Musings and Aftermath of the PSN Crisis

Episode 17.5

Note- This is the short version of the post.

April 17 2011:

·          PSN Hacked Into, information stolen.

·          Types of information – Addy, Name, Zip code CC not certain

·          IT People state this was a vengeance attacked – GeoHot Affiliated but these anon take no responsibility.

April 19 2011:

·          PSN Shutdown to protect from any other intrusions.

·          Shutdown effects 75 million (35 to 40 main with possible double accounts)

Concerning Hackers/Crackers:

·          What they did to the PSN Network was pure evil.

·          That several members of Neogaf, Gamefaqs, and Giant Bomb supported them in some form and fashion is a form of madness.

·          Similar to what Crucnhroll did with the rest of the American anime dubbing business.

The Playstation Brand:

·          Sony PR isn’t well equipped to handle disasters like these.

·          Major crisis of confidence for the playstation brand for years to come.

Anon/GeoHot and the “PS3 Hack”

·          Sony’s main reason for going after Geohot was for the protection of their first party games and the protection of the customers.

·          The DDoS attack which lead into the hack might have come from the hardware crack which Sony was weak in making sure it was clear and away secure before the hack

The Fanbases disappointment:

·          Sony was to detached for people feelings about these issues.

·          Gaming websites question the future of the Playstation Brand.

·          Microsoft wise not to rub salt on wound realizing retaliation is a mother-

·          The anger created certain funny and unfunny memes. Some say it’s the end of the relationship with Sony and them period, others say this shakes their confidence.

·          As there is much blame to be placed on Sony it has been misplaced.

·          Hackers are treated with kid gloves. 4Chan and the darkness, the multiple boorus, Crunchyroll’s promises of sexual blushing.

Power Fantasies:

·          Unlike the some of the ideas that hackers live by, these actions have real and devastating consequences.

·          The FBI hasn’t done its job concerning financial malfeasance – but they will find these hackers.

·          The only future that is in store for them is a cell with bubba.

Steps for PSN to become better:

·          Voice Chat day one (May 31)

·          PSN Card as the main way to buy or purchase stuff from the store.

·          Free Access for the other store fronts for a month (starting May 31)

Final Thoughts:

·          Memories of Xenogears, Chrono Cross and MGS on the Playstation but sadly this issue with the PSN hurts.

·          The case for “freedom” the hackers/anon represent is spurious at best, insane at worse.

·          The Anon’s case against hypocrisy when it comes to internet freedoms is hurt because of this hack.

·          Future of the internet will no longer be controlled by them or the Anon’s of the world.

·          The media was never social nor based on networking. Media needs tools to work.

·          Took the name Novidanon cause despite what others thought of them were above board.

·          Proven wrong twice dealing with Jessi Savage and the PSN hack.

·          Chosen the losers but needed to stand out from rest of the pack.

·          Doubt that I will stay with video games after this gen ends (2 years left it seems)

·          If the internet becomes more like the WWE – you know who the blame.

·          The web has become a den of vipers and predators. Even the mobile web has issues. It’s setting up for another dotcom crash that will make the first one look like child’s play.

·          If the anon’s were worth their salt – then create their own network and leave the networks behind. They didn’t do it and they will get what is coming to them to our detriment.

Update: Sony apologized to the users of the PSN who service has been down since April 19. They promised service in a week.

Update: Sony also announced a date for the FULL PSN Service to be up – May 31. Other services will also be up starting from May 9 onward as Sony and its hired security agency finishes security testing.

Epsiode 17:

Note – There are two versions of this post. The first version you see here is the long (a.k.a – the TLDR post) the second version is the Clift Notes (AKA, the Internet “Approved Version”) which all can read mostly.

On – the worst thing that could happen to Playstation fans happened. The PSN was hacked into. Information was stolen. What type of information? Personal information; address, name, zip code. Possible CC info but Sony hasn’t given any more information outside of that. We don’t know who or what type of group hacked in the PSN, but as far as my friends In IT are concern this was a “terroristic event” with “overtones of revenge/vengeance” The Anons (nonaffiliated with me) who GeoHot was affiliated with – denied any responsibility.  

