July 23, 2012July 24, 2012

Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational Update Enhances and Adds Multiplayer Modes

Calling all golf fans! Update 1.04 for Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational on PlayStation Vita (which just happens to be on sale on PSN right now — only $17.63 for PlayStation Plus members, $25.19 otherwise) goes live this evening! Here’s what to expect the next time you hit the fairways:

Invite friends to play in private tournaments

Whereas before you could only play in Real Mode tournaments that were open to all, now you can create private tournaments for you and up to seven friends, as well as private rooms in the online lobby space. Out on the course, you’ll be able to see your opponent’s ball after each shot, and between holes you can also use text chat to communicate with your friends, on the scorecard screen.

Stroke Mode (Head-to-Head)

Previously Ad-Hoc only. A head-to-head competition for two players, where the golfer with the best results at the end of a round wins. You’ll be able to chat with and heckle your opponent between holes.

Match Mode (Head-to-Head)

Previously Ad-Hoc only. This is also a head-to-head competition for two players, but this time it’s the first competitor to get to 3UP status during a round who wins. Once more, chat and heckling is possible between holes.

Introducing Rank for Real Mode tournaments

Players will now be rated G0 (strong) to G4 (novice) depending on their online performance. Rank will act dynamically, with players ranked according to their performance in official tournaments with more than ten participants. This way, novice players can play without the fear of being completely decimated, while experienced players can compete with other skilled golfers.

Introducing Seasons to Daily Tournaments

In Daily Tournaments mode, there will now be one game per day — a reduction from the previous three — so that each Tournament will be more focused and exciting. One season is equivalent to seven days, with a variety of rankings measured per week. These include a Weekly Champion and Top 10 rankings.

That’s it for the new additions to Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational. Now grab a friend and your PS Vita and get golfing!

Comments are closed.

50 Comments

9 Author Replies

NeoHumpty
July 23, 2012 at 3:05 pm PDT

Good to see continued support. Thanks, devs.
ShardYu
July 23, 2012 at 3:10 pm PDT

Very nice addition! Keep it up! Thank you! :)
Tim81DE
July 23, 2012 at 3:12 pm PDT

This update drives my desire to buy this game even more.
shadow71
July 23, 2012 at 3:20 pm PDT

Great update. Thanks Clap Hanz!
Tsubasa Inaba
July 23, 2012 at 3:22 pm PDT

Thanks everyone!

…and we’re not done yet.
It may take a while but we are working on further updates and DLC stuff too.
Stay tuned!!
Ftwrthtx
July 23, 2012 at 3:23 pm PDT

I am a little late to the Hot Shot Vita party, but I’m glad I made it. Fun game and these new features are a definite plus. Now where’s Jeff. Time for a challenge.
BAEZE_L
July 23, 2012 at 3:24 pm PDT

Oooh… I Guess NOW I Gotta Go Back To EB Games On PayDay And Buy Hot Shots For The SECOND TIME!!! I Hope That I Still Have My Save File On My Vita…. Hmmm..
Elvick_
July 23, 2012 at 3:25 pm PDT

Love this game. Even though I’m awful at it. :p
- Tsubasa Inaba
  July 23, 2012 at 3:34 pm PDT
  
  As long as you are having fun! That’s all that matters in my POV :-)
polo155
July 23, 2012 at 3:37 pm PDT

absolutely love this game, i have it on my vita as of last weeks sale and ive been dying for it for a while so thank you for the sale… just refreshed the updater in the live screen, not p yet but soon im sure… thanks guys. ok let me read this article :)
Heatseeker125
July 23, 2012 at 3:39 pm PDT

Nice update to a great game. Thank you. Looking forward to other updates you have planned.
topes521
July 23, 2012 at 3:41 pm PDT

Great. It finally gets much needed updates AFTER I trade it in. Was a daily play until recently when I had to rebuild my Vita…
- Tsubasa Inaba
  July 23, 2012 at 3:53 pm PDT
  
  Apologies for the timing…
  I too had hoped to get this one live sooner but…
Hellman
July 23, 2012 at 3:43 pm PDT

