Take cover

Capcom's Summer Jam event has revealed a Spring 2013 release window for the much anticipated Monster Hunter 4.

The 3DS-exclusive game includes brand new monsters as well as series mainstays Tigrex, Rathalos and Rathian, according to Andriasang. Capcom showed off a new trailer for the game but, as of the time of writing, it hasn't made it onto the web.

Of course this is no indication of a Western release. We await updates from Capcom in the West.

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Use the hose

While the soggy British summer continues, 3DS owners in Europe will get the chance to experience some real heat in September as Reef announces Real Heroes: Firefighter 3D.

The first-person action game gives you all a fireman's tools — hose, axe, saw and more — to rescue survivors and extinguish fires. Reef promises the game's "Thinking Fire" artificial intelligence will put up a stern challenge throughout its story-driven campaign mode.

We'll find out if it's hot stuff or burnt out in September.

REEF ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES REAL HEROES: FIREFIGHTER 3D for EUROPEAN RELEASE.

Hoses, Axes & Rotary Saws at the ready as FIREFIGHTER blazes onto the Nintendo 3DS™

London, June 29th: UK video game publisher Reef Entertainment today announced the European release of REAL HEROES: FIREFIGHTER 3D only for the Nintendo 3DS™.

In this first-person fire & rescue action game players will enter the soot-stained boots of an everyday hero as a newly graduated academy cadet getting their start in a big city fire station. Players must use the tools of the trade like the axe, hose and saw to battle raging blazes, tackle explosive environments and rescue survivors.

Features:

• ‘Thinking Fire’ AI technology delivers a cunning enemy unlike anything gamers have faced before.
• Utilize the myriad of control options on the Nintendo 3DS™ to bring Axes, Halligan bars, Hoses, Extinguishers, Rotary Saws and Hydraulic Spreaders to bare.
• Players work with the team of Engine Company 13 advancing through a story driven campaign and making sure everyone gets out of each mission alive.
• 3D game engine and cut-scenes deliver maximum immersion and excitement.

REAL HEROES: FIREFIGHTER 3D will be available across Europe, September ’12.

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Nintendo dominates home country

Strong performances from 3DS software and hardware saw the Japanese games market grow for the first time in two years.

Between 26th December and 24th June, the Japanese market was worth 193.4 billion Yen, a 0.07% increase from 191.98bn over the same period last year. 63% of that figure came from software sales, up from 112.17bn to 122.67bn, while hardware revenues dropped from 79.81 to 70.73bn.

Nintendo ran the show on hardware and software. 3DS sold 2.22m units over the six months, bringing its lifetime sales in the country to 6.36m. Wii sold 265k to reach 12.43m, and DS chipped in with 20,239 sales and now stands at 32.86m.

Titles on Nintendo formats took four of the top five software slots, with Pokémon Black and White 2 topping the chart with double the sales of the second place title. The most impressive part? The Pokémon game was only released the day before tracking ended, a very smart (or perhaps just coincidental) move from Nintendo, Game Freak and the Pokémon company.

Here's the Japanese hardware and software charts from 26th December to 24th June. Life-to-date sales are in parentheses:

• Nintendo 3DS: 2,219,548 (total 6,355,287)
• PlayStation 3: 695,465 (total 8,112,613)
• PlayStation Portable: 500,333 (total 18,737,441)
• PlayStation Vita: 353,657 (total 756,451)
• Nintendo Wii: 265,578 (total 12,433,321)
• Xbox 360: 33,809 (total 1,554,547)
• Nintendo DS: 20,239 (total 32,855,741)

1. Pokémon Black & White 2 (DS, Pokémon, 23rd June 2012): 1,618,621
2. One Piece Pirate Warriors (PS3, Namco Bandai, 1st March 2012 2012): 806,578
3. Dragon Quest Monsters Terry's Wonderland 3D (3DS, Square Enix, 31st March 2012): 743,967
4. Mario Kart 7 (3DS, Nintendo, 1st December 2011): 665,573 (total 1,747,964)
5. Monster Hunter 3 G (3DS, Capcom, 10th December 2011): 665,394 (1,474,716)

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Madden-ing wait

EA Sports will lift the lid on its Wii U titles next month, says IGN.

