Konami’s Pre-E3 Press Briefing
It was a bit odd that Konami decided to host their streaming press event at 10:30pm PST days before E3, but since they were still in Japan at the time, we can let it slide.
The publisher kicked things off by touting the progress they’ve made in the mobile and social space with a new studio based in San Francisco. (Just how many versions of Frogger can one studio make?)
Moving on to things gamers will likely care a bit more deeply about, Konami is going all out for this year to battle FIFA with Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) 2013. They’ve made great strides in player modeling, trying to capture the essence of how the actual athletes run, dribble and pass. The video shows how they’ve taken football star Cristiano Ronaldo’s unique gait and translated that into PES 2013. Players will have better control with the new deft touch dribbling, giving more options in close quarters for navigating around defenders. Plus, the new passing options allow for a range of speeds in order to get the ball where you want it, when you need it. Konami is interweaving a social network app throughout the game, in order to keep players connected even when they’re not in-game.
Next up, fan favorite Zone of the Enders is getting a facelift for a new HD Collection, compiling both home console games for PS3 and Xbox 360. This collection will include both games with enhanced visuals and the same fast, frenetic gameplay. Konami has commissioned anime studio Sunrise to produce a new introduction for the first game. As a bonus, the HD collection will include an early demo for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.
Speaking of Metal Gear, Konami released a little bit more about the upcoming game’s story, which takes place nine years after the events of Metal Gear Solid 4. Developer Platinum Games is promising an action game like none other, and if the incredibly violent, blood-filled trailer is any indication, they will deliver. The graphics are solid, and the sword-play is insanely destructive, with a level of control I didn’t think possible for this generation of titles.
Before closing out the show, Konami gave viewers their first look at Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 and a hint that a 3DS game (rumored to be called Mirror of Fate) will be on the show floor. If you haven’t played (or been spoiled on) Lords of Shadow, the video might not make quite as much sense. Still, even if you don’t know who is featured, it’s a pretty cool (rendered) clip. Here’s hoping that we get some more info on the Belmonts next adventure(s) soon.
You can watch the full presentation below for yourself.

