Thank you sharp-eyed forum posters, you may have spotted something that could mean Ninja Gaiden 2 will actually get some content worth paying for. Sighted somewhere on the XBL Marketplace was the mention that NG2 will get a downloadable mission mode on the...
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Joystiq Writes:"Let's face it, we hardcore gamers are always looking for an excuse to play ninja dress-up. After obliterating tens of thousands of nameless, demonic foes, what greater satisfaction could there be than in donning a leopard print bodysuit and doing it all over again? That's the thing, palette swaps used to be bonuses for our hard-earned mileage; easter eggs buried at the end of the playing field. Not premium DLC.

In the real world, buying a sassy lil' getup can be a cathartic release. In virtual land you just feel like a chump. So Tecmo, Team Ninja, Microsoft, whoever, take your Ninja Gaiden "horse armor" and shove it!"
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Console Monster writes: "A new XBOX Live Arcade release, Ninja Gaiden II costumes, a trailer for Spider-Man: Web of Shadows and more passport locations for The Bourne Conspiracy make up today's XBOX Live Marketplace update for Wednesday 2nd July 2008:

Name: Soul Calibur
Price: 800 Microsoft Points
Availability: All Xbox LIVE regions

Name: Ninja Gaiden 2 Costume Pack Shadow Walker
Price: 200 Microsoft Points
Availability: All XBOX Live Regions except Germany

Name: Ninja Gaiden 2 Costume Pack Biometal
Price: 200 Microsoft Points
Availability: All XBOX Live Regions except Germany..."
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Three costume packs are now available for 200 points a piece for Tecmo's action ninja game. Msxbox-World raises the issue that is this stuff good value or a rip off, considering in the past this content would be an in game unlock?
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NECA release new Ninja Gaiden II figurine.

Necaonline have released photos of their new action figure of Ninja Gaiden II´s Ryu due for release this September.

Ryu will come complete with in-game accesories which will be revealed closer to the September release date and here i have the first official photos released of the figure.
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A large number of Team Ninja employees are reported to have left Tecmo following Itagaki's walkout earlier this month, according to rumours.It is reported that "as many as three dozen" Team Ninja employees have done a runner and, to make things worse for Tecmo, also plan to take the company to court over unpaid bonuses for completed games.Things got nasty early this month when Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden creator Tomonobu ... » Read More

Geekpulp writes "Two exclusive titles to be released with in the space of three (possibly two) months of each other, the close timing of each release means that the sale of one can potentially canabilize the market of the other. Product Marketing Manager for Xbox, Tom Hunt, believes that Ninja Gaiden 2 will be out sold by Too Human."
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XboxOZ360 has a great competition for all Australian and New Zealand Xbox owners:
"Prizes to be won¿

1st Place - 1x Ninja Gaiden II for Xbox360 + 3 months of XBL
2nd Place - 1x Ninja Gaiden II for Xbox 360 + 1 month of XBL
3rd Place - 3 months of XBL."
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Just in time for the weekend, a playable demo for Ninja Gaiden II has finally arrived for Xbox 360 gamers in the US and Canada. After a couple of delays, you can now get a sampling of some Ninja Gaiden II action on the Xbox 360. The download is about 860MB.
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First Day sales in Japan from June 5:

PS3 Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit - 60.000
WII Fushigi no Dungeon - Furai no Shiren 3: Karakuri Yashiki no Nemuri Hime - 40.000 (40% sell through)
360 Ninja Gaiden II - 20.000
NDS DS Yamamura Misa Suspense - 17.000
360 Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit - 8.000
PS2 Oookuki - Uncountable
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The highly anticipated Ninja Gaiden 2 takes the top spot for the second week on the cross-platform Gamefly Top Ten 'Most Queued' list. Following close behind is GRID (PS3/Xbox 360/DS), and Haze (PS3). Boom Blox is at the top of the Nintendo Wii Queue as well...

Queue up the complete Gamefly Top 10 most requested list:
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Publisher Tecmo's share price has plummeted more than 10 percent since news broke that Tomonobu Itagaki had both sued the company and handed in his resignation.Earlier this week it emerged that Itagaki had filed a complaint with the Tokyo District Court against his employer Tecmo for unpaid completion bonuses, and against the company's president for "unreasonable and disingenuous statements" made towards him.He announced that ... » Read More

Develop: Japanese game developer Tecmo has responded to the lawsuit brought upon it by former employee Tomonobu Itagaki, the father of the Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden series, the existence of which was announced yesterday.

