Ace Combat, Katamari 360 debuts locked down

Namco Bandai's once-Sony-exclusive arcade air fighter and universe-consuming puzzler on target for October 16, 23 launch on Microsoft's console.

Popular in the West, the Xbox 360's lackluster performance in Japan has been a constant thorn in Microsoft's side during this generation's console race. High on the publisher's to-do list for winning the elusive market over has been to persuade Japanese publishers and developers to bring their franchises to its console. Prime examples of this are Namco Bandai's Katamari and Ace Combat series, which, save for a single Ace Combat Game Boy Advance installment, had been exclusive to Sony platforms.

The Ace-Edge touches down October 23.

Today, the Japanese publishing giant announced that the latest installments of both series--Beautiful Katamari and Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation--had finished development and shipped to manufacturers in anticipation of their debuts exclusively on the Xbox 360. Beautiful Katamari rolls onto Microsoft's console on October 16 at the budget price of $39.99, with Ace Combat 6 following on October 23 for $59.99. A limited-edition Ace Combat 6 bundle--which includes the game, an Ace-Edge Flightstick created by Hori, and an AC6 faceplate--will also be available for $149.99.

Contrary to the series' penchant to gobble up everything in sight, Namco Bandai quietly rolled back its initially announced PlayStation 3 version of Beautiful Katamari earlier this year. The announcement, which was rumored to be given during this year's E3 Media and Business Summit, never materialized, possibly due to the publisher's unexpected cancellation of its E3 press conference.

Now apparently an Xbox 360 exclusive, Beautiful Katamari again sees the Prince of all Cosmos doing his father's work, rolling up the universe in a nice, neat ball. The game expands on the series with new features and modes, as well as adds cooperative and competitive online play. It is rated E for Everyone.

Ace Combat 6 will incorporate an "allied support system" whereby players can issue commands to friendly land, sea, and air forces to coordinate attacks. Furthermore, it will mark the first time an Ace Combat has features online multiplayer action, with deathmatch, team deathmatch, and co-op modes to complement global online leaderboards. It is rated T for Teen.

Demos for both Ace Combat 6 and Beautiful Katamari are currently available on Xbox Live. For more on either game, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

68 Comments

  • king258

    Posted Oct 5, 2007 9:16 pm PT

    y no ps2/3 im not buying a 360 for this game

  • AceCometh

    Posted Oct 4, 2007 1:28 am PT

    Cool flight stick, but a bit on the pricey side. Still, I can't wait to play Ace Combat on my Xbox 360

  • HALOISTHEBEST26

    Posted Oct 4, 2007 1:17 am PT

    i hope more developers put theater and forge-like feats into their games because i absolutely love it on halo 3, its awesome to completely anniahlate someones face with a noscope sniper shot off of a mongoose and send a clip to them and wait for the long voice message where they state every bad word that they know.... LOL back to the subject, theater would be pretty cool in this game.

  • XanderZane

    Posted Oct 3, 2007 8:31 am PT

    Damn you Microsoft. Stop bringing out all these great games. Stop it!! I still have to get PRG4, Assassin's Creed, Mass Effect, Eternal Sonata, CoD4, HL2: Orange Box and Stanglehold still. Now you give me Katamari & Ace Combat 6. I'm already broke. No more.. no more. lol!!

  • snugglebear

    Posted Oct 3, 2007 7:20 am PT

    I don't give a rat's batookie what system it's on, I love Katamari. Im just getting impatient for it to come out already.

  • Icekxg

    Posted Oct 3, 2007 5:45 am PT

    I wanna know if the Hori Flightsticks will work on PC as well...

  • thekey

    Posted Oct 3, 2007 5:03 am PT

    Wezker619 "Calm down thekey its just your opinion. Anyway Im glad I get to play Ace Combat 6 for the 360 Ive only played 4 but w/e. Not a big fan of Katamari though/"

    I am calm. It you PS3 fanboys thats nervious and you all should be, with all the dust those PS3 console boxes produce, it will deplete your oxygen supply.

  • Eclipse_ShinRa

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 11:54 pm PT

    I love Sony fanboys most of all.. Sony isn't king anymore and its killing them.

    360 is doing bad Japan yea duh, but the PS3 isn't doing good either.. It should be doing better in Japan.

    ----------
    I can't wait for both...

  • Wezker619

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 10:10 pm PT

    Calm down thekey its just your opinion. Anyway Im glad I get to play Ace Combat 6 for the 360 Ive only played 4 but w/e. Not a big fan of Katamari though/

  • Ender_117

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 9:09 pm PT

    Console wars aside, I can't wait for the AC6. Been a fan for years and now I can finally go live. To anyone reading this and thinking "Oh man another Over G" go ahead and get that out of your head because this game kills it a hundred times over. WHooo Weee Man I can't wait.

