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/tales-of-vesperia-demo-available-on-na-xbox-marketplace/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/tales-of-vesperia-demo-available-on-na-xbox-marketplace/#commentsFiled under:

In between everything else going on, turns out the Tales of Vesperia demo is now available on the North American Xbox Live marketplace. Granted, we've only been waiting a couple weeks for this game to come out, but for JRPG fans, they could just have easily come up with a new game: Tales of Waiting for Vesperia demo. Sure, that's long, but we've heard worse titles.

[Thanks to those who sent this in.]

Gallery: Tales of Vesperia

JoystiqTales of Vesperia demo available on NA Xbox marketplace originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Jul 2008 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>MicrosoftNamcoNamco-Tales-StudioTalesTales-of-VesperiaXbox-360Tue, 15 Jul 2008 04:00:00 EST<![CDATA[E308: Tales of Vesperia demo online]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/e308-tales-of-vesperia-demo-online/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/e308-tales-of-vesperia-demo-online/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/e308-tales-of-vesperia-demo-online/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Moments after the Microsoft E3 press event ended Xbox Live Marketplace exploded with new content. Videos and demos are flooding the service as we speak and are expected to throughout the Media Summit. Right now the demo for Tales of Vesperia is available on the Xbox Live Marketplace. Clocking in a light 278MB the demo is expected to be the same one released on June 20. Only one way to find out! Download it now!

JoystiqE308: Tales of Vesperia demo online originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>demoE3e3-08e3-2008e308tales-of-vesperiaxblmMon, 14 Jul 2008 15:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Watch some Tales of Vesperia in Japanese]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/24/watch-some-tales-of-vesperia-in-japanese/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/24/watch-some-tales-of-vesperia-in-japanese/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/24/watch-some-tales-of-vesperia-in-japanese/#commentsFiled under: ,

As we wait for the Tales of Vesperia demo to cross the Pacific and wash up on our shores (having lost its memory and clutching onto one clue from its past), we'll take the time to check out some Japanese videos of the game. Although proficient Xbox 360 users can grab the demo off the Asian marketplace now -- and it's even in English -- we region-abiding folks will just have to get our fix this way.

Both Tales of Vesperia videos can be found after the break. One shows off the game's battle system, which looks like old-school Tales of combat meets Eternal Sonata, while the other clip appears to show off the game's next-gen yammering mechanic.

Continue reading Watch some Tales of Vesperia in Japanese

JoystiqWatch some Tales of Vesperia in Japanese originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>MicrosoftNamcoNamco-Tales-StudioTalesTales-of-VesperiaXbox-360Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Tales of Vesperia gets demo on Xbox Live]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/tales-of-vesperia-gets-demo-on-xbox-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/tales-of-vesperia-gets-demo-on-xbox-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/tales-of-vesperia-gets-demo-on-xbox-live/#commentsFiled under: ,

We're not sure what a "Vesperia" is, exactly. We suspect it's either a topical cream which has sinus cleansing vapors, or some manner of ornate doily. If that's the sort of thing you'd like to hear some tales about, you're in luck, as the demo for Namco Bandai's cel-shaded RPG, Tales of Vesperia, has just arrived on Xbox Live.

Yes, Namco told us that a demo was coming this month, so it's not exactly earth-shattering news, but we find great comfort in things panning out the way we've been told they would. As per our usual agreement, let us know what you think of the demo in the comments.

Gallery: Tales of Vesperia

JoystiqTales of Vesperia gets demo on Xbox Live originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>MicrosoftNamcoNamco-Tales-StudioTalesTales-of-VesperiaXbox-360Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tales of Vesperia demo lands on Far East Marketplace]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/tales-of-vesperia-demo-lands-on-far-east-marketplace/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/tales-of-vesperia-demo-lands-on-far-east-marketplace/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/tales-of-vesperia-demo-lands-on-far-east-marketplace/#commentsFiled under: ,


Role-playing fans heed our words! A demo for Tales of Vesperia, the upcoming role-playing game from Namco Bandai, dropped on the Xbox Live Marketplace in Asia and India early this morning. Weighing in at a slim 278 MB, the demo marks the debut of the long standing Tales of series on a Western-made platform. With the full version due later this summer demo for Tales of Vesperia lets gamers sample the action as the warrior Yuri; as he and a group of other whimsically cell-shaded characters navigate Ehmead Hill and battle it out with various creatures in the franchise's popular real-time combat engine. No word on a North American release for the demo but considering the demo is completely in English (including all spoken dialogue) it may find its way Stateside soon.

