Joystiq

Bit.Trip Saga UK launch pushed forward to March 16

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST

Ah, the rare anti-delay, a happenstance so seldom seen in the gaming world that its occurrence should be marked by fireworks and a ticker-tape parade. Those things cost money, though, and our budget is still tapped out from smuggling our Editor in Chief out of South Africa, so this post will have to suffice.

Bit.Trip Saga's UK release date has been changed from March 26 to March 16, according to Pocket Gamer, and while that's still 6 months after the North American release, it is earlier than we were all expecting.

Bit.Trip Saga UK launch pushed forward to March 16 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Square Enix files for European trademarks 'Drakerider' and 'Blood of Chaos'

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:30:00 EST

The problem with trademark filings, folks, is that unless they're tied to an already existing intellectual property, it's a bit difficult to suss out whether they're for a new game or for a new downloadable content pack or ... what, exactly. Such is the case with two newly discovered Square Enix trademark filings, one for "Drakerider" and one for "Blood of Chaos" -- neither of which flickers our memory to life.

Siliconera discovered said filings, both of which were completed in Europe, and also discovered corresponding URL registrations tied to each. And while they conservatively suppose that these trademarks could be tied to the Drakengard and Blood of Bahumut series', we're just gonna put it all out there: "Drakerider" is clearly a crosspromotion between Sony and Square to create the Uncharted kart racing game we all expected from Naughty Dog, wherein players pilot bipedal "Drakeracers" against chocobos in a race against the end of the world. No idea about that other one, sadly.

Square Enix files for European trademarks 'Drakerider' and 'Blood of Chaos' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EU could lose tax breaks for game developers, threatens talent exodus

Jessica Conditt — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:15:00 EST

The European Union provides us a small-scale glimpse into the potential functions of a truly global society -- and more recently, a global society in crisis. The unified currency of the EU, the Euro, was on the brink of collapse recently and all of its member countries are still running damage control.

Now, France in particular is facing another monetary hurdle, as its tax incentive for game development has expired and casued "genuine concern" the EU may not renew the exception that would reinstate it. State aid is normally forbidden under EU law, but in some cases it is allowed -- without an exception, game-development tax incentives would be banned in all EU countries, including France and the UK, Develop reports.

French developer Quantic Dream (Heavy Rain) said that if the tax break is not reinstated it would relocate its operations to Canada, which does offer incentives for development companies, Develop adds. And according to TIGA, The UK's game-development workforce -- which sees no tax breaks -- fell 10 percent between 2008 and 2011, with 41 percent of its workers relocating overseas to countries such as Canada.

EU could lose tax breaks for game developers, threatens talent exodus originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Terraria goes retail in EU with 'Collector's Edition' on March 16

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:59:00 EST

Despite selling over 1 million copies of Terraria across Terra Firma, Merge Games believes the title has yet to reach a key demographic: PC game buyers without internet connections. Okay, okay, it's also possible that the Merge Games-published "Collector's Edition" of the Re-Logic-developed 2D indie hit is popular enough to warrant a version made especially for superfans, but we much prefer the concept of a board meeting to discuss a gradually disappearing group of people.

Anyway, the collector's edition of Terraria will run EU residents £19.95 (€23.80/$31.30) when it arrives at retailers on March 16, and will come packed with "an exclusive in-game item, a poster, a key ring, and trading cards." That's about $20 more than the digital copy costs you on Steam right this minute -- but does that contain the adorable little pickaxe keychain (seen after the break)? Yeah, we didn't think so.

It's unclear if the collector's version of Terraria will arrive in North America or Asia, but we've asked Merge Games for clarification.

Continue reading Terraria goes retail in EU with 'Collector's Edition' on March 16

Terraria goes retail in EU with 'Collector's Edition' on March 16 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Professor Layton 3DS to arrive in Europe next year

Mike Schramm — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 20:45:00 EST

The Professor Layton titles traditionally take their sweet time heading across the continent from Japan to the EU, and the series' first 3DS entry, called Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle in Japan, is no exception. It arrived in the land of the Rising Sun last February, and hasn't been released in Europe or North America yet. But it looks like one of those releases is planned: The end of a trailer for Professor Layton and the Spectre's Call in Europe teases that players should "get ready for an all-new Layton next year."

Presumably, that's the 3DS title (though the name usually changes on the trip over), and that tease means we'll see it out sometime in 2012. We haven't seen quite as much confirmation on a North American release, but since the last title hit Europe this week and North America last month, 2012 is a good bet for us 'mericans as well. After all, it's not like Level-5 doesn't want to release it here, it's just that translation can take time.

