Video Games News: Xbox 360, PS3, PSP and Nintendo Wii

BBC Watchdog proves older Xbox 360 disc scratching problems

2009-03-25T08:31:00.000-04:00

The BBC Watchdog show recently reported on how thousands of people have complained that the Xbox 360 is scratching their discs. In one particular case, MS tried to blame the owner of the 360 for the scratching problem, however tests revealed that discs could scratch even when jumping around while playing Guitar Hero.

We sent the same Xbox 360s to a lab in Hampshire, where special testing equipment replicated the vibrations you'd find in a typical home. The first test simulated walking and caused the consoles no problem at all. Then the boxes were subjected to shock vibration testing, which simulated vibrations equivalent to that of someone putting a book down on the table near the Xbox. The newer console passed with flying colours; however, the older console caused a scratch similar to those experienced by the previous owner.

Our testers told us that the console had failed "very, very quickly" and that these are the kinds of vibrations you'd expect any household to have - particularly when playing games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero that encourage you to get physically involved.

News Source: BBC

Xbox Australia confirms Xbox 360 price cut across all SKUs

2008-07-01T08:15:00.000-04:00

It looks like the Aussies have beaten the Americans to the punch and have confirmed that all the Xbox 360's SKU's will be receiving price reductions in Australia from July 2nd. The Arcade unit is down $50 making it cheaper than the Wii, the PRO bundle will be 80 Aussie dollars cheaper and the Elite will be receiving the same treatment.

Rumours have been swirling that the Xbox 360 is about to get another price cut in the US, following cuts in Europe and Asia earlier this year. It seems the Aussies have beaten the Americans to the punch, however, with confirmation that all of the various 360 SKUs will be receiving price reductions down under from today.

Effective from July 2, the Xbox 360 Arcade unit will receive an A$50 price drop and will now retail for A$349 ($333), A$50 cheaper than the retail price of the Nintendo Wii locally. The Xbox 360 Pro bundle will now retail for A$499 (down from A$579), while the Elite will sell for A$649 (down from A$729).

An Xbox 360 exec has also confirmed with GameSpot AU that the 360's total install base in Australia and New Zealand has now reached more than 400,000 units, putting it second in the market behind the Wii. We spoke to Jeremy Hinton, Xbox group product marketing manager for Australia and New Zealand, about the rationale behind the price cut, whether Microsoft was feeling pressure from its console competitors, and what sales impact they were expecting from today's announcement.

News Source: Gamespot.com

Firmware v.2.40 Walkthrough Part 1: the XMB

2008-06-30T04:59:00.001-04:00

We know you’re all patiently waiting for the next PS3 firmware update, v2.40, which includes XMB access in-game and Trophy support. The good news is that it’s coming soon, and you can now see how accessing the XMB from in-game will work in this video demo.

Shortly, we’ll be posting another video here on the PlayStation.Blog that shows the Trophy feature in action for the first time. At that time we’ll provide even more details on how firmware v2.40 will enhance your PLAYSTATION 3 experience.

Check it out PS3 firmware v2.40 FAQ
News Source: blog.us.playstation

Analysts brand 360's casual attempt as disastrous, say 360 will struggle

2008-06-06T03:56:00.000-04:00

A number of senior industry analysts have warned that Microsoft's Xbox 360 console will start to struggle in the market over the coming year. Moreover, some have labelled Microsoft's attempts to market the 360 towards the casual gaming demographic as simply disastrous.

Senior industry analysts have voiced concerns over the future of Microsoft's Xbox business, labeling the US firm's attempts to market 360 to casual audiences "disastrous", and predicting that the console will "start to struggle in the market" over the coming year.

Speaking during a panel session at last month's Nordic Game 2008 conference in Malmo, Sweden, analysts covering the UK, Europe and North America were called upon to assess the current state of the global games market, and predict key trends for the next 12-18 months. And for Microsoft, the picture in their crystal ball was anything but rosy.

"When you look at an installed base basis, the Xbox 360's going to come in third place when all's said and done," said DFC Intelligence analyst David Cole. "The concern I would have with a company like Microsoft is, one of these days they're going to have to make a profit on this business otherwise why are they in it?"

Nick Parker, MD of Parker Consulting and an analyst for Screen Digest, argued that 360's failure to succeed in key continental Europe territories pointed to a fundamental image problem. "The trouble with Xbox 360 is it hasn't managed to shake off this urban, irreverent adult male feel; so it hasn't gained traction in the more casual gaming markets of mainland Europe such as France, Spain and Italy, where it's stalled," he said. "And there are already rumours of Xbox 360 being delisted from certain retailers."