JoystiqTales of Vesperia demo lands on Far East Marketplace originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2008-releasesbandai-namcodemonamco-bandaitales-oftales-of-vesperiaFri, 20 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[See screens of Microsoft's JRPG lineup]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/12/see-screens-of-microsofts-jrpg-lineup/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/12/see-screens-of-microsofts-jrpg-lineup/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/12/see-screens-of-microsofts-jrpg-lineup/#commentsFiled under: ,


Microsoft held a press conference on Tuesday morning Joystiq Time to show off its upcoming Japanese RPGs, including Star Ocean: The Last Hope (just announced for Xbox 360), The Last Remnant (launching "on the Xbox 360 first" this Winter), Infinite Undiscovery (whose "worldwide" release isn't quite simultaneous), and Namco Bandai's Tale of Vesperia (reaching North America in August with an Xbox demo this month). Hit up the galleries below to get a peek at each of these four titles.

Continue reading See screens of Microsoft's JRPG lineup

JoystiqSee screens of Microsoft's JRPG lineup originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Jun 2008 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Infinite-UndiscoveryStar-Ocean-The-Last-HopeTales-of-VesperiaThe-Last-RemnantXbox-360Thu, 12 Jun 2008 06:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tales of Vesperia slated for August release, demo on the way]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/10/tales-of-vesperia-slated-for-august-release-demo-on-the-way/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/10/tales-of-vesperia-slated-for-august-release-demo-on-the-way/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/10/tales-of-vesperia-slated-for-august-release-demo-on-the-way/#commentsFiled under: ,

At the same Japanese press conference which saw the unveiling of the Xbox 360's Last Hope, Namco Bandai announced a release date for its cel-shaded Xbox 360 RPG, Tales of Vesperia. According to IGN's liveblog of the event, the magnificently colorful, blue-sky adventure will hit Japan (in a premium console bundle) on August 7th, with versions you can understand arriving in the same month. A European release is currently planned for 2009.

Namco Bandai also noted that a demo is scheduled to become available on Xbox Live sometime in June -- judging by the publisher's previous RPG teaser, it shouldn't be confined to the Japanese marketplace for very long, if at all.

Gallery: Tales of Vesperia

JoystiqTales of Vesperia slated for August release, demo on the way originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>MicrosoftNamcoNamco-Tales-StudioTalesTales-of-VesperiaXbox-360Tue, 10 Jun 2008 06:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Tales of Vesperia releases August, demo planned]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/10/tales-of-vesperia-releases-august-demo-planned/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/10/tales-of-vesperia-releases-august-demo-planned/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/10/tales-of-vesperia-releases-august-demo-planned/#commentsFiled under:

As one of the exclusive RPGs to hit the 360 this fall and one of the few 360 games by Square-Enix, Tales of Vesperia is solidly part of the 360's fall lineup. It's just that many won't really care about it when it comes. Live blogs from the Microsoft RPG event in Shibuya report that the JPRG will be hitting Japan August 7 and in North America and Europe before that month is out. Also mentioned is the fact that a demo will be released for the game before this month is out. Unfortunately, no specific region for the demo was cited, and given the region specific release of demos lately, it'll likely be Japan only. Well readers, do you think you (or rather the 360's demographic at large) can find room in your hearts for a JPRG this fall? Or will Fable 2 eclipse it entirely?

