Beautiful Katamari rolling exclusively onto Xbox 360?

  • By TomM_GScom, GameSpot
  • Posted Jun 16, 2007 10:45 am AEST

Source: Newsweek's video game blog Level Up. What we heard: In March, by way of a surreptitiously captured cell-phone image, it was first revealed that the next iteration in the one-time PlayStation exclusive Katamari series would be making its way to at least the Xbox 360. Though reps from...

Source: Newsweek's video game blog Level Up.

What we heard: In March, by way of a surreptitiously captured cell-phone image, it was first revealed that the next iteration in the one-time PlayStation exclusive Katamari series would be making its way to at least the Xbox 360. Though reps from Namco were tight-lipped on the game's emergence, a retail listing found a week later lent credibility to the rumor, and even rolled a Wii and PlayStation 3 version into its burgeoning roster.

However, the Prince of All Cosmos was apparently not so careful with his ball. In April, Namco Bandai noticeably omitted the speculated Wii version when the company confirmed a PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 version. At that time, the company also confirmed the game's rumored name, Beautiful Katamari.

Today comes word that the Prince may be rolling exclusively onto the 360. Newsweek's N'Gai Croal is claiming that an exclusivity deal between Namco Bandai and Microsoft is "very close to fruition," with an announcement likely to be made during the E3 Media and Business Summit next month.

To back up his claims, Croal notes Namco Bandai has recently embarked on an Xbox 360-exclusivity trend, with Ridge Racer 6, Eternal Sonata, and Ace Combat 6 all coming solely to Microsoft's console. Augmenting this list, Namco also previously announced Mobile Ops: The One Year War, Culdcept Saga, and the Japan-only Zegapain XOR would be Xbox 360 exclusives. In fact, many games published or on the way from Namco Bandai have exclusivity with one platform or another, not the least of which being Ridge Racer 7 and Tekken 6 for the PS3. Then again, Namco Bandai just this week announced Soul Calibur IV will be coming to both the Xbox 360 and PS3, so the company isn't exactly abandoning multiplatform releases. What is clear is that Microsoft's efforts to reach out to Japanese developers, diversify its lineup, and appeal to a broader audience is showing progress.

The official story: As of press time, Namco Bandai representatives had not returned GameSpot's request for comment.

Bogus or not bogus?: Croal is a bit of a celebrity in game-journalism circles, so it's doubtful he'd stake his reputation on something reckless--unless it involved Microsoft's J Allard wearing a wig. Without official word, though, nothing is certain...yet.

260 Comments

  • BlueFlameBat

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 1:44 pm PT

    So now Nintendo misses out on Katamari again because of an exclusive agreement with NAMCO-BANDAI?! **** N-B and **** MicroSoft!! I never should have bought a 360! I should have stolen it!

  • bassman17

    Posted Jul 21, 2007 7:09 pm PT

    boo Microsoft. Bring Katamari to the Wii

  • Ocram_Zepol

    Posted Jun 25, 2007 8:46 pm PT

    Another "exclusive" lost. Thanks Ken.

  • Bufta

    Posted Jun 19, 2007 10:02 am PT

    God i really hate microsoft theyre just throwing money at every developer. This is bad news for the games industry as a whole

  • TTDog

    Posted Jun 19, 2007 3:43 am PT

    "blarg_blarg: This rumor is true. This months "GamePro" (June) Had a 4 page story on Beautiful Katamari comming to Xbox 360!"

    Try reading the story, this isn't about it coming to the 360, thats been known for months, this is about it supposedly being a 360 exclusive.

  • PSPZero

    Posted Jun 18, 2007 11:59 pm PT

    I doubt it, Xbox360 is a mature gamer system, doubt that they would release a kids game on a mature system exclusively when the others did terrible.

    They should of release it on wii to make more sales i would say.

    Making it on PS3 will help its future low sales.

  • tayloramp609

    Posted Jun 18, 2007 11:21 am PT

    this would make a great live arcade game. i can see it happening.