News Source: Gamesindustry.biz

Rumor: 40GB PS3 to get backwards compatibility via firmware update

2008-06-04T10:43:00.001-04:00

According to a German site, a contact has revealed that the 40GB PS3 will soon be able to achieve backwards compatibility. It will do so through the use of 100 percent software emulation which will come by way of a new firmwae. However, we'd take this with a pinch of salt for now for obvious reasons...

In a discussion between us and Sony an import merchant from the USA, which import to Germany, we experienced that the 40GB is to become downward compatible variant of the PS3 in October PS2 plays. The whole is to go via firmware an update of.

Thus our contact man added joking that he had get rid now immediately all 60GB of models, which he has still on supply, since they would suffer a noticeable depreciation after publication of the firmware. This sounds quite plausible, since many seize to around some more expensive 60GB model only due to the downward compatibility, which with same functionality of the 40GB of model then would become void.

On the question, how this from technical side will look, us it was insured that this was to take place “to 100% by means of software emulation”. According to the dealer is planned the firmware for October, to one hundred per cent it cannot assure this however.

We can likewise no warranty for the correctness of this message give to want to drive the fact out however that Sony announced recently, also PS2 of plays over the PSN make this step nevertheless very probably.

We hold you with new information up to date.

News Source: ingame.de

Sony gives gamers community websites

2008-05-21T06:49:00.000-04:00

Sony were apparently talking quite a lot about community websites at Sony's 'Pre-E3 Judge's Event in LA' and it seems many PS3 games will be getting Bungie.net style community sites. Those confirmed to be getting community sites include Motorstorm: Pacific Rim, Resistance 2 and SOCOM: Confrontation. Killzone 2 already has a site for Killzone: Liberation but will add "rankings and statistics" for Killzone 2. Also, LittleBigPlanet should be getting some kind of community site but Sony have not decided on how to integrate the game with such a site.

LittleBigPlanet – While they're "not decided yet" on exactly how to integrate the game into a community website, if any mechanic seems ripe for such a project, rankings and stats for LBP's user-generated content seem like a sure bet.
Killzone 2 – There already is a my.killzone.com site for Killzone: Liberation, but adding "rankings and statistics" for Killzone 2 is the plan.
SOCOM: Confrontation – They plan on launching a community site – think "My SOCOM" – on SOCOM.com. There's nothing there now, and MySOCOM.com is taken.
Motorstorm: Pacific Rim – The Motorstorm representative wasn't very interested in providing any details, but she told us that they would have a "community website" as well.
Resistance 2 – Insomniac has perhaps the most ambitious plans for community content, dedicating an entire development team to the task. They're "overhauling" MyResistance.net, adding things along the lines of "facebook-like features."

News Source: joystiq

Microsoft patents motion sensing controller

2008-04-18T07:34:00.000-04:00

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has published a patent application on April 10 by Microsoft for a gyroscopic-based input device for use on computers and games consoles such as the Xbox 360. According to the application: Described is a technology by which a computer pointing device (generally a mouse but alternatively a game controller or remote control device) may be worn on the hand and operated without needing to contact a mousing surface. The controller is apparently still at the research and design stage and it is unclear if it will ever be released. Check the forums for a more detailed description from a source at TXB.

We were told that the motion sensing controller that Microsoft was researching had the functionality of both the Nintendo Wii Remote and the Nunchuk packed into a single device, with a shape that is neither that of a banana, nor a remote controller, but more like a “pistol grip.” On top, it is supposed to have an analog stick (that could be replaced by a trackball) surrounded by the four action buttons.

News Source: teamxbox

Sony confirm April 25 date for new look Playstation Store

2008-04-10T06:05:00.000-04:00

The Japanese Playstation website has revealed that the Playstation Store will be reopened with its new look on April 25th. Firmware 2.30 will also be released on the same day to allow access to the store. To celebrate the launch of the store, Sony will be running a "PS treasure hunt" from April 15th to May 12 2008, giving every 50th member the chance to download a hidden application or game. It has been assumed that the new store will also launch in N.America and Europe on the same day too.

Sony PlayStation 3 online service will be renewed on April 15th, 2008 (Tuesday) evening. This will renew and expand the store by adding functionality described below:

* New interface and navigation improvements
* Preview video content using still images
* New download categories added

After the update, PS3 System Software 2.30 will be available.

To promote the new store, SCEJ will be offering a "PS treasure hunt" running from April 15th to May 12 2008. This will allow every 50th user to the store to download a "hidden" application or game, most likely for free. Maybe this is the suprise SCEE/SCEA mentioned upon release of the new store.

