This week we show you our moves with a couple of dance games and a fighting title.
Current score
Gerry Pagan: +40
Andrew Passafiume: +395
Graham Russell: +384
Eric Schabel: +35
Shawn Vermette: +375
Results
Games coming to Apple TV
At GDC this past week, Apple revealed that games are indeed coming to Apple TV. However, not in any form that will compete with the home consoles, as it will mainly be in the form of iPad ports and the type of game currently available on the iOS App Store.
Gerry 60% = +10
Andrew 50% = +0
Graham 50% = +0
Shawn 90% = +40
BlazBlue: Continuum Shift 2 coming to 3DS in the US in 2011
BlazBlue: Continuum Shift 2 has been confirmed as being ported to the PSP and 3DS already, though a timeline for these ports has not been established, or even announced for a US release. Zen United, European publisher for the BlazBlue games, has announced that they’ll be out in Europe later this year. Will Aksys Games follow suit in the US?
Gerry: If Continuum Shift 2 is going to be out Europe this year, I can safely say it’ll be out in the US as well. Unless Europe gets an earlier BlazBlue release than the US for the first time, anyway. 75%
Andrew: People in the U.S. seem to generally enjoy BlazBlue, and Aksys games has released the previous portable title in the States before. I don’t see why they wouldn’t continue to bring us games in the franchise. 90%
Graham: Aksys is clearly trying to tiptoe around the mammoth launch window releases of Super Street Fighter IV and Dead or Alive. It’s a smart move, since BlazBlue is a smaller-market title, and it could use the breathing room in the release schedule. They’ll announce soon and release around the July or August. You know, probably. 95%
Shawn: I believe Aksys Games will announce BlazBlue: CS2 for the US shortly, though whether it will come out in 2011 or not is something I’m not so sure about. Given the usual time period for ports though, I suspect it will indeed come out in 2011. 75%
Dance Central 2 coming out in 2011
Dance Central was the runaway hit title for the Kinect when it launched last November. After sending out a survey to fans asking what features they would like in a sequel, rumor now has it that the aforementioned sequel will be released later this year, once again as a Kinect exclusive.
Gerry: As successful as Dance Central was, I’d like to think that Harmonix has enough sense to not follow the example of the -Hero franchises and actually develop a proper sequel. Kinect and Dance Central haven’t been out for even a year, they should let the audience who wants a Dance Central 2 actually get tired of the first game.30%
Andrew: Dance Central is easily Harmonix’ biggest property right now, and Microsoft needs another big hit for the Kinect. Despite the strong sales of the hardware, the attachment rate is incredibly low, so with a price drop and a sequel to their biggest Kinect title to date would easily help keep the device selling this holiday season. 85%
Graham: If Dance Central 2 is going to release at all, it needs to strike while the iron is hot. That is, while the Kinect is still a viable platform. As successful as it’s been, there will likely be a new Microsoft system in the next two years, and this is the kind of release you can annualize. It’ll be out for the holidays. 90%
Shawn: Again, I don’t think this is a matter of if it will happen, but when. Unless Harmonix decides to build a new graphics engine for Dance Central 2 though, I doubt it takes long to release. 75%
Activision to announce ‘Dance Hero’ by E3
Despite the death of the Guitar and DJ Hero franchises, Activision seems intent on making its way in the rhythm game genre anyway. The success of Dance Central for Kinect seems to have spurred Activision to go ahead and begin production on a game they trademarked 3 years ago, Dance Hero, as rumor has it that they’ll be announcing it at E3.
Gerry: Sure, why not. I don’t really agree with a lot of Activision’s business policies, but if they think a Dance Hero is gonna be profitable, more power to them. 50%
Andrew: Activision does love trends that make money, despite how badly Guitar Hero backfired on them recently. I’m not sure how well this would sell over Just Dance or Dance Central, but the dance craze seems to be just as big as the plastic instruments craze was just a few years ago. And the best part? No additional hardware is required, aside from a Kinect. At the same time, they might not want to risk creating another franchise only to have it die off a year later. 65%
Graham: Well they probably won’t announce it at E3. They may announce it adjacent to E3, with big piles of Blizzard cash and half-pipes lowered down from the rafters. Anyway, back to Dance Hero. Without a Hero franchise to play off, why would they tie that in? I could see this happening, but really as an original IP. 50%
Shawn: I’ll just put it this way…what else does Activision even have to work on? Movie games and Call of Duty. They took the axe to everything else. I think they’ll try to cash in on the dance game phenomenon while they can. 90%
