At Nintendo’s annual E3 presentation, Nintendo confirmed the existence of Animal Crossing Wii. The game has already been given a title, City Folk and more importantly, has confirmed a 2008 release. More news as it breaks.
UPDATE: Nintendo has also announced Wii Speak. Wii Speak will take in all of the sound in the room and is placed on top of the Wii sensor bar.
Licensed by Nintendo®, the Logitech® Cordless Keyboard for Wii™ provides easy text entry for Wii™.
Cordless Keyboard for Wii
Convenience
* 2.4 GHz wireless technology: Allows you to easily enter text on the Wii™ Internet Channel and in chat-oriented games from up to 30 feet (10 m) from the console.
* Compact design: Easy to store, yet full-size keys allow for comfortable typing.
* Easy setup: Just plug in the receiver and the keyboard works instantly.
* Wii™ system keys: Navigate the Internet and system with dedicated buttons for Zoom In/Out, Forward/Back, Quit, and OK.Cordless Keyboard for Wii
Compatibility* Licensed for Wii™: Ensures both design and technical compatibility.
* Nintendo Co Ltd. President Satoru Iwata
* Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime
* Designer/producer/supervisor Shigeru Miyamoto
* NOA Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing Cammie Dunaway
* NOA Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Affairs Denise Kaigler
Hm…Shigeru Miyamoto. I’m hoping he’ll run out to the stage wielding another master sword, ready to show off a new Zelda title. Alright, who am I kidding? It’s probably too early for a new Zelda…
Nintendo already showed off one big announcement for their E3 showing today. However, gaming fans are definitely looking forward to the software that the company will present tomorrow. According to Matt Casamassina though, one fan-favorite will be absent at this year’s E3: Kid Icarus. Kid Icarus has been hyped up for months now; concept art has (allegedly) been leaked, rumors of the developer have been strong, and indications that the new Wii game would be appearing at E3 have been great. Casamassina noted on the IGN boards, “Uh-oh. Looks like we’re going to have to wait a little longer than E3 to see the kid fly again. Not too long, though, hopefully.”
The publisher that pioneered episodic gaming and online distribution is back.
Dallas, TX Jul 14, 2008 Apogee Software is back to re-establish itself as an innovative leader in interactive entertainment. Apogee is reviving some of its legacy catalogue of 30+ releases as well as publishing all-new properties in collaboration with diverse creators and developers.
Apogee is bringing the King of Action himself, Duke NukemTM, to the handheld console market with three new missions, together called the Duke Nukem TrilogyTM. Apogee Software is producing the Trilogy under an exclusive license agreement with 3D Realms and MachineWorks Northwest LLC. The Trilogy is comprised of three episodes: Critical MassTM, Chain ReactionTM, and Proving GroundsTM.
“This marks a new beginning for a famous publisher with a history of market-making innovation,” said Terry Nagy, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Apogee. “I can’t think of a better character than Duke or a better franchise than the Trilogy to usher in a new era for Apogee.”
Apogee pioneered the shareware game revolution in 1987 by inventing the concept of game demos, distributed online, which advertised the remaining episodes in a series. Before this time, game demos and episodic releases were unheard of. These concepts created by Apogee have become mainstream today.
“It’s funny how what’s old is new again in this industry,” remarked Apogee co-founder, Scott Miller. “Many of the things Apogee pioneered are back in style, so it only makes sense to bring back Apogee and its properties with a visionary team that will once again create innovation for gamers around the world.”
According to IGN sources, not only is a motion-sensing peripheral in development for a new Tony Hawk game, but we could also see a new, redesigned DS Lite at E3 tomorrow. The motion/tilt add-on would be coming from Activision, who apparently has plans to utilize the technology in a new Tony Hawk game for the DS. Alternative rumors say Nintendo could be showing off a smaller DS redesign with a cheap price tag. Additionally, the big N may very well be developing their own motion/tilt-based cartridges, which would render Activision’s technology superfluous.
Gamers already got a sneak peak of Sim Animals thanks to the latest issue of NGamer, but now – during their E3 press conference – EA revealed the game, exclusively for the Wii and Nintendo DS. You take the helm as the “creators hand,” and take care of animals to maintain their happiness level. There are many other elements to the game as well, including banding together animals to create new families. Sim Animals is expected to launch in January 2009.
As most of you have probably already assumed, I am unable to attend E3. I was invited, but unfortunately, personal reasons stopped any chances of me going out to see the event. However, I’m fully prepared to keep you guys covered on all of the news and will do so most of the day tomorrow. Moreover, I’m considering doing a liveblog of the event, even though I’m not there (doesn’t make much sense, right?). I am a bit bummed I can’t see Nintendo up close and personal, but perhaps in future years I can experience what Nintendo has to offer.
Rock Band Platform to Encompass More Than 500 Songs by End of 2008
Los Angeles, Calif. – July 14, 2008 – Harmonix, the world’s premier music video game company, and MTV Games, a division of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), along with marketing and distribution partner Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS), today revealed at the 2008 E3 Media & Business Summit the song set list for Rock Band™ 2, the next evolution of the groundbreaking Rock Band music platform. The Rock Band 2 soundtrack will feature over 100 songs with over 80 songs on disc plus an additional 20 bonus tracks which will be made available for free download this fall. This builds upon the unparalleled depth and diversity of Rock Band’s original set list and its ever-expanding library of downloadable tracks. Comprised entirely of master recordings from some of rock’s most prolific and untouchable artists, including AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses, Bob Dylan, Metallica, Pearl Jam and more, Rock Band 2 will deliver the most impressive and largest music catalogue of any music-based videogame ever.• After 14 years since Guns N’ Roses last official music release, Axl Rose selects Rock Band 2 to debut official new track “Shackler’s Revenge” from the highly-anticipated album Chinese Democracy.
• Rock Band 2 is the first and only video game to feature the music of AC/DC. It includes their epic rock anthem, “Let There Be Rock.”
• For the first time ever, music from American music icon, Bob Dylan, is featured in a video game with “Tangled Up In Blue.”
