The producer of Time Crisis 4 recently talked about the Guncon 3 which comes bundled with the PS3 game. He was asked if it was similar to the Wii sensor bar and said it is basically the same, but the Guncon's 3 LED markers a lot better than the Wii controller, while the Wii has just two LED points, the Guncon 3 has six so it will be a lot more accurate. Moreover he stated that the PS3 will be able to recognize the tilt of the Guncon 3 and its distance from the screen something of which the Wii can not handle.

Is it similar to the sensor bar from the Wii?

Basically it is the same, but Guncon 3's LED markers are actually much more accurate. Much better than Nintendo Wii's controller. In the Wii, there are only two LED points, but for the Guncon 3 there are six LED points, so it is more accurate than the Wii. The PlayStation 3 will be able to recognize the tilt of the Guncon 3, its distance from the monitor, and these things cannot be done with the Wii system.

So the gun has SIXAXIS capabilities as well?

Yes.

News Source: Gamasutra

CNBC reporter Jane Wells had been repeatedly told by her son that his console was suffering from "red rings of doom," which signal his Xbox was "fried." Jane was too busy thinking whether she could get away with making Shake 'n' Bake pork chops AGAIN this week. That was until she found out that 3 people on her block had the same problem in the span of the month. She asked in forums to see how wide spread the problem and received some very nasty responses and was even accused of being a "Sony Fanboy" posing as a journalist!

Even so, every single person I interviewed for this story said they had no intention of trading in his Xbox 360 for a PlayStation 3. Even the Boettcher brothers from Minneapolis who told me they're on their EIGHTH CONSOLE because of various problems.

Two weeks ago, the "red rings of doom" invaded my house. My son then went through a series of "home remedies" to get it working again. Such solutions are all over YouTube, including the famous"towel trick":

Alas, it was only a temporary solution. So my son called Microsoft, and after about an hour on the phone with tech support, they determined that, in fact, his console was dead. They sent us a box to ship it free via UPS, and last I heard it's been fixed and is on its way back. Two weeks with no Xbox. I think he actually picked up a book during that time, wondering, "What is this? Printed words on a page? How unique!" Yeah, I know, I'm a terrible parent, blah blah blah.

News Source: cnbc

Kimberly Otzman, a Sony spokeswoman responded to MS's claims that the 360 outsold the PS3 2:1 during Black Friday week. "It's policy not to disclose our unit sales numbers until NPD numbers are officially released which will be December 13th. However, I can assure you that Microsoft's estimates of our PS3 unit sales numbers are way off and they did not outsell PS3 2:1 during Black Friday week." she said.

Sony hasn't disclosed the raw number of PlayStation 3 units it sold last week. (A Sony spokeswoman says it will give those numbers when NPD Group stats come out in mid-December.) The company did say that PlayStation 3 hardware sales were up 245 percent last week, when compared with the same week last year, among the top 10 North American retailers. This morning, Microsoft said the Xbox 360 still outsold the PS3 two-to-one last week, according to "estimates from top retailers."

Update, 12:30 p.m.: Sony is disputing Microsoft's statement about the ratio of Xbox 360 to PS3 sales. Here's what Kimberly Otzman, a Sony spokeswoman, said in an e-mail just now:

"It's (Sony Computer Entertainment America) policy not to disclose our unit sales numbers until NPD numbers are officially released which will be December 13th. However, I can assure you that Microsoft's estimates of our PS3 unit sales numbers are way off and they did not outsell PS3 2:1 during Black Friday week."

I've asked a Microsoft representative if the company wants to respond or check its numbers. The original post resumes below.

Nintendo has no plans to increase first party software development in North America, commenting that North American third party developers are more than capable of satisfying domestic tastes. Harrison went on to state that the actual decision about producing more software would come down to Satoru Iwata but he is not aware of any such plans in the US.

"I'm not aware of any plans to push for more software development here in the US. The actual decision about producing more software and who should do it is driven by Satoru Iwata and the management team, including Mr. Miyamoto, in Japan," Nintendo of America senior VP George Harrison told Wired.

Only a handful of US first party games have been developed for Wii to date, including Texas-based Retro Studios’ Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.

Harrison went on to say that Western third party publishers are perfectly suited to cater to domestic tastes, and tend to specialize in areas that aren’t Nintendo’s strong point.

"They're doing a great job both on DS and on Wii. They tend to provide product in categories that we aren't particularly good at doing, like sports or other genres. And since they're Western publishers, they tend to be more in tune with Western tastes."

News Source: Next-Gen

An article by Reuters questions if "Metal Gear Solid 4" could be last of the great exclusives? Soaring production costs mean its tough for 3rd party games to make a profit if they are limited to one console. Assistant producer Ryan Payton said the new "Metal Gear Solid" needs to sell over a million copies on the first day it goes on sale due to its costly production. He went on to say that "The PlayStation brand has always been good to us, and we're pretty bullish on the PS3." "We're telling our fans that if you want to play 'Metal Gear Solid 4', you have to buy a PS3," said Ryan Payton. Will MGS 4 be a killer app? Will this be the game that gets people sitting on the fence to buy a PS3?

As of October, only 2 million PS3s had been sold in the United States, compared to 5.2 million Wii consoles from rival Nintendo and 7.2 million Xbox 360s from Microsoft, according to market research firm NPD.

A year after its release, only two PS3 games have sold more than 1 million copies, a benchmark of financial success for a big-budget game. The 7-year-old PlayStation 2 had nearly 100 games sell more than a million copies.

Top next-generation video games cost between $10 million and $50 million, according to IDC videogame analyst Billy Pidgeon. That means publishers must hedge their bets by going onto as many platforms as possible.

"You might be able to weather one title coming in at 500,000 in sales," said Pidgeon. "But two or three failures like that and even big publishers are going to be hurting."

Several former PlayStation exclusives, including "Grand Theft Auto," "Virtua Fighter" and "Devil May Cry," are now appearing on rival consoles, making the benefits of purchasing a PS3 questionable to some hard-core game buyers.

Some people think even "MGS4" might not be compelling enough to turn the sales tide.

"No, 'Metal Gear Solid 4' isn't the killer app," said Adam Sessler, a video game critic on the G4 network. "People who already own a PS3 will likely get it. But it doesn't have that kind of broad-based appeal."

News Source: reuters

Domino's Pizza are teaming up with Microsoft this holiday season to deliver the "XIIDays of Xbox." Every day, beginning Dec. 1 through Dec. 12, customers who place their order online at will instantly receive Xbox prizes. Every order placed online during the 12 days will receive a 48-hour trial of Xbox LIVE and 10 lucky customers will win an Xbox360 gaming console and Project Gotham Racing 4.

"We're giving our customers some of the hottest gifts this season alongwith a hot, delicious meal when they place their order online," said KenCalwell, Domino's Pizza chief marketing officer. "We're delivering theconvenience of online ordering and pairing it with the excitement of instantlygetting great prizes from Xbox."

Customers can order online Dec. 1 through Dec. 12 for more chances toplay. Once an order is placed, a pop-up window will appear to confirm theorder and announce instantly what prize will be received and if the customerhas won the Xbox 360 console and Project Gotham Racing 4 video game. Prizeswill be shipped within two days of winning to arrive in time for the holidays.Customers can visit www.dominos.com for automatic entry into the "XII Days ofXbox and for the official "XII Days of Xbox" contest rules. No purchasenecessary to enter or win. Void where prohibited. Must be at least 13 years ofage to enter. Contest ends Dec. 12, 2007.

