TGS 06: Sony tips PS3 Japan launch hand

Press materials confirm a minimum of six titles for 11/11, nine more due by end of year; at least 12 confirmed for 2007; US launch catalog to be at least eight titles larger.

As part of its effort to promote its wares at the 2006 Tokyo Game Show, Sony Computer Entertainment Japan fired off a fusillade of press materials this morning. Besides revealing five new titles for the PlayStation 3--Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Sega Golfclub, flOw, Wangan Midnight, and Shirokishi--the releases partially lifted the veil off the Japanese PS3 launch slate.

When the PlayStation 3 goes on sale in Japan November 11, six games will definitely be available: Genji: Days of the Blade, Mah-Jong Fight Club Online, Mobile Suit Gundam: Target In Sight, Resistance: Fall of Man, Sega Golfclub featuring the Miyazato Family, and--wait for it--Ridge Racer 7. Sony also confirmed Armored Core 4 would arrive sometime in November.

For December, Sony has locked down a trio of games: F1 Championship (aka Formula One 06), Gran Turismo HD, and MotorStorm. Three more carry a general "winter 2006" release date in Japan: Need for Speed Carbon, Enchant Arm, and the railroad sim Railfan. Another pair will ship during "2006": Sonic the Hedgehog and Fatal Inertia, though the latter is only "projected" to make that vague release window.

According to Sony, 2007 will see at least 12 more PS3 titles come to market across the Pacific. Virtua Fighter 5, Virtua Tennis 3, Heavenly Sword, Lair, Monster Kingdom: Unknown Realms, The Eye of Judgment, and Wangan Midnight will all arrive in the "spring," while Everybody's Golf 5 and Warhawk will land in the "summer." Other games confirmed for the year are Afrika (working title), Coded Arms: Assault, and the much-awaited Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.

Sony listed a sextet of several high-profile titles with the most nebulous release date of all, "TBD." Those included Shirokishi, fl0w (working title), Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War, Devil May Cry 4, and Final Fantasy XIII.

While informative, the release dates revealed today are in no way a complete Japan PS3 release schedule, which has yet to be released by Sony. It also must be emphasized that the list is not reflective of the PS3 launch lineup in North America. There, Activision has publicly committed to having three games--Call of Duty 3, Marvel Ultimate Alliance, and Tony Hawk's Project 8--go on sale alongside the console. Electronic Arts is expected to have four to five games for the PS3 launch, while Take-Two is predicted to have three by January 2007, according to analysts. Ubisoft has also committed to have at least one game available.

The PS3 games featured by Sony at TGS 2006 are listed below, in order of release. The company has also released information on how far along each game is in overall development--the percentages completed are also listed below. (Another brochure listing floor-demo build development was also distributed with slightly different percentages.)

JAPAN SHIP DATE / TITLE / STATUS
11/11/2006 / Genji: Days of the Blade / 70% complete
11/11/2006 / Mah-Jong Fight Club Online / 60% complete
11/11/2006 / Mobile Suit Gundam: Target In Sight / 80% complete
11/11/2006 / Resistance: Fall of Man / 80% complete
11/11/2006 / Ridge Racer 7 / 80% complete /
11/11/2006 / Sega Golf Club featuring Miyazato Family / 70% complete /

November 2006 / Armored Core 4 / 80% complete

December 2006 / F1 Championship (working title) / 60% complete
December 2006 / Gran Turismo HD (working title) / 70% complete
December 2006 / MotorStorm / 60% complete

Winter 2006 / Need for Speed Carbon / 70% complete
Winter 2006 / Enchant Arm / 70% complete
Winter 2006 / Railfan / 30% complete