Rather than pick choice quotes from the company's release, we've translated the full statement below:

Our employee Tomonobu Itagaki (hereafter 'the employee') released information to the press on March 3rd 2008 regarding his resignation from the company effective June 1st, his lawsuit regarding the payment of a completion bonus, consolation money sought from ourselves and our president, and his reasons for doing so...
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Tecmo has defended its position in the conundrum over Itagaki's resignation and lawsuit against the company announced yesterday. The company says the "unpaid completion bonuses" Itagaki speaks of were an agreement of previous management, and that Itagaki had been paid his dues in the form of annual bonuses. ... » Read More

Going public was "self-centred" says Tecmo in official response.

Tecmo has defended its position in the conundrum over Itagaki's resignation and lawsuit against the company announced yesterday.
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IGN reports:

Tecmo issued a response today to yesterday's statement from Creative Officer Tomonobu Itagaki in which the Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive producer announced his resignation and litigation over, among other things, unpaid bonuses.

In the statement, Tecmo denies responsibility to pay the completion bonus mentioned by Itagaki in his complaint. The company claims to have a bonus system in place, and states that it paid Itagaki this bonus every year. The bonus Itagaki mentioned in his complaint is, according to the Tecmo statement, separate from this and is something from the time of previous management.

The company also refers to the damages sought out against CEO Yoshimi Yasuda as being the product of "distortions" from Itagaki.

The Tecmo statement goes on to complain about Itagaki's public disclosure of the litigation, which it considered to be a personal matter and thus did not go public with it despite considering it an important issue. It also accuses Itagaki of referring to Team Ninja's productions in his statement as if they were developed exclusively by himself.

Before closing off with an apology to customers, stock holders and business partners for any trouble that might have been caused, the statement notes that Team Ninja has started working on new titles.
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Microsoft and TECMO/Team Ninja make it official. Ninja Gaiden II is now available in North America.

Microsoft and TECMO/Team NINJA announced today that "Ninja Gaiden II," the blockbuster action-packed sequel to "Ninja Gaiden," is now shipping to retailers throughout North America. "Ninja Gaiden II" features a new and improved game engine, developed from the ground up exclusively for Xbox 360, by legendary video game developer Tomonobu Itagaki and Team NINJA.
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XboxOz360 reports:

News just in is that a demo for Ninja Gaiden 2 will be available on the marketplace during the morning of the 4th June '08. Here's th einfo straight from MS this afternoon. So if you want to get a taste of Ninja Gaiden 2 before it's release, then head to the XboxLive Marketplace - now.

"Just thought I would give you a heads up and let you know that the Ninja Gaiden 2 Demo will launch overnight in Australia and will be available for download tomorrow.

The demo is taken from Chapter One and game play duration is about 30 minutes on average.

The wait is over¿ Play as Ryu Hayabusa and experience the frenetic combat of Ninja Gaiden II. You are equipped with the Dragon Sword, Falcon's Talons, Eclipse Scythe, Shuriken & Fiend's Bane Bow and will unlock the Lunar staff as well as The Art of the Inferno & the Art of Wind Blades Ninpo magic as you battle through about ¾ of the first chapter, Sky City Tokyo.

All weapons and Ninpo are at max level so you can really feel the power, grace and speed of the weapons and effects. You can even experience Muramasa's shop where you can upgrade weapons and buy valuable herbs to increase your health.

- Standard Weapons: Dragon Sword, Scythe, Claws, Staff
- Projectile Weapons: Shuriken, Bow and Arrow
- Ninpo: Wind and Fire
- Weapon level: 3 (max level)
- Difficulty level: Acolyte only
- Expected gameplay: 30 minutes

Ninja Gaiden II launches June 12th in Australia."
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Dead or Alive creator Tomonobu Itagaki is leaving Tecmo and has filed a lawsuit against the company for "unpaid completion bonuses" over Dead or Alive 4.Itagaki's translator contacted Kotaku yesterday, telling them: "At approximately 2:30 PM Japan Standard Time today, June 3rd 2008, an official statement from Tomonobu Itagaki was sent by fax to major Japanese news outlets."In the official statement, Itagaki said: "I, ... » Read More

With the shocking news of Tomonobu Itagaki's resignation from Tecmo, just where will the highly revered developer produce his new games? There's been speculation for a while now of discontentment over at Tecmo, with Itagaki be-littleing some of his co-workers and pubicly commenting on his dislike of Ninja Gaiden Sigma (the PS3's remake of the Xbox original).
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