First off let me say that Hot Shots Golf is an awesome game and probably my favorite Sony franchise. The problem I have with the update is the Rank for Real Tournaments. Don’t you devs realize that aren’t enough players online? How to do you expect ranked tournaments to proceed if everyone is going to be scattered with different ranks. As you know you need 10 people to make a ranked tournament. I hope this update doesn’t ruin the experience online. This was a big issue that I had on Hot Shots Golf Out of Bounds. Thanks!
- Tsubasa Inaba
  July 23, 2012 at 3:50 pm PDT
  
  Thank you, comments noted.
  
  We just wanted to provide an environment for players of all levels.
  
  For example, someone new to the franchise would probably have a tough (perhaps an understatement?) time against someone loyal (and thank you very much for your support BTW) to our franchise like you.
  
  The Tournament Points too.. Previously points were cumulative.
  If someone started a few months ago, there would be no means of catching up (assuming both players continued playing constantly). We’ve addressed that problem too :-)
SirSpergsalot
July 23, 2012 at 3:43 pm PDT

Just wanted to give my thanks for this major update. Glad to see continued support.
FriedConsole
July 23, 2012 at 3:45 pm PDT

Favorite Vita game. This is my 5th Hot Shots Golf and I can’t get tired of this game. The Vita version is the best yet. Great that support is continuing. Any possibility of new courses? I would gladly pay $5 for a new course.

Also we need a Hot Shots Tennis Vita!! The PSP game is even awesomer on Vita with a stick.

I decided to forgive you guys for Hot Shots Shorties. :-)
RidleysBox
July 23, 2012 at 3:46 pm PDT

I am playing this on the JP servers and am enjoying the update. Are there plans to let the NA players to get Gloria and Erica, as well as the two new golf courses that my JP version got last week?

Also, any plans for promotional tournaments NA side? I love my docomo club I got from the docomo tourney a few weeks ago.
- Tsubasa Inaba
  July 23, 2012 at 3:52 pm PDT
  
  Wow. Hardcore fan here. Sounds like me :-)
  
  Please stay tuned for future updates. As mentioned above, we’re working on a a few things ;-)
ElektroDragon
July 23, 2012 at 4:23 pm PDT

BEST golf game ever! Would love a new PS3 installment!!!
krae_man
July 23, 2012 at 4:24 pm PDT

Sorry guys, but you took way too long and I’m not seeing any DLC courses. Speaking from a massive fan and somebody who was ranked as high as 7th overall, I’ve moved on and this isn’t enough to get me back.

I also second the issues with finding ranked tournaments. The game and the system haven’t sold enough to make that viable. It was hard enough to find 10+ people at a given time before rankings took effect.
Waxamin
July 23, 2012 at 4:43 pm PDT

GOOD!! I just got bored of gravity rush. Now I have A reason to go back to golf. BTW, can I do multiplayer on 1 V ita?
Kazriko
July 23, 2012 at 4:57 pm PDT

When I started on this game, I had never played a HSG game previously. I had an early start, so I was ranked about 230th or so in the tournament the first week, then plummeted down to around 550th place as the more experienced players really took over. It looks like I won’t accomplish my goal of getting up above 200th place, and am finishing at 263rd. Maybe I’ll do better on the new tourneys?

Aside from that, this is pretty well timed as I was starting to think that it wasn’t worth playing 3 rounds per day for the daily tournament, and was going to quit at the end of August. I might keep going a bit more now that there’s only a single round per day though.
Optimus_Prime
July 23, 2012 at 4:59 pm PDT

Thanks for bringing out this long-needed update! krae_man and others have a legitimate point. These new features won’t help much unless more people play online. Hopefully, some will come back after hearing this news.

