Project x Zone 2: Brave New World trailer shows off new Shinobi and Yakuza crossover

Famitsu.com has now officially spilled the beans on the new upcoming Project x Zone 2: Brave New World video game coming to the Nintendo 3DS this fall worldwide! The game shows off some new crossover characters that will be brand new including SEGA fan favorites (listed below):

List of franchises/characters confirmed:

SEGA:

  • Shinobi (PS2): Hotsuma Hotsuma
  • Yakuza Dead Souls: Kazuma Kiryu and Majima Goro
  • Virtua Fighter: Yuki Akira and Kage-Maru
  • Sakura Wars: Ichiro Ogami and Erica Fontaine

Capcom:

  • Resident Evil: Revelations: Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine
  • Resident Evil 6: Leon S. Kennedy
  • Devil May Cry: Dante and Virgil
  • Mega Man X: X and Zero
  • Strider: Flying Dragon

Namco-Bandai:

  • Tales of Vespera: Yuri Lowell and Flynn Shifo
  • Tekken: Jin Kazama and Kazuya Mishima
  • .hack//: Kite and Haseo
  • Soul Calibur V: Natsu

Obviously some of the characters listed are returning from the previous game. To see all the tie-ins in the last Project x Zone, here is a complete list. Hit the jump to see screens.

Update: Replaced the Japanese trailer with the English one released by Namco-Bandai USA. Meaning that yes, its going to come West this fall!

Sonic’s ad venture: SEGA and Capcom join new ad agency GameBridge

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Remember when Sonic appeared in a Progressive Auto Insurance commercial? Or when Sonic was pushing LifeSavers candies and cans of pasta in the 1990s? Well, expect to see more ads like this in the near future. Reported by MediaPost comes the news that SEGA as well as Capcom have joined up with a new agency that licenses video game characters for ad campaigns. The agency, named GameBridge, was founded by Billy Bell and the agency’s goal is, in his words, “to make it much easier and more efficient for both advertisers and game publishers to connect their respective characters and brands”. The name GameBridge refers to a ‘bridge’ for brands and gaming characters to connect for cross promotional opportunities.

GameBridge will act as SEGA’s agent for licensing partners, serving as the middle man for advertisers and agencies and IP holders of video game characters. For now, the New York based agency is acting as SEGA and Capcom’s agent, but in the future they could expand to represent other game companies and characters. Also announced is that GameBridge has partnered with video game music digital download service Sumthing Else, providing clients a music licensing service. Additional GameBridge partnerships will provide production services, including film and video production, post-production resources, and animation and effects.

While Sonic was specifically called out as a likely character SEGA would utilize in future marketing opportunities, GameBridge could utilize other characters from the company. How about Jet Set Radio‘s Beat selling cans of Krylon?

Final Worlds Unite teaser adds Skies of Arcadia, Panzer Dragoon, Monster Hunter, and Street Fighter

Worlds UnitedWhat a great way to end the Worlds Unite teasers from Archie by announcing both Skies of Arcadia and Panzer Dragoon. As you know we have been celebrating games from Overworks, the developers of Skies of Arcadia. It’s good to see that the blue rogues never die. Its even more surprising that the comic crossover announced Panzer Dragoon as another SEGA IP it will be using for their mega crossover event. But I guess if you think about it, Monster Hunter and Panzer Dragoon ‘monsters’ battling it out would be rather interesting and appealing.

Here is a handy list of all the SEGA franchises this game will be using:

  • Sonic the Hedgehog
  • Sonic Boom
  • Alex Kidd
  • Billy Hatcher
  • Golden Axe
  • NiGHTS into Dreams… 
  • Skies of Arcadia 
  • Panzer Dragoon

Worlds Unite crossover is begins on May 2015. If you guys want to pick up the issues head over to your local comicbook retailer and add it to your pull list. Who is excited about this?