PSN was shut down to protect the network from any more intrusions starting April 19, 2011. The shutdown effects 75 Million (more like 35-40 million people) users of the service.

What the crackers/hackers did was evil. The fact people semi defend them shows the madness that has gone down in the internet as of late – a madness not even concerned or dealing with internet freedoms, but more of the pirating crunchyroll folk that have destroyed the anime industry in the US.

As many want to blame Sony, take them down a peg – this is a crisis of huge proportions to the Playstation Brand. Let’s not kid ourselves, they are the victims here.   Sony however, could have done a much better job in keep in constant contact and being personal with its customers. They always even at some bad times – aloof. It shows in promotions of certain games from patapon on down.

The issue with Anon/GeoHot and Anon’s response (which pretty much indicts them in the event) after Sony made the deal to settle out of court, was the protection of the games and the rest of the customers – from what GeoHot found out that the PS3’s issues and possible use in cheating in games and other such malfeasance. The update that came out to fix the problem seemed to have ended the issue. Nevertheless, the DDoS attack which lead into the hack which forced PSN to shutdown may have come from that Hardware “crack” that Sony to be honest – didn’t do enough to make sure that it was clear and away secure.

So, people are angry. They have every right to be angry. And I am angry as well.

At Sony – not because they did the wrong things – because they were too “detached” from the moment. They needed to be at the phones with the media and working the phones of the multiple gaming websites – answering everybody’s questions and calming everyone’s fears. The same way they fixed my PS2 way back when, (and it’s still purring as a Kitten) – the respect and care they did then – they needed to do now while they still have a chance.

Some gaming websites now question the future of the Playstation Brand (the same way they questioned the X-Box brand with the RROD.) But I have to give props to Microsoft and some Xbox folks – they have been very respectful and on Microsoft’s end they know despite the 14 year head start they have on networks anything can happen, warning on the phishing attacks that were a nuisance before – is now poient now.

The anger however, has created some funny and some unfunny comments, gifs and so on. Some day they can’t trust Sony on a professional level. Others say this is the end of trusting Sony period. Still Others say that as Sony fans this shakes there confidence in them.

Let me make some things very clear. We need to look at this on a honest level. As much as there is blame on Sony (and there should be some) most of the anger I see from Neo-Gaf, Gamefaqs and GiantBomb has been misplaced at Sony and not the hackers. The hackers – some of their supporters are in these boards; these hackers have been treated with kid gloves. It’s this net neutrality without honesty that has been defended again and again… Its 4chan and the darkness behind their shadows, it’s the booru’s and their images of revelry – its crunchyroll and their promise of the sexual blush at every god damn corner.

Unlike those folks on those three sites that have treated those hackers who have lived behind net neutrality’s promises and protected these three sites and the fanbases that followed them – the internet works on the real world. Unlike the power fantasies these hackers live by (moe is just another form of this power fantasy) that hacked PSN – where their actions are for the lulz – these actions, possibly stealing credit card information and selling it at a price – have real and devastating consequences. As much as the FBI haven’t gone after the bankers that have stolen money hand over fist from the American people, you can trust me that not only the FBI, Interpol and Military agencies all over the planet will be combing to find who did this. They will NOT hide. They will be found and they will be prosecuted and will be sent to the pokey in a cell with BUBBA. That’s the future that is in store for them.

As for PSN, I have no clue. As of before the 17 they were moving towards some things and behind a lot of others. After the 19 however that has changed not for the better. I can understand if some don’t want to use PSN anymore. I can even understand why they might not trust Sony fully. I can emphasize with that.

However, Sony must start a huge process – not unlike Japan has started the process – of not only fixing PSN – but rebuilding the Playstation brand. This generation is one SONY wishes it can forget. But these setbacks should show they don’t control the show anymore as much as they wish they could. This should be the wakeup call to the whole brand and maybe the whole company.

