Given the sheer number of Final Fantasy fans out there, I’m sure I’m not that only person around the217.com who’s anxiously looking forward to FFXIII (and to Versus XIII). The former will be released over in Japan later this year, with a sneak preview available to those who purchase Advent Children Complete in March.

But what about us, here in the U.S.? According to guardian.co.uk, quoting Square Enix’s Yoichi Wada, “Overseas launches of the latest “Final Fantasy” game will come in the business year from April 2010 or later, Wada said.”

Yes, we’re stuck waiting at least a year from the day it drops in Japan. A year of avoiding internet spoilers, a year of subsisting on other RPG franchises… a year of waiting. I hate waiting. I accept waiting, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.

Really, if it were any other genre, I’d import the damn thing and be done with it… but RPGs are a little pointless if you can’t figure out what’s going on, and the only Japanese I speak is what I learned in a semester long class at Parkland five years ago, and what I’ve picked up from anime (which pretty much consists of various battle cries, and demands that my opponent not look down on me).

Final Fantasy fans may want to head over to the Fabula Nova Crystallis portal site. Square Enix just updated it with actual information. The portal now links to sub-sites for Final Fantasy XIII, Versus XIII, and Agito XIII.

Unfortunately the Versus and Agito sections don’t have much other than the game specs and a pretty picture. But the Final Fantasy XIII site has some nifty stuff, including some high quality screenshots (new and old), as well as character profiles (in Japanese, of course) and artwork for Lightning, Snow, and Vanille. The site gives you a little sampling of FFXIII’s music while you browse, and there’s also a Trailers section, but it hasn’t opened yet.

So… not a huge update, but it’s a nice placeholder for you all to bookmark. You may need to update your flash player to view it, though.

According to Game Informer, who heard it from Neil Schneider, who heard it from Blitz Games Studio… Sony’s PS3 may be getting a BIOS update sometime in 2009 that will allow the console to support stereoscopic 3D for both movies and, potentially, games.

Am I the only person that thinks this is just a really dumb idea? Or at least a really pointless one…

Maybe I’m jaded because I’m old enough that I was able to suffer through the headache-inducing 3D nightmare that was Nintendo’s VirtualBoy (and I still own one…), but the thought of console gaming in 3D makes me cringe.

Even when 3D doesn’t leave me queasy and needing to lie down for a few hours, I don’t really find it all that interesting. The idea behind it is to make you feel more immersed in the experience by making things “pop out” and look more real. For me, it’s always had the exact opposite effect. The 3D effects always look hokey and staged, they interrupt the cinematic flow instead of complimenting it, and usually it’s just some random object flying out of the screen at the audience, intended to get a shock reaction from those watching. It’s like a cheap boob shot in a slasher movie… cliche and there just because it can be.

Which begs the question… will this even catch on with game developers (beyond a handful of early titles attempting to capitalize on it before the inevitable hype let-down kills the whole thing)? For that matter, will it catch on with gamers this time around?

And perhaps most importantly… are we still going to have to wear those stupid cardboard glasses?

Sony finally announced this morning that the open beta of Playstation Home will be available worldwide on December 11. And that’s even December 11 of 2008. Yes, that would, indeed, be tomorrow. So it looks like PS3 gamers long wait is finally over, and those who weren’t fortunate enough to dive headlong into the closed beta will finally have their chance.

Not yet owning a PS3, it’s sort of anti-climactic from my end, as it’s not really something I’ve been able to look forward to. But for those who have been looking forward to it, the service will be available as a free download, and basic access will also be free of charge.

If you’re interested, Kotaku has Sony’s press release from this morning.

This morning (well actually last night) brings good news for Fable II fans. Lionhead Studios announced that mid-December will see the release of the first major piece of downloadable content for the game. And what is it, you may ask?

For a mere 800 Points, you can pick up the Knothole Island pack, and face the trials of the three shrines to save the island and it’s people. Also available around that time will be a free pack that will allow players to co-op on Knothole Island.

Nifty! ^_^

About time… I’ve already bought up most of Albion, changed my gender, murdered another husband, and spent the night in a creepy nightmare realm at this point. I’m running out of quests.

Yay! More Bioshock!

Apparently, one of the unlockables in Bioshock for PS3 (which comes out next week) is a short teaser trailer for Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams. The minute and a half video shows what looks to be a Little Sister standing at the shore on the Atlantic Coast, gazing out at the sea and holding a Big Daddy doll as stone obelisks rise out of the ground behind her.

The developer hasn’t commented on the early leak of the trailer, but rumor has it 2K Marin is aiming for a late 2009 release date for the game.

Now… Would you kindly watch the video?

Today’s press conference in San Francisco was a plethora of all things Nintendo. Some good news, some awesome news… some ehh news. Here’s a rundown of what they had to say:

1. The DS is breeding again. Nintendo’s mad geneticists got together and and spliced their handheld’s DNA once again. So now, in addition to the Nintendo DS, the Nintendo DS Lite, and their cousin no one talks about, the GBA, we’re going to have the Nintendo DSi.