The publisher is hosting an open house in the middle of July where it will make Wii U-related announcements. Back in May EA Sports announced FIFA 13 for Wii U and at E3 2011 EA's John Riccitiello mused about Madden NFL on Wii U, so you can expect to hear details of both football games next month.

Last year EA and Nintendo announced an "unprecedented partnership", but so far the only EA title we know of is Mass Effect 3. Expect that to change next month.

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Looks like Sabarasa's ambitious first-person shooter Protocol won't make it to WiiWare after all.

Sabarasa yesterday updated its site with this message:

PROTOCOL TO BE RELEASED IN A NEW TO-BE-CONFIRMED PLATFORM

For all those expecting Protocol for WiiWare, we announce that it will be released directly in a new to-be-confirmed platform.

We got our first glimpse of the game 18 months ago, so it's disappointing it still hasn't materialised on WiiWare. Here's hoping its new home is on the Wii U eShop; we'll keep you posted.

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Meet Duncan Orrell-Jones

To show it's serious about a digital future, Nintendo of America has created a role — senior vice president of network business — and appointed Duncan Orrell-Jones to the new position.

Orrell-Jones will lead the company's digital strategy for 3DS and Wii U in North America, reporting directly to Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime. Before joining Nintendo, Orrell-Jones spent nearly 20 years at the Walt Disney Company, where his responsibilities included spearheading digital opportunities for Disney-owned IP.

Orrell-Jones takes up the role on 1st July. Here's hoping that date signals the start of a big improvement in Nintendo's online strategy.

Nintendo of America Hires New Senior VP of Network Business

Duncan Orrell-Jones to Lead Nintendo’s Online Efforts

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Nintendo of America announces the hiring of a new senior vice president of Network Business. Effective July 1, Duncan Orrell-Jones will take on the newly created position and spearhead the development and evolution of Nintendo of America’s digital strategy for the company’s Nintendo 3DS and Wii U video game systems. Orrell-Jones will work at Nintendo’s headquarters in Redmond, Wash., and report to Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime.

“Duncan Orrell-Jones brings knowledge and hands-on experience to Nintendo that will help us develop and implement long-term digital initiatives for our systems,” Fils-Aime said. “By creating this new position we’re demonstrating our commitment to the expansion of our online business, and Duncan is the perfect person for the job.”

Orrell-Jones comes to Nintendo from The Walt Disney Company, where he has worked since 1993, most recently as senior vice president in the Disney Interactive Media Group. In that role, he was responsible for identifying opportunities to expand Disney’s games business outside North America across a variety of platforms. Prior to that he also served as the senior vice president and general manager for the Disney Interactive Media Group in Tokyo, where he led a 140-person team to drive the company’s digital properties on various platforms.

Orrell-Jones holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from UCLA and an MBA from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.

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Sea change

SEGA Europe has closed regional offices in Spain, Germany, France, Benelux and Australia as it changes focus from retail to digital.

SEGA Europe will now shift its priorities to developing new and existing digital content while its retail games will stick to established IP like Sonic the Hedgehog, Aliens, Football Manager and Total War, as revealed back in March.

In recent years SEGA's original IP has struggled outside of Japan. Critically acclaimed games such as Vanquish and Valkyria Chronicles haven't found the sales their quality deserved, and its recent releases on Nintendo platforms like Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure and CRUSH3D haven't fared too well either.

SEGA Europe's chief operating officer Jurgen Post told MCV:

You have to embrace the new world, and you can’t continue doing everything like you were doing it in the past. If you only stick to what you know, you will have a very short success.

Here's hoping this realignment means SEGA's still in the game for many years to come, and our best wishes to all those affected by the office closures.

SEGA REVIEWS THEIR EUROPEAN STRUCTURE

Distribution partners in place across Europe

LONDON – 28th June 2012 – SEGA® Europe today confirmed that as a result of the recent restructure it will be shifting business to focus on developing new and existing digital content as well as driving key IP for packaged goods. SEGA has therefore realigned its business strategy and will be closing their offices in France, Germany, Spain, Australia and Benelux.

Koch Media have been appointed to assist SEGA with distribution across Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France and Spain of packaged goods, Level03 Distribution and 5 Star Games will assist with distribution across Benelux and Australia respectively which will be implemented from the 1st July 2012.