The first thing that needs to be done, after bringing back PSN – will be bring Voice Chat from DAY ONE of the return of the network and/or Store. Its been too long. It needs to show that its starting to have some faith in the new network and start to bring back those that were lost from the downtime.

The next step is to promote the PSN card as the MAIN way to buy anything from the store once that returns. Nobody would ever put a Credit Card or Debit in the network even if it had the best security. The next best choice is to actually promote the cards to get things from the store and as the safest way to do so as well.

The third step is to let people access PS+ and the cloud for the whole month of May.

Next step is to have access to the other parts of the store – Netflix, Hulu-Plus, MLB Game Pass for a week or more depending on what the companies want to do.

All of these however, is just the first step in a long and tireless road back to some semblance of respectability and respect.

Finally, this news and the response to this news hurts me as a fan of the Playstation.

All my memories of Video Games during the teen years came from here – Xenogears, Crono Cross and MGS. To see this happen hurts.

We can never forget.

Some may never forgive.

We needed however to be forever vigilant. The case for freedom that the “hackers” represents and some who have blamed Sony for everything about this incident is spurious at best, and almost insane at worse. The Anons fight against hypocrisy (from the most part) but when it comes to internet freedoms they have hurt their case in the first place.   The future of the internet will no longer be controlled by the Anon’s or the Crunchrolls of the world. They have better realize this before they become like the pirate bay and the rest of the crack/warez sites… The results of these hacks are far reaching. It’s the major problems that the rest of the modern world has with the internet – even with social media. The media was never social or based on networking – media has to be created with tools and the means to use the tools.

The fact that hackers don’t understand it or refuse to use capitalism on its honest ends means that many of those on the supposed “right” can say with all certainty that these folks are the new “terrorists” and despite Assanges claims that he’s doing what Tom Jefferson and Franklin where doing (even despite the fact they owned slaves…)He (along with Moot and GeoHot as of late) are the face and voice of these Anon’s.

As I took the name novidanon – I did it because I believed that the Anon’s were upstanding people (dealing with the Jessi Savage issue) and they were libertarian in their views of life. Turns out I was wrong on both counts. They are mostly for the lulz (and the sauce which if you don’t know anon speak – is a double entrande for both the source of data and the male/female procreation fluid) as well as causing the same sort of mayhem the Joker did in The Dark Knight. Some people just want to see the world burn and only Android exist.

I just want to make one thing clear. Im not in the business of changing people’s minds or convincing that Sony will do a better job. You live in America and you have the right to buy things or not or support other companies or not.

As for me, this generation of video games has been a massive disappointment for me personally. Some have moved to Online or others have moved to I-gaming.

But I realize that I support the losing side in a lot of issues. Music (Metal is more my thing but there hasn’t been a consistent superstar since Metallica, whereas rap is caught whether we got a new MC Hammer, or the next Tupac) TV (Glee is not totally original –Fringe got saved but gets low ratings – House is a great show people watch, I can’t stand CBS – and I hate the majority of the reality shows because they remind me of the WWE (which the latter is turning into) – governmental issues/societal issues and Video Games.

I guess I have to be different. If I was like everybody else – I wouldn’t be myself.

I have my doubts that will sticking with the industry beyond this Generation. I do have dreams and plans myself.

I will change my name – since I don’t want to be known along with the Anons. They have lost all trust and faith with me.

And if you see the internet become lot more…corny and corporate – you know who to blame.

That’s all the hype the Anon’s now give us. More of the same tripe; more of the same silly responses.

I don’t trust the web nor the mobile web anymore. Its 40 year old tech, the bandwidth (in the states) is horrible and the fact everybody and their momma is trying to get that money reeks of another possible crash of epic proportions.

If the anon’s had any guts they would have built a better system, and leave this Net behind.

They didn’t do it and they will get what is coming to them and it’s to our detriment.