2006 / Sonic the Hedgehog / 80% complete

2006 (Projected) / Fatal Inertia / 90% complete

Spring 2007 / The Eye of Judgment / 70% complete
Spring 2007 / Heavenly Sword / 65% complete
Spring 2007 / Lair (tentative for Japan) / 40% complete
Spring 2007 / Monster Kingdom: Unknown Realms (working title) / 30% complete
Spring 2007 / Virtua Fighter 5 / 70% complete
Spring 2007 / Virtua Tennis 3 / 50% complete
Spring 2007 / Wangan Midnight / N/A

Summer 2007 / Everybody's Golf 5 (working title) / 30% complete
Summer 2007 / Warhawk / 50% complete

2007 / Afrika (working title) / 30% complete
2007 / Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots / N/A
2007 / Coded Arms: Assault / 40% complete

TBD / Devil May Cry 4 / N/A
TBD / Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War / 60% complete
TBD / fl0w (working title) / N/A
TBD / Shirokishi / 10% complete
TBD / Final Fantasy XIII / N/A
TBD / Rainbow Six Vegas / N/A

168 Comments

  • Neo_Kelyn

    Posted Oct 28, 2006 10:09 am PT

    Just watched a trailer for Afrika.

    Quite simply the most realitic character modeling I've ever seen, be it on film or game.
    If the new gen consoles can produce visuals like that then, and I'm getting ahead of myself here, imagine what we'll be given in 4 or 5 years time.

  • TheBuck27

    Posted Oct 22, 2006 10:01 pm PT

    Well I'm a Sony fanboy through and through but the Wii launch lineup looks way, way better. I actually probably won't buy a PS3 until like 2008, because there's still quite a few good PS2 games that I haven't played yet so there's no point in getting the new system until it drops in price and has enough good games for it to warrent a purchase. Although I definitely see Resistance being the flagship game for PS3. Insomniac never disappoints. And this system better not break down in 2-4 years like the PS2 did. They'd better be charging that amount of money for a reason. My old PS1 which I bought around the time of the original launch of PS1 still works today, hopefully we can see something similar out of this one, but for some reason I doubt it. Sony drops from it's throne this gen, sadly.

  • bartman999

    Posted Oct 15, 2006 10:37 am PT

    nice

  • The-ace

    Posted Oct 11, 2006 6:34 pm PT

    that's ... not what i expected...
    to just have 6 games launched with the console ... is really bad for Sony.

    nobody is buying it as long as there isn't a variety of games to choose from.
    but what the hell... it's not bad to show of with your brand new PS3 even without games because you can stuff it with movies,pics or stuff and just sit back and relax that you don't have to check if the closest store got the next shipment or not lol.

    or if you're not that excited to get it u can wait for 2007 where the real fun begins mwahahahaha.

  • -Krakapow-

    Posted Oct 4, 2006 8:51 am PT

    and how long before these games are ready for europe?

  • Latinbro1

    Posted Oct 3, 2006 1:58 pm PT

    hey when the PS2 came out we didn't have lots of options.... the sam ecan be said of the cube. anyway, resistance is a good lunch title but i hope it doesn't end up being a perfect dark zero. i'm still waiting 'til feb or so to get a PS3.. cuz i'v ehad bad luck w/ the fist shipment all my consoles...except the cube and the SNES

  • littleboomer

    Posted Oct 2, 2006 3:46 pm PT

    what about GTA IV?

  • A-TEX

    Posted Oct 2, 2006 9:55 am PT

    Ouch. 2006 is going to suck for PS3 games. When VF5 and Metal Gear come out, then I'll pick up a PS3. I'm not paying $600 to play Gundam and Majong just to have the "it" system when it comes out in November.

  • Lunarben

    Posted Oct 1, 2006 5:10 am PT

    i think dead rising would be good on ps3. But they may aswell add hundreds of more zombies because the hardware ps3 will be able to handle it obviosly. But yeh all the release games looks a bit meh.. Im sure as time goes by better games will be released.