News Source: reuters

PRESS RELEASE: Xbox 360TM Boasts Greatest Release Schedule Ever

2007 will be a year to remember for Xbox 360™ players – a packed release schedule offers a wide range of incredible titles including exclusive, genre-defining games such as Blue Dragon™ (Microsoft Game Studios - MGS), Project Gotham Racing® 4 (MGS), Naruto™ Rise of a Ninja (Ubisoft), Viva Piñata®: Party Animals (MGS), Ace Combat® 6: Fires of Liberation™ (Namco Bandai Games) and Scene It?® Lights, Camera, Action (MGS), not to mention some of the highest scoring games of all time in the form of BioShock (2K Games), Mass Effect (MGS), The Orange Box (EA) and the legendary Halo® 3 (MGS), all of which have already been released or are set to arrive before the end of the year.

From the end of summer to the festive period, Xbox 360 boasts over 60 new releases contributing to a portfolio of over 300 high-definition titles.

Two of the most epic adventures of the year arrived in August in Blue Dragon and BioShock. Role-playing game Blue Dragon casts players as Shu, a young boy, who with a party of four must battle the evil that has invaded their world, controlling phantom shadow creatures ranging from Minotaur, to phoenix and of course, dragon.

BioShock is a “genetically-enhanced” first person shooter that lets players do things never before possible in the genre, in the unique art deco world of Rapture, an underwater utopia torn apart by civil war.

September and October were the hottest months since records began seeing the release of the epic Halo 3 and the turbocharged Project Gotham Racing 4.

Halo 3, the third and final chapter in the “Halo trilogy” smashed day-one entertainment sales records when it launched in September with players finally getting the chance to take Master Chief™ into his most crucial battle yet.

October saw Project Gotham Racing 4 return with another garage-full of the world’s most iconic cars. A brand new dynamic weather system makes for an even more exhilarating experience.

Football fans are enjoying a season of highlights on Xbox 360 with the release of FIFA 08 at the end of September and Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 at the end of October.

FIFA 08 brings you closer to the action than ever before with new Pro Skills moves that increase user-control by enabling you to combine tricks and skill moves together to recreate signature moves from the real-world superstars, the new Be A Pro: Offline Training mode, and even greater depths of authenticity, while Konami’s latest edition to the multi-million-selling Pro Evolution Soccer series returns as PES 2008, boasting a proprietary AI system, all new moves and set pieces - and even more realism than ever. PES 2008’s rosters of licensed players enjoy a wide range of flicks, nutmegs, and set-pieces, while the less savoury elements of the game appear in the form of shirt-pulling, ugly fouls and diving.

November offers something for everyone. Mass Effect, the science-fiction action-role playing game offers a whole galaxy full of difficult decisions to make as players lead an elite team to bring down a rogue agent.

Sociable fun is also on the cards - both Viva Piñata: Party Animals and Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action offer their own unique blend of party play – Viva Piñata: Party Animals putting the colourful piñatas into a succession of addictive mini games and Scene It? offering a host of movie-related trivia to answer.

Naruto Rise of a Ninja kick flips into November featuring the perfect blend of adventure, platforming and fighting and enables fans of the show to challenge fellow gamers on Xbox LIVE®.

Finally, top guns will fulfil their aviation dreams in Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation, thrusting players into the heat of realistic air combat.

The review scores garnered by many of these titles have been astounding, confirming the excellence of the Xbox 360 line up. Halo 3’s score of 94 at Metacritic and 93 at Gamerankings makes it the perfect conclusion to the Halo trilogy, arriving just weeks after BioShock which wowed critics, scoring 96 and 95 at Metacritic and Gamerankings respectively.

Just when review scores looked like they couldn’t get any higher The Orange Box arrived - five innovative games from Valve®, creators of the blockbuster Half-Life franchise, in one action-packed box - scoring an astonishing 96 point average at both Metacritic and Gamerankings. Finally, Mass Effect is the most recent Xbox 360 release to garner 90+ review averages claiming 93 at both sites and rounding off simply the greatest portfolio of video games ever seen. *

These unprecedented scores demonstrate exactly why Xbox 360 continues to hold the record for highest games attach rate across the globe, at 6.3 games sold per console. With life-to-date sales of 13.4 million consoles worldwide this represents incredible software sales.

BioShock, Blue Dragon, Project Gotham Racing 4, Naruto Rise of a Ninja, Viva Piñata: Party Animals, Mass Effect, Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action, FIFA 08, PES 2008, Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation, The Orange Box and Halo 3 spearhead the unparalleled selection of Xbox 360 titles that players will be able to enjoy this year.

“This year’s line up of titles on Xbox 360 is without doubt the strongest I have seen, offering incredible Microsoft-published titles such as Blue Dragon, PGR 4, Viva Piñata Party Animals, Mass Effect, Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action and Halo 3, and incredible exclusives from our partners such as BioShock, Naruto Rise of a Ninja and Ace Combat 6. It’s an amazing year for Xbox 360 players,” said Michael Newey, Group Product Marketing Manager, Microsoft.

*Score averages correct as of 11/21/07

Activision Inc Chief Executive Bobby Kotick believes that the 360, PS3 and Wii must fall to $199 in the next two years to reach mass-market appeal. He says the Wii price point is setting a standard that the others must match and issues like the Wii being less complex technically doesn't matter to consumers. "In the next 24 months they all will need to be at that $199 price point, and you can imagine Nintendo will be down to the $129 price point over the next few years," he said. He also went on to say that many developers had shifted resources to create games for the Wii due to its success. However Activision was approaching with caution as Wii game sales are dominated by titles made by Nintendo itself.

But Wii game sales are dominated by titles made by Nintendo itself, prompting Activision to take a more cautious approach.

"We realized that, much like Nintendo, the pathway for success and the highest operating margin leverage on the Wii is a relatively small number of titles that really capitalize on capabilities of the hardware," Kotick said.

"Some of our competitors are doing a lot more talking about how they're organized than innovating for the Wii and if (publishers) are going to be successful they are going to have to step up to the level of innovation that Nintendo has proven themselves capable of," he said.

News Source: reuters

Sony's blog has stepped up to confirm that their new PSP Extended Life battery kit will go on sale in the US for a suggested price of $44.99 in mid-December. The new 2200mAh battery is compatible with the new PSP slim and is said to be capable of doubling the life of the unit.

Hi everyone. As you may have heard, we’re introducing a great solution to get longer battery life from your PSP. The new PSP Extended Life Battery Kit includes a 2200 mAh battery pack that can double the battery life of the new PSP model (PSP 2000). Because the extended-life battery is slightly thicker than the one that comes with the new PSP, we’ve included two custom covers in “Piano Black” and “Ice Silver.” Those of you with the original PSP (PSP 1000) may recall that we offered an extended life battery pack (the stamina battery) previously, and this battery remains compatible with that system as well.

The new battery kit will be available at retailers for $44.99 (MSRP) in mid-December – just in time to get you through your holiday travels and any long delays at the airports…

News Source: Playstation.com

Tancred Dyke Wells the creative director of Kuju (behind Battalion Wars games) has sent out a stark message that there are loads of lazy titles on the Wii. He warned that despite the fact the Wii is twice as powrful as the Gamecube, third party titles are failing to take full advantage of the console.