The Many Wii Wheel Prototypes

2008-04-05T07:55:00.000-04:00

In the latest Iwata asks, a product developer talking about Mario Kart Wii revealed that there were 30 prototypes for the Wii Wheel. The prototypes meant Nintendo could make the Wii Wheel the perfect size, weight and color. They even made sure to put the Wii logo on the back so that everyone it could be seen by those not playing.

News Source: uk.wii.com

Sony underestimated demand for the 80 GB

2008-04-03T07:34:00.000-04:00

Scott Steinberg, VP of Product Marketing at SCEA, has said that they underestimated demand for the 80 GB PS3. He said Sony were wrong in thinking that the price of the 80 GB was a big factor and that consumers would prefer a cheaper 40 GB. Steinberg said that we will now see Sony replenish the 80 GB in the marketplace.

BIZ: Regarding the PS3 SKU strategy, there's been some talk about the 80 GB model possibly being phased out from some of the rumblings we've heard and that Sony is looking to possibly put some more distance between the 40 GB and some new model that might come out, maybe packed in with the Dual Shock 3... but it seems like there's been so much change over the last couple years; first you had the 20 GB and the 60 GB and the 40 GB and the 80 GB. Doesn't that lead to consumer confusion to have so many different SKUs out there?

SS: It hasn't hurt Apple. Our strategy at the end of the year was to offer up a $399 40 GB, which we thought was the magic price for a Blu-ray machine and then a $499 80 GB. What we were surprised to see is that $100 really didn't matter to a certain customer. Our sales were fairly equitable according to TRST and our internal numbers through the holidays and even into January; we're pretty dry on the 80 GB as a result of us underestimating the demand for the 80 GB and thinking that most folks, because the price message was such a big part of the pundits and the analysts decrying the differences between the 360 and the PS3, [would prefer the 40 GB]. Reality is the price wasn't that big of a deal and $499 sold a lot more than we thought, so the 80 GB got dry at retail not due to us artificially compressing it but the demand became greater than we thought. So you'll see us replenish these in the marketplace. We're still committed to our current strategy and there is much to do about nothing, I think is the way to think about it.

BIZ: So the 40 GB and the 80 GB... those are the two that are going to stay on the market, and there's no plans to swap one out for another?

SS: I don't know about the long term. We're looking at the marketplace and I think if the business can support two, we'll continue to do that but what we're seeing is that the hardcore guys have gone to the 80 GB and they value that extra hundred dollar worth of features and the more casual consumer, we think has gone to the $399 because they're a little bit more price conscious. We're still talking to our retail partners, we've got a big retail meeting next week in Scottsdale and we'll continue to take our learnings from the last couple months and we're formulating our strategy on how the hardware roadmap looks for the balance of the year.

News Source: gamedaily

Why do some games PS3 games require installs?

2008-04-02T07:46:00.000-04:00

MTV have found out that some Blu-ray games require installs to the hard drive because Blu-ray drives can only read at one speed. "When this is combined with the extremely large size of Blu-ray discs, and simply dumping existing DVD data onto a Blu-ray disc will inevitably result in longer load times."

The issue arises from differences in the reading techniques of DVD and Blu-ray. By nature, the outer and inner parts of a disc move at different speeds while a disc is spinning, regardless of format (CD, DVD, Blu-ray, HD-DVD, etc.). While DVD drives can read data at those differing speeds, Blu-ray reads at one speed. Combine that with the extremely large size of Blu-ray discs, and simply dumping existing DVD data onto a Blu-ray disc will inevitably result in longer load times.

Installations are a way around this issue.

When a publisher asks you to install a game on PS3, it’s because they’re moving some of the disc data to an area of your console that has much faster read access: the hard drive. You get vastly reduced loading times, but have to sit through an installation.

News Source: multiplayerblog.mtv.com

Microsoft find gamesave tampering solution

2008-03-25T08:01:00.000-04:00

Microsoft will be resetting the the entire Gamerscore for an account to zero if the user has violated the Xbox LIVE Terms of Use by tampering with their Gamerscore and Achievements. The account will be unable to regain all previously obtained achievements and Gamerscore, however, the players will have the ability to gain future Achievements by earning them fairly, like the majority of the Xbox LIVE community does. You will also be labeled as a cheater for the community to see on Xbox.com and you will see it on your gamer card.

I wanted to follow up and let you know where we are on the post I made a few months ago on Gamesave Tampering. Today we took action on some of the accounts we have identified as the most serious offenders who have violated the Xbox LIVE Terms of Use by tampering with their Gamerscore and Achievements.

