5.29.2017

GREE's longtime seller mobile fishing game became VR game


From May 13 to May 21, Japanese major mobile game company GREE released VR fishing game "Tsuri Sta VR(釣りスタVR)" in game arcade Adores of Shibuya and Ikebukuro.

This was developed as of the 10th anniversary memory of their longtime seller mobile fishing game "Tsuri Sta".



Tsuri Sta is a pioneer of the mobile social game released in 2007 when future-phones were the height of prosperity. GREE provided various social games in their mobile Social Networking Service before Facebook became the open platform. Users of GREE made own avatars and they competed with other users for a catch score. When a lot of mobile social games were created and died through ten years, but  this survived. It becomes the game for smartphones now.





Tsuri Sta VR is the VR fishing game that reproduced an atmosphere and a game system of Tsuri Sta in full 3D. Controllers are Android smartphones, and players operate this and catch fish. In addition, the chairs were cooler-boxes. There was right a fishing place! :)

The game was PvP that six players comped for catch points within a time limit.

Finally three players of high ranks were commended. Of course the winners' platform was prepared.

Unfortunately this is showcase VR game, and not released in market places. It was only shown as the tenth anniversary project. However, it was the high quality VR game. I hope that this is shown by the big event such as the Tokyo game show.

5.26.2017

Cafe & Bar of Colopl's popular game Shironeko Project

Now, the Collabo-cafe(collaboration-cafe) prospers in Japan. This is one of the new PR technique, the cafe and bars collaborate with mangas, animes, games, artists and provide the menu which assumed them motifs to their fans. They can enjoy worldviews that they love by menus and upload those photos on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. This is very important. The foods information scattered by photos is strong and they draw new fans.

Of course the Japanese popular mobile games use it. These are collabo-cafe and bar of Colopl's popular mobile games Shironeko Project(白猫プロジェクト).



It's held in new commercial facilities AREA-Q ANNEX in Harajuku, Tokyo. This has nine kinds of drink menus(three kinds are alcohol among them) which assumed characters of the game motifs, and fans order them at the time of entering.

 The price is 600yen - 700yen. To be frank, it's expensive, but is common for the collabo-cafe. Because...

"Bonus" is attached to it. Fans can get the coaster of game characters at random whenever they order menus.

In addition, sojourn time per once is set a limit by 90min. They may enjoy it enough.



Signatures of voice actors who played voices of the game character are displayed in this cafe. Voice actors are very popular in Japan.






Furthermore, various goods are sold in the cafe. In them, the special goods to be able to buy only here are included.

In other words, Collabo-cafe is a place for interchange between fans. It will be surely fun if they can talk with somebody about own favorite game and its characters at such a place. This Collabo-cafe is held until May 30. Infomation is here(Japanese).

5.06.2017

Palmer Luckey appeared in a county town in Japan with hot costume suddenly

After having left Facebook, where in the world is the  Oculus VR founder Palmer Luckey? He disappeared for a while, and appeared in Japan suddenly.


"Tokushima VR movie festical in Machi Asobi. Palmer Luckey of the developer of Oculus Rift who is the leading person of the current VR boom came! It is the biggest surprise in this event."


"Palmer luckey who made Oculus Rift comes to Tokushima!"

Tokushima Machi Asobi is an pop cultures event held twice a year in Tokushima-shi, Tokushima Prefecture. Tokushima-shi is the capital city of Tokushima Prefecture on Shikoku island in Japan. There is county town, but a lot of companies and creators about anime, manga, and game participate whenever this is held. Furthermore, many otakus and tourists gather to enjoy this. Of course this contributes to regional vitalization.
Because VR film festival was held this time, it was not unnatural that Palmer Luckey participated in this event. However, his appearances might be slightly unnatural.










He cosplayed as "Quiet" from Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. His hot costume and friendliness became the big topic in the Japanese VR industry in Twitter. Yoshihito Kondoh of Japanese VR evangelist took his funny photo.


"I put material of crappy collage."

Japanese VR creators used him in VR contents at once.




Of course he did not participate in this event only for a cosplay. He tried VR contents exhibited in event and gave a speech in conference.


In addition, he participates in Unity's Unite 2017 Tokyo and indie game event Tokyo Sandbox. His Japan tour continues still more. YOLO! Gotta have fun!


4.27.2017

The consumer robot which does window cleaning


Do you have a vacuum cleaner robot? Next, how about the window cleaning robot? Gadget company Thanko released cheap window cleaning WINDY. It is only 29,800yen(in tax).


This sticks to the window by the power of the motor and cleans it while recognizing the area of the windowpane with a sensor. Cleaning time is 2.4 minutes per 1 square meter, and when cleaning is over, it informs it by alarm. In addition, users can control it by remote control. Because this has cleaning pad for water wiping and dry wiping, users can use them properly by uses. The size is W240xD240xH100mm and weight is 1.2kg. A power supply cable is necessary for it, but, for time when it fell by an accident, this has emergency battery.

4.13.2017

Is this Super-Sentai show? No, it's company information session

Now jobs outnumber job seekers in Japan. Low birth rate and slowly recovering economy are keeping Japan’s job-to-applicant ratio at a 25-year high. Therefore the many Japanese companies perform various measures to get excellent talented people. Particularly, they focus on students graduating in 2018.

Tech company GMO Pepabo which provide various Web Service held interesting company information session for university students on April 12. It was surely company information session. However, the thing which students watched was Super-Sentai show.


*Super-Sentai(スーパー戦隊)
Japanese superhero team franchise of TV drama series. Sentai(戦隊) means Squadron in Japanese. Each member are given colors, and they are very colorful. They are known by the name of "Power Ranger" in the North America.

These are Tweets of recruiter of GMO Pepabo.





At first, Kentaro-Magma, the boss of the cabal of evil "Death-Boys" appeared. They conquered Shibuya. Recruit-Sentai Peparanger appeared there! By the way, Kentaro-Magma is GMO Pepabo CEO Kentaro Sato.







You may think that they are joking around. However, they are earnest and finished all the necessary speeches and panel discussions as Japanese company information session...with costume on.

Their corporate philosophy is "We can make more fun" and they held unique company information session to have student job seekers experience it. Their executives played Peparanger, Kentaro-Magma's costume was handcrafted by an staff, sound track of this show was composed by the staff of former musician and it's shown in SOUNDCLOUD. They accomplished all in themself. Surely their passion must have reached students. Archive video is here. They speak only Japanese, but You can feel fun atmosphere.