GamesRadar - PS3 News

AFRIKA wins Best Original Video Game Score at Hollywood Music Awards (Afrika)

Nov 21, 2008

Wataru Hokoyama's music for AFRIKA wins Best Original Score, "Logan's Shadow" from Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow wins Best Original Song and EA's Steve Schnur awarded Outstanding Music Supervision for Madden NFL 2008.

National Geographic publishing Afrika in the US (Afrika)

Nov 20, 2008

Afrika US release next month! Ps3fanboy.com writes:

Remember Afrika? It's a nature-themed PS3-exclusive photography game that met moderate success when it debuted in Japan earlier this year. An English release seemed unlikely due to the niche content of the game, but it appears the game will be making its way to American shores -- and from an unlikely source, as well.

National Geographic has picked up the rights for Afrika, rebranding it as National Geographic: Africa. It's promised to release next month -- but with potentially very little fanfare.

Rumour: Sony's Afrika to Release this November (Afrika)

Nov 19, 2008

Gamezine.co.uk writes:

"Sony's PlayStation 3 Safari game Afrika launched in Japan this year, but there was no sign of a US or European release. However, a new listing from the National Geographic reignites our hopes."

Proof that SCE made an english version of AFRIKA (Afrika)

Oct 2, 2008

Remember few days ago when Sony Cameras revealed at the Photokina photography fair in Cologne (Germany) through an english trailer that AFRIKA should be hitting Europe in 2009? SCE has debunked it early this week, but sure it seems that they are trying to cover it : French site LesNumeriques has captured a gameplay video during the event from the english version of AFRIKA.

Is SCE trying to cover it to surprise everyone at TGS 2008?

SCEE: "No plans" for Afrika in Europe (Afrika)

Sep 29, 2008

Sony Europe has confirmed to videogaming247 today that there are "no plans" for a European release of the safari-photography game, Afrika, as was rumoured earlier today.

AFRIKA coming to Europe in 2009 (Afrika)

Sep 27, 2008

Play3-live reports that the information has fallen this morning at the Photokina photography fair in Cologne (Germany). Sony Cameras, present on site, have run an english trailer of the PS3 exclusive photography and safari simulation video game AFRIKA. Intrigued, journalists asked Sony why was the game shown at such a fair, and not a gaming convention. Sony Cameras replied that first of all, AFRIKA is a photography game, and second of all because the game will hit Europe in 2009.

PS3 Afrika Finished 2nd on Japanese Sale Charts (Afrika)

Sep 5, 2008

Who would have thought? The quirky wild-animal-photography title Afrika is the runner-up for this week's Media Create Japanese sales charts, courtesy of Famitsu. It was beaten by a DS title called Rhythm Tengoku Gold, but Afrika still managed to sell a healthy 38,000 copies. The retail price for the title isn't cheap either, at 5,980 yen (about $56 USD), though many places are selling it for less.

AFRIKA: Sony to Debut Photo-Realistic Game (Afrika)

Aug 30, 2008

"Sony is hoping that the game, called Afrika, will impress players with its advanced graphics. The developers, who spent nearly four years creating the game -- including two visits to Africa -- packed a fictitious national park with photo-realistic zebras, elephants, lions and dozens of other exotic animals."

Afrika In Your Japanese Hotel (Afrika)

Aug 28, 2008

Kotaku: "PS3 title Afrika is launching this week in Japan. And to help promote the game, the Excel Hotel Tokyu in Haneda is running a special Afrika themed campaign priced at ¥19,000 (for one person) or ¥15,000 (for two - each must pay) a night. Participating rooms will be outfitted with a projector screen and hi-def projector that displays images from the game. What's more, guests will get a 'Savannah plate' picnic meal for another ¥4,000 that includes a hamburger, grilled seafood and a salad - or as PS3 Fanboy notes, 'a special exotic meal'."

WhatIfGaming GC 2008: Afrika Multiplayer Details + No Europe/America Release Confirmed (Afrika)

Aug 28, 2008

Usman Ihtsham of WhatIfGaming writes: "We received some exclusive details at GC 2008 regarding Sony's exclusive safari photo adventure for the PlayStation 3 console. The sad news is that it's pretty much a given that the title will not be making a debut to Europe especially America anytime soon or ever."

Afrika Renamed Hakuna Matata Outside Of Japan (Afrika)

Jul 31, 2008

Afrika will be rechristened Hakuna Matata, at least in Asia.