The steps today takes the form of the following:

• Resetting the entire Gamerscore for an account to zero
• The account will be unable to regain all previously obtained achievements and Gamerscore, however, the players will have the ability to gain future Achievements by earning them fairly, like the majority of the Xbox LIVE community does.
• The account will be clearly labeled as a cheater for the community to view on xbox.com. You can see an example here. In dash, the personal view of the gamercard will be labeled as well.

Xbox LIVE remains committed to keeping the service free of cheating in order to maintain a fair and level playing field for everyone.

To read more about Gamerscore corrections read the FAQ on Xbox.com

News Source: majornelson.com

PS3 firmware update v. 2.20 will allow you to copy Bu-ray movies to PSP?

2008-03-25T06:58:00.000-04:00

According to PC World, the PS3 firmware update v. 2.20 that is expected to be released in late March, will expose the ability to "Portable Copy." The say that "Portable Copy" will enable PS3 users to copy a standard-definition version of a Blu-ray movie to a PlayStation Portable (PSP). This is not mentioned in the firmware update v. 2.20 press release, only that you can you can transfer music and photo playlists from the PS3 to the PSP.

Original Press Release
Press Release

PS3(TM) Owners Will Soon Enjoy Downloadable Movie Content, Games And More With Blu-ray Disc(TM) Profile 2.0; PS3's Interoperability With PSP(R) Will Also Be Enhanced

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) today announced that the next system software update for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3(TM)) computer entertainment system, slated for release in late March, will add Blu-ray Disc(TM) (BD) Profile 2.0 or BD-LIVE, enabling PS3 owners to experience interactive features, such as downloadable video content, ringtones, games, and more. In addition to BD-LIVE, the system software update (v. 2.20) will enable photo and music playlists on PS3 to be copied to PSP®(PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system, among other new features. These updates demonstrate how PS3 continues to evolve as a home entertainment hub with the flexibility to deliver the newest technology innovations that benefit PS3 owners.

"With Blu-ray established as the high-definition optical disc standard, more consumers are ready to jump in and take advantage of everything the format offers," said Scott A. Steinberg, vice president, product marketing, SCEA. "Whether you want to download movie extras, send ringtones to your phone, or play interactive games, BD-LIVE will offer exciting new ways to enjoy a Blu-ray movie. With these regular firmware updates and future-proofed technology, SCEA is making the 10-year lifecycle of PS3 possible."

BD Profile 2.0 requires an Internet connection and at least 1GB of local storage. The following features have all been demonstrated as possibilities with BD-Live and will vary by movie title.

-- A variety of downloadable content can be offered, including bonus scenes, shorts, trailers, subtitles, ringtones that can be sent to mobile phones, images, and more.
-- Interactive movie-based games can pit players who are sitting in the same room, or are across the world and online, against each other.

In conjunction with the PS3 firmware update, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) is pleased to announce two BD-LIVE enabled titles to be released on April 8 - Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and The 6th Day. Both titles will include exclusive downloadable content that goes beyond what is available on the actual Blu-ray discs. These initial releases preview some of the exciting new developments that will soon be available from BD-LIVE on Blu- ray disc.

Beyond BD-LIVE, the new system software update enhances PS3 system's interoperability with PSP system, enabling users to take their favorite music and photo playlists with them on-the-go with their PSP. To copy a playlist, PSP and PS3 must first be connected with a USB cable, and the PSP must be in USB mode. Then, on PS3, select "Copy" in the option menu of each music or photo playlist, and choose PSP as the destination. Now the playlist order, and the songs or photos themselves, will be accessible on the PSP's Memory stick PRO Duo anytime, anywhere. This new functionality makes it easer than ever to share media content between the two systems.

The following new features will also be included in the system software update.

-- "Resume play" will enable PS3 system to start playing a Blu-ray disc and DVD at the point it was stopped, even if the disc had been removed.(*1)
-- "Audio Output Device" will be a new Remote Play setting, enabling PSP to serve as a remote control for music played through PS3.
-- PS3 system's Internet browser will be enhanced: Video files directly linked from a Web page will be able to be streamed, and the browser's view speed will be improved.
-- DivX and WMV format videos that are larger than 2GB will be playable.
-- "Mosquito Noise Reduction" will be added as an AV setting in the
control panel of the DVD/BD player for improved movie playback.(*2)

*1 BD-J format disc is not supported.
2 BD discs recorded with BDMV format are not supported.

