SoraNews24 —Japan News—
Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Featured
- Weird
- Studio Ghibli
- Jobs
video games (Page 142)
Sony promises no restrictions on used games for PlayStation 4 – releases cheeky video to rub it in
- Philip Kendall
Jun 11, 2013 - Tweet
Jack Tretton, president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America, thrilled gamers today when he declared that the company will not impose any restrictions whatsoever on used games. Suffice it to say, the crowd at E3 went wild.
Seconds after the announcement had been made, a video appeared on Sony’s YouTube channel that simultaneously shows how easy it is to trade games with friends while poking fun at competitor Microsoft. Check it out after the break.
Final PlayStation 4 design revealed! Priced at $399! 【Update: Photo gallery】
- Philip Kendall
Jun 11, 2013
It’s the moment millions of fans have been waiting for ever since Sony first announced that its new console would be in our hands by the end of 2013: the PlayStation 4 has finally been revealed for the world to see!
And it looks…
- Global
- (E3 • Playstation 4 • Sony • video games)
NicoNico Livestreaming E3 in English! 【PSA】
- Cara Clegg
Jun 11, 2013
Japan’s answer to YouTube, NicoNico Video, will be showing live coverage of the Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3) in both Japanese and English!
- Global, Internet, Japan
- (E3 • Nico Nico Douga • Playstation 4 • video games • Xbox One)
Good guy Luigi: Even picks you up at the airport!
- Preston Phro
Jun 11, 2013
That magical time of year when game companies throw themselves a giant party and start spilling family secrets like your drunk aunt is finally upon us. That’s right, E3 starts Tuesday! And all this week, excited fans will be glued to the blogs, chomping on the bits for new info from Microsoft, Sony, Ubisoft, and many other major publishers. One company that won’t be giving a massive, blow-all-the-fuses presentation, though, is Nintendo.
Even so, that doesn’t the company is skipping the event entirely.
- USA
- (E3 • Luigi • nintendo • video games)
Dragon Quest slime hourglass makes interminable wait for cup noodles a little cuter
- Mike
Jun 10, 2013
Square-Enix is offering this adorable, limited edition slime hourglass for Dragon Quest series fans with the munchies. The company says the hourglass is timed at about three minutes, which is around the same amount of time it takes to perfectly cook a cup of instant ramen noodles.
- Global, Internet, Japan
- (cute • entertainment • video games)
Kiefer Sutherland confirmed as lead voice actor in newest Metal Gear Solid game
- Philip Kendall
Jun 7, 2013
As soon as the teaser trailer for Hideo Kojima’s upcoming video game Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain was released earlier this year, gaming news websites and message boards exploded, partly because it was clear that David Hayter, the voice actor who had played the character of Solid Snake since 1998, had been replaced, but mostly because the new voice in the video sounded an awful lot like that of world-famous actor Kiefer Sutherland. Earlier today, those rumours were finally confirmed: Jack Bauer is Snake!
- Global
- (cool • Metal Gear 5 • movies • news • video games)
Figurines, Wii U consoles and free vacations – Grab a sweet prize in 7-Eleven’s ‘Jump Heroes’ campaign
- Philip Kendall
Jun 7, 2013
Convenience store giant 7-Eleven certainly knows its way to customers’ hearts. The store’s current Jump Heroes campaign–a collaboration with Shonen Jump Comics–is giving customers the chance to bag some pretty impressive prizes, with things like games consoles, tablet computers and even free hotel accommodation up for grabs.
- Japan
- (anime • cool • culture • video games)
Pre-E3 poll hints at lack of interest in Microsoft’s newest console
- Philip Kendall
Jun 6, 2013
With just a few days to go until E3–one of the year’s biggest video game trade shows–opens its doors, we’re currently knee-deep in rumour, speculation and digital fancy. Although Nintendo has already broken millions of gamers’ hearts by stating that its presence at the event will be minimal, both Microsoft and Sony are set to show off their newest hardware, as well as give the gaming press a look at the titles we can expect to play in the near future.
According to a recent poll being hotly shared by Japanese gamers today, though, some press conferences are being looked forward to far more than others.