Professor Layton 3DS to arrive in Europe next year originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Nov 2011 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSN game sharing to become more exclusive

Justin McElroy — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:05:00 EST

There were five of you: Timbit, Stan, Rickyface, Darla D and Phillipe. The five of you didn't have anything in common, unless you count not wanting to pay a lot for downloadable games. For years, your little club split the cost of every PSN game that's come down the pike, but now the PS3 Game Buddiez may be on their last legs.

Beginning on Nov. 18, PSN licenses can be tied to only two PS3s or two PSPs, a policy change that only affects games purchased after the start date. While you'll be able to deactivate and reactivate consoles online, the days of five friends sharing an account are over.

While the news came via the EU PlayStation Blog we have every reason to think a policy shift this big will be shutting down PS3 Game Buddiez clubs all over the planet, ~~an assumption we're currently trying to confirm with Sony.~~ [Update: The US PlayStation Blog confirms that this is a worldwide policy.

PSN game sharing to become more exclusive originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Atlus: Catherine EU launch requires EU publisher

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 20:30:00 EST

Catherine is complicated, and so is the business of publishing and distribution. Following up on German site GamersGlobal's report that there was no release in sight for Catherine, we contacted Atlus about the subtleties of the EU situation.

Atlus USA's PR and sales manager Aram Jabbari explained there are "no plans at this time" regarding Catherine's launch in the territory, because the company needs to find a suitable publishing partner. Atlus doesn't have the European infrastructure, so it must first find a distribution partner before it can start promising launch windows. Jabbari cited Atlus titles Persona 4 and 3D Dot Game Heroes, distributed by Square Enix and SouthPeak, respectively, as examples of European partnerships.

This is all to say that it's not that Catherine isn't coming to PAL territories, it's just that Atlus needs to find the right buddy. Gamescom is around the corner -- it would be the perfect time to set up or finalize a deal. Catherine will be ready to start her relationship with North America on July 26.

Atlus: Catherine EU launch requires EU publisher originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Jul 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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League of Legends splits European servers into two regions

Mike Schramm — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 02:00:00 EST

Riot Games made the decision this week to split up its European server into two separate platforms in order to help out with lag and other issues. The company is now running both "EU West" and "EU Nordic and East" servers on the Old Continent, each offering League of Legends matches and services to their various regions.

Feedback on the official forums is mostly positive (and the split should provide faster games to those on either of the new servers), though a lot of players seem concerned that there's another division between the two regions. You can read the full press release after the jump -- Riot says each server is designed to support "hundreds of thousands of concurrent players." Just between us, though, if they could send a little extra lag to Evelyn players, there'd be no problems with that.

Continue reading League of Legends splits European servers into two regions

League of Legends splits European servers into two regions originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 02 Jul 2011 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Invizimals: The Lost Tribes appearing across Europe 'this November'

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 17:40:00 EST

You'll forgive us if we relate Invizimals to the 1988 sci-fi classic They Live, but we can't help ourselves. The premise of seeking out "magical monsters" who "live in the world all around you," only seen through the lens of a PlayStation Portable's camera, is eerily similar to "Rowdy" Roddy Piper's situation in the film. Apparently the devs at Novarama have stepped up their invisible monster capturing technology, as a third game in the franchise is headed to Europe "this November."

Unlike They Live, the 150 "magical monsters" of Invizimals: The Lost Tribes are instead captured, trained, and unleashed against other creatures, Pokémon-style. And unlike Pokémon, Novarama chose to curate "80 of the community's favorite" creatures and add 70 new ones, rather than building an enormous "Invizidex" roster, if you will. The Lost Tribes has only been announced for Europe thus far, though we expect a North American announcement somewhere down the line.

Invizimals: The Lost Tribes appearing across Europe 'this November' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Euro PSN gets massive update, PS Plus members get more freebies

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 15:40:00 EST

Just hours after the PlayStation Network Store went back online, Sony took to its European PlayStation blog to detail both what's coming in the first major update, as well as what European PS Plus subscribers will be receiving in the coming weeks. Beyond the already detailed "Welcome Back" content, SCEE says an extra 10 days will be added to the 60 already included in the Plus "Welcome Back" package, "due to the Store coming back a little later that we hoped."

Additionally, April's Plus content and deals are being extended for two extra weeks, meaning that if you missed a chance to download Premiere Manager at 50 percent off, there's still time! June's offers have yet to be revealed, but the post does promise Plus users a free copy of Burnout Paradise as part of the month's content offerings.

