14 DAY TRIAL // Sony likes to be mysterious. It sometimes adds no change log to its PlayStation 3 firmware updates, saying only a few mysterious words regarding the benefits of the upgrade. And sometimes, they announce a game only to forget about it for quite a while and then resurrect the title, bringing it back from the realm of vaporware (the place where Duke Nukem Forever hangs out) and only releasing very little information regarding it.
At the 2006 E3, Sony Computer Entertainment announced and also demonstrated a game called Afrika, which was supposed to be all about the endless plains of the African compliment complete with all the vegetation and fauna that you know from all those Animal Channel documentaries. And there were also hippos, which are very neat animals. It was then claimed that the game was about 30% complete and that 2007 would see it released in Japan, as it had been designed with the Japanese audience in mind.
Now, the game, developed by the aptly named Rhino Studios, has received a page on the Japanese PlayStation 3. You get to see a virtual rhino walking around without a worry in the world and hear a bit of sounds that seem very Africa like, but nothing more. The "Coming Soon" announcement might mean everything from the imminent release of the safari simulator to some more information coming soon. It's all very mysterious.
Eurogamer contacted Sony Computer Entertainment and got confirmation of the fact that the game will not make its way to Europe, while Gamespot talked to SCEA and found out that there's no information yet regarding whether the game will be available in North America. Apparently, safari simulation games are not that big on those markets while the Japanese public loves them.
So, no Afrika for Europe, for sure in Japan and maybe for North America. I have one question: what about Antarctica?