- Global, Internet
- (E3 • Playstation 4 • video games • Xbox One)
Fire away your frustration at ‘404 Not Found’ — Site turns error message into classic arcade game
- Rachel Tackett
Jun 4, 2013
Isn’t it irritating when you click on a site link only to receive the message 404 Not Found? Sure some sites will dress up their error messages with a funny picture or a witty saying, but the fact of the matter is that the page you wanted is missing! To help ease this first-world frustration, one web design company has programmed a fully playable game into their error messages. Error screens have never been so welcome!
Mammoth GameCenter CX 10th anniversary project underway
- Philip Kendall
Jun 4, 2013
“GameCenter CX”–also known as “Retro Game Master” in the West– has captured the hearts and minds of literally millions of video game fans across the globe since first airing in 2003. The premise of the show is simple: middle-aged, self-confessed game otaku and part-time comedian Shinya Arino pits himself against a series of treasured but often fiendishly difficult old-school video games, playing through them with the help of his cheeky “assistant directors”, a pile of snacks and stack of cooling towelettes to stick to his forehead.
The show has already spawned nine DVD boxsets in its native Japan, with English translations of many of the shows made available to Western audiences both in DVD format and online. But now, the show’s parent company has announced that a special 10th anniversary project is underway that will purportedly take an entire year to complete.
- Global, Japan
- (cool • Retro Game Master • TV • video games)
Rumour: PlayStation 4 camera to be sold separately
- Philip Kendall
Jun 3, 2013
A telltale sign in a promotional video for Sony’s PlayStation 4 controller has led video game fans to believe that the camera peripheral for the company’s upcoming console will be sold separately from the PlayStation 4 itself, contrary to initial expectations.
While this may seem like little more than a minor inconvenience at first, if found to be true the rumour may point to a key difference between Sony and Microsoft’s console strategies, as well as potentially having ramifications for how developers approach either platform.
- Global
- (camera • news • Playstation 4 • Sony • tech • video games)
Galapagos Syndrome: Is Nintendo’s decision to skip this year’s E3 trade show cause for concern?
- Philip Kendall
May 30, 2013
Despite being something that few in-house PR teams would ever hope for the general public to associate with their brand, following CEO Satoru Iwata’s announcement that his company would not be giving its usual presentation at next month’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles, the term “Galapagos syndrome” has been cropping up with alarming frequency online alongside Nintendo’s name.
The video game giant has long been known for its quirky sense of individuality and for forging paths into uncharted territories, but at a time when its flagship console is largely being ignored by consumers and both Microsoft and Sony are poised to flaunt new, technically far superior hardware at the upcoming trade fair, some are concerned that the house that made Mario is becoming something of a recluse.
- Global
- (business • nintendo • tech • video games)
Automated Dragon Quest playing computer levels your character up while you pay attention to your partner for once
- Mike
May 30, 2013
If there’s one thing Massively Multiplayer Online RPGS (MMOs) are known for, other than their marriage-destroying addictive qualities and almost cult-like fan communities, it’s the absolutely mind-numbing repetition of doing the same quests and activities over and over again to level up your character.
Realizing computers are pretty good at that whole mindless repetition thing while humans generally dislike it, one entrepreneurial Japanese geek has figured out a way to jury-rig PCs that will perform a leveling task for you over and over again and is offering them for sale on bidding site Yahoo! Auctions right now.
- Internet, Japan
- (anime • entertainment • technology • video games)
Japanese mom shows daughter how it’s done with awesome old-school gaming notebook
- Casey Baseel
May 25, 2013
Every generation, something comes along that people are just sure is going to ruin kids’ minds. Recently it’s social networking websites. In the 1950s it was blue jeans and rock ‘n’ roll. If you had a time machine, and for some reason got tired of riding on the backs of dinosaurs and decided to instead interview cavemen about the parenting issues they faced, I’m sure you’d find some of them complaining about how the young whipper-snappers in the neighborhood are wasting all their time with this new-fangled “fire” thing.
