Digital | ON: GAMES Sep 23, 2018
by Brian Ashcraft
As "Mega Man" celebrates his 30th birthday, Nintendo gets more hands-on and "The World Ends With You" gets a Switch update
NEWSWORTHY
Digital | ON: GAMES Aug 26, 2018
by Brian Ashcraft
The upcoming month brings with it the "Marvel's Spider-Man" PS4 game and console release, an all-women SNK game and the expo for all gamers — Tokyo Game Show.
Business Aug 17, 2018
'Game over' in China as Beijing halts approvals of video game licenses
China's regulators have frozen approvals of game licenses amid a government shake-up, according to people familiar with the matter, throwing the world's biggest gaming market into disarray. The halt follows a restructuring of power among departments, said the people, who asked not to be named ...
Digital | ON: GAMES Jul 22, 2018
by Brian Ashcraft
Nintendo embraces "Minecraft," SNK offers a tiny big-game experience and "Okami" comes to Switch
Business / Corporate Feb 27, 2018
Oasis hedge fund boss bets on Japan's professional gaming scene
by Yuji Nakamura and Takako Taniguchi
Competitive gaming in Japan has found a champion: hedge fund boss Seth Fischer. The chief investment officer of Hong Kong-based Oasis Management Co., which owns more than $1 billion in Japanese securities, said esports is now among his top five investment themes for Japan. He ...
Business Feb 9, 2018
At last, Japan gives nod to gaming as a profession
by Yuji Nakamura and Yuki Furukawa
A skinny chain smoker with pale skin, Yota Kachi doesn't look much like a professional athlete. But this weekend, the 31-year-old will get a chance to become one by playing video games. Japan will begin the process of legalizing paid esports with a tournament near ...
Digital | ON: GAMES Jan 21, 2018
Beloved games get bigger and better
by Brian Ashcraft
'Dissidia' breeding' In the "Dissidia" games, "Final Fantasy" characters get together and beat the crap out of each other. The latest entry is no different, but that doesn't mean it's just another "Dissidia Final Fantasy." Developed by Square Enix, the first "Dissidia Final Fantasy" debuted on ...
Style & Design Jan 21, 2018
The 2018 fashion cycle is just beginning
by Samuel Thomas
The "new year, new you" cliche that tempts consumers to spend more on style at this time of the year often has even the most cynical admitting that an excuse to indulge feels good. But when it comes to genuinely new fashion, it's actually ...
Digital | ON: GAMES Dec 24, 2017
by Brian Ashcraft
The gods are back "Okami" is one of the most beautiful and imaginative games ever made. It first came out in 2006 on the PlayStation 2 and was dubbed the best game of that year. Over a decade later it is still wonderful. "Okami" is a ...
Digital | ON: GAMES Jul 23, 2017
Updates for the fan boys and girls
by Brian Ashcraft
Ready to paint the town again? Nintendo's colorful third-person shooter returns, ready to splatter players with ink and cuteness. When released in 2015, "Splatoon" was a big departure for Nintendo. First, it was a multiplayer shooter. Second, its vibrant color palette ushered in a new ...
Business / Tech | NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT Nov 21, 2016
VR wave to leave Japan awash in business opportunities
by Kazuaki Nagata
New technological innovations have a tendency to create new business opportunities, and the latest craze, virtual reality, is no exception. With the debut of cutting-edge VR headsets this year, many firms from video game makers, 360-degree-video distributors, arcade operators and cellphone carriers are gearing up ...
Digital | ON: GAMES Jun 25, 2016
New releases fill in the gaps in gaming
by Brian Ashcraft
A necessary evil "Resident Evil 7" was announced this month, but it won't be available until January 2017. What's a "Resident Evil" ("Biohazard" in Japan) fan to do until then? Luckily, to tide us over, Capcom is also releasing a remastered version of "Resident Evil ...