Back from TGS
(image above is by TED_TANAKUBO on flickr)
So, a mini delegation from MM consisting of Siobhan (wonder-exec-producer), Alex (bald man), Luke (AMERICAN) and Mark S (japanese speaking level design guru) visited the Tokyo Game Show in Japan last week. Much drinking and merriment was had, in-between the important business meetings organised with the help of our wonderful SCEI producers (thankyou Kim and Niina!).
Most excitingly for many game fans, we announced the MetalGearSolid 4 and Sephiroth packs for LBP, which will include characters, levels, and lots more STUFF. Wonderful – though I want one of those dolls! The designers here at MM towers are already sweating over some amazing new content for these packs. And the sackboy costumes look great.
Japan is also getting a rather snazzy new white PS3 bundle with LBP and two (yes two!) sixaxis controllers, for no extra cost. There’s a funky sixaxis+game mini-bundle, and of course, there is still the previously-announced bundle for us europeans. Huzzah.
What other news? We had a rather lovely traditional japanese dinner with, amongst others, Keiichirō Toyama (director of ‘Siren’, and, I think, ‘Silent Hill’), and Fumito Ueda (ico and shadow of the colossus), as well as Chi, the drummer from the go-team and her lovely husband Jay – so it all got rather starry eyed towards the end of the evening. And much signage for the MM trophy cabinet:
Sunday brought the biggest surprise – we were awarded one of the prestigious ‘future’ awards at TGS. These are a huge deal, in the japanese territory. Think ‘best-of-tgs audience choice’ type thing. Or in their words, ‘the most anticipated games of the year’. These are, I believe, the top 12 games shown at TGS as voted for by both visitors, fans and developers. There was a special awards ceremony, where each game was shown and a member of its team interviewed – in japanese. I stood, glazed and rather silly looking on stage as Kim-san deftly fielded questions and distracted nay-sayers with his trademark golden shoes.
To be the only western-developed game that achieved one of these awards this year, was incredible – so much so that I can even report that tears were shed all round. It’s a testament to the quality of the localisation that SCEI have done for us. Siobhan, Dave and a whole bunch of us at MM have always been fans of japanese games so to be recognised there by japanese players and developers left us all rather speechless and a bit… shuffley. It hasn’t really sunk in, in fact.
So, a great reception for LBP in japan. Can’t wait to see the reviews and reaction once it comes out there on the 30th!
Cool!!
Woohoo. Booze & merriment in a foreign country.
I hope MM were cruisin in style
Sounds like a good event xD Invite me next time though..
So the packs include other characters and levels? Say the FF pack contains Cloud, Aerith and Sephiroth or something, and a few FF levels? That’s amazing. Your dedication to this is impeccable. I noticed an Ape Escape costume during one of the presentations. If that’s part of an Ape Escape pack, complete with levels…wow.
It’s a TEN.
Well Done Guys!
Hey guys, those are 2 Dualshock 3, not sixaxis
(or 6a9 like I love to call’em)
But anyway, good job for real…the beta was the most long and great experience i ever had with a game at that phase, an you really were worth of being recognized like that in japan.
This is the first “game 3.0 experience” that really shows the meaning of pruchasing a next-gen console, good job!
CONGRATS!!! You guy’s deserved it =] Absolutely loved you beta, and cannot wait for it on Oct. 21st! (Have mine pre-ordered)
Wow, congratulations on the award! It sounds like リビッツ has made a lot of friends in Japan.
I loved the beta and congrats on the award. I can’t wait to have your game in my hands. I will have some of the greatest levels because they will all be linked together to form an epic adventure.
Take all of our money MM!
Here, have it….plus tons more.
Keep providing quality content….
That means more $$$$$$$
Here, take my lunch too.
Congratulations
Well done as usual.
Sorry, I was so busy counting out the days to LBP, I completely forgot TGS….
Kojima looks scared standing next to the Sackman.
Wow! You guys really deserve it! I’m still in awe with the beta! right now I am sketching some ideas for when the game comes out. By the way I would love to have a sackboy plush like those in the picture and I bet a lot of fans too *hint*hint* I know a lot of us would pay for a plush like that!