  • thekey

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 9:03 pm PT

    Terran499 "Why the hell are those both 360 exclusives, especially since both are made by Japanese publishes and there on the least popular system in Japan. Please tell me where that makes sense."

    It makes sense because the PS3 is a publishing death trap.(Man they'll be lucky if they can sell 800,000 copies of GTA4 when that thing ships for the PS3.)

  • thekey

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 8:59 pm PT

    Terran499 "@Muzykmann. No because the PS3 is beating the 360 in Japan and here in the US. The 360 is dying. Halo is just life support and a feeding tube. Wake up man."

    Your the one that needs to wake up man. PS3 is on life support. Look at that disaster Lair. How about heavenly Sword with it's 6 hours of 50 GB Blu-ray goodness? UT 08 is turning into UT 09.

    Halo 3 life support? Please........ Halo 3 sold more units then PS3's did the entire year! LOL!!!! And those 60, and 80 GB PS3's are full of dust at the Gamestop were I work at. Please in Japan the PS3 isn't selling that good either.(Who cares the 360 isn't doing good in Japan?) I certainly don't.

    GS is probably sick of sony just like anyone else with some taste is.

  • lewser5

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 7:37 pm PT

    What?! 2 of my old time faves only on the xbox?! Another lost exclusive for Sony i guess.

  • Pablo620

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 7:12 pm PT

    Of courseevery console story turns into a fanboy rant. Look at the headline GS wrote. If this has NOTHING to do with Sony and the PS3 why would they feed the fire with that headline. Also there is no word here about the Katamari game that Namco announced for the PS3 which is a seperate game in itself.

  • woofie13

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 6:46 pm PT

    woohoo! I love how every story involving games an systems turns into a fan boy war about system stats or sales....
    seriously guys... it's a fun a game, I have a ps3 myself, I think that the 360 owners should try this game out, it's a lot of fun that they've been missing out on for the last entire console generation. It would be nice if it were multiplatform... but eh.... perhaps it won't venture too far from it's predecesors. I still play the old ones from time to time.

    whoa dang! I have a joystick just like that on my pc from a few years back... like the saitek x49 or something I can't remember.
    $150 ouch...

  • Valkron1

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 5:59 pm PT

    @Terran499

    "No because the PS3 is beating the 360 in Japan and here in the US. The 360 is dying. Halo is just life support and a feeding tube. Wake up man."

    Where did you hear that the PS3 is beating the 360 in the US? BTW, Industry News at gamasutra.com confirmed that the timed exclusive of UT3 for PS3 will slide into 2008, while the PC is still going to be out in 2007. The 360 games from Midway are shipping or on schedule. If the 360 is dying than it is a little sad for the PS3 to keep loosing ground to a system on "life support."

  • Valkron1

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 5:39 pm PT

    How can this be? I heard the 360 had no good exclusives after Halo 3! (sarcastic) lol.


    I loved the demos and I'll get both of the games. I am just not sure about the flight stick set. If I didn't have sooo many games on my must buy list for the 360, along with SSBB and Galaxies for Wii, and maybe 1 PS3 game by the end of the year, I might have been willing to get it. But the 360 software that will be draining my wallet in the next few months might force me to pass on this set-up. Oh well, it's better to be confused as to what is worth my gaming dollars than to be confused as to what possessed me to spend my wad on a system that isn't worth it. But heck, at least I got a good BD player out of it, (justifying his price drop purchase.)

  • Terran499 posted Oct 2, 2007 5:39 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Terran499

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 5:39 pm PT (hide)

    @Muzykmann. No because the PS3 is beating the 360 in Japan and here in the US. The 360 is dying. Halo is just life support and a feeding tube. Wake up man.

  • Taegre

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 5:35 pm PT

    I just may shell out the extra for that flight stick bundle. I'm on the fence since I've never played an Ace Combat game before, but the demo just blew me away and I'm dying to fly between skyscrapers in the full version!

  • km1498

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 5:30 pm PT

    Can't wait to get both of these. Been a Ace combat fan forever, I haven't played a Beautiful Katamari game but I loved the demo on Live and am looking forward to it.

  • LINKloco

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 4:59 pm PT

    No BKWii? I must get a 360.

  • ctg867

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 4:57 pm PT

    First the Wii sleeves, now this. Does anybody actually care about these games. *Is hungry for real news*

  • HOLYWOOD444

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 4:38 pm PT

    that flight stick looks awesome , hope this games is more Crimson Skies & less Over G Fighters. i'm going to check the demo tonight ( didn't even know they had one )

  • AngelsongCA

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 4:35 pm PT

    The online multi-player in Ace Combat 6 is going to be so awesome. Dog fights, co-op, team battles.

    Get ready to show off your awesome piloting skills. What's your call sign?