PS3 firmware update v2.2 to bring BD Profile 2.0

2008-03-20T10:32:00.000-04:00

SCEA today announced that the next system software update for PS3 computer entertainment system, slated for release in late March, will add Blu-ray Disc (BD) Profile 2.0 or BD-LIVE, enabling PS3 owners to experience interactive features, such as downloadable video content, ringtones, games, and more. In addition to BD-LIVE, the system software update (v. 2.20) will enable photo and music playlists on PS3 to be copied to the PSP, among other new features. Check the forums for the full release.

Press Release

PS3(TM) Owners Will Soon Enjoy Downloadable Movie Content, Games And More With Blu-ray Disc(TM) Profile 2.0; PS3's Interoperability With PSP(R) Will Also Be Enhanced

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) today announced that the next system software update for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3(TM)) computer entertainment system, slated for release in late March, will add Blu-ray Disc(TM) (BD) Profile 2.0 or BD-LIVE, enabling PS3 owners to experience interactive features, such as downloadable video content, ringtones, games, and more. In addition to BD-LIVE, the system software update (v. 2.20) will enable photo and music playlists on PS3 to be copied to PSP®(PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system, among other new features. These updates demonstrate how PS3 continues to evolve as a home entertainment hub with the flexibility to deliver the newest technology innovations that benefit PS3 owners.

"With Blu-ray established as the high-definition optical disc standard, more consumers are ready to jump in and take advantage of everything the format offers," said Scott A. Steinberg, vice president, product marketing, SCEA. "Whether you want to download movie extras, send ringtones to your phone, or play interactive games, BD-LIVE will offer exciting new ways to enjoy a Blu-ray movie. With these regular firmware updates and future-proofed technology, SCEA is making the 10-year lifecycle of PS3 possible."

BD Profile 2.0 requires an Internet connection and at least 1GB of local storage. The following features have all been demonstrated as possibilities with BD-Live and will vary by movie title.

-- A variety of downloadable content can be offered, including bonus scenes, shorts, trailers, subtitles, ringtones that can be sent to mobile phones, images, and more.
-- Interactive movie-based games can pit players who are sitting in the same room, or are across the world and online, against each other.

In conjunction with the PS3 firmware update, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) is pleased to announce two BD-LIVE enabled titles to be released on April 8 - Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and The 6th Day. Both titles will include exclusive downloadable content that goes beyond what is available on the actual Blu-ray discs. These initial releases preview some of the exciting new developments that will soon be available from BD-LIVE on Blu- ray disc.

Beyond BD-LIVE, the new system software update enhances PS3 system's interoperability with PSP system, enabling users to take their favorite music and photo playlists with them on-the-go with their PSP. To copy a playlist, PSP and PS3 must first be connected with a USB cable, and the PSP must be in USB mode. Then, on PS3, select "Copy" in the option menu of each music or photo playlist, and choose PSP as the destination. Now the playlist order, and the songs or photos themselves, will be accessible on the PSP's Memory Stick PRO Duo anytime, anywhere. This new functionality makes it easer than ever to share media content between the two systems.

The following new features will also be included in the system software update.

-- "Resume play" will enable PS3 system to start playing a Blu-ray disc and DVD at the point it was stopped, even if the disc had been removed.(*1)
-- "Audio Output Device" will be a new Remote Play setting, enabling PSP to serve as a remote control for music played through PS3.
-- PS3 system's Internet browser will be enhanced: Video files directly linked from a Web page will be able to be streamed, and the browser's view speed will be improved.
-- DivX and WMV format videos that are larger than 2GB will be playable.
-- "Mosquito Noise Reduction" will be added as an AV setting in the
control panel of the DVD/BD player for improved movie playback.(*2)

*1 BD-J format disc is not supported.
2 BD discs recorded with BDMV format are not supported.

MS play down Blu-ray talks, no plans to introduce Blu-ray

2008-03-07T05:17:00.000-05:00

A Sony exec has reportedly said the electronics giant is in discussions with Microsoft about Blu-ray for Xbox 360, but a Microsoft rep tells Next-Gen that there are "no plans" to bring the technology to its console.

"In response to Stan Glasgow’s statement that Blu-ray is a possibility for Xbox 360, we have made no such announcement". They also have said that "Games are what are driving consumers to purchase game consoles and we remain focused on providing the largest library of blockbuster games available."

News Source: next-gen.biz

Go!Cam and Skype/Go!Messenger set up options

2008-03-06T07:04:00.002-05:00

Sony have cleared up some confusion on the possible setups for using Skype and Go!Messenger. Sony say the Go!Cam is compatible with Skype, but you will still need headphones.

