Namco quiet on Katamari rumours

By Robert Purchese Published 15 June, 2007

Is it really Xbox 360-exclusive?

Namco Bandai has remained quiet on rumours that Beautiful Katamari will be released exclusively on Xbox 360.

The company told Eurogamer this morning that until it announced its plans and a publisher for Europe it couldn't possibly comment on speculation.

Even Microsoft remained tight-lipped, offering no comment on what would surely be a high-profile exclusive-snatch. Then again, it's E3 next month.

Likely publisher EA was also unavailable to comment at the time of writing.

Namco Bandai recently announced the game to the North American masses, promising its release before the end of the year. It will be the first this-next-whatever-generation of the charming roly-puzzle-action-collect-em-up we've seen. Beautiful Katamari also looks set to feature multiplayer modes and on-going downloadable content.

It's exclusivity on a Microsoft console would be slightly bewildering, despite the recent swathe of Namco Bandai games for 360 - Pac-Man CE and Eternal Sonata, for example. Previously all Katamari games have appeared on Sony platforms.

We also know original creator Keita Takahashi won't be responsible for the new versions, instead passing the buck to Me & My Katamari co-lead designer Jun Moriwaki. But that won't curb our enthusiasm, even if the PSP creation was a little off the magical pace of the others.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (44) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Tejstar #1 5 years ago

    I love Katamari!

  • bioreit #2 5 years ago

    I'm just waiting for all the Sony guys who previously loved it to turn round and say

    "Meh. Katamari sucks. We don't need it."

  • Dizzy #3 5 years ago

    Isn't it a bit weird to make a "small" cult game like this exclusive?

    Anyway... I am just happy it will come to 360, no need for it to be exclusive.

  • SeesThroughAll #4 5 years ago

    Microsoft subsidizing exclusivity with their bottomless pockets shocker.

    I'm just waiting for all the Sony guys who previously loved it to turn round and say

    "Meh. Katamari sucks. We don't need it."

    You mean, like the XBox guys who previously said "Meh, I don't care about this kind of stuff" and now think it's awesome?
    Edited by 1 at 15/06/07 @ 11:10

  • souljacker2000 #5 5 years ago

    I think there is a need for this to be exclusive... more people who love sony machines will come over to the much superior 360 ;)

  • RexRunti #6 5 years ago

    By itself I don't think this is a huge coup for MS. If this part of a wider range of Japanese exclusives then it could be very large tick in the right box.

  • SeesThroughAll #7 5 years ago

    @ souljacker2000:

    It will be less effective than you think, though. Not even Ace Combat, that I like more than Katamari, is enough to make me change my mind.

    The best thing is to make these games multi-platform. Namco may have lost my money on these titles, depending on how much MS payed them off, of course.
    Edited by 1 at 15/06/07 @ 11:12

  • morriss #8 5 years ago


    "You mean, like the XBox guys who previously said "Meh, I don't care about this kind of stuff" and now think it's awesome?"

    I don't know any. Most console owners I know like games and were jealous that the PS2 had such a broad catalogue of games. Now MS has a broad catalogue of games. All good.

  • morriss #9 5 years ago

    "
    It will be less effective than you think, though. Not even Ace Combat, that I like more than Katamari, is enough to make me change my mind. "

    So basically you won't buy a 360 no matter what. Your opinion is gaining weight by the day! As someone who ''seesthroughall' you quite transparent yourself.

    :)

  • SeesThroughAll #10 5 years ago

    No, if EVERY SINGLE game from the PS3 lineup simply disappeared, then that would convince me into buying hardware that most people have already deemed unreliable.

    Ace Combat and Katamari are two franchises I like from Namco, compared to more than half a dozen first party exclusives on the PS3 I'm interested in. Tekken 5 DR fills my brawler needs, since T6 will surely not bring anything new to the table, and I never liked Riiiiiiiiiiiiidge Racer. If I can't have those two nice bonuses, too bad.