Update: Sony apologized to the users of the PSN who service has been down since April 19. They promised service in a week.

Update: Sony also announced a date for the FULL PSN Service to be up – May 31. Other services will also be up starting from May 9 onward as Sony and its hired security agency finishes security testing.

Yall miss me? Life is killing me. I got job(s) - brand spanking new thingy called responsibilities and such. 
 
I was going to start up a site and I will get to that - but this topic isnt good news fro the Playstation Faithful.  Trust me when I say this. You DONT KNOW HOW GOOD YOU YOU HAVE IT WITH  THE PSP. Seriously. 
 
I bought the 1000 version back in 2005/6 And i loved every min of it. It was stolen sadly, but i went to get a 2000 version of  the PSP - which i still use.  
 
Trust me, I know whats the shit out there. (I mean good shit not bullshit) and the PSP - if you look at the games they have made from Sony on down, were something unique than anything else out there. Patapon is one of the greatest franchises ever made seriously. The fact that Sony US fucked it chances with Patapon 2 was i felt a determent to the PSP success.  
 
But im not crying over mistakes over at Corporate. They have enough great franchises.  
 
But what I am unhappy about is the new NGP. The Playstation Portable (cubed) 
 
Its a great design marred by mistakes, after mistakes, after errors and Me-TOOism.  
 
Android is the little programing language that could. However that doesn't help a damn thing - the Playstation NGP is not the PSP, and will never reach its honorable niche. Not westerned-fid, not too eastern bread, just the right amount. 
 
The first part i want to talk about is the UMD   First off, the lack of UMD – in order to go “backwards” is the first huge WARNING sign something else is up. Trust me when I say this. NOBODY hated the UMD. The ONLY REASON why UMD never caught on is the reason every body is with Blu-Ray now – Sony cannot control the disk process – other companies must join in and do their own disc pressing process. But Sony felt that the PSP would be more secure if they control the Disc Process. Turns out it wasn’t true.-  they could rip out the ISO with a few clicks of a mouse. 
 
Second:   And with any revamp (the UMD was a revamped Mini-Disc and had way better read times) there would be problems. The UMD despite its flaws, was the most advanced Tech of its time and with a few mods would have been a good complement to the Blu-Ray – a better version of the Digital Disc ideas now used by Disney and other companies.-  
 
The fact they went to a system that is at best 25 years old - instead of going download only or disc based makes the PSP MORE advanced, not less - More ADVANCED than the NGP, regardless of design or touchscreen. 
 
The next issue at hand, is the interface    Its ugly as sin. The XMB works (mostly) for the PS3 and the Original PSP. This apple based mixture is weak and has no – character.  
 
So -   i could almost deal with a download only PSP (PSPgo) – i could deal with android – i can even deal with all this three g bullshit (where everybody is going towards 4g and 3G-gaming cant and never mix) but this system has no chance of success because while it might add touch screens, and a second nub – it went backwards on the very things that made it “different” from Ninty’s DS and 3DS. – Its interface (the XMB can handle apps duh) and its disc based system (going back to 25 year old tech just dont cut it) and im not even sure it will allow Memory Card Duo’s anymore since there’s only a space of some sort of a SD card (which fail…hard – and i use it on my cell and three out of 5 times it has a memory error.) 
  
As much as people and certain companies love the NGP - there is one major company not too pleased. 
 
Electronic Arts. And for the first time since 2005 - I agree. Wholeheartedly. This is trying to become the all everything machine. in 2004 - they had a legit case. Come Christmas 2011 - its all noise. 
 
And that's a very sad statement to make - because i want to love the NGP. WANT TO. 
 
But i cant do it. Not when there are so many problems, so many issues. I really doubt i buy one- and even if the COD brothers love the machine - it will still fail in the west because the PSP has been given a bad rap, some of it for no good reason. 
 
So Ninty wins again in the place they have always done well, handhelds.  
 
Which means im might be done with handhelds again (the PSP kept me in) and it will be a LONG time before i get back to it. 
 