  • fishheads111

    Posted Sep 30, 2006 12:41 pm PT

    8!!!..8!!!!...thats it???!!! I thought we were trying to beat the 360's launch...not copy it!
    I was thinking more like...a dozen titles on release....or so....
    *sigh*
    all sorts of games keep getting their release dates changed around...motor storm...fatal Inertia, WARHAWK! wtf happened to that! It went from being late 06'/ early 07' to half way through 07'....what are they doing to the game..and how is it only 50% done....they had a playable demo where...ooooohhhh...they are gonna pull a mentally ill halo 2 style release...work forever on the demo..and like 5 mnths on the game...hopefully thats not the case...but we shall see....

  • gozyaj

    Posted Sep 28, 2006 2:27 am PT

    8 games?? dont care... Wait for the killer ap!!!!

  • chibirevolution

    Posted Sep 25, 2006 2:41 am PT

    The only games i wanna play is Final Fantasy and MGS4. hehehe. So i'll probably wait for a price drop in Europe (haha as if thats gonna happen in the next 3 years) before i go out and buy it.

  • rikardo10

    Posted Sep 24, 2006 6:14 am PT

    8 games? wat the hell men i fell sorry for the ps3 is such a good konsole, i tried it at the tokyo game show today and i liked it, aktually its the best konsole i have ever seen its like ten times better than 360,i tried both and i liked more the ps3 and also the kards game thing. but wit that katalog im just getting the dea that it will fail. i feel soo sorry for it.

  • Jermwarfare

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 10:36 pm PT

    blah.....the only game on there that interests me at all is Resistance....and even that looks ah lttle "if'y",i would wanna play it before buying it.

  • ultimate_zero

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 10:31 pm PT

    I noticed that the most people that are complaining about the list are xbox fanboys. Hope the people know about the games that haven't been announced yet. Just because they show games on the list doesn't mean thats all the games gettin released, their are still alot in development in SECRET, learn about that word microsoft fanboys.

  • xche78x

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 9:50 pm PT

    oh my goodness, this certainly warrants that i will be getting the wii and delaying the ps3 later next year. due to less stellar launch games.
    i dont like FPS games on console, keyboard and mouse on PC is better, so Resistance FOM is out. im a ridge racer fanboy so i'll definitely get that 7. gundam, genji and armored core looks promising. Gran Turismo is off by a month or so (but will definitely get that). golf, mahjong, motorstorm are also out of my list. and all other titles are for next year. GTA is what will really make me buy PS3 next year.

  • DeathgiverX

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 7:31 pm PT

    Wow, that is as pathetic as the 360 launch line-up. Where did all the good games go? And if you want to know the progress of any Japan made games for the USA subtract 40% from each one. And I have no plans of buying Madden X, or whatever crap Activision is making, and I doubt Ubisoft has anything yet.

  • _Sam_

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 5:30 pm PT

    why are they taking so long

  • jchap127

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 12:48 pm PT

    OMG LMAO only 12 games comming out in 2007! Yippie! Whats worse is that the only good game in the whole line up is Heavenly Sword. (I gave up on Metal Gear after part 2.) This sucks, I guess i'll just have to watch alot of Blue Ray movies to rationlize my $600 purchase.

  • REVOLUTIONfreak

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 11:24 am PT

    thats a pretty crappy launch lineup. MGS4 seems like the only good game coming out within the next year

  • metdevthegamer

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 9:34 am PT

    Pretty weak launch line-up.

    The minute I saw Mah-Jong Fight Club Online, I thought "oh no, not Fight Club again."

  • risi37

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 2:43 am PT

    not bad

  • kreo20

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 2:08 am PT

    Let the games BEGIN!!!!!

  • letusgame

    Posted Sep 23, 2006 1:08 am PT

    cool...

  • SolidFear

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 11:29 pm PT

    That is an amazing lineup for launch, and after, and not everything has been announced yet! Best lineup!

    Can't wait to see North Americas...

  • jlx1000

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 9:52 pm PT

    Ummm those complaining should read the full article. This is a partial Japan launch list and in the US there will be at least 10-12 more games on day one from EA, Activision and Ubisoft respectively.

