NARRATOR: Video games on this podcast vary from E to M.
– Whats up and welcome to the official Xbox Podcast, the one podcast coming to you from inside Xbox. All proper. If you happen to’re watching this present within the Western hemisphere, you’ll have slept by way of some fairly cool stuff. In a single day final night time, the Xbox Tokyo Recreation Present 2024 broadcast occurred. There was a whole lot of cool stuff. There’s even stuff you possibly can play proper now. So we have a particular present. We have a particular background with an animated cat, the one one I am not allergic to. And a particular visitor, Mena Kato, becoming a member of us from Xbox, Japan. Mena, thanks a lot for becoming a member of us. Inform us a little bit bit about your self and what you do for Xbox.
– Properly, to start with, thanks for having me. I’m the chief for the Japan partnership crew at Xbox. And what I do is I deliver the good third celebration video games onto Xbox. And for me personally, I have been within the recreation business for over 20 years, virtually near 25, and I’ve carried out all the pieces from platform enterprise growth to product growth, and I am right here supporting Xbox and our third celebration companions.
– Properly, thanks a lot for that. I simply wish to ask you a query earlier than we get into it. I am fortunate sufficient I get to go to Japan every so often. I used to be there over the past Christmas. And it all the time simply strikes me like how prevalent gaming appears to be in society. Like, why do you assume that’s?
– Properly, to start with, I feel the tradition itself is all about particulars and craftsmanship, and everybody loves all the pieces Japanese, proper? And that really interprets into recreation growth and the video games that we make. And you will see the main points, the orient– the element oriented gameplay, recreation design, all the pieces about it, after which the craftsmanship that goes into the precise growth, and all of that creates the very distinctive Japanese video games, and the gamers love that.
– All proper. And there is a whole lot of them for us to speak about right here at this time. Let’s leap into what kicked off the published. We received to see the newest take a look at Steel Gear Strong Delta, Snake Eater.
MENA KATO: Yep. And we’re so excited to have Konami deliver that on board with us. And I imply, it is the remake of the unique Steel Gear Strong 3. And so it is received all the improved stuff out of there. And I imply, everybody is aware of Steel Gear, proper? And it is one of many pillar of Japanese gaming titles that is come out, and it is received the lengthy historical past. And it is so influential in all the gaming and it is constructed the stealth motion recreation style and we’re simply excited to have that. And after we confirmed it and on the summer season showcase, Okamura-san, the producer was there, and he was so excited to have on that huge display that everybody, I am certain, has seen, and we’re simply excited to have them right here.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: Okumura-san was really the primary to sit down in that very chair final June. It was actually cool as he introduced in and broke down a number of the footage. Like, the sport simply seems so good. I like seeing the shut ups. We have gotten to see Revolver Ocelot right here, I feel for the primary time. And so Steel Gear Strong 3 is my favourite of the sequence, so extremely excited. We love surprises right here on the present, and there’s nothing extra shocking than watching a trailer and it says, play now. Even higher is when it says play now with Recreation Go. All of us love surprises. All of us love Katamari. We love Katamari Reroll delivered on each fronts.
MENA KATO: Yep, yep. And once more, you see the Japanese uniqueness there. And Katamari is like, a factor by itself. Everybody loves it, everybody can play with it, and everybody’s type of allured by it. And everybody loves that type of uniqueness that you simply see in that recreation. And it is carried out reiterations, however everybody nonetheless loves it. And it is the re-release of the sequel to the unique Katamari Damacy, and you may take a look at the distinctive recreation design on Xbox.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: I do not really feel like everybody can get away with calling your recreation we love after which the sport’s identify, however Katamari, they will try this.
MENA KATO: They will try this. They will positively try this.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: All proper. Here is one thing I beloved, and that’s Atlus this 12 months. Atlus has utterly owned my 12 months and my gaming time this 12 months. Persona 3 Reload. I am really enjoying 3D. Aigis chapter proper now, episode Aigis DLC. Unicorn Overlord, I spent dozens of hours enjoying by way of that recreation. And I don’t hesitate to say they’ll personal my fall as properly with Metaphor ReFantazio. What did that crew share on this present?