The "Spring Offers" deal for all PSN users has also been extended to June 8, a sale which was unavailable during the majority of its duration as a result of the month-long PSN outage. All PSN users can also snag a free copy of FIFA 11 Ultimate Team, a soccer management game from EA, for the time being.

And finally, the EU PlayStation Store has also received a massive update, the likes of which we've never seen before. Final Fantasy VI is totally on there, as is a mess of new Hyperdimension Neptunia content and ... well, you know what? We're going to simply point you to it rather than try to wade the flood.

Euro PSN gets massive update, PS Plus members get more freebies originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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3DS sales reach 113K units during UK launch weekend, 330K across EU

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:10:00 EST

Following its announcement of the 3DS's record US launch, Nintendo has revealed that the device was pocketed by roughly 113,000 UK buyers this past weekend, and by about 303,000 eager adopters across all of the European Union; and this despite the delay of the much-anticipated launch title Super Celery Man: 4D3D3DS.

According to Nintendo, the 3DS is now the fastest-selling handheld the company has ever released in the UK. As Nintendo was keen to point out, the 3DS even beat "the number achieved by Nintendo's market-leading home console Wii" in the region. Apparently, the third dimension resonates deeper with consumers than waggle tech. Who knew!

But even with all these record-breaking launches around the world, the 3DS seems unlikely to reach Nintendo's stated goal of 4 million units shipped by the end of March (which is to say, "by yesterday").

3DS sales reach 113K units during UK launch weekend, 330K across EU originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Namco Bandai files for 'Katamari Amore,' 'Time Trip' trademarks

James Ransom-Wiley — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST

Siliconera has turned up listings for four trademark applications that Namco Bandai recently submitted to the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (the trademark registry for the European Union). While all of the potential trademarks have been filed under general video game-related classifications, two are explicitly linked to the publisher's Katamari Damacy franchise.

Filings for "Katamari Amore" and "Katamari Amore Rolling Whopper" indicate that Namco Bandai might be preparing to roll out a new entry in the ball-it-up series. (That, or maybe two great kings are forming a strategic alliance for fast food promotion.)

It's been nearly seven months since Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi left Nacmo Bandai for good; though he wasn't directly involved with the last four Katamari games, which marked a steady decline for the brand. 2009's HD iteration, Katamari Forever for PS3, did little to update the played out formula, and Namco Bandai has shelved the series since.

Namco Bandai filed two additional trademark applications, for "Time Trip" and "Have a nice trip!," along with the Katamari ones, but there's no clear relation between the set. Of course, anything "Trip" calls to mind one-half of the dynamic duo in last year's critical darling Enslaved -- not that we're calling these vague 'marks any indication of a sequel.

[Pictured: Beautiful Katamari]

Namco Bandai files for 'Katamari Amore,' 'Time Trip' trademarks originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EU Harmony of Despair trademark hints at new Castlevania

Mike Schramm — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 23:00:00 EST

Siliconera dug up a European trademark filed by Konami for something called "Harmony of Despair," and they correctly point out that it certainly sounds like another Castlevania game. Since the classic Symphony of the Night, Castlevania games are often subtitled with music-themed "X of X" titles, including Lament of Innocence and Aria of Sorrow, and the upcoming Castlevania: Lords of Shadow.

There's no indication in the trademark exactly what the game will be (it's just marked as "video game software" and related services), and while Dawn of Sorrow, the series' first DS title, gave an acronymic hint to the system, obviously Harmony of Despair doesn't. Wait -- "H.D."? It must be for the rumored iPhone HD releasing later this year! Mystery solved!

EU Harmony of Despair trademark hints at new Castlevania originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 17 Apr 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Study: Average social gamer age is only 29 in the US

Mike Schramm — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 03:30:00 EST

If you think that those silly social games like Farmville and Mafia Wars are full of teenagers, you're only half right. The average player of social games is actually younger than previously believed, according to a new study, but a little older than teenage: 29 in the US and 27 in the EU. That's an interesting conclusion, especially since the average gamer is actually a little older than that (s/he was 30 a few years ago and has been getting steadily older since then), and most people believe that social gamers on Facebook tend to skew even older.

This survey by GamesIndustry.com, however, goes against that grain, and claims that while there are more females playing these games than males, they tend to be younger than expected. Peter Warman of that site says that the reason for this is that most such surveys don't poll any lower than age 18: "It is therefore not at all surprising that their average age is extraordinarily high ... Data from kids and teens is vital and should always be taken into account."

If these surveys aren't representing anyone below age 18, then it's possible gamers, especially those playing social games on Facebook and elsewhere, are even younger than anyone's guessed previously.