He revealed that despite the studio "running the juice out of the Wii" with Battalion Wars 2, it is working on a number of secret projects that are "continuing to advance the graphical standards" it has already achieved and that there is "room to do more".

Some more hardcore fans of Japanese publisher Nintendo have bemoaned the lack of "gamers' games" since the Wii's release and have been disappointed at Nintendo's reluctance to embroil itself in the graphics "arms race" lead by Microsoft and Sony.

Despite this, Dyke-Wells believes that the Wii is a "pretty good piece of kit" and said that recent titles like Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption and his own Battalion Wars 2 have provided "a bit of a wake-up call and serve as a batter benchmark than has been established to date".

Dyke-Wells added: "I can only guess at what's motivated the approach that some other publishers may have taken to the platform. But at least from Nintendo what you're seeing is consistent flagship triple-A titles.

"OK you might say there's been a bit of a gap in core gamer games from Nintendo - a bit of a hiatus in the release schedule, it's like waiting for a bus and then they all come along at this time of year, but I think you're just seeing the fact that Nintendo won't let stuff out of the door until it's ready. And I think that's applied to all their flagship titles. Not just us.

News Source: Videogamer

A new beta build of Playstation Home has been released and v0.7.7 brings with it a number of new options including a new building in the world, the ability to enter your Home patio and more including America, Japan and Europe each having their own server from now on.

The newest build of online communication hub Home has been released.

According to members of our forum, several new options are now available in build 0.7.7:

-There's a new building in the world, although it's currently not able to be entered
-You are finally able to enter your Home Space's patio
-You can now use your own pictures in your Home Space
-A game launching option has been added, though it is not functioning completely at the present time
-The cinema's movie theatres have transferred from the second floor to the first floor
-America, Japan, and Europe each have their own server now

News Source: PSU

A few short posts ago, we reported on a story by 'thisislondon' which is part of the Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday, Evening Standard & Metro Media Group that said that families were paying up to £500 for the Wii. To our suprise we also found the exact same article posted by The Sun who are part of the News Group Newspapers Limited. Word for word the story was exactly the same (with a different title) which suggests that someone has been distributing a press release on the matter, could that someone be Nintendo? Perhaps...

Playstation.com is running a contest in which gamers are encouraged to create videos which highlight their love for the PS3. The most successful videos will win an 80GB PS3 complete with a range of five games. The contest closes next month, so get creative!

If you want a PS3, you have two minutes to show the world why you're a true-blue PlayStation® fan and why you think the PS3 is the best next-gen gaming console. Don't hold back! Good luck!

The kid who was live on the Fox show regarding the dusty PS3 is reportedly a professional actor who has been paid to act on Fox news before. The kid doesn't mention he is a pro actor and secondly fails to mention just how dusty his PS3 was which has sparked views that Fox has once again has failed to provide fair and balanced views on the problem. Check out his profile at imdb.com.

Ok, OK, I hate to stir the 'PS3 conspiracy' pot, but I thought GAFers would be interested in this.

Redi Godshaw, the kid with the unusually dusty PS3, is a professional actor and has been paid to act on FOX shows before.

He goes on FOX news, with a horrendously dusty PS3, and it is never mentioned either that A.) He is a professional actor, or B.) His PS3 was far beyond normal levels of 'dusty'.

It just seems to me that FOX didn't provide 'fair and balanced' views of a problem with a foreign electronics manufacturer.

News Source: Neogaf

PS3 Firmware Update v2.01 now available for download offering the following features:

1. Stability during playing some PLAYSTATION 3 format software has been improved.
2. Stability of System Software including Internet Browser and Information Board has been improved.
3. Stability of the upscaler for PlayStation 2 format software has been improved. (Playability of PlayStation 2 depends on model).
4. [Remote Start] feature is changed to avoid unintended power on.

The new PS3 controller DualShock 3 has finally hit the FCC for testing. Not long to go now until North American gamers can experience the joys of rumble once again on the Playstation platform.

The original Playstation 2 rumble controller was hailed as one of the most innovative advances to console technology at the time. Yet this feature was surprisingly absent from the Playstation 3 when it was announced about this time last year.

Sony never admitted why it opted to ditch the rumble technology, though a pending lawsuit between Sony and Immersion seemed the likely culprit. Not only did gamers miss the rumble technology on their PS3 systems, but also game developers were also disappointed at the lack of rumble feedback on the PS3.

In March of 2007, DailyTech reported that Sony and Immersion ended legal battles paving the way for rumble technology to make its way into future PS3 controllers. In February, Sony said it was open to changing the PS3 SIXAXES controller, reinforcing the hopes of gamers and developers that rumble technology would come back to Sony console systems.

News Source: Dailytech

Fox News recently covered the story of the PS3 that was too dusty to be replaced from Sony as it was classed as a hazard to their technicians. The gamer with the dusty PS3 voices his annoyance about the issue on the segment and warns his next move may be to take Sony to court of go to the BBB.

Mass Effect is a disappointingly over hyped encore to Halo 3 according to a review by PC World. The review questions whether the game was released to soon. It complains of bugs in the game and different voice actors employed for the same characters during a single conversation. They also complain that the game is less Shoot-'Em-Up, but more interactive cinema. So they reckon you'll only like this game if you're easily swayed by visual beauty or still get a kick out of old-school conversation-driven adventure games, or you're simply nostalgic to the point of myopia. They give them game a score of 60.

Released Too Soon?
Whether it's the stuttering frame rate or the awkward load-ins that unexpectedly (and frequently) halt the game entirely for several seconds, Mass Effect has some bizarre bugs. Occasional weirdness like different voice actors (or voice modulation effects) employed for the same characters during a single conversation draw attention to themselves, pulling you out of the moment. In one sequence, a timer bar for a self-destruct sequence remained obstructively onscreen until I stopped, saved, and reloaded the game. It's even possible to confound the narrative logistics by entering areas one way, say via mass transit, and then exiting by elevator before engaging the area's plot imperative. At this point, your teammates comment about events that haven't yet happened. Speaking of elevators, it's not a bug, but never before in a game have they moved so preposterously (and needlessly) slow. Whoever decided it was smart to make lifts move at the speed of an inebriated snail deserves to ride on one every day he or she goes to work.

News Source: pcworld.com

An article at the Washington Post looks at the potential backlash that the Wii Zapper will receive. However, Nintendo's senior vice president of marketing has played down such concerns by commenting that Nintendo doesn't even think the Wii Zapper looks like a gun, all it is a utility that allows for more diverse styles of play. However, all the spin in the world won't stop concerned parents from venting their anger at the device.

Ralphie Parker, patron saint of toy gun owners, with your pure desire and your unyielding mom, how deep would your passion burn for Nintendo's new Wii Zapper?

The toy in question is a new accessory for the Wii game console. It's not a controller but a gunlike cradle designed to hold the Wiimote and Wii Nunchuk, increasing players' accuracy in shooting games. Like the other members of the Wii family, the Zapper is white and elegant, all sleek curves and shiny surfaces. It is futuristic in the way that "Star Wars" is futuristic, a sort of retro-future that will never happen and already has. The name Zapper is a homage to the company's first Zapper, an orange ray gun sold with the original Nintendo in 1985.