MENA KATO: So we did the pre-order announcement with them on the present. Additionally, a lot of you may not know, Atlus is celebrating its thirty fifth anniversary. And so you possibly can see all of the issues that they’ve carried out up till now, and you may see it on this new recreation. However this new recreation is their new IP, which is able to construct the additional years to come back with them. And it is so thrilling to see this immersive, deep, immersive RPG come to life. And we love– we love that we’re partnering with them on this.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: Yeah, it’s going to be the fourth launch of the 12 months from them, together with Shin Megami Tensei V. So fairly superior 12 months to be me, actually. But it surely’d be higher in case you’re into this and also you’re simply youthful and higher trying than me, that may be nice for you. All proper. As a giant RPG participant, I’ve to make a confession right here. I’ve all the time been curious in regards to the Atelier sequence, however I’ve really by no means dove into one of many titles. However from the very first announcement, Atelier Yumia– let me get the title right– The Alchemist of Reminiscences and the Envisioned Land caught my eye. So what did the oldsters at Koei Tecmo deliver to the present?
MENA KATO: Yeah, so in case you look, there is a developer interview. We’ve the producer, Hosoi-san speak about his recreation. And once more, it is the primary time Atelier is on Xbox and we’re simply actually excited. There’s a lot to be enthusiastic about, however this one’s particular as a result of it is the primary time they’re on Xbox.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: Yeah, and it actually looks as if an evolution of the Atelier sequence, and once more, it simply seems lovely. So value watching once more. And I ought to remind all people on the market, you possibly can watch the complete broadcast once more on this very– in case you’re watching on YouTube, similar on youtube.com/xbox. It is all going to be there. However we have a couple of extra titles right here that we will wish to get by way of at this time. And this one is one other one which you could play proper now. I am so enthusiastic about this. Q-Video games out of Kyoto is bringing their very first recreation to Xbox at this time, it is known as All You Want Is Assist.
MENA KATO: Yep and it is really– I imply, the sport is about creativity. It is once more, about for everybody. It is received these little cute, fluffy cubes which you could push a button and it will name for assist. And it is a co-op play and it is collaborative. It is a collaborative play, enjoyable for everybody. And with Q-Video games, I do know– I’ve identified Dylan Cuthbert, who’s a founding father of video games, for a really very long time. And he is really very an influential individual inside recreation devs in Japan. He is the founder for Bitsummit, which a whole lot of indie builders now goes to, and it is an important present. And he is received an extended historical past throughout the growth group in Japan.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: He labored he labored on Star Fox again within the day.
MENA KATO: Thats proper, and the Pixeljunk sequence. And so once more, it is nice crew, nice developer and we love having them for the primary time on Xbox.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: Love that. So in case you see that identify Pixeljunk, it carries a whole lot of weight. This can be the primary recreation you get to play from them, however positively value diving into Q-Video games and the Pixeljunk again catalog for certain. I’d say essentially the most lovable recreation within the sequence or on this broadcast. Let’s transfer to one thing that is possibly a little bit bit extra disturbing. I do know a recreation lots of people are desirous about is Slitterhead.
– Sure. Once more, very completely different.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: Sure.
MENA KATO: Very completely different. It is from Bokeh Recreation Studios by Toyama-san, and he is identified for video games like Silent Hill and Siren. Slitterhead’s one other a kind of. However he is additionally identified for titles like Gravity Rush. They usually’re very completely different video games.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: Very completely different recreation.
MENA KATO: However from one individual. And this exhibits his creativity and his greatness. I labored with him again at my Sony days on PlayStation, and he and his crew have created so many nice video games in so many alternative methods.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: Yeah. I used to be there as properly when Siren got here out and I nonetheless take into consideration that recreation and the way scary it was, so it tells me lots about what I will be trying ahead to in Slitterhead.
MENA KATO: And Slitterhead, in Slitterhead you will see all these completely different creatures. The creature design is so distinctive and I typically marvel what’s taking place in his head. All these creatures that provides you nightmares.
– Yeah.
– It is– it is loopy, however it’s nice.
– Perhaps you do not wish to know.
– No.
– We’ll need to see. All proper, so these subsequent few video games, they’re all coming to Xbox for the primary time. And personally, I consider these are all actually essential to any fan’s JRPG library. Let’s begin off with Suikoden 1 and a pair of HD.