And thats the saddest truth of the whole matter. 
 
Sony does so much but cant pull the right trigger for massive success and profit. 
 
Such a shame.

Its been a DAMN Long time since my last post - and since Sony is sending their sackboys to fix up the network for E3 and new firmware updates - I thought it best to take a bit of my time and tell you whats been going on: 
 
First of - I never bought any version of street fighter for a console. The ones i do have for SF is Upper 3 (named Alpha 3 in the US) for the GBA and PSP which i still have the latter.  
 
First small thoughts on Super Street Fighter 4: Great game - However, a lot needs patching. Since they cant fix the one frame delay on PS3 (which is almost inexplicable to explain) they must bring easy links back. Some of the inputs show up wrong so thats needs to be patched. Please - Please - Please Oro dont put R-Mika in and make her a deity tier. That would break the game SOO BAD.  
 
Speaking of Oro, did anybody see the X-Box 360 Maximum Risky Theme (to coin a phrase from Kotaku) with the females? Yeah, Capcom don't have the talent to draw like that and UDON wishes they could do it but they cant - so im thinking Oro knows some of these Dojin boys and the money went under the table and the rest is history... 
 
But why do they had to make Makoto look like a bumbling "moe" idiot? (just a side note - when everybody and there momma is against a bad law, just give up - please? I mean Japan cant find no leader (Kan will be gone or share power with the LPJ by the time the Upper House ends their session), the US is still in Okinawa even after somebody was willing to take our troops away from the prefecture at the least and the Tokyo Metro Government is getting bitch-slapped over this "protection" law not only the media, but anime as well - so just...give up)  
 
Yeah- back to the females, its Ironic the Cammy - the one Oro hates - and Makoto the one that Oro defanged, are the only two females that one a tourney so far. My fear if there is DLC, we will have Mika and she will be come like Rufus is and CHEAP. I only use Makoto as my female because Chun is a half charge and has gotten older (and Im not good on charge folks) Cammy kinda lost her links and her AA is ok but not as a good replacement - Viper got a kid, Ibuki too perky, Rose is Rose - Juri is too much of a slut - not Bayonetta slutty where sex is her power, Juri is too teasey - and her moves and zone game doesnt give her a chance to go deep into matches. Sakura is Sakura and there is no Karin so i cant really use Sakura without Karin - there two sides of a coin. So that leaves Makoto. Pefect for me... but I havent won as much as I wish to because i cant use her axe kick to open up anything (pressing up, QCB - knee = -_-;;;;)
 
Oh and is it me? Or whats with the ENGLISH voices using Ora, Ora, Ora? Did they come from the Tekken school of Voice Acting? They could have used another word. 
 
Juri - would have been Onnichanbara style wise if she wasnt made Korean.   Still though the game is great. 
 
Speaking about Korea, what the hell is wrong with Starcraft over there? First off, it gets a AO rating over there. Second, all these scandals appear. Now some not even sure of Starcraft 2 will do well over there. They really do need to fix some problems there, because these folks have waited a long time for this game to come out. 
 
As for Yakuza 4? This time it was Sony that Told them to do it and Sega just said - we sold this and this much and now we get 4 ready for 2011! (which isnt true, because it would have ranked in the top 20 if it was true - Demon Souls is about to get to 350,000 copies and Yakuza 3 will only reach 1/10 of those sales. So this was pretty much Sony's pushing and prodding Sega into this direction. Its very possible that Sony might be in the translation of the game this time around because to be honest - I DIDNT believe that Sega would bring 4 over here.  
 
So next on my list of games is Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. I finished MGS4 sometime ago and i plan to do a long review later this year. As for Peace Walker - it looks great but im thinking this is only Kojima's showing us how everything had to end up the way it did. 
 
So folks, until next time.

Ok, yea - even though this is the Playstation Zeitgeist, some times i talk about life a bit and what not - Imo not chasing females (they chase me, but i have to calm them down a bit - yes, its like the manga My Balls (and I heard its funny), only with a equal amount of traps - but i never would have relations with the traps... 
 