So, Go!Cam is compatible with Skype, but you will still need headphones. Just to be clear, you can use either of the following set-ups for Skype:

OPTION ONE
- PSP Slim & Lite
- Headset & Remote Control
- Memory Stick
- Wi-Fi Connection

OPTION TWO
- PSP Slim & Lite
- Go!Cam & Headphones
- Memory Stick
- Wi-fi Connection

Go!Messenger is slightly different - you can use either the original PSP or PSP Slim & Lite:

OPTION ONE
- Original PSP or PSP Slim & Lite
- Headset & Remote Control
- Memory Stick
- Wi-Fi Connection

OPTION TWO
- Original PSP or PSP Slim & Lite
- Go!Cam & Headphones
- Memory Stick
- Wi-fi Connection

Hope that answers it!

Sony: Developers porting games down to Xbox 360 from PS3 to look better

2008-03-06T07:01:00.000-05:00

Sony’s Scott Steinberg has commented that developers are now waking up to the idea of creating their games on the PS3 primarily first, then porting them down to the Xbox 360 as the game will look better this way. He also indicated that the Xbox 360 has failed to go beyond its core audience of FPS fans, just like the original Xbox.

Here he is on PS3’s alleged technical superiority to Xbox 360. “Third parties have started to move from the de facto 360 SDK. Of course people designed their next-gen games on it because that was the only one there. The PS3 shipped and so they said, ‘let’s port our 360 games to the PS3.' But now companies are recognizing that ‘hey, if I start on the PS3 and then port down to the 360, my 360 game is going to look better than if I had just designed it for the 360.' So the pendulum is swinging. The heads of development thinking ‘what’s going to show off my next-gen game that much better?’ It is to lead with the PS3 and then to port to the 360.”

“Well no, but we do look at how closely 360 is indexed off of Xbox and for the good chunk of 2007 it was fairly close to where Xbox was year to year.

“The time that they had to create huge distance and build a massive install base before the PS3 could really take root; that opportunity is over and there’s no real capitalization of it. They had a great crescendo moment with Halo and it helped catapult them into a pretty strong position towards the back end of last year, but they were still within a stone’s throw of where they were with the original Xbox.

“To me that speaks of a failure to broaden their reach beyond the core first person shooter player who was in their back pocket for Xbox. The question for us is ‘are they really going after the PS2 demographic? Are they stealing share from us?’ And the answer is no.”

PS3 in-game communications between players like Xbox live but free

2008-03-04T09:36:00.003-05:00

Sony's UK boss Ray Maguire recently mentioned that in-game communication would be introduced to the PS3 this summer. Daniel Dawkins, editor of PSM3 Magazine, has since said that this will bring the PS3 up to parity with Xbox Live but that the key difference is that it’s free.

TechRadar can only suppose that Maguire is referring to an extended and improved in-game comms service. Though whether or not this refers to in-game cross media bar (XMB) instant messaging and/or voice-chat with other friends anywhere on the PlayStation Network is yet to be revealed.

Dawkins added: “Sony is working its best to respond to what gamers want. The amount of evolution in terms of the firmware updates over the last year has been phenomenal.”

Used backwards compatible PS3's value increases in Japan

2008-03-03T10:05:00.002-05:00

Japanese stores are buying back used backwards compatible PS3's for over double than they did last year due to Sony dropping backwards compatibility from new consoles. A year ago, 20GB PS3s were being bought back at ¥15,000 (US $145) for 20GB and ¥20,000 ($194) for 60GB. Now however, the 20GB can go for up to ¥40,100 ($388) and the 60GB for ¥46,000 ($446).
News Source: kotaku.com

Xbox LIVE GTA IV Sweepstakes

2008-03-03T09:52:00.005-05:00

The launch of Grand Theft Auto IV for Xbox 360® is sure to be one of the biggest gaming events of the year. Now you have a chance to experience all the excitement of the big release party in New York City with the Xbox LIVE® GTA IV Sweepstakes!

Along with four trips for two to New York, we've got thousands of other prizes to give away, including custom Xbox 360 Elite consoles, Microsoft Points, Gold subscriptions, and more. Don't miss your chance at these great prizes—all you need is a gamertag to enter!

Before registering for the sweepstakes, make sure your Xbox LIVE account information is accurate! Potential winners will be notified by the administrator and have their prizes shipped using the Contact Info (e-mail, phone, and address) on their Xbox LIVE profile. If your contact info is not up-to-date, you will be disqualified from winning a prize.