This new Zapper, the Wii Zapper, with its snub nose and smooth grip, is the prettiest submachine gun ever sold.

If that's what it is.

"We don't think it even really looks like a gun," George Harrison said. He is Nintendo's senior vice president of marketing, so he offers an alternative concept: "It's a utility that allows for more diverse styles of play."

Certain parents disagree.

News Source: roanoke

Speaking to the LA Times, Microsoft's Robbie Bach has commented that Xbox Live is clearly head and shoulders above anything else, so much so that Bach believes that Live has no competition. He states that while Sony has done some things online, they have done nothing which can be classfied as a service.

Are you worried that Sony's revamp of its PlayStation Network will eat into your lead?

It's fair to say that Xbox Live is clearly head and shoulders above anything anyone else has tried to do. We don't have competition. Sony has done some things online, but nothing that can be called a service. We have a big advantage and we're going to keep pressing that advantage.

We have a very strong, very powerful computer network that provides the backbone for our service. We have game demos that can be downloaded, video downloads and game downloads. It's a broad cross section of consumer services. Perhaps the most important thing we have is over 8 million passionate members who create and define what Xbox Live is. It's a tough thing to create, and we're going to continue to nurture it.

News Source: Latimes

Sega's director of creator artists has voiced agreement in that the PS3 will catch up to if not surpass the Xbox 360. He remarked that MS has done a good job in closing the gap between the platforms unlike in the last generation and that a variety of PS3 prices for consumers isn't going to hurt the console and it still has quite some time to grow.

"Microsoft has done a good job of closing the gap between the platforms. I don't think they are in the situation they were in with the PS2 and Xbox 1, but it is still too soon to say," Musler remarked.

He notes that analysts think the PS2 could remain viable through 2009.

Having a variety of PS3 prices for consumers is certainly not going to hurt the PS3. "I think it has still got a little bit of time to grow," he said.

"Fortunately, there are a lot of videogame consumers out there, and the market continues to grow.

"People want to play games, and the games keep getting better. The development community is really driving that by making great product."

News Source: GI

A while ago MS put up a page for their new promotion which indicated that all new Xbox 360 owners would get a copy of Halo 3. However MS has since updated their page to clearly clarify that not everyone gets a free copy of Halo 3. The offer is only applicable to those with an old Xbox and Xbox Live in order to encourage them to upgrade.

Please note: This offer is only available to existing paid Xbox LIVE members on the original Xbox console (not Xbox 360) who fulfill the offer terms. For a brief period on November 16, 2007, an erroneous post on this site did not clarify that only those members on the original Xbox are eligible.

Original Xbox console users: Buy an Xbox 360. Migrate your paid Xbox LIVE subscription (for the original Xbox console) to Xbox LIVE Gold.

News Source: Xbox

Trend Micro has launched software which aims to block malicious web pages and those putting out sex, drugs and violence. Trend Micro believes the software is the first of kits kind to grace console platforms and will be free up until April as part of a PS3 upgrade.

Security vendor Trend Micro Inc. thinks they should be, though. It has launched software for Sony's Playstation 3 that promises to block malicious Web pages and those dealing in sex, drugs and violence.

The company bills the software as the first of its kind for a home gaming system. It was released earlier this month as part of a PS3 upgrade and will be free until April.

Some industry experts wonder whether consumers will leap for the technology the way they snap up security products for the more vulnerable PC and whether protection for video game consoles is really necessary.

"I think the jury's still out," said Daniel Ives, an analyst at Friedman Billings Ramsey. "Over the coming years, as the console becomes more common in terms of Web browsing, that's when you can really try to gauge what type of opportunity it is for the antivirus vendors."

Tokyo-based Trend Micro's software applies the company's technologies for identifying Web sites that host malicious code and those that serve as launch pads for scams to steal passwords, financial data and other personal information.

News Source: Associated Press

Microsoft's J Allard has commented that despite the Zune and Xbox products being completely separate entities, they are ultimately supposed to be connected up to the same central network. Video will be a crucial part of this vision and content providers will need to allow MS the creativity to handle all the technical details and marketing on the central network medium.

Even though the Zune and Xbox product brands are separate, they are ultimately meant to connect to the same central network.

The Zune guys have to run really fast. The Windows Mobile guys are on a two-year release cycle. The Xbox team now needs to focus on cost reduction, distribution and quality process. Everyone is on their own cadence. The one thing that transcends all this is the network as the nexus.

If you are in an MP3 aisle, we want to be the connected MP3 player. That’s mainly connecting artist and audience together, mostly around the culture of music. Yes, we’ll do video. Yes, we’ll do games. But the heart and soul of that brand is music.

Xbox is the most connected game experience. When you go down the gaming aisle, you’ll see we can do things others can’t do. We keep hitting on the idea of connections.

News Source: NYTimes

IGN has reviewed the new Nintendo Wii Zapper and has awarded it a decent score of 6.5/10 but it is far from perfection. The layout results in problems accessing any of the Wiimotes face buttons which makes games like Red Steel and CoD troublesome to play. However, the actual product is made solidly, although IGN think that it won't be too long before people prefer to go free hand as usual when it comes to shooting games.

The other problem the tommy gun layout causes is the fact that it's pretty much impossible to access any of the face buttons on the Wiimote when it's in the Zapper bracket, at least with the speed that's require for gameplay. This makes the Zapper useless with games like Red Steel and CoD, which is disappointing.

To Nintendo's credit, the Zapper is by far the highest quality lightgun bracket available in terms of general build quality. The white plastic is lightly textured in grip areas and feels high quality overall. The Wiimote is secured quite well via a pair of grey plastic spring-loaded hooks that latch into it in the holes to either side of the Nunchuck connection point. The Nuncuck, too, is nicely secured in its place by plastic shivs that extend into the screw recesses. A protected wire run leads from the Nunchuck and into a space behind the forward grip where it can be coiled conveniently before jutting out the side to make the connection to the Wiimote.

Were the Zapper sold individually, we might suggest avoiding it in favor of a more adaptable third-party model. Such is not the case however, as the Zapper is bundled with Link's Crossbow Training, which is tons of fun. As such, we're pretty sure the Zapper will find its way into masses of homes. The telling issue will be how long owners will care to use it before abandoning the bracket altogether in favor of free hand shooting. We suspect not long.

News Source: IGN

Numerous PS3 owners are reporting a variety of technical problems with their copies of Assassin's Creed, problems reported range from frame rate problems, game halting lock ups and screen tearing. Most users reporting glitches are using PS3 firmware v2.0.

2.00 frozen several times, sometimes when changing from kingdom to a city, or when im in a city running and jumping from buildings and things.

News Source: Ubi.com

A tech website has conducted some very thorough testing on the new Falcon Xbox 360's. They have found that playing Halo 3 on the Falcon actually consumes less power than the original Xbox 360 sitting idle at the dashboard. However, the console is still noisy due to a loud DVD drive but overall the Falcon results in power savings and ultimately cost benefits for MS.

Playing Halo 3 on the new Falcon consumes less power than the old Xbox 360 just sitting idle at the dashboard.

With the system shut off, the new Falcon does use a little more power than the old Xbox but the difference is hardly significant.