Ok, here is what is on my mind - Yakuza 3 is out and unless stated otherwise, god only knows I want to buy it but my principles are my principles, dont cut content unless you lower the price - period.  
 
Is it me, or did SquareEnix sponsored the whole new monday night wars? FFXII was the big star. But expect some upsets come April when the NPD's comes out. But if your really looking for a game to buy - go get God of War III. Took half the time of FFXII and looks 3 times as nice. Something the Japanese developers haven't gotten the hang of yet. 
 
As for Tim Rogers comments about Japan, i got to be fair - he's mostly correct - but i feel that his comments are more against the US than Japan - why? Its simple. 
 
Tim Rogers wants to be free to be who he wants to be - and as so long as America continues to keep playing its "jock/geek/prep/goth games beyond its intended end date - High School, then Tim Rogers can have his opinions about Japan, but IMO - their misguided. 
 
This is the problem I have with many folks dealing with Japan (or most other countries for that matter) - they have the notion whatever the western media promotes as "the Japanese" is the truth. But didnt even the TMNT (the new series - during the start of the Demon Shredder Season) stated that Perception is never reality? 
 
See, the reality is that Japan sees a cycle (just like China does) but the thing is - they forgot about the cycle. They know about it in the back of their back of their mind - however they go about there business not knowing why the cycle exist or why everything there business want to promote dont stick. 
 
Have you heard of the concept, Ee Ja Nai Ka? According to Wikipedia - it was a complex religious celebration - almost decesending into utter madness. This happened towards the end of the last shogunate.   
 
One of the things im beginning to see - this moe/loli thing - is really three things: One, on its underlying basis - its like the Ee Ja Nai Ka - made modernized. Second, its to put the US Dubbers out of business. If you really think about it - the reason why they have made all the moe/loli series in the last few years wasn't really because of some otaku who just got lucky in love. First reason was because the US Dubbers had screwed with the Japanese companies one too many times. Time to screw them back, where it hurts. The major reason i felt this is going down - its a backlash against feminism and the Old Guard. The reason why the Old Guard was because of what happened in the economic issues Japan had for nearly 20 years (and still hasn't been fixed and will get worse). Second part was feminism. Its that after those issues came down, women had to work too. What happened that potential mates for these Otaku (holding the industry money wise in place) were taken away - by the same "Old Guard" 
who now after pressure by other western states and other recent events - is mulling a mosaic for these moe/loil stars.  
  
I stated on another blog on the Whiskey Network somewhere - that if they pull that off, along with some death's in the industry - then what we called "anime" might become nonviable, and in turn - will hurt the american industry (outside of Pixar and the like since they focus on films which projects take 4 to 6 years to complete). 
 
Even though i hate, really hate the loli/moe thing - my point has been and always will be the act is the crime and holding real photos live action tapes of said acts are crimes. Thats it. No beating around the bush.   
 
So what Tim Sees, is this Ee Ja Nai Ka, but it shows in different ways in different demographics.  
 
But my advice to Tim, really and truly - is to discover his past. He keeps moving around trying to find a place he belongs - and then he complains about how different things are and what not. But if he really looks his family's history - and understand where he came from then he would see the world in a different light and wouldn't just be so angry about where he lives and so on.  
 
In fact, a lot of folk have been denied that history of their own families life's, no matter what color they are. I think what the media has done sadly is promote one part of the family - then destroys it at the same end to the detriment of its own media, its artists; producers and the audience there trying to promote to. See, society has made agreements on what should be allowed, what's in the gray area and what isn't allowed. Sadly, because the fight over religion, on who can marry or not marry, on our economic problems - it has broken the wound that should have been healed. But im a critic on society - and i feel that this "deconstruction" going down in the final analysis, good for humanity... My worry is we gonna fuck it up and turn into automatons but thats what you get when you try to medicate shit not needed to be medicated. (did i tell you that i respect CM Punk but really dont get the Straight Edge Movement?) 
 
