The people at Capcom should be no strangers to establishing a new IP on the market. Since the Japanese company introduced their first multi-part franchise in the mid ’80s with Ghosts ‘n Goblins, they have been known for establishing franchises that run for many years. Along with such legendary titles as Street Fighter and Mega Man, this strategy has enabled them to create and develop things such as, in particular, the survival-horror genre.

However, it was interesting to meet Resident Evil 4 and Devil May Cry producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi at gamescom and to watch him demonstrate Capcom’s latest offering, Dragon’s Dogma. What was shown on the screen in the tiny booth was neither slugfest nor survival-action title, nor a new approach for an arcade concept either. What Capcom had announced in April, probably more out of sheer habit, as action-adventure was in fact the first open-world RPG in Capcom’s 33-year history.

Indeed, with Dragon’s Dogma Capcom is not abandoning their extensive expertise in action gameplay; however, the presentation at gamescom focused mainly on the most basic aspect of an RPG game: the forming of game groups to enable the player to engage in combat with up to three followers or “Pawns”.

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Hi everyone. We’ve just seen this new advert and it looks like Umbrella Sciences are recruiting. If you’ve ever wanted to work for a trustworthy and ethical pharmaceutical company then this is your chance. Dust off your CV and head over to www.umbrellasciences.com to find out more . . .

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Hey everyone! This is Derek Neal, and I’m the producer on Street Fighter III: Third Strike Online Edition. I’m here to tell you all the things that make this game awesome. You might want to take a seat and get comfortable, because that’s quite a list!

Available August 24th, Street Fighter III: Third Strike Online Edition takes one of the most revered fighting games in CAPCOM‘s history and brings it Online. Quite frankly, the feature set we’ve included in this downloadable is jaw dropping. In addition to upscaled graphics, we have hundreds of trials, dynamic challenges, and a huge Vault full of all kinds of unlockables. We have multiple training modes, integrated Tournament support, and 8 player lobbies (with spectator mode!). We have GGPO for near-lagless online play, a robust replay system, and the ability to upload matches straight to YouTube – from within the game! All of this, and much, much more.

We are also very excited to be the lead title in the brand new PSN PLAY program. Now with PSN PLAY, you’re able to pre-order this game now. This is actually the first time a pre-order program has been offered for a downloadable PSN title, and we couldn’t be happier than to help lead that charge. The pre-order period for the game runs through August 18th, and people who pre-order during this period will receive a special gift: a custom Third Strike theme for their PS3! Here’s a sneak peek of what it will look like:

If that wasn’t enough, we are also announcing that we’ll be giving a free gift to everyone who purchases the game between now and through September 20th: a free key that unlocks the hidden boss character, Gill. This boss character is a ton of fun to play, and can be used in all of our casual game modes, such as Arcade and Player Match. (He is not available in Ranked matches or in Tournaments.)

Finally, PlayStation Plus members will be excited to hear that they’re getting a special deal: an additional 20% off on this already great value! So what are you waiting for?! Pre-order now. Buy this game…it’s time you realized that it’s the THIRD STRIKE THAT COUNTS!

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In the beginning of Dragon’s Dogma, you are immediately confronted by a dragon that rips out your still-beating heart and flies away. Your quest is to track down the dragon and discover why he stole your heart and why you can still hear his voice echoing in your head.

At PlayStation’s E3 livestream, Product Manager Mike Schmitt gave a live demo of our E3 build of Dragon’s Dogma. The dragon rears its head, breathes a spout of fire and flies off, paving the way for an intense battle with Orcs and Harpies. It also introduces the Chimera, a monstrosity that combines the attributes of a serpent, goat, and lion. The E3 demo introduces the gameplay concept of “pawns,” or computer-controlled companions that aid you in the fight.

Dragon’s Dogma is not an RPG. The development team has previously masterminded the Devil May Cry games, Resident Evil 4, Killer 7, and many more. This team likes action, and that fact shines in Dragon’s Dogma — a game with fast, stylized combat in an open world filled with massive beasts. This is Capcom‘s first open-world game and is powered by the powerful in-house engine MTFramework, responsible for other PS3 games including Resident Evil 5 and Lost Planet 2. That allows us to have an open world without sacrificing the graphical quality you expect from Capcom games.

Aside from the fast action, we’re also introducing new mechanic that adds an extra dose of mayhem. At any time in the game, you can grab enemies, large or small, and interact with them. If it’s an Orc, you can grab him and slay him. Once he’s dead, you can pick him up and use him as bait to lure a soaring Griffin to the ground. When the Griffin lands, you’re able to tackle the beast and start stabbing. When it takes off, hold on for dear life. Eventually, you’ll set fire to the Griffin’s wings, sending you and the beast crashing to the ground.

Check out gameplay videos of the Chimera and the Griffin on Capcom-Unity.com, and look forward to more information soon! Dragon’s Dogma releases for the PS3 in early 2012.

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