Check your account information here.
Sweepstakes Registration

Access the official sweepstakes entry form online and complete the form and submit it as instructed. The entry period is March 1 – April 14. You must have a valid Xbox gamertag linked to a Windows Live ID account to enter.

Don't have a gamertag yet? No problem. To obtain a free Xbox LIVE gamertag and free Windows Live account, go here and follow the instructions provided. Limit one entry per person and Xbox gamertag.
Prize Information

On or about April 23, lucky winners will be chosen from all entries to receive the following prizes:

* Four Grand Prizes: Four winners will score a four-day/three-night trip for two to New York City to attend the Xbox LIVE Gold Grand Theft Auto IV Launch Party.
* One Hundred First Prizes: Custom Xbox 360 Elite console
* Two Thousand Second Prizes: A Rockstar baseball bat
* Five Thousand Third Prizes: 500 Microsoft Points
* Three Thousand Fourth Prizes: 1000 Microsoft Points
* Two Thousand Fifth Prizes: 1600 Microsoft Points
* Five Thousand Sixth Prizes: One-month Xbox LIVE Gold subscription
* Three Thousand Seventh Prizes: Three-month Xbox LIVE Gold subscription
* Two Thousand Eighth Prizes: One-year Xbox LIVE Gold subscription

Go to xbox.com to enter.

The official press release which confirms MGS 4 PS3 bundle

2008-02-27T06:08:00.000-05:00

PRESS RELEASE: Sony Computer Entertainment America Introduces Metal Gear Solid®4: Guns of the Patriots PS3 Bundle Available In Late Q2 2008 In North America

Company Also Announces Limited-Edition God of War® PSP® Entertainment Pack and April Availability of DUALSHOCK®3 Wireless Controller for North America

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., February 26, 2008 – At its annual retail and publisher conference Destination PlayStation, Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) announced details of upcoming PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) (PSP-2000) hardware bundles with two of the most highly anticipated 2008 titles. The company also announced the April 2008 availability of DUALSHOCK®3 wireless controller in North America.

To coincide with the much-anticipated North American launch of Metal Gear Solid®4: Guns of the Patriots in late Q2 2008, SCEA will introduce a PS3 bundle, which will include an 80GB PS3, the upcoming blockbuster Metal Gear Solid®4: Guns of the Patriots and a DUALSHOCK 3 wireless controller for $499 (MSRP).

SCEA also announced the June 2008 availability of the limited-edition God of War® PSP Entertainment Pack for $199.99 (MSRP). The God of War Entertainment Pack will include a “Deep Red” PSP with God of War himself, Kratos, silk-screened on the back of the unit, a copy of the highly anticipated upcoming God of War: Chains of Olympus game for PSP, the hit comedy movie from Columbia Pictures, “Superbad™,” on UMD™ (Universal Media Disc), and a PLAYSTATION®Network voucher to download Syphon Filter®: Combat Ops from PLAYSTATION®Store. The stand-alone version of God of War: Chains of Olympus launches on March 4, 2008.

“Working closely with our retail and publishing partners and sharing our hardware and software roadmaps at Destination PlayStation gives us a great opportunity to outline some key milestones for the year. In response to incredible demand, we will be manufacturing more 80GB PS3s for North America and the Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots 80GB PS3 bundle is an ideal way to offer that continued value to our consumers,” said Jack Tretton, president and CEO, SCEA. “With Blu-ray having won the format war, our stellar software line-up and a broad product portfolio, we will continue to drive the incredible momentum we’ve been generating since last fall.”

SCEA will introduce the DUALSHOCK 3 wireless controller for the first time in North America in April 2008 for $54.95 (MSRP). DUALSHOCK 3, which incorporates both rumble and motion sensing SIXAXIS™ technologies, maintains the award-winning design and precise, responsive features of PlayStation controllers. The added rumble feature, combined with the SIXAXIS system, enhances the gamer experience with more interactive, intuitive and immersive game play experience and will work with more than 100 current PS3 titles.

In additional news coming from Destination PlayStation, SCEA announced Metal Gear Solid®4: Guns of the Patriots will be available in North America in late Q2 2008. A Metal Gear Online “Starter Pack” will also be launched to support online game play. Gamers can select a single player experience or take the action online with up to 16 players and battle it out using the latest weapons and stealth techniques. For those eager to take on Solid Snake’s nemesis, Liquid Ocelot, a nationwide pre-sell promotion will enable gamers to pre-order Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots and be guaranteed access to a multiplayer beta test for Metal Gear Online scheduled for late April.