    EDIT: need more coffee, dammit.
    Edited by 2 at 15/06/07 @ 11:20

  • ratso #11 5 years ago

    this and ac, two jap centric games exclusive to a console that basically doesn't exist in japan

    great idea namco, now you sell absolutely no copies.
    no worries though, judging from previews katamari doesn't look like the dev costs were more than a few quid so sell one and your sorted

  • Kenshin001 #12 5 years ago

    Santa Clara, Calif., April 20, 2007 – Leading video games publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. announced today that The King of All Cosmos, everyone’s favorite pint-sized Prince, and the whole wacky and wild Katamari crew will be making their hilarious next generation debut in Beautiful Katamari™ for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft later this year.

    [link url= http://www.namcobandaigames.com/news/press/press/207
    ]http://ww w.namcobandaigames.com/news/pre...[/link]

    NAMCO ARE LIARS. STORM THEIR BUILDING AND BURN IT TO THE GROUND.




  • Xerx3s #13 5 years ago

    Not even in Billy boys wettest dreams.

  • Dizzy #14 5 years ago

    >most people have already deemed unreliable.

    Oooo please!

    >Microsoft subsidizing exclusivity with their bottomless pockets shocker.

    We are a crybaby today aren't we?

  • morriss #15 5 years ago

    So only if basically Sony didn't exist, you'd buy a 360?

    lol

  • The-Bodybuilder #16 5 years ago

    A cult, japanese game that didn't sell that great on a sony platform, even in japan becoming exclusive on the dead-selling (in japan) MS console with much less global install based in comparison to te ps2?

  • SeesThroughAll #17 5 years ago

    Make that Sony and Nintendo then ;)

  • Xerx3s #18 5 years ago

    So basically you won't buy a 360 no matter what. Your opinion is gaining weight by the day! As someone who ''seesthroughall' you quite transparent yourself.

    This thread would really be better off if people didn't feed the lot who want to turn everything into a console war.

  • The-Bodybuilder #19 5 years ago

    >"depending on how much MS payed them off, of course. "

    Ms doesn't need to pay them, they just need to subsidize the royalties tis'all.
    And when you factor in the sales of the ps3, it might even be the sensible thing to do this moment in time.

  • morriss #20 5 years ago

    "So basically you won't buy a 360 no matter what. Your opinion is gaining weight by the day! As someone who ''seesthroughall' you quite transparent yourself.

    This thread would really be better off if people didn't feed the lot who want to turn everything into a console war."

    Sorry. I really don't think I started it though, I just noticed it!

    I'll stop now.

  • Steroyd #21 5 years ago

    IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE!!

    Even if it's timed exclusive.

  • SeesThroughAll #22 5 years ago

    A timed exclusive makes sense for Namco, of course.

    But the fact is, Microsoft probably had to give Namco an insurance that their investment would be returned, regardless of sales in Japan.

  • morriss #23 5 years ago

    Or maybe Namco thought, no-one's buying the PS3, let's go where the money is.

  • Xerx3s #24 5 years ago

    Sorry. I really don't think I started it though, I just noticed it!

    I know, it's best not to though. ;)

  • Xerx3s #25 5 years ago

    if i remember rightly that HUGE article about the game in famitsu they pretty much said it was for both the ps3 and the 360...i dont see why it wouldnt be...

    Haze was pretty much slated as mpf. Money & market tides change everything. All the time.

  • SeesThroughAll #26 5 years ago

    Or maybe Namco thought, no-one's buying the PS3, let's go where the money is.

    The PS3 still sold more than the 360 in Japan, the market where Katamari is the most successful.

  • morriss #27 5 years ago

    Maybe they want to sell to real gamers this time too.

  • davisorle #28 5 years ago

    @SeesThroughAll

    smart comeback :p At least im glad that for once's you guys are not posting like you are screaming at eachother or beating up one another :). Man I only have one question and seriously I want an answer... Ive told you before Im not an MS fanboy and I meen it. Why do you hate MS so much though? lol I have reasons to hate Sony for their PS3 and I could repeat them but why do you hate MS so much? o.O is it cause of what they did with Windows back in the days? If so just think of it as a : well at least now I can have a pc for sure at home in this case if it wasnt for them" ;) I know we've been in arguements before but now you joke about it but you still know you sound like that when you talk about PS3 and MS.