Despite the power reduction, the console is still noisy thanks to a loud DVD drive. The major benefit to the smaller chips is power savings for you, and cost savings for Microsoft. Gotta help the boys in Redmond keep profits up.

The power savings won't translate into better gameplay, so there's no reason to upgrade. The energy savings would amount to dollars per month, definitely not making up for the cost of buying a whole new console, but our inner geek just had to open one of these Falcons and see what made them tick - and how big of a power reduction we could expect.

News Source: Anandtech.com

MS is running a new offer in which new purchases of the Xbox 360 in the US will result in a free copy of Halo 3. All you have to do is buy an Xbox 360 by December 21st, connect to LIVE, enter a special promotional code and then you can look forward to receiving your copy of Halo 3 in the mail soon.

If you're more than ready for Halo® 3, but still have an older console, here's the plan for you. Buy your Xbox 360® before December 21, 2007 and we will give you a copy of Halo 3*. Finish the fight in high definition, with new weapons and challenges. Join three friends in Campaign mode, or get an Xbox LIVE® Gold subscription for sixteen-person multiplayer action.

Here's How to Get Your Halo 3 Game

Buy an Xbox 360 console by December 21.
Connect to Xbox LIVE.
Register HERE with promotional code XBX7777, your new console serial number, and a valid mailing address.
And look for your copy of Halo 3 for Xbox 360 in your mailbox!

News Source: Xbox.com

PRESS RELEASE: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA CELEBRATES FIRST BIRTHDAY OF PLAYSTATION®3

FOSTER CITY, Calif., November 16, 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) today celebrates the first birthday of its PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system. Launched one year ago in North America, PS3 has revolutionized the industry with its Cell Broadband Engine™ and RSX™ technology which gives the system tremendous computational power; Blu-ray Disc™ capabilities which provides state-of-the art graphics and unrivaled storage capacity; and free access to PLAYSTATION®Network where PS3 users can experience online gaming, connect with other PS3 users as well as download games, movies and other content from the PLAYSTATION®Store.

In its first year, more than 200 software titles have been released for PS3 and more than 60 million pieces of content have been downloaded from PLAYSTATION Network worldwide. Also, through the continued support of and dialogue with PS3 users, remarkable hardware advancements and features have been added to the system through firmware updates making it the most advanced computer entertainment system on the market today.

“When we designed PS3 our goal was to introduce a system so technically advanced that it could stand the test of time and could take the industry in a whole new direction, which for PS3 was high-definition entertainment” said Jack Tretton, President and CEO of SCEA. “While we’re excited by the progress we’ve made this first year, we know that like our other platforms, the best is still yet to come, especially given our new hardware and software line-up, and that PS3 will continue to take the industry to new heights for years to come.”

PS3 is the first gaming system to provide a disc capacity of 50GB thanks to its Blu-ray Disc functionality. Current PS3 first party games are currently in the 20GB range, well north of the threshold of HD-DVD or DVD, allowing for unmatched potential for games, movies and other media.

“The inclusion of the Blu-ray drive in PS3 reflects Sony’s absolute commitment to the format,” said Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman and CEO of Sony Corporation. “We firmly believe that Blu-ray is the best high definition format for consumers, providing superior capacity, next-generation games, more hit movie titles, and the best possible picture and sound quality. With PS3, you get an amazing game machine and a state-of-the-art high definition movie player, and it is clear from recent sales numbers that this combination is resonating with millions of PS3 customers.”

SCEA recently introduced new PS3 hardware models and pricing and the company is already seeing strong sales momentum as a result—PS3 sales have increased by 192 percent at the top 10 retailers in North America. The availability of new hardware, combined with the release of more than 160 software titles, including 19 first and third-party exclusives such as Heavenly Sword™, Ratchet & Clank® Future: Tools of Destruction™, Warhawk™, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune™, Gran Turismo™ 5 Prologue, Metal Gear Solid® 4: Guns of the Patriots, Unreal Tournament® 3, and Haze™, SCEA expects PS3 momentum to continue this holiday and beyond.

SCEA also recently launched a new PS3 advertising campaign, the company’s biggest marketing effort to date, designed to deliver a high-energy message with a focus on the exciting entertainment value of PS3 and exclusive content found only on PS3. The lineup of advertisements will feature some of SCEA’s most highly anticipated first party titles. In addition to pure game play, the campaign will convey to consumers the benefits of Blu-ray Disc and for the first time, sharp focus will be paid to PLAYSTATION Network along with breakthrough services such as PLAYSTATION®Home.

Based on the October 2007 NPD results, Microsoft decided to issue a press release which indicated a few key facts about the Xbox 360's performance. On the list was the fact the 360's software revenue surpassed the Wii and PS3 combined and 54 percent of total software sales went to the Xbox 360, compared to 30 percent to the Wii and just 16 percent for the PS3. Xbox 360 also had seven out of the top ten rated games according to Metacritic.

For the month of October, Xbox 360 led in total revenue with $354 million compared to $246 million for Wii and $116 million for PS3.

Xbox 360 software revenue at retail surpassed that of Wii and PS3 combined.

For the month of October according to NPD, Xbox 360 software represented 54 percent of total software sales (at $162 million dollars) for this generation, compared to 30 percent for Wii and 16 percent for PS3.

Xbox 360 was home to seven out of the top 10 rated games through the end of October according to Metacritic.

Of all 3rd party U.S. software revenue in October, Xbox 360 generated more than double that of the PS3 and Wii. Xbox 360 weighs in at 57 percent with $130 million, compared to Wii with 28 percent and PS3 at 15 percent.

PS3 and Wii combined had one third party title in the top ten console title list for the month, while Xbox 360 weighed in with 2. Since November, third party partners have seen their titles hit the top ten 29 times for Xbox 360, compared to 2 for PS3 and 2 for Wii.

In last week's earnings announcement from Electronic Arts, Xbox 360 represented 50 percent ($218 million) of their total revenue during the third quarter. In fact, EA titles on Xbox 360 outperformed those same titles on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PSP, Wii and DS combined.

News Source: Gamedaily

As Microsoft is celebrating the fifth anniversary of Xbox Live, Carcassonne has been released for free as well as 500 points being given away for free to every active member who has been a member since 2002. In order to redeem these points, all you have to do is register at msgamestudios.com providing the relevant information.

Microsoft is celebrating the fifth anniversary of Xbox Live in a big way. It has released Carcassonne for free and it is also giving away 500 Microsoft Points to every active member who joined the service in 2002. If you were wondering how to get those precious MS Points, we have the answer.

To claim your 500 Microsoft Points, all you have to do is register on this web site using your Windows Live ID associated to your gamertag. You can register until midnight (Pacific Time) on November 29, 2007, and after you do so, you will receive an e-mail with a 25-digit code that lets you to activate your Microsoft Points through your Xbox 360 console. Don't expect that email to arrive instantly as the deadline for that email is December 21, 2007.

It is also worth mentioning that these 500 Microsoft Points expire on June 30, 2008, but we are sure you'll spend them way before that date.

News Source: TeamXbox

Insomniac Games is responsible for two of the PS3's most important Sony published titles: Resistance and Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction. They believe that we're already seeing a big leap in what people are able to do with the PS3 now compared to a year ago, and that we will see another big leap by the end of 2008. They also think we're going to continue seeing major leaps each year in what people can do with the PS3 for at least three or four more years. The PS3 SPUs are how this can be achieved as they move tons of things over to the SPUs that used to run on the PPU.

