Game Republic honcho, Street Fighter creator and general wild-man Yoshiki Okamoto talks about his team's work on Genji: Days of the Blade. He tells game site Kikizo that work on the title had begun before Sony had even announced the PS3 specs. The title was originally slotted as a PS2 title. What about that rumble-for-motion-sensing swicheroo? Okamoto says:

Obviously you lose something without the rumble... The game design was not thought out with the Sixaxis in mind. Yes we did lose something but we probably gained a lot more.

But, what exactly? Brian Ashcraft

Okamoto Talks Genji [Kikizo]

Both Genji: Days of the Blade and Blast Factor will see downloadable updates in the near future. The former will come in the shape of a costume pack, one that has been available to Japanese consumers (for free) for some time. The other download is a "Co-op Play Download Pack" for the Geometry Wars lookalike Blast Factor.

No price point or availability date is mentioned for either.

Does this signal the beginning of ugly microtransactions infecting the Store, designed to squeeze a few more dollars out of gamers who think they've already paid for the full game, or is this simple generosity, an example of the capabilities of the PlayStation Store? I don't mind games that are upfront about their planned expansions via downloads, SingStar for example, but the withholding of content for future horse armor-like screwjobs just suck. Michael McWhertor

Sony Computer Entertainment has priced three of its first party titles. Two of them, Genji 2 and Resistance, are launch titles and will drop on November 11th. The third, MotorStorm, will hit on December 7th. While PS3 third party titles have been announced for between 7,140 yen and 8,190 yen (US $60 and $68), these first party titles will go for a reasonable 5,980 yen ($49). That means Japan not only gets a cheaper console, but also cheap first party games. Way to take one for the home team! We imagine to expect the same style of pricing elsewhere as well. Rather, we'd hope. Brian Ashcraft

Third Party Prices Higher [Game Watch Impress]

The "Massive Damage" meme? Old. Uttered by the producer of Genji 2 at Sony's E3 train wreck of a presser, it's officially no longer funny. (It still makes us giggle, but whatever.) The quote has haunted that producer and ultimately has resulted in him not giving any more interviews, apparently. We wonder if he even leaves the house.

None of this, however, stops Nintendo from pointing and laughing. Kotakuite No Bullet was looking around the Clubhouse Games website and found a pictochat pic which read:

i love Wii

shake the soda for massive damage

Let's play darts

And this is not the first time the DS kicked sand in Sony's face. 'Tis a shame, because Genji is actually pretty good. It's so good that we will buy it and promise not to say "Massive Damage" and let out hearty bellows while playing it. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [Touch Generations]

When asked by MCV whether the rival consoles will outstrip Sony's next-gen machine, he replied simply: "We do not care." But he conceded that Sony is still struggling with the production of PS3's Blu-Ray drive: "Right now, it is an issue, because we can't manufacture enough blue laser diodes for our PlayStation 3s. But we will resolve that."

You better, Kenny! I need me a blue laser diode and I need it right quick. MCV apparently squeezed this info from Kutaragi at the TGS PlayStation 3 showcase at the Sony TK building, which we attended.

In other executive quotes, Sony's sharp-dressed cue ball Phil Harrison let loose that Genji: Days of the Blade and Resistance Fall of Man are "definite PS3 launch titles." Yay! Now if I can just win that PS3 we're giving away... Michael McWhertor

Kutaragi laughs off rivals [MCV]