Week Beginning Monday 9th, February 2009

News Clips (Last Update: 2009-02-14 00:02 GMT)

2009.02.14 - pop'n music Cafe music selection (CD) (Japan)
Released on konamistyle.jp now. In stock at play-asia next Tuesday. Pre-order now.
2009.02.13 - 星野奏子 Album "Prism" (Thread)
Album details published on Kanako Hoshino's official website. Current track list consists of three songs taken from beatmaniaIIDX and one new song with 8 more tracks to be revealed. The album will be released under the Columbia Music Entertainment label.
2009.02.13 - DanceDanceRevolution X (AC) (Japan) (Thread)
February 16th online update announced. It will fix the following things:

1. Fixes freezing after a play session.
2. Fixes arrows going missing during special circumstances.
3. Fixes timing data of specific charts. (i.e. SURRENDER YOUR LOVE)
4. Fixes the errors that occur when playing some EDIT DATA. (i.e. Arrabbiata)
2009.02.13 - DanceDanceRevolution S (iPhone/iPod Touch) (Japan) (Thread)
Two more songs announced. Release date and price still unannounced.

A Geisha's Dream (Ruffage Remix) / NAOKI feat. SMiLE.dk
AFTER THE GAME OF LOVE / NPD3
2009.02.12 - Viacom's Harmonix sues KONAMI over "Rock Revolution" (Thread)
As stated above. KONAMI sued Harmonix last year in July and now Harmonix is suing KONAMI back for infringing on a patent that simulates real instruments.
2009.02.12 - AOU 2009 Amusement Expo KONAMI SPECIAL SITE (Thread)
More details have emerged for the jubeat version that will appear in the jubeat STAFF BLOG. The song list will include the following:

Licenses / ライセンス楽曲 (本人歌唱)

GIVE ME UP / MICHAEL FORTUNATI
informer / snow
take on me / a-ha

Covers / ライセンス楽曲 (カバー)

Barbie Girl / (Aqua)
Jambalaya / (Hank Williams)
Rock Around the Clock / (Bill Haley & His Comets)
Sandstorm / (Darude)
Set You Free / (N-Trance)
Venus / (Bananarama)

KONAMI Original / コナミオリジナル

Crosswind / Mutsuhiko Izumi
GIGA BREAK / 96 (*)
IN THE NAME OF LOVE / Y&Co. feat. Erica (*)

(*) These songs was not featured in the North American and European location tests.

Crosswind will have different charts compared to the Japanese version.
2009.01.12 - DanceDanceRevolution フルフル♪パーティー (Wii) (Japan) (Thread)
Site updated. SECRET section published. Order game only or the bundle.
2009.02.12 - DanceDanceRevolution X (PS2) (Japan) (Thread)
Site updated. CHARACTER section updated. Order game only, special edition, complete edition or the soundtrack.
2009.02.11 - AOU 2009 Amusement Expo KONAMI SPECIAL SITE (Thread)
The BEMANI information for the AOU 2009 says the jubeat machines being exhibited there will be the overseas version, in other words, the US/EU versions.
2009.02.10 - beatmaniaIIDX Figure 1/8 Series "CELICA"
Pre-orders have began with a release date slated for August 28th. 2,500 pre-orders must be made on konamistyle.jp by March 8th before the KONAMI actually decide to manufacture it.
2009.02.10 - jubeat (AC) (Korea) (Thread)
jubeat has been released in Korea with UNIANA distributing the game out to arcades recently with e-AMUSEMENT support.
2009.02.10 - GuitarFreaks&DrumManiaV6 BLAZING!!!! (AC) (Japan) (Thread)
Due April according to am-net.
2009.02.10 - beatmaniaIIDX16 EMPRESS (AC) (Japan) (Thread)
Site updated. NEW SONG section updated.
2009.02.09 - AOU 2009 Amusement Expo KONAMI SPECIAL SITE (Thread)
Press release published.
2009.02.09 - Stillwind Borenstein Has Passed Away (Thread)
Jason Michael "Stillwind" Borenstein has passed away last Saturday. He has helped with the likes of DanceDanceRevolution SuperNOVA2 and DanceDanceRevolution X and was also the audio director of the Xbox DDR series. He is also famously known as the face of Michael a la Mode on the TUTORIAL modes of beatmaniaIIDX GOLD and above. (Source: bemanistyle.com)
2009.02.09 - Hideyuki Ono First Album "over there"
Published and pre-orders begin on konamistyle.jp.
2009.02.05 - DanceDanceRevolution X (AC) (Europe) (Thread)
The ATEI cabinet is now located in Funland, Trocadero, Piccadilly Circus. The volume is much louder than it was when it was at the ATEI. One of the ATEI Guitar Hero ARCADE cabinets is also at Funland. Thanks for the confirmation from Rwr4539.

This Week's Releases

pop'n music Cafe music selection (CD) (Japan) will be released this Saturday. Pre-order now. In stock at play-asia next Tuesday.

Go To Last Week >>

Order Links

beatmaniaIIDX15 DJ TROOPERS (PS2) (Japan)
Order game only, special edition or complete edition.
DanceDanceRevolution フルフル♪パーティー (Wii) (Japan)
Order game only or the bundle.
Keiichi Ueno First Album "Rewind" (CD) (Japan)
Order now.
DanceDanceRevolution X (PS2) (Japan)
Order game only, special edition, complete edition or the soundtrack.

I was reading this story on Konami posting an increase in revenue for 2007, and I found this interesting quote:


Article

Going to the actual press release...

Disney Grooves being the upcoming one, do we expect UNIVERSE4 coming for 360 or X-2 for the PS2?

Probably, and the DDR FROM STAFF blog has also made a very very vague hint on the next Wii-series game.

I was interested at the quote "we will focus on music games". Considering they really only have two ongoing music game series in North America (DDR and KR...No way they are going to release RR2 after such lousy sales and reception lol), could this be a hint that they are considering bringing more music games over? Maybe I'm reading too much into it .

Universe 4: Bring it on, they're on a hot streak after UNI3.

New Wii game: Hopefully, it can improve on HP and HP2.

New PS2 game: Um, no. Anytime this year would be too soon.

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Hmm not sure about that RoyBoyCF; they seem to pump DDR games out every September.

I know, I was following up on you and Pie^3.

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They will probably release another PS2 game this year around September (or whenever month its going to be. Wouldn't be surprised if they held out 'till October to be honest), and it certainly won't be too soon. The question is whether it will be a catchup mix or another AC port...That will probably depend on how fast the next AC version comes out. Although SN2->X took almost a year and a half, this can probably be attributed to development of the new AC machine and the switch to PC hardware.

...(hopes for PS2/PS3 DDR this year) But it's unlikely =/

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