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BlazBlue Developer Cranking On A New “Adventure” Title

You know Arc System Works for their wildly colorful, hardcore fighting franchises like BlazBlue and Guilty Gear . But now, the developer is expanding and trying something new.

As reported by Japanese site 4Gamer , Arc System Works is currently working on a game called Xblaze; although similar in style, it's not a fighter.

It's the first title in an apparent adventure series, and it's set to arrive in Winter 2012. All we have to go on is a slideshow presentation, which was shown at the end of the BlazBlue Continuum Shift 2 national tournament. It appears the plot will be tied to BlazBlue in some way, and there's a picture of one of the anime characters. We're not sure of the platforms just yet and we really need to see some gameplay info, but it's still an interesting idea. The only question is whether or not these guys can handle a new genre…

Sometimes, it's just best to stick with what you know. Other times, a talented developer should experiment.

Related Game(s): Xblaze

Skilled BlazBlue US Players: A Chance To Take On Japan

Think you've got the stuff to go up against the world's best in one of the most complex, demanding fighters in existence?

Aksys Games has revealed the BlazBlue Revolution, the world's biggest BlazBlue tournament. It'll kick off in Japan in March 2012; the contest features 3-on-3 action and if you've got skills, you might be able to participate. Just gotta win here first.

Aksys will sponsor the winning team of the BlazBlue Revolution US Finals by giving them full airfare and hotel accommodations in Japan; that team will have the honor of representing the stars and stripes in the Japanese finals. And if the US team – by some miracle – is able to win the whole damn thing, an "extra bonus prize" will be awarded. Don't know what it is, but it sounds appealing.

The full details will be announced on December 17 at BlazBlueRevolution.com . By the way, the US Finals will take place on February 25 in Southern California (venue TBA), and it'll be the same format: 3v3 Double Elimination using BlazBlue: Continuum Shift EXTEND console version.

This is gonna be wacky. Good luck!

Best Idea Yet: Japanese Devs Should Do What They Do Best

You know, we get the feeling that if all Japanese developers had simply stuck to this simple motto, everything would've turned out just fine.

Much has been made about the East/West divide in the industry, and how many Japanese publishers have sought to appeal to Western gamers. But BlazBlue director Takeshi Yamanaka dismisses the whole mess and just says, "I only see gamers." Speaking to Edge , the Arc System Works boss spoke about the shifting industry trends and changing business models. When asked if his company would ever go in a direction that would appeal more to Westerners, Yamanaka replied:

"Absolutely not. If you want to make a game that appeals to the west, you might as well have westerners doing it.

Personally, I don’t view users according to their nationality, but rather as gamers. I make games for people who like them. If there are people who like fighting games with Japanese-animation-style motions and a fantasy setting, I’m making the game for them. I don’t understand why some of us in the industry want to draw a line between the Japanese and overseas industries. I see only gamers, with various tastes."

Why? Why couldn't Wada have said this years ago? 'cries' It's the perfect philosophy, isn't it? What has become of most Japanese efforts to cater to the Western gamer? Granted, the changing business landscape may force the hand of various developers and publishers, and we understand being intimidated and maybe hitting the panic button. I.e., "oh my God, if we don't create a shooter, we're gonna go bankrupt!"

But right now, Yamanaka's statement should be the new philosophy for the entire Japanese industry. Take the risk. Do what you've always done. Maybe it won't be so bad…could it be worse than suffering a 92% drop in profits ('cough' Square-Enix 'cough')?

BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II Going Portable On The PSP

BlazBlue: Continuum Shift was one heck of a fighter and although console owners may want the sequel, it probably makes more sense to send it to the PSP.

The reason for that is because Continuum Shift II released in the arcades as an updated version of the original home version, so it'd be little more than an expansion pack for console players. But for PSP fans, who have only had BlazBlue Portable , the Continuum Shift follow-up is perfect. According to Andriasang citing last week's issue of Dengeki, Arc System Works has announced the PSP conversion of CSII. It'll include those new characters along with a ton of gameplay modes, including Arcade, Versus, Story, Score Attack, Challenge and more. The story mode will boast new stories penned by producer Toshimichi Mori, Legion mode will offer new stages and gameplay systems, and Gallery Mode will have new artwork. Abyss Mode is new to the PSP iteration, although we don't have any specifics right now. Mori said he wanted to expose more people to the BlazBlue universe and those who enjoyed the first portable entry should really love Continuum Shift II .

It should be on store shelves this spring, so be on the lookout for a finalized release date if you're a fan of the critically acclaimed franchise.