Study: Average social gamer age is only 29 in the US originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 03:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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God of War III gets a Japanese release date

Mike Schramm — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:15:00 EST

We've known that God of War III would be arriving on the Playstation 3 in March for a while now, but Sony has blessed Japan with an actual date: March 26, 2010. There's no official date for the rest of the world yet, but we'll let you know when we see one.

The good news is that it's possible the game could come out earlier in the US, being as it's a title developed right here between the shining seas. But either way, that demo will have to tide you over for a couple more months.

God of War III gets a Japanese release date originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fun with math: Some Rock Band UK packs inconsistently priced on PSN [update]

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

It appears that, in some cases, the PSN Rock Band track packs in the UK are receiving a price hike in comparison to the individually purchased songs. An EU PlayStation forum user notes the discrepancy, which applies no discount to pack purchases, making it cheaper to purchase all of a pack's tracks individually. The issue had previously been contained to packs with over three songs, but next week's update appears to break that trend. However, reviewing previous weeks with track packs of three, it appears that the EU and UK pricing were accidentally reversed for next week, but we won't be able to confirm that until the update goes live.

We've confirmed the pricing anomaly for the UK PSN Store and we're following up with Harmonix to figure out what's going on. Check out examples of the pricing inconsistencies after the break.

Update: Harmonix responded to Joystiq, saying, "We are aware of the issue and working with SCEE to resolve the problems asap."

[Thanks Si]

Continue reading Fun with math: Some Rock Band UK packs inconsistently priced on PSN [update]

Fun with math: Some Rock Band UK packs inconsistently priced on PSN [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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European PSN Video Store announcement coming at Gamescom

David Hinkle — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:45:00 EST

Angela Madranero, European PlayStation Store Manager, recently dropped word in the comments section of this EU blog post that the Video Store will be making its way (it's "forthcoming") to the EU PSN. Sony plans on making an announcement at next week's Gamescom, according to Madranero, but, should the rumor about the PS3 Slim be true, we have a feeling the excitement surrounding this will be somewhat diminished.

[Thanks, Dark Archon!]

European PSN Video Store announcement coming at Gamescom originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo price-fixing fine reduced by 30 million euros

JC Fletcher — Fri, 01 May 2009 11:00:00 EST

In 2002, the European Union levied a €167.8 million fine against Nintendo and a group of distributors for artificially boosting prices of Nintendo hardware and software from 1991-1998. Nintendo's share of that: €149.5 million, an amount that Nintendo described as "unfair, illegal, [and] even shocking" (and yes, we did imagine that being said in Mario's cheerful voice).

Thankfully for the financially strapped company, the European Union judges who heard Nintendo's appeal agreed and have reduced Nintendo's fine to €119.4 million. Nintendo cooperated with the court, providing required documentation when asked, in response to which the court decided to award Nintendo the same discount that UK distributor John Menzies received for its cooperation.

Finally, things are looking up for poor Nintendo.

[Via Edge, image via Mitchelaneous]

Nintendo price-fixing fine reduced by 30 million euros originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 May 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo calls EU's $234m price-fixing fine 'illegal'

James Ransom-Wiley — Tue, 20 May 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business

Nintendo has called a €149.1 million ($233.6 million) fine levied by European Union regulators for price fixing "unfair, illegal, [and] even shocking." In 2002, the commission fined Nintendo and seven distributors a total of €167.8 million for colluding to raise prices of game consoles and software from 1991-1998. While Nintendo isn't denying the profit boosting efforts, it claimed yesterday in the European Court of First Instance in Luxembourg that the portion of the fine owed by the game company is unjustified and discriminatory -- and indeed, at the time, was the largest ever punishment for colluding with distributors. The commission stood by its initial ruling that the steep penalty reflected Nintendo's role as producer and supplier of the price-jacked goods. It was Nintendo's responsibility to prevent price fixing and failure to do so merited the fine, the commission stated in court filings.

Nintendo calls EU's $234m price-fixing fine 'illegal' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 May 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Forget parents, EU tells industry to protect children

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture

The European Union's executive body is giving the industry two years to come up with an industry code of conduct to protect children from violent images. Reuters reports the EU executive has the power to propose legislation and impose restrictions on violent games, but is giving the industry a couple years to self regulate before it threatens to step in.

EU Consumer Protection Commissioner Meglena Kuneva wins the quote-of-the-day award for saying, "When children go out to play today they enter the world of joysticks. We are not quite sure where they go and there is real anxiety from parents." Here's an idea: Talk to your children and ask ... or better yet, try some of the games yourself! For the EU commission to get off the industry's back it would like to see the Pan European Games Information (PEGI) symbols become familiar to the public. The clock is ticking, Europe.