[Source, 1up Live Blog]
[Source, IGN Live Blog]

JoystiqTales of Vesperia releases August, demo planned originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>japanjprgrpgsquare-enixtales-of-vesperiaTue, 10 Jun 2008 04:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tales of Vesperia confirmed, then denied, as PS3 game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/tales-of-vesperia-confirmed-then-denied-as-ps3-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/tales-of-vesperia-confirmed-then-denied-as-ps3-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/tales-of-vesperia-confirmed-then-denied-as-ps3-game/#commentsFiled under:


The internet excitedly responded to Namco Bandai's recent presentation to the press, which showed Tales of Vesperia as both an Xbox 360 and PS3 game. The long-running RPG series has a strong fan following, but Microsoft secured exclusivity for the game. Since then, Namco Bandai has revised its presentation, removing mention of a PS3 version, apologizing for the confusion.

Also unseen on this revised release schedule is the previously announced PS3 version of Eternal Sonata, another Xbox 360-exclusive RPG. Considering Microsoft's subpar performance in the Japanese region, it surprises us to see Namco Bandai stick with that platform exclusively, especially for a genre that's so popular in Japan. We're pretty certain that we'll see more of Tales of Vesperia and Eternal Sonata on PS3, once Microsoft's moneyhats wear off.

[Via NeoGAF]

JoystiqTales of Vesperia confirmed, then denied, as PS3 game originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 May 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eternal-sonatanamco-bandaitales-of-vesperiaWed, 14 May 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tales of Vesperia scans from Famitsu]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/12/tales-of-vesperia-scans-from-famitsu/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/12/tales-of-vesperia-scans-from-famitsu/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/12/tales-of-vesperia-scans-from-famitsu/#commentsFiled under:


The upcoming, Xbox 360 exclusive, Tales of Vesperia has had a standard position in Japan's popular gaming publication Famitsu since it was first announced. Gamersyde offered up scans of this week's issue that details the beautiful visuals of the next step in the popular role-playing game franchise. As we reported last month, Tales of Vesperia is currently slated for release exclusively on the Xbox 360 but could eventually see life on the PlayStation 3. The game is set for release in 2009 in both 2008 in Japan and is rumored to hit sometime in 2009 Stateside, details of a European release have yet to be released but gamers should expect a release sometime in 2009 as well.

Update: Namco Bandai is confirming the title is scheduled for a 2008 release in Japan.

JoystiqTales of Vesperia scans from Famitsu originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>famitsunamco-bandaitalestales-oftales-of-vesperiaWed, 12 Mar 2008 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Namco chases Tales to North America for Wii, Xbox 360]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/namco-chases-tales-to-north-america-for-wii-xbox-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/namco-chases-tales-to-north-america-for-wii-xbox-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/namco-chases-tales-to-north-america-for-wii-xbox-360/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Namco's Tales RPG series is a lot like the bus -- if you miss one, just wait a moment and another will be around shortly. The series, which got its start back in 1995 with Tales of Phantasia for the SNES, is now set to get two new entries as Namco Bandai announced plans to localize both Tales of Vesperia (pictured) for the Xbox 360 and Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World for the Wii later this year.

While Vesperia was first announced during Tokyo's Jump Festa event last December, the game's console destination had been something of a question mark until now. The game, which marks the franchise's first entry on Microsoft's console, will feature character designs by series stalwart Kosuke Fujishima of Oh My Goddess! and Gungrave fame, and promises "significant additions" to the series' action-heavy combat, a facet that has been Tale's defining feature since hit met points.

For those with a taste for nostalgia, Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World will take place two years after the GameCube original, whisking Wii owners away on a journey wrought with discovery, old friends, and what we're sure will be plenty of waggle. There's also talk of being able to "recruit" more than 200 different monsters, no doubt pleasing those harboring an incessant need to "catch 'em all."

Gallery: Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World


Gallery: Tales of Vesperia

JoystiqNamco chases Tales to North America for Wii, Xbox 360 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Feb 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kosuke-fujishimakosukefujishimanamcotalesTales-of-Symphoniatales-of-vesperiaWiiXbox-360Wed, 27 Feb 2008 16:00:00 EST