Really hope LBP will do well in Japan too. You guys been working hard for years, it’s only fair you get to sell lots.
Did Ueda mention why he didn’t show his new games at TGS? =P
God i would love to buy the Dualshock pack with LBP
Why dont we get that in Europe??
You deserve every little bit of praise, especially the not-so-little ones!
My wife pre-ordered LittleBigPlanet for my birthday (October 22nd), having played the Beta, I know this is the best gift I can get!
cool, MM needs a bigger trophy cabinet!
Are the sackboy dolls the guys are holding in the photo the same ones we can expect to see at retail?
Because they’re PERFECT.
I *need* one of those sackboy toys. And I have a friend who would, probably, kill to get one.
I’ve already bought a PS3 for this game, I’m about to spend £800 on a TV good enough to do justice to the beauty of LBP, and I’d be happy to put myself even further into debt to get my hands on a sackboy that looks as good as those ones!
Please make them available to us fans. Pretty Please, with a cherry on top.
Its really touching to hear MM shed tears for such an accomplishment , I get carried away that easierly :,(
It really means alot when a western game gets awarded on TGS. I cant remember the last time its happend…
I was very excited and delighted to hear about the costume packs! I mean the skins look great and to hear that they come with a full level pack and more is just making me drool
I need to import some PSN cards from home xD (I have recently moved to Europe and they don’t have the cards here yet, me sad). So well yeah I import almost everything and anything.
Congratulations on the award by the way. I really hope you guys can make the PS3 come of the floor for real. I will be sleeping in line to get an European copy of the game just to be able to play it on launch day and until my american copy finally arrives.
Creators of Silent Hill, Shadow of the Colossus and LBP…all sat on one dinner table? Best tea party ever?!
Anyway, congratulations on all your achievements. And this is before the game is even out! I can’t wait to see the whole world go crazy over this. =D
Awwwwwwwww want “old snake”sackboy plush so bad!!!!!!!!!
congrats on the award. all those insane minds at a dinner table would have been interesting to listen to
You said that bundle comes with 2 sixaxis controllers..
actually, it comes with 2 dual shock controllers. WHICH IS EVEN BETTER
Did you guys see the Japanese LBP advert? It’s fantastic! http://www.gametrailers.com/player/41552.html
Congrats on that award!
Wooooow, Fumito Ueda signed a copy of SOTC again : Wooooow.
congrats, i can’t wait to pick this game up.
you guys rock MM!
Congratulations guys, you deserve every minute you get in the spotlight! I look forward to getting back to creating on the 24th (I’ve a got business trip before that).
Great work guys i loved the new sephiroth and Snake Sackboys.
cant wait for LBP.
I wanted the white PS3 with LBP in europe! DAMN YOU SONY! *crying*
Sorry that I have to say this in such a rather rude diction, but…
LBP has been delayed?? Can’t believe it :/
LBP Delayed in Europe FTL!!!!!
Little Big Planet is worth waiting for! It’s been a labour of love…
proud mother
Gutted this has been delayed and for such reasons only make it worse. However having already hammered the beta version – I just CAN`T WAIT to get my sack boy up and running again!!
Easily the best PS3 game to date! (and surely one which could keep that title forever more)
I was lucky to buy the game from Wal-Mart before the recall on LBP went into effect. I have been playing now for about 3 days and I have ran into a problem. It seems though in Chapter 3 of the Gardens, “Skate to Victory”, You have to have the “Red Lion Emblem” to trigger a switch and I have not been able to find this emblem anywhere. I would like to know exactly where it is, so I went and bought the Strategy Guide for the game and it doesn’t have anywhere in the guide where the Emblem is. Could you help me to figure out where it is, or what do I need to do?
This isfor john edwards. You recieve the Red Lion Emblem after completing the tutorials on the moon to create your LBP Level. I bought the strategy guide as well and it didn’t help with that. Go and do the tutorals and after like the 4th or 5th tutorial you will see that you’ve received the emblem. have fun!!!!!
dewok