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 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Hudson's final years detailed by insider]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/23/hudsons-final-years-detailed-by-insider/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/23/hudsons-final-years-detailed-by-insider/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/23/hudsons-final-years-detailed-by-insider/#comments In about a month, Hudson will likely be nothing more than a brand name, having been fully absorbed by Konami. In a post on The Kartel, John "Master" Lee, who wore a couple of hats at US-based Hudson Entertainment -- including former VP of sales and marketing, and general manager of games publishing -- explains in his own words the "downfall" of the company.

Lee, who was employed at Hudson Entertainment from 2006 until 2009, and continued working with the company after he left, gives a detailed account of Hudson's US division's rise and fall. He explains how the disaster of Bomberman: Act Zero came to be, why the US division started making good money for the company and how that attention eventually led Konami to make its final takeover. It's a good human account of the big business of gaming and cross-Pacific relations.

JoystiqHudson's final years detailed by insider originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Bomberman-Livehudsonhudson-entertainmenthudson-softjohn-leejohn-master-leekonamimicrosoftmobilenintendopcplaystationps3wiixboxWed, 23 Feb 2011 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Hudson Entertainment shut down]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/08/report-hudson-entertainment-shut-down/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/08/report-hudson-entertainment-shut-down/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/08/report-hudson-entertainment-shut-down/#commentsA blog post by Hudson Entertainment brand manager Morgan Haro reveals that Hudson Entertainment, the California-based American arm of Japan's Hudson Soft, is closing down. "It was revealed today," Haro said in the post, "that all of Hudson's previously planned projects have been canceled and that our office will be closing it's doors at the end of February." Hudson Entertainment has been active since 2003; prior to that, "Hudson Soft USA" published games from 1988 through 1995.

The closing is a result of Konami's full acquisition of Hudson Soft, after which Haro speculates "there apparently won't be any need for the talents within the San Mateo offices of Hudson Entertainment." Haro also speculated that the difficulty of finding an audience for Japanese games in the west, and the proliferation of both giant publishers and indies, as recent problems for Hudson. "You're either a hit, or an indie developer looking to be a hit."

Hudson's most recent American release was Lost in Shadow on Wii.

JoystiqReport: Hudson Entertainment shut down originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 13:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hudson-entertainmenthudson-softlocalizationmorgan-haroTue, 08 Feb 2011 13:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Lost in Shadow preview: Seeing the light]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/14/lost-in-shadow-preview/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/14/lost-in-shadow-preview/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/14/lost-in-shadow-preview/#comments I've played Lost in Shadow twice so far at preview events, and both times I was moved to ask, "Could this game end up on other platforms -- XBLA and PSN perhaps?" Both times the game's representatives said no. Lost in Shadow is headed to Wii this January as a retail release, and that could be a real shame -- though the game is "aimed at kids, but enjoyable for adults as well," according to a pitchman, history suggests that this unique, beautiful, third-party platformer from Hudson is unlikely to be a sales hit.

But for Lost in Shadow's sake, let's hope Wii owners discover this possible gem -- they might just find a very pretty, endearing game with an interesting platforming twist.

Gallery: Lost in Shadow (10/8/10)

Continue reading Lost in Shadow preview: Seeing the light

JoystiqLost in Shadow preview: Seeing the light originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hudsonhudson-entertainmentLost-in-ShadownintendoTower-of-ShadowwiiThu, 14 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ESRB rates Castlevania: Rondo of Blood for Wii]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/25/esrb-rates-castlevania-rondo-of-blood-for-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/25/esrb-rates-castlevania-rondo-of-blood-for-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/25/esrb-rates-castlevania-rondo-of-blood-for-wii/#comments
[Castlevania Dungeon]
According to a recent "T for Teen" classification by the ESRB, Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (better known as Dracula X: Rondo of Blood) appears to be heading to the Wii. An OFLC rating of the game back in December already hinted at the possibility of the game arriving on the Wii's Virtual Console (the Japanese version was released in April 2008), but the ESRB rating's description seems to clinch it, citing the "early-90s rendering" of "reddish blood-like bursts."

Previously, unless you were a resident of Japan who owned a PC Engine CD in the early '90s (or, more likely, a PSP owner anywhere in the world within the past two years ago), there wasn't an easy way for you to get your hands on "Akumajō Dracula X Chi no Rondo" (Rondo of Blood's Japanese title). But now, it seems that Wii owners outside of Japan will get the chance to check out the game.

JoystiqESRB rates Castlevania: Rondo of Blood for Wii originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniadracula-xdracula-x-rondo-of-bloodesrbesrb-ratinghudsonhudson-entertainmenthudson-softkonamiNintendorondo-of-bloodvirtual-consoleWiiMon, 25 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tower of Shadow renamed: Lost in Shadow]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/01/tower-of-shadow-renamed-lost-in-shadow/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/01/tower-of-shadow-renamed-lost-in-shadow/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/01/tower-of-shadow-renamed-lost-in-shadow/#comments The short-lived title of Hudson's platformer Tower of Shadow has been reborn as Lost in Shadow. Everything else about the game, which seems to have its puzzles based in the perception and angle of shadows, appears to remain the same, with a release date shining upon mid-2010.

