Some real concrete info on Microsoft’s ultra-cute [i]Viva Piñata[/i] has emerged at E3. [i]Viva Piñata[/i], apparently, will not have gamers smashing piñatas for their candy, but rather raising them in a style similar to [i]The Sims[/i] or [i]Harvest Moon[/i]. The game will revolve around tending to and farming on a plot of land with the objective of making it attractive enough to piñatas that they want to move in. Once a piñata has been attracted, players will be able to care for it in various ways, including building residences for them. Piñatas will have minds of their own – they will have their own schedules, eat, interact with each other, and even fight and eat each other.

Expect plenty of ways for the Xbox Live Marketplace to be utilized in [i]Viva Piñata[/i] as well. Individual piñatas will be tradable over the Marketplace, and Microsoft is planning on creating items and piñata species that can be purchased in the Marketplace, for use in one’s piñata garden. Expect Viva Piñata to be released sometime this November for the Xbox 360.