Wii Clip attempts to make Wii modding a plug and play job

2008-02-27T01:06:00.000-05:00

A new product called the Wii Clip aims to make modding Wii-D2A and D2C consoles something of a 2 minute plug and play job. The Clip has one major advantage of not ruining the motherboard but there is still some handy work required and there is absolutely no guarantee of how effective this method is or will be.

Specifications

* Support all WII-D2A and D2C standard chip board, very high install efficiency, you can finish all job in 2 minutes.

* Very easy to install, just need solder these very big pin to pin points first, then put it onto cover the D2C chip, plug and play.

* Very easy to disable the WII chip, just need remove (pull out) the WII-CLIP from the WII motherboard, not need any soldering anymore. This way can give back you the original WII console immediately.

* Very easy to upgrade the D2C chip, just need pull out the WII-CLIP form the motherboard, then use the new chip to replace the old one, and re-cover it onto the WII D2C chip, the upgrade job is done.

Official Website: Wii-Clip

New details on warranty firms 16.4% Xbox failure rate figure

2008-02-26T09:10:00.000-05:00

Warranty firm SquareTrade has revealed more details on its widely reported 16.4% failure rate for Xbox 360 systems. They had 171 breakdowns out of a sample size of 1040 purchased warranties, which mostly consisted of Premium 360's. Sixty percent of the failures were down to RROD, but other problems included disc read errors, video card failures, hard drive freezes, power issues, and disc tray malfunctions.

The new report does note that this only tracks up to 10 months after the warranty purchase, and once a longer period of time is given, the failure rate is likely to increase. It's also worth pointing out that since Microsoft's Red Ring of Death warranty extension was introduced last July, some users may be going directly to the parent company instead.

Break down from IGN

"Our data shows that failures spike in the third month after warranty purchase but remain fairly steady after that, with only incremental drop-off until the eight month," the SquareTrade Analytics Team wrote on the blog. "This pattern is fairly consistent with all electronics failures."

SquareTrade also said its numbers don't take into account those Xbox 360 owners who bypass it altogether and take their claims directly to Microsoft, which could mean the failure rate is even higher still.

For its study, SquareTrade tracked 27 Xbox 360 Elites, 57 Cores and 956 Premiums. Out of the 171 claims reported (60 percent), 102 were general hardware failures (Red Ring of Death). Of the other 69 claims:

- 18% were disc read errors.
- 13% were video card failures.
- 13% were hard drive freezes.
- 10% were power issues.
- 7% were disc tray malfunctions.

SquareTrade said that, because the above issues are not covered under the extended Microsoft warranty, which only covers RROD, they are the more reliable figures.

News Source: 1up.com

Motorstorm 2 to feature four player split screen action

2008-02-25T09:33:00.000-05:00

Darren Waters of the BBC has confirmed that Motorstorm 2 will feature a four player split screen option, thus fixing one of the key missing features in the first game. Waters goes on to mention the game is months away from completion, but the engine looks superb and the graphics as you'd expect were very impressive.

Motorstorm 2 is due out in time for Christmas and moves the action away from the desert locale of the original. Gamers will be able to race around a lush island environment, full of interactive vegetation.

The game will feature four-player split-screen action, righting one of the obvious failings of the first game.

The title is some months away from completion but the game's engine looked rock solid and the graphics were as impressive as one would expect from one of the best-looking racing franchises.

Ninja Gaiden II not abour 'real violenece' or hate

2008-02-24T09:46:00.001-05:00

British tabloid The Telegraph have interviewed the man behind Ninja Gaiden II, designer Tomonobu Itagaki, about the violence in Ninja Gaiden. They questioned the violent content on the game, which is yet to be rated by the BBFC, and compare it to Manhunt 2. However Itagaki has stood up for the game saying that "Violence is not about cutting an enemy into pieces or seeing a lot of blood." He believes "real violence" is about inflicting "dishonoring wounds" and that "you would really have to hate your opponent and this is not what this game or this character is about."

"Violence is not about cutting an enemy into pieces or seeing a lot of blood," he says. "That's not what real violence is." To emphasise his point, Itagaki reaches for a sheathed samurai sword mounted in his office, and holds it out in front of me.

"In the Japanese warrior tradition you would shame an opponent. A real sword expert would aim his slice at the first four fingers of his opponent's sword hand. This would cost a warrior his livelihood and someone suffering this wound would normally commit suicide rather than live without their sword hand.

"That's what I consider to be real violence," he says, replacing the sword in its mount. "It's not about lopping off limbs. It is about the relationship between you and your opponent. In order to inflict these dishonouring wounds you would really have to hate your opponent and this is not what this game or this character is about."