More SEGA and Capcom franchises are being added to the “Worlds Unite” crossover

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I spy with my little eye…

First announced today in IGN, the upcoming Worlds Collide comic book crossover of Sonic and Mega Man will not only include characters from the Sonic Boom and Mega Man X universe, but also characters from across different SEGA and Capcom franchises. According to IGN, more characters will be revealed later this week. For now, we have the teaser image to mull over. Tell us who you see in the silhouettes in the comments section.

Resident Evil Code: Veronica never before seen concept art hits the internet

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[Wasn’t this design later used in South Park?]

Resident Evil Code: Veronica was my favorite entries into Capcom’s long running survival horror franchise. Maybe its because I’m biased due to it being originally a Dreamcast exclusive title (which later got a Playstation 2 port). I’m also the type of person that likes to see unreleased artwork for games, especially concept art. It seems the guys over at Project Umbrella (a Resident Evil fansite) have been sitting on hundreds of pieces of unreleased concept artwork for Resident Evil Code: Veronica and Resident Evil Zero.

From the owner of Project Umbrella via NeoGAF:

We came into contact with freelance concept artist Satoshi Nakai, who was hired by CAPCOM in 1997 at the recommendation of Nextech Co., Ltd to provide concept art for the games under the directions of scenario company FLAGSHIP’s lead writers Noboru Sugimura and Hiroshi Soda.

Only a very small fraction of this artwork has been released by CAPCOM over the years. They are direct scans of the original pages. Also included is a single artwork for a scrapped game originally directed by Masaaki Yamada, featuring HUNK on a cruise ship facing against new plant/human Zombie enemies.

Hit the jump to see over  100 pieces of never before released concept art.

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SEGA by Design: Power Stone 2 and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Cover Art

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Welcome to a new SEGAbits feature: SEGA by Design. Believe it or not, SEGAbits is not my day job. When I’m not working on the site, I’m a full time graphic designer. Before I decided to make graphic design my profession, I grew up wanting to be either an animator or a cartoonist. My childhood influences included 90’s cartoons and video game cover art, and while I loved such works as the covers of the classic Sonic the Hedgehog games, I found myself even more attracted to the package designs that encapsulated the artwork. At the time, I had no idea what this sort of thing was called, I just knew that it was slick, uniform, and involved colors, shapes, and fonts. It wasn’t until the Playstation game Wipeout that I learned of what graphic design actually entailed through the work of The Designer’s Republic. From there on out, I knew I wanted to be a graphic designer and four years of college and seven years of professional experience later, here I am about to tear into the cover art of one of my most favorite SEGA Dreamcast games: Capcom’s Power Stone 2.

Sonic the Hedgehog to crossover into Monster Hunter 4G

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Have you ever played Monster Hunter game and thought that there just wasn’t enough Sonic the Hedgehog items in the game? Don’t worry, SEGA and Capcom have you covered with this crossover. You can get more information on Capcom’s Monster Hunter 4G site, this is being listed as ‘DLC’.

This will be a bonus costume and weapon for your Felyne companion in the game, so it isn’t some sort of major crossover. Yep, that sword is from Sonic and the Black Knight. Seems that SEGA still wants to let us know the game exist.

Monster Hunter 4G is the enhanced edition of Monster Hunter 4 and will be released in Japan this fall on the Nintendo 3DS. The game will be released in the West early 2015 as Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate.

Fighters Segamix: Power Stone

This would have been up a week sooner, but I was having problems with the video editor. Yes, it’s Power Stone! The Capcom fighting game so synonymous with the Dreamcast that people tend to think it’s a Sega game. One of the best local multiplayer games that even amateurs can get into. I’m afraid with my busy schedule, I may need to make this a bi-weekly show instead of weekly. Hope you guys don’t mind.

I got something really unique for next week. I will say it’s a bit “Wak”.

