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Ico developer digs Half-Life 2, interested in making 'first-person games'
by Ben Gilbert 
{ Oct 5th 2009 at 12:28PM }
Though the Japanese aren't exactly known for their love affair with first-person shooters, Team Ico director Fumito Ueda can name at least one that he digs: Half-Life 2. Speaking to G4TV (through a translator), Ueda named the Valve-developed sequel when asked which games he has had an emotional reaction to.
"There was variation in terms [of] locations and also [in] the way of storytelling in the game. Usually, you have to incorporate storytelling with constraints, but the way [Valve] implemented constraints was something different that I enjoyed, compared to other games," observed Ueda. He's even considered making his own first-person game at some point, stating, "I have an interest in making first-person games."
If Ueda's previous development cycle lengths are any indication, we tentatively expect to see a Ueda-developed first-person game by 2025 or so ... at the earliest.
[Image credit: jeriaska]
Call the waah-mbulance: Tretton talks PSP Go leaks
by David Hinkle { Jun 12th 2009 at 6:15PM }
Sony's Jack Tretton is a pretty upset guy. Before last week's E3, two major surprises were spoiled for Sony, in the PSP Go and The Last Guardian leaks. That's made Tretton somewhat bitter -- as one would expect -- and he's told CNBC that the industry needs to do a better job of keeping a lid on it."People don't respect confidentiality in this industry," said Tretton, who is now concerned for the future of his company down the line, where he sees leaks once again beating Sony to its own news. "You have to prepare for people to know things in advance. The frustrating thing is they only know a part of the story and that opens up a lot of conjecture and misinformation that ultimately waters down the reality when you roll it out."
Sure, it's tough, but it's all part of the game (sorry!). If Sony is so concerned with the confidentiality of who it trusts with this information, then it needs to do a better job of policing leaks and encouraging silence. To us, it's as simple as that.
Ico costumes for LittleBigPlanet revealed
by Jem Alexander { Jun 8th 2009 at 11:15AM }
This week's DLC pack for LittleBigPlanet is, as teased, related to Team Ico's first two games, Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. The pack will contain costumes, stickers and sound effects and the Ico costumes have already been revealed, with Shadow of the Colossus costumes being shown off tomorrow. You can see Ico himself in the image above and Yorda after the break. It's slightly disappointing that this pack doesn't include new levels a la the Metal Gear Solid 4 DLC, but we'll still take it. Who knows, maybe one of the stickers will show the Kitty Dragon from the Last Guardian trailer.
Video comparison: 'Trico' leak and 'The Last Guardian' debut
by Christopher Grant { Jun 6th 2009 at 3:30PM }
Lucky for us, Sony's E3 keynote answered the latter, with a fresh dose of video footage of the game, newly dubbed The Last Guardian. Here's the thing though: the first three and a half minutes of the trailer were shot-for-shot identical to the leak, with obvious visual enhancements and that got us thinking: a video comparison! Our very own Richard Mitchell painstakingly stitched the two videos together above for your enjoyment. On the left: The Last Guardian. On the right: Trico. Bon appétit!
Ico/LittleBigPlanet mash-up teaser spotted
by Griffin McElroy { May 29th 2009 at 4:45PM }
What's the image mean, though? Is it perhaps just a doodle from one of LBP's artists? Is it a tribute to one of Media Molecule's favorite user-made levels? A hint at an upcoming costume pack? Better still, is it foretelling the coming of an Ico theme pack? We'll do our best to squeeze some answers out of Media Molecule at E3.
[Via VG247]
Rumor: Team Ico's third project 'Trico' revealed
by Jem Alexander { May 19th 2009 at 9:08PM }
Hopefully this leak means we'll be hearing more about this game soon. We'd be happy if the entire Sony E3 press conference was a video dedicated to this amazing kitty dragon (LOLCATs go!). That thing is too adorable for words. Check out the video for yourself after the break.
[Update] When contacted by Joystiq, SCEE stated it's "not making any comment" regarding the Trico video.
[Thanks, Simon!]
Mega64 beats Hollywood to the Shadow of the Colossus movie
by JC Fletcher { Apr 21st 2009 at 9:55AM }
The latest Mega64 video, available after the break, is shot in the group's signature style (out in public), but features unusually high production values. The costumes are perfect in every way but scale.
[Thanks, Willzay!]