So what’s new? Well, for one thing, Nintendo is following Sony’s lead and killing backwards compatibility… no more GBA slot on the DSi. Which is also bad news for fans of Guitar Hero: On Tour, since it’s peripheral uses that slot, as well as those who like the rumble cartirdge. But on the plus side (I guess…) you’re getting a camera! A 0.3 megapixel camera. … Yay? Well, actually, two cameras. One on the inside (presumably to be something like a DS EyeToy) and one outside (for… making people wonder why you’re taking their photo with a DS, I suppose).

Nintendo is also adding an SD Card slot for saving all those pics you’ll be taking with you DSi, larger screens, audio enhancements (meaning audio playback from the SD card, as well as recording capabilities), and a built-in web browser. It will be possible to download games (DSiWare) and keep them on the DSi via the DSi Shop, and will be available in two colors: black and white.

If you’re hoping for one for Christmas, though… keep hoping. The DSi won’t be North America-bound until late 2009. Japan, of course, gets it the first of next month.

2. Starting in Spring 2009 (again, that’s in Japan), the Wii will be able to download software directly to your SD Card. It’s still a far cry from the external hard drive many of us Wii fans want, but at least they’re finally doing something about the storage issues.

3. The U.S. is finally getting Club Nintendo! Finally, an announcement I can get excited about. Nintendo’s customer loyalty program is on it’s way, scheduled to debut at some point this holiday season, and soon we’ll be collecting points and spending them on items from the Stars Catalog. Geeky, yes, but I love crap like this. ^_^ About freaking time!

4. Wii Speak will be out in the U.S. next month. November 16th, to be exact. Retailing for $29.99, it will (until the games other than Animal Crossing that support it are released as well, anyway) allow up to four people who’ve exchanged Friend Codes to chat and leave voice messages, and will come with a code for a free download of the Wii Speak Channel.

5. New games! Coming soon to a Wii near you are such titles as Dynasty Warriors, Another Code (DS users may be familiar with this one), Sin & Punishment 2, and… Punch-Out. Yep, Punch-Out. The DS will be getting Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia, and Mario & Luigi RPG.

In addition to new Wii titles, Nintendo is also introducing the “Play For Wii” selections… which are basically just repackaged rereleases of popular GameCube titles. The first to be released will be Pikmin.

Info for this post amalgamated from Kotaku, Joystiq, and Destructoid

October and its cooler weather is rapidly closing in on us. In addition to bringing us the joy that is Halloween (free candy!!!), October is also National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

And on that note, releasing today is a special Limited Edition Pink Ribbon DS Lite. The limited edition retails for the regular price of $129.99, and Nintendo has promised a $5 donation to Susan G. Komen for the Cure for every unit sold (and a minimum of $100,000).

According to Amazon.com:

Seems like a good reason to pick up that Nintendo DS you’ve been meaning to buy…

Collider.com has posted an interview with John Davis, producer of the in-the-works Sims movie, and frankly, I’m not all that impressed with what he has to say on the subject (and not just because his rambling is a touch hard to understand at times).

Not that I expect a whole heck of a lot from movies based on video games, but still…

Annnnnnnnnd freeze. Really? Can it be? The Sims Infinity Pack? Not only a gimicky and remarkably convenient plot device, but also contrived and overdone. Thumbs up, pal.

Moving on.

Hey, wait… Is this starting to sound familiar to anyone else?

*face plam*

So now The Sims is an adventure movie. Please just stop. Seriously, just stop.

This is Bob…

Yikes.

Now, I heard rumors of a Sims movie ages ago. Personally, I pictured a comedy… because god knows Sims families are more than dysfunctional enough to be absolutely hilarious.

To be honest, I had pictured the typical Sims family moving into a real world neighborhood, complete with unknown invisible force from beyond directing their every move as the “normal” neighbors look on, trying to figure out why these people feel the need to trap themselves in doorless rooms, electrocute themselves with the industrial strength bug zapper, and wet themselves on a regular basis.

The father would, of course, be played by Bob from the Enzyte commercials.

Maybe that’s just me.

So Uwe Boll is back on the gaming news radar. And not because he’s making yet another craptastic movie based on a video game. No, this time, he’s branching out and making a video game based on his movie.

I can see only three possible outcomes to this.

1) Things will follow Uwe’s usual pattern, wherein the movie sucks and the game is a hit (unlikely, seeing as he’s involved in both)…

2) Both the movie and the game will be an abomination unto Nuggan…

3) Some sort of destructive temporal vortex will open when he decides to make a movie based on his video game based on his original movie, which launches him into a never ending cycle of movies based on games based on movies, resulting in the total annihilation of the world and all things in it.

For the more masochistic among you, here’s a link to the trailer for Uwe Boll’s 1968 Tunnel Rats.