"The amount of action we're able to put on the screen at 60 frames per second really dwarfs what we were able to do a year ago at 30 frames per second," said Hastings. "What's most exciting is the way things are headed right now I think we'll see just as big a leap from our second generation engine to our third as we did from the first to second."

Looking ahead, he was equally as optimistic: "We're already seeing a big leap in what people are able to do with the PS3 now compared to a year ago, and we're going to see just as big a leap between now and the end of 2008," said the Insomniac Games Chief Creative Officer. "I think we're going to continue seeing major leaps each year in what people are able to do with the machine for at least three or four more years."

And how are future games going to look better? It seems it's all down to the use of the much talked about PlayStation 3 SPUs, which until now haven't been fully used by developers.

"The tech and gameplay teams have moved tons of things over to the SPUs that used to run on the PPU," said Hastings on the improvements made to Insomniac's game engine. "Collision and physics are entirely running on SPUs now, which allows us to put much more on the screen at once than we were able to with Resistance. Moving more and more code to the SPUs is an ongoing process and I think we'll continue to see major benefits from this for several more years."

News Source: videogamer

EA's VP for the UK has implied that their is a bright future ahead for the Sony PS3 but he believes as of right now, consumers are still waiting for quality titles to hit the system. He drawn reference to sales of FIFA 08 on the PS3 in comparison to the Xbox 360, on its first week, FIFA 08 sold 75 percent more on the PS3 than the 360 despite the installed based difference. This he believes shows the hunger for quality games from PS3 owners.

Keith Ramsdale, EA's VP and general manager for UK and Ireland, has told GamesIndustry.biz he believes that the future of the PlayStation 3 is strong - but consumers are waiting for quality software titles to arrive.

"If you look at FIFA 08, on its first weekend the PS3 numbers were 75 per cent of the Xbox 360 numbers, despite the 360 having a massively higher install base.

"That's not that the 360 has underperformed, not for a moment. That's because the appetite for a quality game on the PS3 is there and maybe FIFA is the first game to come and show where the quality is.

"I think PS3 consumers are waiting for the right game and they want to see the quality."

News Source: Gamesindustry.biz

Anaylsts reported on Tuesday that Electronic Arts is cutting prices across a range of high profile sports games including NBA Live 08 and Madden 08. While this is good news for the consumers, the analysts said that this is a bad sign from EA's perspective as it goes into the holiday season.

Analysts said Tuesday that video game maker Electronic Arts Inc. is cutting prices on sports games, which the analysts said is a bad sign going into the holiday season.

The games affected include important sports titles such as "NBA Live 08," "Madden NFL 08" and "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08."

Pacific Crest analyst Evan Wilson said 14 games were affected, most of them sports games for Sony Corp.'s PlayStation 2 system. Wilson said sales of the PlayStation 2 held up longer than he expected but are now declining.

News Source: Forbes

Pictures of the dusty PS3 that Sony refused to repair under warranty have been revealed. An e-mail from their support team stated that after talking to their legal team, SCEA has determined that the photos of the dusty console are not private, so they are able to release them to the public and any media who request them.

We now have pictures of the Playstation 3 that Sony refused to repair under warranty because the unit was too dusty. Sony originally claimed that the pictures would not be released without a subpoena, and that the dust presented a threat to their technician's health that could only be alleviated if our tipster paid $150. After our posts, Sony abruptly reversed course and released the pictures to our tipster.

Thank you for contacting us regarding our Warranty policy as it pertains to the condition of your PLAYSTATION 3 console.
After consultation with legal counsel, SCEA has determined that the photographs of your console as returned to our service center are neither confidential nor private. Consequently, we may lawfully release these photographs to you. Because the photographs are not confidential, we may also release them to media who inquire about your recent internet postings concerning the console.

Regards,


Cindie Smith
Sr. Manager Technical Support, eService & Security
Sony Computer Entertainment America

News Source: Consumerist

The BBC is running in article which claims they have discovered something big - Wii shortages are expected this Christmas. Retailers, gaming fans and Nintendo themselves are quoted at various times indicating that the Wii will be hard to come by. A Spokeswoman commented that global demand has been higher than they could've anticipated and seasonality demand trends are being broken as the Wii is in high demand all-year round.

From the high street, the message is very similar.

"Although we're receiving regular deliveries from Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft and getting the products onto the shelves as fast as we can - it's possible that demand will outstrip supplies on some products, for example the Nintendo Wii, which has been hugely popular all through the year," read a statement from high street gaming specialist Game.

"We're posting daily updates on our website at www.game.co.uk/stock to give customers the latest news on availability, and will continue to do everything possible to help our customers find the consoles they want."

Woolworths said that it was receiving a "slow trickle of stock every week" and also advised customers to keep an eye on their website.

"The Nintendo Wii consoles have proved extremely popular with our customers and have been flying off the shelves whenever we get new stock in," said a spokeswoman.

News Source: BBC

New details have surfaced on the Wii's answer to Xbox Live Arcade - WiiWare. Developers will be subject to a file size limit of 40MB and Nintendo is offering developers a 65:35 split on games profits, with Nintendo receiving the latter figure in the ratio. The budgets of most titles falls under the $100,000 mark and the range is in between $50,000 and $150,000.

When the online store goes live in 2008, developers will be free to price their games as they see fit, IGN editors Matt Casamassina and Mark Bozon reported on their latest Wii-k in Review podcast. However, developers will face a strict size limit of 40MB. Perhaps surprisingly given the system's limited internal flash memory of 512MB, the per-game cap is just shy of Xbox Live Arcade's original 50MB game limit, which was recently tripled.

Speaking of money, the IGN duo claims that Nintendo is offering developers a 65:35 split on the game's profits, with Nintendo taking the lesser figure. Budgets for WiiWare titles are said to fall between $50,000 and $150,000, with most of them under $100,000.

Nintendo is reportedly encouraging smaller file sizes by tying the game's file size to the sales it must meet before the company pays the developer. The theory is that the smaller the game, the shorter the development cycle and the sooner the developer gets paid, with Nintendo apparently recommending 16MB as an ideal file size.

News Source: Shacknews

Reports are flooding in at the official Playstation forums that PS3 firmware v2.00 is causing a great deal of issues for owners. However, there appears to be some trends in the complaints, firstly the XMB has slowed down in its operation and the PS3 60GB model seems to be victim to the most problems. However that's not all, other noted defects as a result of the update include read errors and system freezes.

I updated to 2.0 in order to continue playing GHIII. Since the update I have not been able to load a disk(game or DVD movie). My HD had to be restored/formatted and after that I still can't play a disk. All my content is of course gone and even navigating the menus is slow. I can get into the store and even begin downloading content but have not successfully been able to complete a DL. It moves really slow. Anyone else have this problem?

As of December 2007, the Wii will be replacing MP3 compatibility with the capability to play AAC files which Nintendo state offers greater sound quality than MP3 files at the same size. The new compatibility of files will work with the .m4a format too and you can select to shuffle songs.

*Wii consoles sold in retail stores starting in December 2007 should include AAC file support.

*For Wii Console owners without the AAC file compatibility, you can download the updated version of the Photo Channel from the Wii Shop Channel starting in early December 2007. Please note that once you download the updated Photo Channel (ver 1.1), you will no longer be able to play MP3 format music files.