Ok guys, i need a good game to replace Yakuza 3 - there are three games on the list - yall choose the one i should get: 
 
Resonance of Fate: 
 
MLB 10: The Show: 
 
Heavy Rain: 
 
Wait it out Until Fist of the North Star (note I will get Super Street Fighter 4 regardless) 
 
Your own personal Choice: 
 
Want to hear what you think... 
 
(I should do more reviews, but isn't Ironic i haven't finished half the games I bought - not because there good, but there good to finish - dont want it to end too quick and all that jazz) 
 
Oh before i forget, I am building a new website - and it doubles as a production company. You hear more about it in the coming weeks... 
 
More later... 
 
Novid.

Look, Sega. We are not Mad. 
 
We just want you to be fair. 
 
Drop the Price, if your dropping the hostess minigame. Period. 
 
You have no VA's to pay, you cut somethings off - so why is it still 60 bucks. 
 
When the US developers say that they will have DLC, they tell us in advance.  
 
When any developer - states were going to fix something - they do it as quick as possible. 
 
This was total nonsense. SONY TOLD YOU, and let me repeat myself - SONY TOLD YOU you have to have a VA for Yakuza 3. Because if you had the VA, everything would have been kept. 
 
BUT in Sega of America's infinite wisdom, you had to get it out ON THE SAME DAY as another failed game - FFXIII and A WEEK before the only fucking game that matters this March, God of War Three. In order to do that you had to practically BEG and THREATEN SONY the loss of the Franchise in Japan (which is what I think happened) from becoming a MultiPlatform title. And thats was the ONLY fucking REASON In my opinion and obsveration SCEA wave the rules.  
 
Then your ripped the rug out of them. 
 
Sony, for future reference? It aint worth it waving the rules so you can have more exclusives. If the idiots over in those failing J-Developers cant find good VA's when you KNOW your rules state that YOU MUST have VA - tell them to go fuck themselves. This is the only way things will ever get done right. And if Sega doesnt want to bring Yakuza 4 over, then Sony - go Pay Atlus - let them get there boys over at Bang Zoom, and watch Yakuza 4 kick ass. Hey, it worked for Demon Souls - why not this one? 
 
Let this also be a lesson for the rest of us. Its all of it or none of it. What I mean is that you cant pay 60 bucks for a game that is cut from the original source. They have NO CHOICE but to cut the price down at least to 49 bucks MSRP. Its only fair. 
 
So Sega, Stop Spinning - start letting go of the past - and let the developers develop and the publishers publish. 

What do they all have in common? 
 
So far, massive fail. 
 
The Anon of the Internet is angry that the J-Company (or at best there American side) are being penny foolish. 
 
Lets start with Namdai. Boy, they really hate the PS3 THIS TIME AROUND don't they? Ok, Tekken has a few good songs, ok online, but I would be damned if im stunned why you haven't made a red cent outside of Tekken. Lets see - Naruto looked nice... but fell flat. Soul Caliber 4 was full of some bad animu joke mixed with Star Wars... You had Kratos and hes stuck on the PSP version of the game... And let me not get started on tales... 
 
Next up is SquareEnix, and it really deserves its own post - but i going to mention the big points here. 
 
They want to do a new movie, fail. 
 
Then they buy Eidos and Lara Croft gets a new game - but god only knows what Shenagains there up to. 
 
Then CAME the BULLSHIT EXCUSES. 
 
"oh, we cant do FF7 remake because it will take 15 years. 
 
"oh, yeah there are no towns in FF13" 
 
"oh and uh... its also for 360? and we cut half the game out for the meatheads who would never care about the animu game in hopes they will buy it for cause of her nice legs?" 
 
IT AINT HAPPENING SON! These are the same folk that Gave US Xenogears? Chrono Cross? Vagrant Story? How about Star Ocean, Valkrie Profile and all the rest on the Enix side? 
 