In the meantime, you should update this post with the fact that the game is on sale on the PSN. $25 is a great deal, and $17 for PS Plus members is even better! We need to spread the word to get some new players into the fold!
Hellman
July 23, 2012 at 5:05 pm PDT

Ok thanks for the feedback Tsubasa Inaba! I love the game been playing since Hot Shots 1. I hope didn’t come across as being an A-hole.
- Tsubasa Inaba
  July 23, 2012 at 5:19 pm PDT
  
  Not at all @Hellman, we are (or at least I am) always open to feedback.
  Just hurts when we can’t answer to all requests…
  
  I hope you (and everyone else reading this) will continue playing & enjoying Hot Shots Golf!
AcuraPSV
July 23, 2012 at 5:34 pm PDT

Hi Tsubasa Inaba there is a chance to adapt to the native resolution of vita? in this patch or future? VT4 is beautiful, and I love to see HSG in native res, it would be lovely

please this is important for many of us. Thanks and keep it up!
xKOROSHIYAx
July 23, 2012 at 5:55 pm PDT

The US updates may be a bit slow, but how many developers (and publishers) support games for more than a few months after launch without subscription fees? That’s what I love about the HSG games. You always know you’ll get a game that will be supported for years.

Thanks for continuing to support this awesome game!
- Tsubasa Inaba
  July 23, 2012 at 6:47 pm PDT
  
  Thank you for your kind understanding and a rare equity called patience :-)
smthng
July 23, 2012 at 6:00 pm PDT

I appreciate the update, but… You’d said in a previous dev chat that asynchronous play would be added. Is that still on the table? Any time soon?
- Tsubasa Inaba
  July 23, 2012 at 6:49 pm PDT
  
  Yes asynchronous is still on our “to do list”.
  We will get there…
massimodo
July 23, 2012 at 6:35 pm PDT

Downloading now. 208mb patch. I
LionFranco
July 23, 2012 at 6:50 pm PDT

Hey guys, are you planning on adding Hot Seat Multiplayer, like in previous portable versions of the game. My roommate doesnt have a Vita, but was a big fan of HSG4 and 5, so we were going to do hot seat multiplayer and i found out after buying HSG:WI that this option wasnt available.

Would you guys be considering adding that option back into the game?

Thanks

Psssst…hey guys…we need more Vita game announcements…throw us a bone will ya?
SakuraX3
July 23, 2012 at 7:05 pm PDT

Glad that I bought this game and that you guys are still updating it, even though I suck at it. :D
massimodo
July 23, 2012 at 7:34 pm PDT

Well, that was pointless. Servers are offline. Good job, Sony.
DarkScollo
July 23, 2012 at 7:51 pm PDT

Love the game and thanks for the update, I am looking forward to what you guys make available later!
NeoRaidenX
July 23, 2012 at 8:00 pm PDT

I hate all sports. I hate watching them, and playing them with anyone but friends. I know nothing about golf but got this game(it was really cheap). It is so addicting. I having so much fun even though I’m confused most of the time about the rules and terminology.

I don’t play multiplayer in games, so this update is uninteresting. I would like to see a menu option where it explains basic terms. The library tutorials nor the digital manual address them. Stuff like par-on frequency, or par pace, or average near-pin. Other than that the game is a lot fun and im pretty good at it! I think.
luvtoseek
July 23, 2012 at 8:52 pm PDT

@3, it’s a blast to play- but very difficult to master. The trophies are not a cake walk either; there’s plenty to do & the devs wanted you to use every character, play every course, land eagles on select holes, as a req. to earn trophies. Great price for a great game, you won’t regret it!
kdoll08
July 23, 2012 at 9:35 pm PDT

Hey Tsubasa Inaba I was just wondering if I could get some info. I know when patch 1.04 was released on Minna they had some small bug issues and they added patches 1.05 and 1.06 to address these bugs. Did we get all the bug fixes for “our” version of patch 1.04? That would be reassuring as when I access the lobbies right now if the online was not available I would usually get that message that they were not available but right now I get a vita system error message and it shuts down my game of Hot Shots and has to be completely restarted. Hopefully this will be fixed when the server maintenance is over but I just thought I would ask while you are replying to people tonight. Thanks
mpainer777
July 23, 2012 at 9:55 pm PDT