When I was growing up, the big menace was video games, but just like all the things listed above, they turned out to be mostly harmless (but watch out, blue jeans become quite a bit more dangerous if you combine them with fire). Video games have now been around long enough that some hardcore gamers have kids of their own, such as the mother of Twitter user maki_pq, whose enthusiasm for the Dragon Quest series far outpaces her daughter’s.
Read More
- Japan
- (cool • Dragon Quest • video games)
Xbox Live hacked? Rumours flood the internet after ominous tweet left by hacker 【Updated】
- Philip Kendall
May 24, 2013
The internet is abuzz this morning after an individual going by the name of Reckz0r claimed to have broken Microsoft’s security and gained access to as many as 48 million Xbox Live accounts.
- Global, Internet
- (tech • video games • xbox live)
One of the Mushroom Kingdom’s most iconic characters has a dark, dark secret
- Philip Kendall
May 24, 2013
Toad, the mushroom-headed character from the Super Mario series of video games that dates back almost 30 years now, is a character known to millions around the globe. Clear a castle in the original game and he’s there to break the news that the princess isn’t actually there. Slip on a banana peel while burning rubber in Super Mario Kart and it’s often his shrill voice you’ll hear echoing through the enormous green pipe tunnels. Need a man to pick and throw vegetables super fast in Super Mario Bros 2? Toad’s your guy.
Little did we know, though, that Toad has been harbouring a terrible secret the entire time we’ve known him. One that shocked Japanese fans and Twitter users to the core when the following photo came to light.
- Global, Internet
- (funny • video games • wtf)
It’s Dangerous to Go Alone! Take this! 3-D Printing Zelda Equipment
- Preston Phro
May 21, 2013
Becoming obsessed with The Legend of Zelda after getting it as a birthday present at the age of six, one fan has found a way to bring items from the game into the real world.
How, you ask with images of magical blacksmiths dancing in your head. Simple: 3-D printing!
This fan, who documents the creations at the incredible blog Hyrule Founder, recreated the 8-bit items as 3-D, digital models and printed them with a high-quality 3-D printer. Read More
- Internet
- (3-D Printing • cool • video games • Zelda)
GungoHo Online Entertainment Continues Upward Surge, Market Cap Exceeds Nintendo in Morning Trading
- John Stuart Translations
May 13, 2013
On the morning of May 13, GungHo Online Entertainment, Inc. (JASDAQ Standard) rose by its maximum allowable single day limit of 300,000 yen (approx. US$3,000). The stock increased 28.79 percent to 1.342 million yen (approx. US$13,420). The rise comes on the heels of a 17 percent gain on Friday, May 9.
Read More
- Japan
- (GungHo • JASDAQ • online gaming • technology • Tokyo • video games)
Original Japanese Kirby Was Even Less Hardcore
- Casey Baseel
May 13, 2013
No discussion of the pantheon of video game heroes is complete without mentioning HAL Laboratory’s Kirby. Including his recently-released 20th anniversary collection, the adorable pink puffball has close to two dozen appearances under his belt, which is an impressive feat for someone who lacks a waist.
Kirby has also gotten a bit of free publicity from website TV Tropes, with its “American Kirby is Hardcore” entry, which catalogues how the images of Kirby and other fictional characters are “toughened up” in marketing to make them more appealing to U.S. audiences.
In recent years, Kirby’s earned enough gamer goodwill to be as cute as he wants to in any market. Even still, we’re guessing he would have had a tough time of it initially in overseas markets if HAL had stuck with the character’s original name. Read More
- Japan
- (video games • weird)
New Dating Sim Follows Time-Tested Story Blueprint of Boy Meets Alpaca
- Casey Baseel
May 10, 2013
Video games have made pretty steady progress into the cultural mainstream. Even people who aren’t gamers themselves can at least see the entertainment potential of a Mario title with its breezy fun, or the sweeping adventure of a Final Fantasy.
A genre many people have a harder time wrapping their heads around, though, is the dating simulator. Sure, driving games like Gran Turismo let us tune and race cars so expensive we can’t even talk the dealer into giving us a test drive in real life. And while Japan does have a royal family with princesses, the country’s lack of fire-breathing dragons means our chances of having to pick up sword and shield to go rescue them are slim, at best. But a game about going on dates? Couldn’t we just, like, ask someone out in real life?