Afrika gets release date: August 28 (Afrika)

Jul 21, 2008

Sony Japan has updated the official Afrika front page with a release date: August 28

More Afrika Details (Afrika)

Jun 14, 2008

Sony brought Afrika to Taiwan recently to a media event and let journalists check out what the game is about. According to PS3Hyper:

"Your AI driver/tour guide is waiting for you in a Jeep. So for those who are looking forward to hitting the animals with the Jeep, you are out of luck."

Afrika Release Date, Price Announced (Afrika)

Jun 10, 2008

Kotaku writes: "Afrika, Sony's upcoming entry in the burgeoning savannah-wildlife-photojounalist-sim genre, has been given a final release date and price. It'll be out on August 28, and will cost ¥5980 (USD$56), which is a bit of a worry. I'd presumed this would be a neat little addition to the PSN's lineup. A different way to blow $15-$20. But that price has it pegged as a, well, proper game. And what they've shown thus far doesn't look like it has the legs/meat of a proper game at all."

Sun Sets on Afrika - Harrison's Departure to Blame? (Afrika)

Jun 7, 2008

Ripten's Patrick Steen writes:

"After a long sleep, Sony's mysterious game Afrika made an appearance on the interwebs last week through the Japanese PlayStation website. Sadly Japan is where the game might stay.

Is Phil Harrison's departure the reason for SCEE's move? Are Sony trying to close their pockets on games that don't have huge profits predicted?"

Read on for more.

AFRIKA Homepage Opened With Hi-res Promo Video (Afrika)

Jun 6, 2008

AFRIKA's homepage is now officially opened, with a flash opening and a 1 minute and 26 seconds promotional video in 1280x720 or 640x360 resolution.

The Creator's Message reads (translated from Japanese):

"Wanting to Safari in Afrika!

The project of putting this basic concept onto the PS3, all started 4 years ago. It was an adventurous trip that took longer than expected, but we have finally arrived at our goal.

Ever since I was little, until even now as an adult, the admiration for the beauty of Africa never left me. We used the word "SAFARI" as the keyword for making this game as it best represents my adoration.

If everyone can find their own "AFRIKA" that belongs to them, even for just a tiny bit, it will mean more than anything to me."

-Rhino Studio Creative Director, Tachikawa Katsumoto

---------

"After the unveiling of the game, people always asked me "Did you actually goto Africa?"

We actually went to Africa for our research. I think if we didn't see it with our own eyes and actually experience it, we can not truly express the beauty, and it will also lack reality when we present it to people.

I only understood this after I went, but Africa is more than anything that I have expected.

Instead of just "Some place on earth that I've never seen before", it was more like an impact of feeling a time-slip to "Ancient Earth".

It was the same for the zebras, gnus, giraffes and lions, it felt like even a dinosaur was going to pop out at any given moment.

The emotional affections experience by the staff when we were in Africa, we have incorporated that into many different parts of the game. It'll mean a lot to me if after playing the game, people will feel "this actually makes me want to goto Africa".

-SCE Japa...

Japanese retailer describes what Afrika actually is. (Afrika)

Jun 4, 2008

Japanese retailer Game Star has put up a description of the game, which finally ends the confusion gamers have had over what the purpose of Afrika is.

The translated description states that you are a photographer, who takes photo's of the animals using Jeeps, Hot Air Ballons and more to get the perfect photo's.

While this isn't 100% conformation until we hear word from Sony, it does appear that the game will as expected be not to dissimalar to N64 title Pokemon Snap or Nintendo Wii title Endless Ocean.

This game is rumored for a 2008 release in Japan, with no plans currently to bring it to europe.

AFRIKA Game Description on Japanese Online Game Store (Afrika)

Jun 3, 2008

First game description on Afrika, from a Japanese online game store.

You will be a photo journalist taking pictures on foot, by car or by air balloon.

You can unlock real non-CG pictures and rare research footage of the animals as you encounter more animals in game and build up your "Animal Library"

The game will be out on 8/28 for 5980 yen in Japan.

No Afrika for Europe, world ends (Afrika)

May 27, 2008

VG247: SCEE's now decided there is some news on Afrika, telling Eurogamer the game won't be releasing in Europe.

Afrika Is Alive! (Afrika)

May 27, 2008

Sony has opened a new teaser site for Afrika, as barren as the desert, but at least we know it's still coming. This comes after SCEE refused to comment on the game suddenly appearing on Play Asia for a release in August.