  • SaintRasmus

    Posted Jun 18, 2007 10:20 am PT

    MS kicks Sony´s ass again . Come on Sony

  • blarg_blarg

    Posted Jun 18, 2007 10:08 am PT

    This rumor is true. This months "GamePro" (June) Had a 4 page story on Beautiful Katamari comming to Xbox 360!

  • ghandi_2005

    Posted Jun 18, 2007 9:57 am PT

    Hmmm, It feels pretty nice to have good gave on at least two of my consoles. I wonder how it feels to be the PS3. Keep it coming MS.

  • Ghetto_ninja

    Posted Jun 18, 2007 9:46 am PT

    Most of you only read the article title didn't you? Tekken 6 yeah that's PS3 exclusive. I think more people have interest in Tekken 6 than Katamari.

  • CamisadoBlue

    Posted Jun 18, 2007 9:24 am PT

    If it is a 360 exclusive I would like to slap the guy who signed the contract because he is frankly an idiot.

    His main audience for that game = Japanese players And, no one in japan has a 360 so he's losing a big market there (and no one is going to get a 360 just for katamari, not when there are other version which are just as good) If he were to move from PS3 he should have moved to the Wii surely? That thing has a stranglehold on japan at the moment.

    Meh, isn't going to stop me getting it though, I play all 3 consoles.

  • runbmp

    Posted Jun 18, 2007 9:14 am PT

    @Pinkyimp
    " I hope u know that this is bad, VERY bad u see u cheer now but soon there will be no more playstation brand, MS is **** stupid in order to make there **** sell they need to steal every games from every platform....u think its good, i on the other hand think is the lowest pethetic thing u could do in this industry... i HATE MS with a passion because of this **** and Vista to me MS is the worst brand in video gaming history. (i have all 3 consoles and i have to say 360 has got to stop stealing games and need to **** get there own besides HALO and forza)

    Where were you when Sony entered the market... What do you think Sony did to Sega... You think Sony entered the market with fairy dust?

    No they created a platform that was friendly to the devs and had good PR with them. It also helped that they were much bigger financially than Sega was. This is just history repeating itself, and sometimes change is good. Nintendo and Microsoft would be a good synergy to push the gaming industry further.

    Fly plaything fly...

  • osirisomeomi

    Posted Jun 18, 2007 8:57 am PT

    This is for an HD version of the original Katamari, to be downloaded off of XBLA. the SEQUEL is for both platforms.

  • Brambler

    Posted Jun 18, 2007 8:34 am PT

    OH NO!!!!!!!!!! I wont be able to play this game on my PS3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sooooo sad!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh wait, i dont really care

  • Kobugodo

    Posted Jun 18, 2007 7:56 am PT

    I don't see this as a HUGE blow to sony if it is exclusive. That game didn't do all that well on PS2. Yeah... it got rave reviews and everything... but it's just another Psyconaughts unfortunatly. I love Katamari... it's an awsome game... and more people should play it. The thing is tho... it's not for the right console. It should be on the Wii. O... well...

  • Lostfile

    Posted Jun 18, 2007 6:33 am PT

    Cool. Never got to play the Katamari series because I didn't have a PS2 but if this is true, I might just pick it up.

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Jun 18, 2007 5:35 am PT

    this game looks dumb, but as long as ps3 loses an exclusive.... i'm fine with that.

  • livinglegend305

    Posted Jun 18, 2007 4:56 am PT

    who cares about katamari in the us... it looks giid though

  • sancezz

    Posted Jun 18, 2007 4:11 am PT

    SO what. Bogus or Not Bogus??? . Why don't you answer that anymore!!

  • Animal91X

    Posted Jun 18, 2007 3:41 am PT

    One more in the bag for the XBOX 360 and the Microsoft team. Come on Microsoft. Yeah ...

  • feanorks

    Posted Jun 18, 2007 2:17 am PT

    Did anyone even realize this was a rumor?