Forget parents, EU tells industry to protect children originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo Europe release list shows new titles ... and chess

Justin McElroy — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 09:05:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, Casual

This release list from Nintendo's European arm features some interesting releases that you may not have been aware of, especially one odd ball we'll get to in a sec. First though, apparently Atari is bringing Asterix & Obelix Olympic Games to the Wii in winter (here's betting Mario and Sonic don't even give them the time of day). We're also intrigued by DS Novel, just because we have no clue what it could be.

The title that's really stuck in our craw though is Wii Chess. Of all the boardgames you'd think to bring to the Wii, the top choices are obvious. But ... chess? Do you have to keep your hand really steady so you don't knock pieces over? Or is it just so you can triumphantly flick your wrist to knock over your opponent's king? Or maybe it's because the Wii is selling like Heelys dipped in cocaine and chess is free? Yeah, we're going with option 3.

Nintendo Europe release list shows new titles ... and chess originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Aug 2007 09:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wednesday to bring new content, Folklore demo to the EU PSN

Justin McElroy — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 17:25:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Action

PS3 Fanboy's trip to Sony alcove 3Rooms today wasn't all waving of hands and flipping of cards, they also managed to walk away with the news that the EU PlayStation Store would be getting a hearty update on Wednesday. The new content (including several trailers) will arrive in conjunction with Sony's press conference from Leipzig and will be topped off with a new demo for Folklore, the upcoming action-adventure set in a small Irish village.

Sony told the PS3 Fanboy gang that the demo will be coming to the US soon, they're just not sure exactly when. Europeans will want to act fast, though, because the demo will only be available for a limited time before it disappears again into the mist. (If you're wondering, this would, in fact, be a perfect place for a Brigadoon reference. Unfortunately, that's set in Scotland. We know, we were disappointed too.)

Wednesday to bring new content, Folklore demo to the EU PSN originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Aug 2007 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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European price cut leaked by SCEAu Managing Director?

Jem Alexander — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 11:45:00 EST

We know an announcement is coming from SCEE this Thursday that is "related to the US price cut", but SmartHouse News claim that they already have the scoop. Michael Ephraim, Managing Director of Sony Computer Entertainment Australia has reportedly confirmed that PAL regions will be seeing a price cut of "as much as 17%".

While this is potentially great news, and 17% would bring the PS3 down to a much friendlier price of £350 in the UK (making it the cheapest Blu Ray player available), we're not going to hold our collective breath. One way or the other, we'll know on Thursday.

[Via NeoGAF]

European price cut leaked by SCEAu Managing Director? originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Jul 2007 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EU Commission looks to harmonize game age restrictions

Ross Miller — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 19:33:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Business

Are you thinking about selling little Francois Quatorze (that's "fourteen" in French) that copy of Dead Rising he keeps eyeballing? Think again. European Union Justice and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini is seeking to harmonize the rules concerning the sale of video games to minors.

The Reuters article specifically cites 16 as the age in question, as Europe ratings board PEGI uses a 16+ rating for games typically rated "T" for Teen by the ESRB. Frattini opines that under current EU-wide rules, retailers still do not consistently check the consumer's age when selling 16-rated video games.

Said Frattini, "I do want to harmonise rules ... punishing people illegally selling products, people not controlling and checking identity."

The key element here is that Frattini does not want to universal agreement as to which games receive what age restrictions, as the tolerance of certain content factors differ amongst the EU's 27 nations. Germany, for example, recently banned (by means of ratings refusal) a handful of high-profile titles such as Gears of War, Dead Rising, and Crackdown.

EU Commission looks to harmonize game age restrictions originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Jan 2007 19:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Play-Asia quietly cancels PS3 pre-orders to Europe

James Ransom-Wiley — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 12:25:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Sony PlayStation 3, Online, Peripherals, Business

Not wanting to tempt fate, Play-Asia has backed out of PlayStation 3 pre-orders destined for European territories. The online import specialist emailed this brief explanation to customers today:

"We regret to inform you that due to licensing and distribution limitations, Play-Asia.com will not be able to send PlayStation3 branded products to your territory."

Play-Asia's pre-orders for PS3 launch titles and accessories have also been "closed." Pro-G notes that other import sites are taking the same precautions, with YesAsia clearly noting: "PS3 will not be shipped to any countries in the European Union (EU)."

Play-Asia quietly cancels PS3 pre-orders to Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 30 Oct 2006 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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