How utterly un-Xbox is this? Veteran developer Rare has got together with US TV production company 4Kids Entertainment to produce a cross-media family entertainment 'property' named, Viva Piñata. Set in a 'vibrant world of living piñata animals', the concept consists of an animated TV series to be shown on FOX this Autumn, and an Xbox 360 videogame. As Microsoft's press release explains:
"Set to release this holiday season worldwide, Viva Piñata is a customizable, social and spontaneous game that invites players of all ages and skills to explore an immersive world where they are challenged to create and maintain a living garden ecosystem that grows in real time. Beginning with a few basic tools, players build and take control of their environment to attract and host more than 60 species of wild piñata, utilizing hundreds of customizable elements to create their very own distinctively unique thriving paradise."
There will also be community and trading elements on Xbox Live.
It sounds like a kiddie-friendly cross between Pokemon and Harvest Moon, but Microsoft seem keen to push this as a family game, 'enjoyable for everyone - from kids to adults'. Whatever, it's a really quite baffling change of pace for Xbox 360, unless it turns out that one of the Piñata pets is actually a shadowy stealth operative. Or a fast car.
There's a website here.