    Just weird how people take a rumor from Gamespot as inevitable truth that Microsoft is destined to win the console war hands down.

  • lowenergycycle

    Posted Jun 18, 2007 2:12 am PT

    @Pinkyimp "i HATE MS with a passion because of this ****"

    So what? I'm fairly sure that they really don't care.

    I'm glad for Microsoft. They haven't done anything wrong. Anybody that thinks they have most likely doesn't even know what they are talking about anyway.

    And is it really so terrible that Sony isn't winning this generation by a landslide victory?

    The answer you are looking for is "No."

  • lanista

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 11:53 pm PT

    "Kayrod29 Seriously guys, this is the generation to get the Xbox 360, it's getting like all the good games. How many exclusives is Sony going to lose to MS?"

    Yeah, the PS3 price tag of US $840 just doesn't seem worth it at the moment compared with the Xbox 360

  • smoothn00dle

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 11:24 pm PT

    M$'s developer first strategy has more holes than a block of swiss cheese. It is the consumer who decide the console, not the developers. It is an end to end relationship. Wii has sent the whole developer community into panic. With hardly any 3rd developer support that Wii outsold PS3 and 360 combined last two months. 3rd party developers are no longer a deciding factor in console business. I firmly believe Katamari will eventually go to the wii. M$ should focus on first party developer and directly make games for Gamers, reply on 3rd developer or steal exclusive from Sony only achieved tactical level success, not strategical victory.

  • JimRune

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 10:18 pm PT

    I'd like to have it on the PS3, too. If it's only exclusive to the 360, well, I'll have to save up and throw down the money for that, too. I just hope I can get used to using the controller and the pay-to-play online service.

  • ckmlb

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 9:56 pm PT

    A huge gain for MS? This game is not a big seller in the US, it is in Japan but Namco has announced it on PS3 in Japan already.

  • lamprey263

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 9:55 pm PT

    Well, it's a good thing Ken Kutaragi jumped ship before things got even worse.

  • Diernes

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 9:24 pm PT

    I dont care for any of these once exclusive games. namco-bandai are just being smart and fanboism is a stupid concept. More platforms means more competition providing the ports are done well.

    Tekken 6 is got too be next. Come on Microsoft dont drop the ball on this one......

  • TehPickle

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 9:04 pm PT

    To be perfectly honest, even if it did come out on both consoles, and even if I did own both of them, I'd still get it on 360 anyway...

    ...Oh the delicious delicious achievement points.

  • lilburtonboy748

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 9:04 pm PT

    i dont get it....why all the exclusives. i only have a 360, but i think that gamers on all platforms should be able to play the same great games.

  • imnotacrook

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 8:42 pm PT

    wow! for a X360 exclusive, you wouldn't think it would be a good idea for the game showing up on the PSM but it did. You knw wht this mean!

    RUMOR FALSE!

  • Sydwynder

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 8:36 pm PT

    Weird......... I can't fathom why there wouldn't be a Wii version of this game, it seems like it would be a perfect fit. Hopefully its not as expensive when it comes to XLA as Lumines Live was.............................grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

  • Sydwynder

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 8:35 pm PT

    Weird......... I can't fathom why there wouldn't be a Wii version of this game, it seems like it would be a perfect fit. Hopefully its not as expensive when it comes to XLA as Lumines Live was.............................grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

  • LOWJ000

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 8:15 pm PT

    I'm not a Sony or Nintendo fanboy, in fact I've never owned a PS but I gotta say that this game would've been better on the two other platforms. I think playing this with the wiimote would be really cool and great fun or even the sixaxis. It seems that the gameplay would benefit greatly from motion sensitive controllers. Gotta give it to MS though if they scored this one they can count on building up a little bit in Japan. Wasn't that game a hit there?

  • mohammed888

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 7:33 pm PT

    OK. I've seen all the comments untill now and what I was amazed by is this question that is being said time after time after time, the 360 isnt huge in japan so why is NAMCO realeasing it exclusive to 360 while its a very popular game in japan?