  • EKWeeks

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 4:16 pm PT

    $150, i wish it was around $100

  • daleyboy928

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 4:16 pm PT

    I got five words: TETSUKAZU NAKANISHI AND KEIKI KOBAYASHI !!!!

  • Elektrik-Blu

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 3:51 pm PT

    Cool, Ace Combat 6 Xbox 360 exclusive yay!

  • Rai

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 3:46 pm PT

    doesnt make sense of the majority of katamari players (from Japan) won't be able to play it...

  • Exeed_Orbit

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 3:40 pm PT

    Wow, what a turn of events, katamari, which used to be exclusive for Sony's platform, has seemingly jumped ship to Microsoft's bandwagon. Nice. It seemed like a nice game, and I'm sure 360 owners will enjoy it quite a bit.

  • DFTricks

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 3:33 pm PT

    It's the same thing that i bought for 29.99$CAN 1year ago, it's call a Z24 for the PC

  • irmeleeman5995

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 3:22 pm PT

    AC bundle 150? Well, there goes that flight stick...I was looking at that for a long time, dang it!

  • Farzan777

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 3:19 pm PT

    2 Great Games coming on 1 Great console, the Xbox 360

  • Nickolai1979

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 3:15 pm PT

    I've already pre-ordered my bundle of Ace Combat! I can't wait. I enjoyed the hell out of that demo.

    I've loved Katamari since the PS2 Katamari game. I'm looking forward to playing that too.

    But, but...... More than anything, I want to play PGR4. Gimme gimme.

  • Colsworl posted Oct 2, 2007 2:59 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Colsworl

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 2:59 pm PT (hide)

    Gamespot just had to put that little cheap shot comment in the title description didn't they? And havn't Namco all but confirmed a ps3 version for 2008?
    It doesn't matter to me though as I'm getting the 360 version. Can't wait for this, looking really good.

  • OtterX

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 2:52 pm PT

    Already have my Ace Combat paid off. Can't wait.

  • Tripwolf

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 2:46 pm PT

    More good news for XBOX 360 owners. I tried the Beautiful Katamari demo and it's pretty awesome (never played any of the other ones). Good job Microsoft!

  • Eclipse_ShinRa

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 2:40 pm PT

    flightstick I wouild get if I was sure the 360 would get more flight sims or more games like AC6

  • jimjam146

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 2:36 pm PT

    95% of the good games are exclusive to the 360 or shared (with better performance on the 360). If you haven't purchased a PS3 yet and you still plan on doing so, i applaud your loyalty but question your sanity.

  • lamprey263

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 2:22 pm PT

    Project Sylpheed was retailed at $39.99 when it was released, and it didn't end up bad at all (actualy, critical reception on it wasn't so hot, but I loved it). Now Beautiful Katamari at $39.99, even better, as I was getting it anyways. Must be some new strategy with Japanese publishers. I'm not complaining, and I hope it catches on.

  • wmc540

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 2:22 pm PT

    Timstuff Ace Combat is confirmed 360 exclusive.

  • Timstuff posted Oct 2, 2007 2:13 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Timstuff

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 2:13 pm PT (hide)

    Ace Combat 6 for PS3 has been all but confirmed, so I can wait for it. As for Beautiful Katamari, that $40 price tag puts it well out of the "impulse purchase" territory that made the first two so successful. $40 is too much for that game considering just how little has changed from the PS2 versions. I'd rather play We Love Katamari on my PS3.

  • rose_please

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 2:10 pm PT

    SWEET

  • Timbo84

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 2:08 pm PT

    That Ace-Edge flightstick is the same design as the Saitek X45 joystick + throttle, which was originally made for PC. I wonder if Saitek sold the copyright to them.

  • nintendorocks

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 2:08 pm PT

    Both of these games have potential. I'm excited.

  • zath5

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 2:02 pm PT

    ocdog45 - jealousy sucks

  • ocdog45 posted Oct 2, 2007 2:01 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    ocdog45

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 2:01 pm PT (hide)

    that game sucks anyway.

  • lamprey263

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 1:58 pm PT

    @Gubitz - "Katamari would be better for PS3 because of the 40 gb Blu-ray that can hold more things to roll up so the levels would be longer "

    you're kidding me, right? The Katamari games are so graphically simple that the soundtrack probably takes up more info than all the textures and coding information, and I'm speaking out of my arse when I say that but I can't be that far from the truth.

  • the_undisturbed

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 1:54 pm PT

    a prettty good first step into gettin an install base in japan gotta make u think how much this will sell in japan, since we know it'll sell well here in north america

    either way, i think its a good first step to getting into japan

  • FalconerX

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 1:50 pm PT

    or you could get off your fat arse every 10hrs and change cds!! if it wasent for ms or nintendo none of you people would get any exercise

    OH NO i must change cd must complain for making me move!!!....

    seriously ppl anyone who uses the whole ms is bad coz uses more discs blah blah needs to go on a diet before its too late

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