    ( xerxes you tried to push Bioreit's buttons with your comment though didn't you? :p )

    EDIT:::::: I sound nice cause I might be getting engaged soon so don't start with me. Im not beeing sarcastic here!!!! So don't spoil it for me now :p ( a song that uses the word *excited* comes to my mind but I wont let it come out of my mouth cause that would sound gay lol )
    Edited by 1 at 15/06/07 @ 12:57

  • Qbert2k #29 5 years ago

    "Maybe they want to sell to real gamers this time too."

    No point selling it to imaginary ones.
    Edited by 1 at 15/06/07 @ 12:56

  • Kenshin001 #30 5 years ago

    "Or maybe Namco thought, no-one's buying the PS3, let's go where the money is."

    It would make more sense to go multiplatform and the 360's sales are pathetic in Japan. More likely MS threw a bunch of money at them to try and make inroads into the Japanese market. They seem to have got it together lately with Trusty Bell, the J version of Oblivion etc. Also MS have little to counter LittleBigPlanet.

  • SeesThroughAll #31 5 years ago

    No point trying to prove that they would make even more money releasing it on the other two platforms as well, heh?

    Excluding another 10 million people? Yes, morriss, very reasonable.

  • NotSoSlim #32 5 years ago

    Pointless if its exclusive.

    Wii version with controller & PS3 wihsixasis would be great.

    If Namco hve done this then more fool them.

    IDIOTS.

    Surely multi platform equals more money????

  • davisorle #33 5 years ago

    @Qbert2k & morris

    I just said not to flame in here but there you go. You spoiled it, ruined it and asked for it!!! :

    The rest of you DO NOT get affected. ppl that think of themselves so superior to others is cause they have genetical problems if not mental ones! Just ignor!!! :p

    ( I don't meen it you guys ( yet :p ) but don't do this. No need to flame this thread too. Don't make me sound like a darn weird grandfather :/ )

  • davisorle #34 5 years ago

    @ NotSoSlim

    You sound biconsoled... :p You think they are idiots if its exclusive but yet you are questioning if multyplatform is paying back o.O You comfussed me dude :p
    But then again lets think of the facts... If that game is stupid to be exclusive think of how happy ppl would be with a mario, MGS, FF, Halo etc etc on every console...

    If it would go by fanboism there MS would be screwed wouldnt they? lol

  • _Price_ #35 5 years ago

    So long as Microsoft don't try and make it 'hardcore', a staggered release would be fine. The last thing we need is for Master Chief to start blasting away at King of All Cosmos as he continues his everything-and-anything collecting quest....

  • bioreit #36 5 years ago

    Hey - I'm a baiter, it's what I do :-)

  • davisorle #37 5 years ago

    :p

  • dredd97 #38 5 years ago

    so how does this work then?

    they've just announced (couple of days ago) that time crisis is a ps3 exclusive and soul calibre is going multi format?

    yet it's now being reported that ms and namco have entered into an exclusivity deal and all next gen stuff from them is 360 only....

    theres more to this story me feels...

  • captainrentboy #39 5 years ago

    PS3 got a new Time Crisis? Fuck, I like those games :( Suuure a new one on the console is nowhere near enough incentive for me to buy it, but that was a pretty good game for Sony to get nevertheless.
    And like a few have said, getting Katamari as an exclusive might help out Microsoft eeeeever so slightly in Japan, but as for the rest of the world it's no big deal, I'm not sure how good the game as I haven't played it but I know it gets a lot of praise, but even then it still sells like shite doesn't it?

  • bioreit #40 5 years ago

    @ dredd97

    Where does it say that all Namco stuff is going to be 360 only? I thought this deal was only about Katamari?

  • NotSoSlim #41 5 years ago

    [link url=http://uk.gamespot.com/ps3/action/beaut ifulkatamari/news.html?sid=6169409
    ]http://uk .gamespot.com/ps3/action/beauti...[/link]

    Released 15th June

  • Daikon #42 5 years ago

    Bad article EG. No news is no news. No comment on rumours and speculation is no news either.

    Namco's official Beautiful Katamari website lists the game as coming out for both 360 and PS3, dates yet unknown.

    http://na mco-ch.net/beautiful_katamari/i...

  • Daikon #43 5 years ago

    Oh, and the official Japanese site gives us the following extra info about the game:

    Genre: Romance & Beauty

  • Ghettomurph #44 5 years ago

    Well this months EDGE mag has it down as both a PS3 and 360 game.