GDC09: Team ICO's new game is 'close to ICO' in essense
by Randy Nelson { Mar 25th 2009 at 5:30PM }
During this morning's GDC 2009 panel on Eastern vs. Western development philosophies, Team ICO head Fumito Ueda was asked -- by Grasshopper Manufacture boss, Goichi "Suda51" Suda -- what the deal is with his crew's next game. You know, the follow-up to Shadow of the Colossus that everyone (even other Japanese devs!) are eager to know anything new about. Ueda couldn't say much, but we found his comments interesting.
After joking (or was he?) that his bosses were in the room listening, Ueda said that his next game -- widely referred to by the nickname "Trico" -- will be "something in-between" ICO and Shadow of the Colossus. "It will be similar to those past games, the essense is close to ICO," he added.
Suda51 then excitedly asked if he'd brought screenshots -- anything -- of or about the game. Ueda laughed slightly and conveyed the non-verbal equivalent of "next!" with his face.
After joking (or was he?) that his bosses were in the room listening, Ueda said that his next game -- widely referred to by the nickname "Trico" -- will be "something in-between" ICO and Shadow of the Colossus. "It will be similar to those past games, the essense is close to ICO," he added.
Suda51 then excitedly asked if he'd brought screenshots -- anything -- of or about the game. Ueda laughed slightly and conveyed the non-verbal equivalent of "next!" with his face.
Fumito Ueda, Suda 51, Fallout 3's Pagliarulo together in GDC panel
by JC Fletcher { Feb 23rd 2009 at 2:30PM }
The one-hour talk will discuss "recent trends in modern game design" as well as upcoming trends in games, as they relate to both the Japanese and Western game industries. Of course, the short-sighted hope is that everyone involved will reveal a new game, or at least that Suda will let out a bunch of details about No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle.
[Via VG247]
Rumor: Team ICO reveals The Queen, all bow down
by Jason Dobson { Sep 13th 2008 at 9:55PM }
Given the name, as well as the site's reuse of the original game's logo, it remains unclear if the title will be any sort of direct follow up to the original Ico or another stand alone project, but whatever the case we cannot wait to find out more once TGS gets underway.
Note: As some have pointed out, the site's validity is suspect, meaning we now wait until next month's TGS to see if in fact the next game from Team ICO will make an appearance or simply break our hearts.
[Thanks pico!]
Team ICO's next game may be shown soon
by Alexander Sliwinski { Aug 28th 2008 at 1:00PM }
Yoshida tells the site that plans for the Tokyo Game Show have not been finalized -- presumably, the show would be the last major opportunity this year to reveal the project. It's about time this game made its public appearance, don't you think?
Fan's Labyrinth: del Toro approves of Team ICO
by Ludwig Kietzmann { Aug 27th 2008 at 7:20PM }
In an interview with Edge, Pan's Labyrinth and Hellboy director Guillermo del Toro establishes two very interesting facts:- del Toro, who has been enamored with gaming's charming beeps and boops since the days of Pong, lavishes a considerable amount of praise on Sony's Team ICO. "There are only two games I consider masterpieces," he says. "Ico and Shadow of the Colossus."
- The popular filmmaker has excellent taste in games.
[Via PS3 Fanboy]
Team ICO has a fan in Pan's Labyrinth director
by Majed Athab { Aug 26th 2008 at 7:30PM }
You know you've got an iconic piece of artistry when an Academy Award winning filmmaker has nothing but praise, respect, and admiration to show. "There are only two games I consider masterpieces: Ico and Shadow of the Colossus," said Guillermo del Toro in an interview with Edge magazine. Both titles are creations of SCEJ's Team ICO, who are currently working on an unnamed title.Guillermo, director of the widely acclaimed Pan's Labyrinth and the Hellboy movies, is himself a gamer since the Pong era. He's even a video game director, having worked with Konami on adapting the Hellboy series ... which unfortunately didn't do too well.
With such a prominent figure giving the thumbs up to Team ICO, we're sure they're happy to hear that their hard work is getting noticed outside the realm of gaming. We're also sure, whatever they have in store next would probably be pleasing del Toro -- and us for that matter.
Team ICO boss not feeling pressured to show new title
by Nick Doerr { Aug 5th 2008 at 8:30PM }
What does this mean? Simply put, Ueda isn't getting pressured to show off his game yet because Sony knows brilliance takes time. The game is too young, too early in production stages, to really show off. We're willing to wait because we're sure when Ueda is ready to show the world, the world will watch.
New Team ICO game impresses Shuhei Yoshida
by Alan Tsang { Aug 4th 2008 at 2:30PM }
Yoshida started work on ICO before moving to the United States, so he's seen how Ueda works -- uncompromising was the word used. Four years is the general time to wait for each game, Yoshida concludes, but this game will be worth it because "they have something really, really good on the way." We look forward to hearing more!