Additionally, consumers who purchase a Wii console with the updated Photo Channel (ver. 1.1) already installed will not be able to install the previous version to support MP3 playback.

News Source: Nintendo

Shares of DivX gained 2.4 percent to $19.07 in morning trading following the announcement that its technology is to be included in the PS3. JPMorgan analyst Paul Coster commented that the agreement is an important breakthrough for DivX and that the respective format will now probably be used in the Xbox.

DivX did not say how much the agreement is worth, but expects it to significantly increase the number of products using its digital playback technology. More than 100 million DivX certified products have been shipped.

Shares rose 44 cents, or 2.4 percent, to $19.07 in morning trading.

JPMorgan analyst Paul Coster described the agreement as "an important breakthrough" for DivX. He said DivX technology will probably be used in Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox, along with other major entertainment products.

"DivX's adoption on the Sony PlayStation 3 was not likely widely anticipated,'' he said.

News Source: cbs11tv

PRESS RELEASE: DivX Technology to be Added to PLAYSTATION(R)3

Nov 13, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- DIVX | charts | news | PowerRating -- DivX, Inc. (NASDAQDIVX) today announced that DivX(R) video technology will be integrated into PLAYSTATION(R)3 (PS3(TM)) from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE). The popular computer entertainment system will be added to the ecosystem of devices that currently support DivX video playback. To date, over 100 million DivX Certified(R) products have been shipped into the market, and it is anticipated PS3 will significantly expand that number.

"We are excited to work with Sony Computer Entertainment to bring DivX to PS3," said Kevin Hell, CEO of DivX, Inc. "Our technology will expand the multimedia functionality of PS3 by enabling users to enjoy access to the broad library of content in the DivX digital media format."

Products that bear the DivX Certified logo have undergone a rigorous testing program to ensure a high-quality DivX media experience that includes reliable video playback and excellent visual quality. DivX is currently working to certify PS3 and deliver a superior digital media technology to consumers in the near future. Current PS3 end users will be able to add DivX functionality to their systems via a separate system software update at a forthcoming date. PS3 game title developers will be able to utilize DivX's decoder technology by updating the system software of PS3's Software Development Kit to version 2.00, which was released by SCE on November 2nd.

To learn about DivX technology, please visit www.divx.com.

The new 40GB PS3 and Dual Shock 3 pad both launched in Japan yesterday, but a Japanese newspaper is reporting, demand for both products has been rather subdued so far. No queues were seen forming outside of retailers, and neither has yet sold out. According to one site, unconfirmed retailer reports suggest that around 36,000 PS3s were sold (of which 31,000 were the new 40GB model) on the first day, with around 70,000-100,000 Dual Shock 3 pads.

While these sales figures (assuming they’re true, of course) aren’t exactly shabby, given the hysteria that normally grips Japan following a new hardware launch, they’re a little underwhelming.

Nevertheless, we’re sure the arrival of both the new pad and the console (which does look lovely in its new white case) will help give the PS3 something of a boost. Since both launched last year, the PS3 has been consistently outsold by the Wii, and was even outsold by the 360 last week (albeit due to the arrival of Ace Combat 6).

News Source: gamer.tm

According to internet reports, MS has something huge in the pipeline to celebrate the two years in operation of XBLA. A site is claiming that a respectable inside sources has let them know that MS is aware of each and every milestone and is planning something huge for all Xbox 360 gamers to enjoy come November 22nd.

A better question is what game could possibly celebrate the service in the way Microsoft is looking to celebrate? The game would have to have its roots firmly planted in XBLA history while still being a title that almost every fan has been dreaming of.

An inside source whom I hold very highly has let slip that MS is very aware of these milestones and is planning something HUGE for us.

If everything goes well (it seems everyone has to worry about certification these days), next week we will be playing the “true” sequel to the biggest XBLA title to date.

News Source: xblarcade

Infinity Ward is working at full steam to fix the crippled online servers for the PS3 version of Call of Duty 4. High traffic on the online gameplay servers caused gamers to experience a string of connection errors over the weekend. Infinity Ward says "the server team has been working on this all weekend, and will be working through the night" to fix the online functionality of the game. The problem is apparently not with the game code but just the servers, and so a patch won't be necessary.

The only real issue is that the servers we're getting hit really hard, especially with the launch in Europe doubling that traffic, just something that requires optimising on the server side and we've been working with the PSN COD4 Server team from the moment it started having issues assisting any way we can to help them get them up to speed faster."

In an update this morning, Infinity Ward said they're "upgrading all server hardware as well as dedicated an individual database to each functionality to improve performance and handle the traffic hitting the servers. (i.e. Database for Matchmaking, Database for Leaderboards," which should lead to smoother play for eager gamers.

"During this upgrade you may still receive the 'Downloading Game Settings' message, but it is temporary, in the sense of just let it download and you will eventually drop into a lobby and play just fine," it explains.

"Remember, this is just short term, eventually once everything is upgraded you won't be receiving Downloading Game Settings at all. However, if you do, just wait it out and you will be dropped into a lobby."

THQ also has high hopes for sequels to its own properties, Saints Row and Red Faction. It expects that 40 per cent of its revenues will come from internal studios in fiscal 2008, up from 30 per cent in fiscal 2006.

PRESS RELEASE: Wii-kly Update: Three New Classic Games Added to Wii Shop Channel

Winter vacation may be weeks away, but there's no need to wait for a fun- filled escape. The latest additions to the Wii(TM) Shop Channel can take you to places as familiar as a gymnasium or as fantastical as faraway planets. Fans of sports games, space-age shooters and intergalactic action will all find something to love in this week's lively lineup.

Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Channel every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points(TM) to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week's new games are:

Volleyball (NES(R), 1-2 players, rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Step onto the court in one of the first volleyball games ever made. Select either the men's or women's competition, choose from one of eight available countries to represent, and prepare for some intensely fun game play. The straightforward controls include all the moves you'll need to effectively direct your six-person team. Take some time mastering them in the training mode, though, because you'll need all the practice you can get when competing against challenging computer opponents. If you feel like some multiplayer action, take on a friend in the two-player mode and see whose skills are more polished. Block, set and spike your way to victory.

AXELAY(R) (Super NES(R), 1 player, rated E for Everyone -- Mild Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points): Mysterious aliens have invaded the Earth-like planet of Corliss, slowly draining the planet's resources. Take control of the prototype Axelay ship and use its wide range of advanced weaponry to battle enemy forces. Play through multiple stages of action -- from other planets to space stations -- all on your way to destroying the alien headquarters. You are Corliss' last line of defense, so be careful not to be too distracted by the excellent graphics (including great scrolling effects) and rocking music. Pilot the Axelay using Konami's famously tight play control and experience what many consider to be a classic of the shooter genre.

BLUE'S JOURNEY (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, rated E for Everyone -- Comic Mischief, 900 Wii Points): The planet of Raguy has been invaded by the Daruma tribe, changing it from a beautiful and peaceful place into one filled with pollution. Released in 1991, this horizontally scrolling action game tells the story of an insectarian named Blue and his quest to save the planet and keep its inhabitants from being turned into slaves. Use Blue's main weapon, a leaf, to flip enemies onto their heads and then throw them at other members of the Daruma tribe, defeating anyone in your way. Additional weapons, such as bombs and boomerangs, are also available, or you can collect flowers to purchase other special items like honey or swim fins. Blue also has the special ability to change his size at will -- if he's too big to fit in a particular area, then shrink him. The bright, colorful graphics, combined with lots of hidden items to find, ensure an enjoyable experience with plenty of replay value. Help Blue muster all his strength and eliminate the Daruma tribe.