Some new images have been cast upon the gallery below. Be sure to check out the trailer (in Germanese) released during GamesCom to get a better idea of what to expect from the game. There's something about living shadows that is still unbelievably creepy.




JoystiqTower of Shadow renamed: Lost in Shadow originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hudson-entertainmentkonamilost-in-shadowtower-of-shadowTue, 01 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hit the slopes with new Snowboard Riot screens]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/29/hit-the-slopes-with-new-snowboard-riot-screens/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/29/hit-the-slopes-with-new-snowboard-riot-screens/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/29/hit-the-slopes-with-new-snowboard-riot-screens/#comments
Click image to head down the mountain of screens
Hudson has just sent over some new screens for its upcoming snowboarding game, Snowboard Riot. While we've yet to see any folks vandalizing storefronts or yanking truck drivers out of their vehicles, we will say there is plenty of snowboarding going on. So, at least Hudson got that half of the game's name right.

Check out the new screens in our gallery below.

JoystiqHit the slopes with new Snowboard Riot screens originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hudsonhudson-entertainmentscreenssnowboard-riotsnowboardingsportsThu, 29 Jan 2009 10:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Hudson US president resigns post]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/01/hudson-us-president-resigns-post/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/01/hudson-us-president-resigns-post/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/01/hudson-us-president-resigns-post/#commentsFiled under:


There's been a changing of the guard at Hudson Entertainment, the North American flavor of Konami-owned Hudson Soft, as president and CEO John Greiner will take his leave of the company on May 15. Hudson notes that it currently has no plans to look for new blood to bring in to replace Greiner, instead stating that the U.S. division's senior exec and chairman Seiichi Ishigaki will step in to fill his shoes.

Citing the reason for his departure, the 20-year exec noted plans to "spend time with his family and pursue personal interests," which knowing Hudson as we do probably means hemming them into a corner with a bomb before admiring the carnage from a safe distance. Once the smoke clears, we wish Greiner the very best.

JoystiqHudson US president resigns post originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 May 2008 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hudsonhudson-entertainmenthudson-softhudsonentertainmenthudsonsoftjohn-greinerjohngreinerThu, 01 May 2008 04:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wii Fanboy Interview: Hudson's Mike Samachisa on Deca Sports]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/01/wii-fanboy-interview-hudsons-mike-samachisa-on-deca-sports/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/01/wii-fanboy-interview-hudsons-mike-samachisa-on-deca-sports/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/01/wii-fanboy-interview-hudsons-mike-samachisa-on-deca-sports/#commentsFiled under:


As you all know, we've had our eye on Deca Sports for quite some time. It really looks like a fun compilation of sports. But, to sway any doubt about the game's excellence that we may have had lingering around in our mind, Mike Samachisa, the head of Hudson Entertainment's console division, answered some of our questions regarding the game.

Why wasn't Wi-Fi support added? What made them go with this collection of sports? What sports did they have to cut? Which is better: Wii Sports or Deca Sports?

Head on past the break to get a better idea for what the present and future holds for Hudson's Deca Sports game.

Continue reading Wii Fanboy Interview: Hudson's Mike Samachisa on Deca Sports

JoystiqWii Fanboy Interview: Hudson's Mike Samachisa on Deca Sports originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deca-sportshudsonhudson-entertainmenthudsonsoftjoystiqfeaturesminigamesolympicssportswii-sportswiisportsTue, 01 Apr 2008 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Hudson announces Dungeon Explorer for PSP]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/15/hudson-announces-dungeon-explorer-for-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/15/hudson-announces-dungeon-explorer-for-psp/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/15/hudson-announces-dungeon-explorer-for-psp/#commentsFiled under:

Hudson Entertainment a bringing a classic gaming franchise to the PSP next year in the form of Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts. The game is due out in February and will feature improved graphics and features while still maintaining the same dungeon crawling gameplay of the original. Dugeon Explorer for the PSP will feature a huge selection of different weapons, armour types and equipment. There will also be more than 150 different kinds of fighting arts and the game will be playable with up to two other people in Ad-Hoc mode. There's no mention so far of an infrastructure mode, sadly.

We have a great selection of screenshots of the game in the gallery below. Be sure to check them out and prepare yourself to explore some dungeons shortly after the new year comes around.

Gallery: Dungeon Explorer

JoystiqHudson announces Dungeon Explorer for PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Nov 2007 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dungeon-explorerdungeon-explorer-warriors-of-ancient-artshudsonhudson-entertainmentThu, 15 Nov 2007 14:30:00 EST