  • jakeboudville

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 9:48 pm PT

    interesting

  • Gogandontas07

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 9:43 pm PT

    ME NEED MORE METAL GEAR INFO !!!!!!
    WANT NOW. but this is still nice though.

  • kells77

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 7:08 pm PT

    i thought R6 Vegas was a release title?

  • Alcotamaysees

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 6:35 pm PT

    I hope the final launch list will be more...promising than this. Especially for a 500-600$ console.

  • ziutek2

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 6:33 pm PT

    Resident Evil 5 - exclusive for X360?!

  • e_boulanger

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 6:30 pm PT

    Not much of a line up for the launch... Oh well, maybe it's better that way. I will be able to save more money before buying the PS3 and Sony will have time to correct the few bugs in the PS3 that are going to surface.

  • thekey

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 5:52 pm PT

    So much for PS3's "superior" launch line up. The 360's looked way better.

    I take a wait and see aproach with the PS3, its too shakey right now.

  • VegetaMaelstrom

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 5:43 pm PT

    striker2k3:
    "its actually good to see all these ps3 haters. Atleast the PS3 won't be hard to find in stores after 3 months lol... then all you kids will wan't to jump on the wagon..."
    .
    Truer words were never spoken.

  • Gokuja

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 4:51 pm PT

    Right on jon, 3 consoles and a PC is going to be insane i won't be missing out on any of the action. Who cares about what console it is, i want the games.

  • Zeke129

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 4:43 pm PT

    @jon1233: Your comment was a refreshing break from all the fanboys. You're right, Wii60 is a fad. (Considering there is no system named that. Surprise surprise)

  • steelhead2264

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 4:16 pm PT

    Man I cant wait to get Metal Gear Solid 3 but I dont get the games Afrika and Railfan! What the hell is that!!!!????

  • mariokart64fan

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 3:51 pm PT

    wow sonys line up isnt that good after all , nintendos is better all original titles if not original way to play old titles

  • mr_montoya85

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 2:42 pm PT

    What Wi60 Alliance ?????????????????????????

  • AncientDozer

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 2:31 pm PT

    Thanks, Jon. You're heart is leaning in the right direction but you're trying too hard. Neutrality is the best place to be but clearly you have some grudge against the Wi60 alliance. It is not a fad. It is a smarter decision and easier to accomplish.

  • jon1233

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 2:20 pm PT

    If these exact games were the launch titles of say the Wii, or the 360, fanboys would be screaming their brains out. These don't look half bad compared to some previous releases I've seen, stopped being so biased guys. Wii60 is a fad, and all fads die.
    Go ahead, keep wearing fanboyism as a fashion statement. I'll enjoy all 3 consoles and a PC, thank you very much.

  • KickinIt_ftw

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 1:34 pm PT

    I had a PS2, once. (actually twice -- an original [which broke] and a newer slim model) ...Which begets the question:

    Considering that their track record has been less than stellar over the last decade, isn't anyone here concerned about hardware problems popping up on the PS3? I mean sure, it's almost been a given that Sony products will crap out on you ...but doesn't the fact that it's triple the price of the PS2 sort of up the ante on quality concerns?

    Between a relatively unknown format (blu-ray), a relatively unreliable hardware manufacturer ...the massive sticker-shock, a 75% reduction in boxes ready at launch, no EU launch until early/mid 2007 and an admission directly from Sony about their hardware being "on the decline" ---- it's not difficult to question their decision to be the hardware king for this generation of consoles, (especially when being the king comes saddled with the public perception that you are a slovenly, hot-blooded, wasteful, tubby despot who keeps giving the public a more refined version of the same old song and dance and very little else ...yet still taxes the hell out of everyone in the Sony fiefdom.)