New Project X Zone E3 trailer and batch of screenshots released


Are you excited for the upcoming Project X Zone cross-over game featuring some pretty neat SEGA characters and cameos? Well even though the Japanese port of the title isn’t breaking front pages on websites right now, they still released a new English trailer and batch of screenshots.

So, are you going to get this on your 3DS when it comes out June 25th (US) and July 5th (EU)?

Project X Zone Limited Edition version revealed

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Did you know if you pre-order Project X Zone, you will get the limited edition version for free? Yep, the first printing run of Project X Zone comes in a neat case, soundtrack, mini-art book, and a mini-poster to hang on your man cave.

Not sure if this is a Gamestop exclusive, but it was the only site that I found the ‘limited edition’ version. Amazon hasn’t even updated the release date (since it was delayed or have box art up).

Archie Comics releases a trailer for the Sonic & Mega Man comic book crossover – hitting stores today!

Yesterday we shared a five page preview of the Sonic and Mega Man crossover comic, and today IGN has released a launch trailer for the event. Yes, you read that correctly, a video trailer for a comic book. The trailer is actually quite well done, with a motion comic vibe to it and a ton of great drawings lightly animated to awesome official music from both franchises. Check out the trailer above and head to your comic shop today to pick up Mega Man #24, the first of twelve parts in the crossover event.

Project X Zone hits American retailers in June

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It seems that Namco-Bandai is set to publish Project X Zone in America  and they plan on releasing on it June 25th. The game takes popular characters from Namco, Capcom and our dear blue SEGA . The idea is to combine them in a big RPG for the Nintendo 3DS.

Looking at all those characters in the header, I’m wondering who would win in a fight: Akira Yuki vs Ryu vs Jin Kazama? I will be biased and go with Akira, how about you?

Capcom asks fans what digital titles they want – survey includes Power Stone and Project Justice

Don’t freak out, we’re not turning into CAPCOMbits. However, this story may be of interest to some SEGA fans. Capcom wants to know what sorts of digital titles fans want to see, and to let them know all you need to do is take a survey. Of interest to SEGA fans is that the survey asks “From which Capcom franchises are you most interested in seeing digital games?” followed by a number of franchises that were popular on SEGA consoles, including Power Stone and Project Justice (aka Rival Schools). Once you select the games you wish to see digitally rereleased, you get to answer more detailed questions including your levels of interest for HD ports of Power Stone 1, HD ports of Power Stone 2, and an HD port of a Power Stone Collection.

So if you’ve ever wanted to see some classic Capcom titles that appeared on SEGA consoles rereleased, head on over to the survey and make sure Capcom hears you!

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Archie’s Sonic & Mega Man – When Worlds Collide announced

We shared the teaser, but here’s the official announcement. Archie Comics, SEGA and Capcom have officially announced a twelve issue comic book cross-over of the Sonic and Mega Man franchises, entitled “When Worlds Collide”, to be released in 2013. The cross-over will span four issues of Sonic the Hedgehog, four issues of Mega Man and four issues of Sonic Universe to create a twelve issue story. Archie’s Paul Kaminski shared a few details on the event: “We’ve been gearing up for this for years. From the moment we had Mega Man at Archie, we knew we wanted to bring Sonic and the Blue Bomber together. It’s a big budget movie featuring two of the most storied video game franchises. This has never happened before. We’re making history here, and it’s going to knock people for a loop. This is what comics are all about – drama, fun, action and tons of surprises. Fans will not be disappointed.”

Project X Zone to include over 200 characters


Now, just because they promise 200 characters, doesn’t mean there will be 200 playable characters. It just means there will be a ton of cameos, some will be villains others NPCs. If you haven’t heard about Project X Zone, it will feature characters from SEGA, Namco-Bandai and Capcom in a tactical RPG on the Nintendo 3DS.

I know what you are saying, “When is the game out?” Sadly, the game hasn’t been announced for release outside of Japan and I doubt it will make its way out of there. Namco x Capcom on the PS2 stayed Japan exclusive as well.