    If you have noticed you answerd the question yourselfes in a way:
    Microsoft probably bought it as an exclusive to increase sales in japan,
    while Namco isnt really stupid they will have it as a timed exclusive because of the PS3 and Wii in japan that have a bigger user base than the 360 has. But you have to still keep in mind it is still a rumer, nothing is announced or officel yet........AND THAT IS HOW YOU EXPLAIN A RUMER...................

  • EPaul

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 6:14 pm PT

    MS is getting sony exclusives because they have deeper pockets than sony

  • do0sh

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 6:09 pm PT

    i wonder how many people actually care about this game.

  • Flat_Line_____

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 6:00 pm PT

    Buuuwhaaahahahah........... That is all.....

  • fit-for-faded

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 5:37 pm PT

    Nerds

  • Pinkyimp

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 4:52 pm PT

    LOL u guys act like this is the game that will make sony fail... its Katamari damaci, i forgot about that repetitive game AGES ago.

    QueefGiblet

    Gotta hand it to them, seems microsoft are playing their cards right.----------

    I hope u know that this is bad, VERY bad u see u cheer now but soon there will be no more playstation brand, MS is **** stupid in order to make there **** sell they need to steal every games from every platform....u think its good, i on the other hand think is the lowest pethetic thing u could do in this industry... i HATE MS with a passion because of this **** and Vista to me MS is the worst brand in video gaming history. (i have all 3 consols and i have to say 360 has got to stop stealing games and need to **** get there own besides HALO and forza)

  • canuter

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 4:40 pm PT

    A game about the most famous and treacherous spy from the WWI, that's great!... What? Katamari you say? Woss that?

    Let's be serious, this franchise doesn't have any relevance outside Japan. I don't think PS3 users in America and Europe are particularly worried.

  • Lightchaos

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 4:22 pm PT

    The Katamari series was a PS2 exclusive I guess its now coming to all systems.

  • reece590

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 4:00 pm PT

    Sounds like Xbox gets another exclusive...Nothing wrong with that!

  • SavoyPrime

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 3:54 pm PT

    Well, it's just Katamari. So I don't see what the big deal is. If this was an exclusive deal for the "Tales of" series or Tekken, then I would definitely say that Sony has a serious problem on their hands. But the weird thing is, Katamari is successful in Japan. Why would Namco do something so stupid as having it be exclusive to the 360 when there are very very few 360's in Japanese homes. It isn't like the Japanese are gonna buy 360's just to play this. Blue Dragon barely made the Japanese do that.

  • Tuffg

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 3:30 pm PT

    soon final fantasy will move over to the 360 (excluding FFXI, cause it was stupid)

  • Ra-Devil

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 3:30 pm PT

    I don't mean to be a fanboy, so please correct me if I'm wrong, but was Assassin's Creed initially announced for the PS3 or was is announced for both consoles officially? Anyway, yeah, I keep seeing this stuff happen. My friend tells me "it doesn't matter, Sony will still come out on top. It's not the games I'm worried about anyway.".... then what ARE you worried about?? A boat-load of games are sleighted for the 360 that would have never seen the light of day on the Xbox. So many Sony exclusives are either going over to the 360, or are going multi-platform. Pretty soon we'll see 'Kingdom Hearts III for PS3 & 360' or 'Final Fantasy for PS3 & 360'. Square is even releasing 360 exclusive games now, like Project Sylpheed. I'm sorry if I'm coming off pesimistic (or optimistic for some other people), but it looks like M$ is doing all the right things this time around, and Sony all the wrong. We're only into year 2 of the Next Gen gaming, but M$ looks like it's doing better than Sony for once. Should I congradulate M$, or be ashamed of Sony? I'm confused.

  • XblindwandererX

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 3:17 pm PT

    Man, I hate console wars.

  • kejigoto

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 3:13 pm PT

    Interesting...you can go look at the Wii videos and such for this game already...looks like its not going to be an exclusive for the Xbox 360.

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