Apparently some developers feel the same way, and have decided to spice up their dating sims with scenarios that take full advantage of video games’ unique style of escapism. Read More
- Japan
- (romance • video games • weird)
-
Recent Posts
- Restaurant opens in Japan with all-dementia waitresses, serves up ramen, awareness, and kindness
- Get the taste of the U.K. in Tokyo with 99 Flakes, meat pies, and Jaffa Cakes
- Japanese government hires leading comedy agency to explain national defense spending
- Starbucks Japan unveils new winter drinkware collection with limited-edition Stanley cups
- Pokémon doughnuts pop up at Mister Donut, with a new gathering that’s bigger than ever
-
MOST POPULAR
- Today
- Weekly
- Monthly
- Yearly
Today
Pachinko parlor operator arrested for not obscuring the act of gambling well enough
Starbucks Japan unveils new winter drinkware collection with limited-edition Stanley cups
Pokémon doughnuts pop up at Mister Donut, with a new gathering that’s bigger than ever
Get the taste of the U.K. in Tokyo with 99 Flakes, meat pies, and Jaffa Cakes
First-ever cafe on Tokyo Imperial Palace Garden grounds is now open
Japanese government hires leading comedy agency to explain national defense spending
Discount retailers known for massive bargains releases massive Japanese egg sandwich
Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
Liquid croissant coffee is coming to Japanese stores this month
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Weekly
Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
Japan’s TeamLab digital art group is opening a permanent museum in America
Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [Photos]
Pachinko parlor operator arrested for not obscuring the act of gambling well enough
Liquid croissant coffee is coming to Japanese stores this month
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Pokémon doughnuts pop up at Mister Donut, with a new gathering that’s bigger than ever
Starbucks Japan releases now Tokyo Reserve Roastery Christmas drinkware collection [Photos]
Starbucks Japan unveils new winter drinkware collection with limited-edition Stanley cups
Japanese government announces criteria for creating backup capital of Japan
Monthly
Pokémon Company announces first-ever permanent Pokémon store to open outside Asia
Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Japan’s TeamLab digital art group is opening a permanent museum in America
What’s it like to stay in a Japanese container hotel?
Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [Photos]
Chainsaw robots helping keep trains running safely in east Japan [Video]
New Studio Ghibli anime gets extended run at the only cinema in Japan where it’s being shown
Osaka’s famous Glico Running Man will be removed and replaced with a new-look sign
Studio Ghibli creates illustrated Kyoto sightseeing map, available at any 7-Eleven Japan store
Yearly
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
-
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Japanese government hires leading comedy agency to explain national defense spending
Discount retailers known for massive bargains releases massive Japanese egg sandwich
Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
Liquid croissant coffee is coming to Japanese stores this month
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Starbucks Japan reveals this year’s lucky bag, but you’ll have to act fast to get one
Restaurant opens in Japan with all-dementia waitresses, serves up ramen, awareness, and kindness
Continuing cyberattacks hit Japanese arcade hard [Photos]
Tokyo to build new crematoriums to meet surging demand
Japan’s free stock image site of muscular men doing whimsical and mundane things reveals rankings
Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [Photos]
Mr. Sato searches for the mysterious new wall of fortune in Tokyo
Princess Mononoke was going to look totally different, new Studio Ghibli artbook shows
Starbucks Japan releases now Tokyo Reserve Roastery Christmas drinkware collection [Photos]
-
-
Categories