    People are questioning the current decision making at Sony because it was *3rd Party support*, not *hardware* that made PS and PS2 so successful. With a wide selection of big name titles like FF, MGS, GT, RE *and* GTA... chances are that at least *one* of those killer-app titles would appeal to your gamer sensibilities.

    A quick assessment of the current state of gaming shows that Sony's stranglehold on these key titles/developers is eroding. RE 4 was a master work for the Gamecube. Likewise, Snake being in SSBM wasn't just for giggles. I'd expect to see more MGS on Wii -- as well as on 360.

    E3 saw the announcement that GTA would be on 360 at the same time as PS3. Even Nintendo (who is currently in talks with 2K Games) may end up getting in on the GTA action.

    SquareEnix (who just fired off a very sharp looking FF III for DS) is already reloading with FF XII DS in development and a brand new SquareEnix DS title in "It's a Wonderful World". If 4.5 to 6 million Wii fly off the shelves by Christmas (like analysts are predicting) vs. 400,000 to 2 million PS3 - dollars to donuts says that Squeenix will be reassessing their position of FF exclusivity with Sony consoles - bottom line.

    The balance in the global world of console gaming is changing. Rapidly. ...Regardless of who your favorite hardware manufacturer is. The same 3rd party titles that made Sony an unstoppable juggernaut the last time around are increasingly popping up on other systems and the tone of the average consumer towards Sony seems to be one of resentment due to the costs involved for a $600 system (on top of a $1,600 1080p television - ~$60 per game, ~40 per controller, ~$40 for HDMI cables, etc.).

    It is predicted that some 50 million US consumers will have hi-def TV's by 2010, so time will tell whether the decision by Sony to go bleeding edge hi-def, (ahead of the curve for consumers) pays off in the long, long run. For now though, like most consumers, I'll be playing wait and see with the PS3.

    Interestingly enough, roughly 68% to 73% of those polled on various gaming sites have expressed interest in buying a Wii. So while we're killing time waiting to see if the PS3 pans out, who's up for some Madden?

  • rulo_rezn0r

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 1:19 pm PT

    mmmm
    i was specting more
    i'll wait and see

  • jonfigs

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 1:15 pm PT

    "Good luck Sony! We all want you to do very well. Competition is good. Too bad you arent bringing anything to the table but high cost and same gaming expieriance I will be getting on my 360 and WII. Someday I will have a PSIII as well when you actually give me a reason to shell out this kind of money. So while your fan boys wait for you to get your act together and saving their pennies.....Ill be enjoying what the gaming world has to offer today. If you keep having issues like you are having now....you may never get there.....but I hope you do.....we all hope you can back your words.......lots of words......just words. "

    I couldn't of said it any better!

  • cyborgjak427

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 1:12 pm PT

    That sucks, most games aren't even past 60%.

  • jonfigs

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 1:09 pm PT

    Looks like a bunch of half-baked crap if you ask me. GL Sony.

    Ill stick with Wii60.

  • Chainblast

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 1:02 pm PT

    "launch is alil ore than a month away and the farthest launch game along is 80%????????"

    More like just under 2 months away. Still, the launch line-up is kind of disapointing. Then again, to me all the new system have been rather disapointing. The Wii has the most interests to myself but that's mainly because of the Virtual Console.

  • chikahiro94

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 12:56 pm PT

    @ kavadias1981
    I think smaller companies are *much* safer developing for the PS2 and relying on backwards compatibility in order for PS3 owners to play their games. SNK, for example, has stated that the PS2 is "good enough" for now - KOF:MI aside, they're not working on any PS3 titles. In some ways having the major titles on the PS3 must be a relief for the PS2 developers, as their games don't have to compete directly against those massive, mutli-million dollar titles anymore.

  • shasam712

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 12:54 pm PT

    This is less titles than Sony has claimed to have, but I expected this.

  • Thorpe89 Site moderator

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 12:53 pm PT

    Ridge Racer 7 looks awesome I have to admit.

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