MENA KATO: Once more from Konami. It is a basic, however it’s one thing everybody loves. And we have simply launched the discharge timing and it will be out March 6, 2025. And we’re so excited to have it on Xbox. I am certain the director, Sakiyama-san highlighted a couple of issues in his interview. Once more, it is the basic RPG franchise and everybody’s joyful to have it.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: Yeah, and each these video games got here out within the 90s. Like, Xbox did not even exist. So it is fairly superior that that is now like becoming a member of the library and actually an entire new group of people that possibly by no means performed these video games will get to attempt it for the primary time. All proper. So we’ve to speak about Sq. Enix. They’re coming in on this broadcast with huge bulletins on the finish of the present. Dragon Quest 3, HD 2D remake, Trials of Mana, Legend of Mana, Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster, which was Remaining Fantasy I by way of Remaining Fantasy VI. This can be a huge displaying.
MENA KATO: Yep. It is an important, huge announcement with Sq. Enix. Once more, all these titles, proper? And we’re simply actually excited that we’re deepening our partnership with them throughout all of those titles. Once more, these are simply IPs that everybody is aware of about, which has a legacy, historical past. It is constructed the sport business for Japan and for lots of the gamers, too. And so I feel taking one thing just like the Dragon Quest 3 HD 2D remake or the Remaining Fantasy, the Pixel Remaster, I imply, it is simply nice to have it, however it’s simply nice gameplay, simply genuinely nice gameplay. After which you have got the Monasteries, which involves Xbox for the primary time.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: We did not have– if we return a month, there have been no Mana video games ever on Xbox, and now we’ve three.
MENA KATO: Sure, it is so nice. Everybody can play all of them. And it is simply it is actually thrilling to have one thing like that on Xbox.
JEFF RUBENSTEIN: Yeah. I imply, I bear in mind enjoying Remaining Fantasy I on the NES after which Remaining Fantasy VI, one of many best video games of all time, it is an absolute deal with. Like, do your self a favor and simply take pleasure in this walkthrough historical past. And in addition, simply, I’ve to say, Dragon Quest 3, the HD 2D remake, it seems so good. I used to hire this recreation from Blockbuster once I was a child. Like each week I’d get it for like, two nights, and I’d get it the subsequent weekend and somebody would have deleted the sport and I’d begin it over once more. So I by no means received to beat the sport. Fixing that, completely fixing that. So I simply can’t inform you how excited I’m about all of those bulletins. Like, it’s fairly a bounty for an RPG fan like myself right here, simply multi function broadcast. Now, earlier than you go, this information got here out a couple of weeks in the past. We have been speaking off set about nice information from Capcom confirming two preventing recreation collections coming to Xbox in 2025.
MENA KATO: Yep. And we’re so joyful to have them on. I imply, once more, these are classics, however everybody loves them, and it is consultant of so many video games that come out of Capcom. You have received your larger video games, however issues like that is so significant to see on Xbox.
– Yeah, and the Useless Rising Deluxe Remaster simply got here out final week, a recreation that has an enormous position in Xbox lore as being an early Xbox 360 recreation. Go– go get enjoying. Like, why are you listening to me anymore? There may be a lot we did not really get to. StarCraft 1 and a pair of are coming to Recreation Go. Extra content material for age of mythology. A really cool Overwatch 2, and My Hero Academia collab. And you’ll find out extra on all the pieces we talked about and even all the pieces that we did not speak about over on Xbox Wire. That’s information.xbox.com. And naturally, you possibly can go rewind, watch the entire broadcast over once more proper right here on youtube.com/xbox. Mena, earlier than we allow you to go, what have been your ideas on this 12 months’s Xbox Tokyo Recreation Present broadcast?
– Properly, it is all about range. Xbox is for everybody. And we’re speaking in regards to the creativity popping out of Japan, however not simply Japan, throughout Asia.
– Very, very properly mentioned. I’ve to say, personally, I like a shadow drop and this present positively delivered no fewer than 5 of them. That’s proper, Xbox gamers can now choose up and play All You Want is Assist, Trials of Mana, The Legend of Mana, We Love Katamari Reroll, and Remaining Fantasy Pixel Remaster. That’s six video games in a single, FF1 by way of FF, Remaining Fantasy VI. So Mena, thanks a lot for becoming a member of us.
– Thanks for having me.
– We’ll need to have you ever again once more.
– All proper.
– All proper. That’s it for this very particular episode of The Official Xbox Podcast. We are going to see you subsequent week.