Oh and then the CEO of the combined companies said 13 is the true Final Fantasy made in house - too big of a project... 
 
... but thats not the worst of it and Ill get to them on a future date. 
 
But lastly, Sega.  
 
Hey, Im not hating. Bayonetta was great. The PS3 version is now playable. Valkria Chronicles is the best RPG so far this generation (Ironically both female leads) 
 
So, to complete the return of the J-Developer to his rightful place as, teh KING; Yakuza 3 was to come to the USA, to as one would say - shock the world and be the next J-Game to on the NPD. Demon Souls did it, So did Bayonetta. For Yakuza to do it when it didnt do it the last three times - would be the biggest surprise of this generation and would make Rockstar North (even though we love them to death, thanks for Agent!) get put in its place. 
 
It would also give us who respect the J-Developer that have been disappointed in there recent big game tries, like Star Ocean 4 etc - to say it was just a passing Xenogears Phase with them, there BACK!!!!!!!  
 
And it would give Kazuma Kiryu the next generation of great Japanese Video Game heroes, Kratos like superstardom! 
 
Oh, and it would have continued the trend of great Japanese games coming out this year - the aforementioned Bayonetta, Metal Gear Soild Peace Walker, Fist of the North Star Dynasty Warriors, BlazeBlue:CC, Super Street Fighter 4 (MAKOTO-CHAN MOTHERFUCKA!) Valkria Chronicles II, Gran Torismo 5 - holy shit, they just had enough AAA titles to compete with the westerners! WE ALL WOULD HAVE WON! 
 
But 7 out of 10 aint bad. 
 
But it should have been closer. 
 
Because my man Kazuma has been DE-BALLED. 
 
Why? 
 
Because Sega USA has been working on the cheap for half a generation now and is going to fuck up every damn chance the Yakuza series has of surviving.  
 
Your enlightened meatheads at Sega USA came up and stated that because we ran out of time, we cant do this - thing with the females they call hostess clubs and were gonna try and make it like god of war... because were going up against god of war... 
 
Wait wait wait, hold on fuckers... Didnt SONY TELL all of you idiots - including YOU Sega that before this game comes in the states - YOU must have VA? EVEN FUCKING Square and Level 5 can find VA's how come they had to WAVE THE FUCKING RULE FOR YOU FUCKERS? 
 
And even after PLEADING, saying - we be good SONY! PROMISE! After telling yall you must have fair pricing and PLEADING with SONY "WE BE GOOD, PROMISE!" they WAVED that rule and set a 60 dollar price for what was to be a full game. 
 
Then you fucking RIP the RUG out of everybody and say, NO nice place for the ladies to stay; they must go out in the street and become what they are NOT!  
 
Let this be a HUGE reminder and lesson for Sony. NEVER, EVER FUCKING EVER lose your fucking Principles. STICK to your RULES. Never compromise - and if they dont like it let them go to MS and deal with there bullshit. Thats the reason why half the fucking WII third party games stink. Thats the reason why when they try and work both sides (Bayonetta for Sega, FF13 for Square and Lost Planet for CapGod) everybody loses - because the Japanese arnt that good in making mutiplatformers unless they have help from other companies and THEY already KNOW when they make for the PS3 FIRST everybody wins (See, Tekken, and the future FOTNS game) 
 
For Sega, this is the reminder why i left them in the first place, they were getting too complacent, too ego centric... too much shit - too many rules too many games. 
 
Its sad this could be the end of one of the most underrated franchises the US has ever seen.  
  
But maybe this is a blessing. 
 
Maybe this proves once and for all, that the Japanese never need to get bigger - they needed to stay smaller - and smarter. 
 
And maybe this proves that Developers need to develop and the publishers need to publish.  
  
But I now know who get my money... 
 
Sony...for God of War III 
 
Not because its good - we know its good... 
 
But because at least they dont let there people hang out to dry.
 
Novid.

Between Infinite Climax and Don Quixote 

With Miss Bayonetta -