The Chairman of Take Two has addressed reports which stemmed from his address to a business summit earlier this week. Zelnick commented that what he said about the release date wasn't intended to be newsworthy, he was just confirming the previous release date which is their second fiscal quarter, so that's anywhere between Februay and April. He also conceeded that with a larger installed base by the time the game ships, this should help to produce benefits in respect to missing the Holiday season.

Quote:
Some analysts have speculated that the reason for Grand Theft Auto IV's delay from its original October 16 release date was that Take-Two wanted to hold on to the game until the PlayStation 3's installed user base had overcome the system's slow start and had time to grow significantly.

Zelnick nixed that idea, but did concede that the larger installed base, by the time the game does ship, will help eliminate what negative impact on sales the delay out of the holiday season could have had. He addressed the current industry focus on the end of the year, and what it means for the industry to have so many high-profile games slipping into early next year.

News Source: Gamespot

Christopher Balestra, the Co-President Naughty Dog has posted up an update to the Uncharted demo region lock situation. He once again states that the locking was a mistake but the issue has now been fixed and a new demo has been posted of which the whole entire world can have a play with and enjoy.

Quote:
Christopher Balestra, here, and I’m Co-President at Naughty Dog. I wanted to give a final update on the Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune demo situation.

We’re really sorry about what happened and didn’t anticipate this at all. We just didn’t know people from other territories could connect to the US PLAYSTATION Network Store and download demos … now we do! We’ve been too busy working on the game to wrap our head’s around the infrastructure of the PSN.

We absolutely did not plan the demo to be region locked. As soon as we figured out the problem existed, Sam Thompson called me and I jumped into my car, drove to the office and fixed it right away. It’s an honest mistake and we didn’t try to prevent anybody from enjoying the Uncharted demo. I feel even more sorry because most of the people who experienced the problem are in Europe and I’m European myself.

So again, we’re really sorry about what happened and it wasn’t done on purpose. The good news is it’s now fixed and a new demo of Uncharted has been posted to the US PLAYSTATION Network Store so the entire world can enjoy it.

News Source: Playstation.com

Previously when connecting the PC to the PS3, the system would only detect MPEG video files, however this all seems to have changed post firmware v2.00 with all Xvid and DivX files appearing as options on the PS3. The files still won't work on the PS3 but this has sparked speculation that Sony is planning to support both of the popular formats in the future.

Quote:
Now the files still won't work on the PlayStation 3, but this new find may lead us to believe Sony is planning to support both Xvid and Divx files in the future. My guess is that Sony may be doing this so that when Home is launched, users can convert their files to Divx (for smaller file sizes) and use them to display in their Home studios.

Divx is well known in the Internet world for its ability to compress lengthy video to smaller storage sizes, without losing visual quality. Xvid (Divx spelled backwards) is a direct competitor to Divx, providing similar compression features and supporting MPEG 4 and H.263 video formats.

If Sony plans to fully support these video formats, this will help when importing videos into your PlayStation Home, as they will upload faster without losing quality.

News Source: PSU

Bruce Everiss of Seeking Alpha believes that Microsoft's move to kill of the original Xbox was a big mistake. Everiss believes that if MS would've kept it alive, then it would've given them a bigger market presence in developing countries such as China and India where lower incomes favor a cheap machine. And he believes that they would have made enormous profits from the sale of Xbox game back catalogue.

Quote:
Now imagine the benefits if they has kept the original Xbox alive. It would have given them market presence in the massive developing countries of China and India were lower incomes favor a cheaper machine. It would have brought millions of new people to Xbox live, helping to lock them into buying future generations of Microsoft consoles. And it would have made enormous profits from the continuing sale of the Xbox game back catalogue.

To me it looks like a very big mistake. Obviously Microsoft are not stupid and must have their reasons, but surely the potential upside of keeping it going would have made it worthwhile to work round any problems.

News Source: Seekingalpha

A French site (Logic-Sunrise) is reporting that they have uncovered a new RRoD style on the new Falcon motherboard Xbox 360's. The RRoD now throws out two red and two green lights, just perfect for the all festive decorations.

It was reported a while ago that the new 40GB PS3 featured a 65nm processor, but Sony has told Heise Online that the 40GB SKU still uses the old 90nm processors. However, the new model does however feature a new design with lower power consumption (120 to 140 watts compared to 200 on older models). Sony is looking to go the 65nm way in the future but for now they are sticking at 90nm across all models.

Quote:
We'd been hearing that Sony's new 40GB PS3 featured a revised design with a 65nm Cell processor and improved cooling, but sadly it looks like those reports were in error -- a Sony spokesperson has told Heise Online that the 40GB model continues to use 90mn processors, but does feature an updated design with a lower power consumption of just 120 to 140 watts, compared to 180 to 200 watts for the older models. Sony says its still planning on moving to 65nm processors in the near future, but for now, it looks like the PS3 is 90nm across the board.

News Source: Engadget

ESRB has issued a statement in reference to the recently hacked Manhunt 2 on PSP and PS2 which allowed for the game to become uncensored. They claim that the modifications do not restore the game to the AO version which was banned and that it is not the same as the GTA Hot Coffee situation. The reason that it is not the same as the Hot Coffee mod is that Manhunt 2's content was programmed to be part of the game, the content was previously disclosed to the ESRB and unauthorized software/hardware is required to play the modified content. Although we're not sure if their comments include the recent addition of cheat discs.

Quote:
Manhunt 2 was rated Mature by the ESRB for ages 17 and older for Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content and Use of Drugs.

Earlier this week we learned about a hack into the code of the PSP and PS2 versions of the game that removes special effects filters that were put in place to obscure certain violent depictions. We have investigated the matter and concluded that unauthorized versions of the game have been released on the Internet along with instructions on how to modify the code to remove the special effects. Once numerous changes to the game’s code have been made and other unauthorized software programs have been downloaded to the hardware device which circumvent security controls that prevent unauthorized games from being played on that hardware, a player can view unobscured versions of certain violent acts in the game. Contrary to some reports, however, we do not believe these modifications fully restore the product to the version that originally received an AO rating, nor is this a matter of unlocking content.

Our investigation indicates that the game’s publisher disclosed to the ESRB all pertinent content in the authorized Mature-rated version of Manhunt 2 now available in stores, and complied with our guidelines on full disclosure of content.

The Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas “Hot Coffee” situation involved a scene that was a) fully rendered in an unmodified form on the disc (the Hot Coffee mod did not alter the content that was there, it merely unlocked it), b) not previously disclosed to the ESRB during the rating process, and c) easily accessible to all owners of the PC version of the game. Conversely, in the case of Manhunt 2, a) content that was programmed to be part of the game (i.e., visual blurring effects of certain violent depictions) is being modified, b) the content was previously disclosed to the ESRB, and c) unauthorized versions of software and/or hardware are required to play the modified content.

News Source: Mercurynews