Categories Select Category Africa (33) Anime & Manga (193) Art (64) Australia (42) C America (9) C Asia (17) Canada (59) Cats (72) China (847) Culture (180) Cute (187) Entertainment (248) Europe (345) FN24 (1) Food & Drink (314) Games & Tech (167) Global (1,073) India (11) Internet (2,198) Italy (13) Japan (34,561) Korea (375) Lifestyle (76) Mexico (6) Music (12) N Asia (4) New Zealand (11) News (61) North Korea (72) Oceania (10) Russia (56) S America (33) S Asia (66) SE Asia (378) Space (2) Taiwan (203) UK (18) Uncategorized (19) USA (978) W Asia (25)
-
Archives
Archives Select Month November 2026 (30) October 2026 (144) September 2026 (156) August 2026 (174) July 2026 (197) June 2026 (174) May 2026 (138) April 2026 (142) March 2026 (150) February 2026 (124) January 2026 (138) December 2025 (136) November 2025 (136) October 2025 (151) September 2025 (154) August 2025 (143) July 2025 (158) June 2025 (165) May 2025 (162) April 2025 (181) March 2025 (157) February 2025 (127) January 2025 (139) December 2024 (148) November 2024 (149) October 2024 (153) September 2024 (154) August 2024 (158) July 2024 (156) June 2024 (150) May 2024 (166) April 2024 (150) March 2024 (157) February 2024 (169) January 2024 (159) December 2023 (165) November 2023 (166) October 2023 (166) September 2023 (173) August 2023 (183) July 2023 (171) June 2023 (180) May 2023 (158) April 2023 (152) March 2023 (167) February 2023 (160) January 2023 (171) December 2022 (175) November 2022 (176) October 2022 (179) September 2022 (191) August 2022 (202) July 2022 (193) June 2022 (178) May 2022 (178) April 2022 (181) March 2022 (212) February 2022 (199) January 2022 (224) December 2021 (230) November 2021 (214) October 2021 (215) September 2021 (238) August 2021 (225) July 2021 (207) June 2021 (218) May 2021 (209) April 2021 (206) March 2021 (225) February 2021 (209) January 2021 (224) December 2020 (225) November 2020 (224) October 2020 (231) September 2020 (238) August 2020 (227) July 2020 (220) June 2020 (209) May 2020 (215) April 2020 (238) March 2020 (235) February 2020 (222) January 2020 (233) December 2019 (187) November 2019 (214) October 2019 (237) September 2019 (195) August 2019 (205) July 2019 (183) June 2019 (201) May 2019 (231) April 2019 (192) March 2019 (242) February 2019 (211) January 2019 (238) December 2018 (212) November 2018 (217) October 2018 (214) September 2018 (203) August 2018 (217) July 2018 (218) June 2018 (208) May 2018 (204) April 2018 (193) March 2018 (216) February 2018 (192) January 2018 (223) December 2017 (204) November 2017 (209) October 2017 (218) September 2017 (209) August 2017 (228) July 2017 (222) June 2017 (245) May 2017 (229) April 2017 (197) March 2017 (165) February 2017 (151) January 2017 (180) December 2016 (260) November 2016 (267) October 2016 (302) September 2016 (387) August 2016 (351) July 2016 (379) June 2016 (379) May 2016 (312) April 2016 (347) March 2016 (414) February 2016 (379) January 2016 (359) December 2015 (359) November 2015 (378) October 2015 (435) September 2015 (419) August 2015 (152) July 2015 (218) June 2015 (179) May 2015 (237) April 2015 (223) March 2015 (119) February 2015 (121) January 2015 (394) December 2014 (376) November 2014 (376) October 2014 (414) September 2014 (349) August 2014 (379) July 2014 (316) June 2014 (375) May 2014 (384) April 2014 (354) March 2014 (318) February 2014 (284) January 2014 (270) December 2013 (224) November 2013 (242) October 2013 (244) September 2013 (226) August 2013 (241) July 2013 (214) June 2013 (222) May 2013 (191) April 2013 (173) March 2013 (149) February 2013 (85) January 2013 (106) December 2012 (111) November 2012 (149) October 2012 (151) September 2012 (118) August 2012 (99) July 2012 (56) June 2012 (57) May 2012 (54) April 2012 (62) March 2012 (40) February 2012 (27) January 2012 (24) December 2011 (18) November 2011 (12) October 2011 (1) September 2011 (9) August 2011 (11) March 2011 (1)
-
- About Us | Jobs | Contact | Contribution | Partner with Us
© SoraNews24 —Japan News— / SOCIO CORPORATION
- Advertise |
- About Us |
- Work with us |
- Contact |
- Contribution |