All other territories will continue to be run through the same channels as before, and along with Koch, Level03 and 5 Star, will be managed through the SEGA Europe Headquarters based in London.

“SEGA is entering a new and exciting phase that will position the company as a content led organisation maximising sales with strong and balanced IP such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Total War, Football Manager and the Aliens franchise”, commented Jurgen Post, COO of SEGA Europe. “The company will benefit from a clear focus and realigned strategy for our digital business and packaged goods and we are confident that this will lead to a successful future.”

SEGA will continue the sales, marketing and distribution of London 2012™ - The Official Video Game of the Olympic Games which will be launched on the 28th June in Australia and the 29th June across Europe for PC, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.

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Monkeys, marvels and more

Some quality original content on 3DS and DSi reaches North America this week, with two free demos to pick up as well. Here's what's out this week.

Nintendo 3DS Download Software

Marvel Pinball 3D (Zen Studios, $7.99, 661 blocks) — Take four Marvel-themed tables for a spin in Zen Studios' follow-up to its very good Zen Pinball 3D. We're putting it through its paces and should have a review for you soon.

Bomb Monkey (Renegade Kid, $4.99, 68 blocks) — What do you get when you cross a monkey and a bomb? A baboom. Expect better gameplay than our jokes in this quirky little action puzzler. Read our Bomb Monkey first impressions while we work on our review.

3DS Demos

Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure (SEGA) — One of the most original titles to hit 3DS yet — though the title probably gives that away — try out SEGA's upcoming title and then read our Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure review for our verdict.

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (Square Enix) — OK, this actually hit during last week's Nintendo Direct conference, but it's worth reminding you that you can now try Square Enix's upcoming RPG for free.

3DS Weekend Sale

VVVVVV — $4.99 — Get Nicalis' superb version of this mind-bending platform puzzler for $4.99 this weekend. Read our VVVVVV review if you're even slightly on the fence, which you shouldn't be by now.

DSiWare

Escape the Virus: Swarm Survival (Teyon, 200pts, 31 blocks) — Almost exactly like WiiWare game Viral Survival, in this game you have to collect DNA and avoid viruses. We'll have a review soon.

Flip the Core (Engine Software, 200pts, 73 blocks) — A DSiWare shooter with a retro tinge, this could be an intriguing title, and we'll have a full review soon.

Quite a bumper week this week. What will you be buying, if anything? Let us know on our Facebook poll.

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Go for gold

UK video game celebration Games Britannia will be the first opportunity for fans to try out New Super Mario Bros. 2 on Nintendo 3DS.

Nintendo is bringing the platformer to Sheffield next week as part of its Nintendo Unleashed tour, alongside Kid Icarus: Uprising and 'quirky' (to say the least) Wii title Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise.

Get down to Sheffield's Magna Centre on 7th and 8th July to try out Mario and more. Tickets are available now.

FIRST EVER UK SHOWING OF NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. 2 ON NINTENDO 3DS

Games Britannia, 2-8 July 2012, Sheffield

Games Britannia will be host to the first ever UK consumer showing of New Super Mario Bros. 2, a side-scrolling adventure game for Nintendo 3DS featuring Mario, Luigi and lots of other favourite characters from the Mario universe.

Those keen to get hands-on will not be disappointed, with every level filled with coin collecting opportunities, the Mushroom Kingdom is bursting with adventure. The game records all the coins players collect throughout their quest, so completing a level is only part of the fun.

Nintendo 3DS enthusiasts at Games Britannia will also get the opportunity to play one of the biggest games to hit Nintendo 3DS this year, Kid Icarus: Uprising, and celebrate the revival of hero Pit with a dedicated Swap Shop and battle zone for the collectible AR Cards. AR cards will be available to win for all those victorious in battle.

That’s not all, for those looking to get hands on with the Wii, the quirky new rhythm-based game Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise will be available to demo with exclusive souvenir posters on offer for all those who trial the game.

For more information check out www.nintendo.co.uk/events which will be updated with events throughout the Unleashed tour.

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Out 5th July

North American 3DS owners can try out upcoming action adventure Heroes of Ruin with a free demo on 5th July.

The trial will be playable in single-player or multiplayer, both on and offline, and serves as a neat introduction to n-Space's ambitious 3DS game.

If you're keen to know more, check out our Heroes of Ruin review for details.

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