Great update was waiting on fooze ball but just added more money to my wallet and purchased HSG ~ loving it look foward to playing tomorrow – newbie on the green
MR_SUPREME69
July 23, 2012 at 10:19 pm PDT

Awesome! Thank you for the update :D
Egz-Onine
July 24, 2012 at 1:45 am PDT

This is great! I WOULD like to see a Pass-and-Play mode for at least 2 players, however. Just a suggestion.
MK24ever
July 24, 2012 at 2:06 am PDT

I need help, I can’t stop playing this game and I can’t skip any event because I want a star on all of them and before I get it I don’t feel ok to skip to the next one…. arghhhh it’s soo good!!!!
MK24ever
July 24, 2012 at 3:42 am PDT

Oh, I have to add another thing but I’m sure I’ll look like a perv, but why do the female characters must use those huge shorts beneath the skirts? It kinda brakes the outfits look, it’s not like it’s possible to look from beneath, so I don’t see the point on having those black shorts.
- Tsubasa Inaba
  July 25, 2012 at 11:38 am PDT
  
  You can thank ESRB for that… :-)
Major_Hoare
July 24, 2012 at 6:54 am PDT

Hot Shots Gold update 1.04 means that ModNation Road Trip has NO EXCUSE for not patching to include online multiplayer!!
ROLO_ONFIRE
July 24, 2012 at 8:17 am PDT

Great, I’ve been waiting for many of these features to be implemented since I bought it
ROLO_ONFIRE
July 24, 2012 at 8:19 am PDT

@Egz-Onine #35: I completely agree, a multiplayer game on a single console (even up to 4 players) should be implemented, on the PS3 version many players can play with the same DS3 controller, so it would basically be the same with the Vita
onslaughtree
July 24, 2012 at 8:37 am PDT

Enjoying the game so far. 2 questions,
~ Will we see any golfers from Hot Shots Tennis in the future ?
~ Any new Caddies being added in the future ?
Thanks for the update, and hope to see a Hot Shots Tennis Vita soon.
Sparkz92
July 24, 2012 at 8:50 am PDT

Great update, i love the HSG series :)
etur0
July 24, 2012 at 8:58 am PDT

this will be one of the games I get once I get a vita trying to get a job right now which is very hard to get one
Venom1976
July 24, 2012 at 12:34 pm PDT

Agreed ! We Ned another caddy ! This is the only Hot Shots Golf that I have been unable to have a different caddy and the same one gets tiring. I’m also surprised the first HSG isn’t on the Playstation store. I’ve never played it Nd I’d like to try it.
tusunami
July 24, 2012 at 1:09 pm PDT

This is great to see more support for hot shots golf nice.
misscutie07
July 24, 2012 at 3:38 pm PDT

I updated it to 1.04 and it went fine. After setting up a room while in a party chat with 3 friends I couldnt hear them anymore but they could all hear one another. This hasnt happened before and after a reset it still happens. How can I uninstall and then reinstall the patch? Tried removing the “bubble” from the homescreen but it deletes save data as well. Luckily I had it backed up. Help please.
rustbelt000
July 24, 2012 at 6:53 pm PDT

Works fine with 1.04.

To be honest, I have been playing HSG OT2 because all of the difference course. WI courses are somewhat limiting with 6 courses. I am anxiously waiting for Sakura and Mar Cielo courses to be released in the US. Heck, I will be happy to get Open Tee 2 courses to play on World Invitational. I believe Sakura was a old course. Will there be more old courses from OT2 or OOB coming to Vita? Thanks.
MickaeL486
July 24, 2012 at 10:40 pm PDT

Porting a Vita game to PS3 seems easy to do, especially when it’s in mind while making it. It’s too bad I can’t BUY this game for my PS3. I can’t afford a vita and even if I could, I’m not much of a portable game player. Why not offer this game for PS3 players just like the foosball game? Seriously.
MEXRPG
July 25, 2012 at 10:20 am PDT

Anyone know the size of the update?
MEXRPG
July 25, 2012 at 11:48 am PDT

I found out somewhere else where people are more helpful!! Just kidding… If anyone is interested in knowing it’s about 250MB.