GTA 4 to outsell Halo 3, says analyst

In my personal opinion this is not much of a surprise, but to many of you it just might be. According to Janco partners analyst Mike Hickey, it's almost a certainty that Grand Theft Auto 4 will outsell Halo 3.

"Maybe the first week GTA IV sales won't do what Halo 3 did, but I can almost guarantee they'll probably outsell Halo 3 in the first year," said the analyst.

It can be recalled that Bungie and Microsoft made gaming history last September when Halo racked up an astounding US 300 million in its first week out. Attributed as vital parts of its success were the advertising and merchandising campaigns that accompanied it.

However, Hickey says that Rockstar's alternate hype method may work better. The more discreet teasing, he says, may prove more effective than Halo 3's in-your-face ways that even included a boy band music video titled "Halo Nights". Throw in the fact that this chapter of the series is going multiplatform, and Hickey could very well be spot on.

Grand Theft Auto Iv's main character Niko Bellic is already in icon status months before the game's actual launch. Screenshots and videos of the game have helped showcase fans what they'll get with their impending purchase.

Controversy has always been the selling point of the Grand Theft Auto franchise and its next-gen installment seeks to take notoriety to new heights. In addition to car-jacking and gang-related activities, players can patronize strip clubs, go on dates, meet people online, and do pretty much whatever they want.

Bourne Conspiracy Trailer 2- Looks great!

Personally, this blogger, was a bit skeptical when I first heard about the Bourne Conspiracy video game. It is no secret that a majority of movie-to-game adaptions are typically not all that impressive. After seeing this trailer however, I am actually pretty excited to give Bourne Conspiracy a try. Check it out and see if you feel the same!

In-game advertising not so effective?

During the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, there were many hopeful techies and ad agencies looking into the new year as one where modern day advertising - in social networks, video games, and mobile phones - may soon become the mainstream marketing trend.

However, Sony's chief executive Howard Stringer had other opinions in mind. Despite the forum's positive take on in-game advertisement, he expressed his doubts on the marketing trend's effectiveness in the medium. Taken from an article in the Financial Times, Stringer was quoted to have said:

"The [supposed] solution to everything at the moment in the digital space is ad supported. While advertisers are happy to talk that up, there is a limit to the amount of money available."

Similar sentiments were voiced out by NBC Universal chief executive Jeff Zucker in the field of mobile advertising. Activision Blizzard chief executive Bobby Kotick also echoed Stringer's sentiments about advertising-funded video games.

However, new forms of advertising were being explored as well. Advertisers were hoping to engage consumers into more interactive models, who are slowly drifting away from the usual radio, print, and television ads.

Researchers proved that many consumers found that advertising in mobile, video games, and social networking to be rather "intrusive", although many were still willing to put up with it in exchange for free content. While this is especially true with the younger consumers, many business models are already adjusting to growing trend.

Article from: QJ

Sony revealing smaller, more efficient cell processor

Sony proved once again that size does matter when the company announced the new 45 nm Cell processor that it will be featuring in this year's International Solid State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) in San Francisco.

The Cell Broadband Engine, used to power Sony's PlayStation 3 console, will be migrated from its previous 65 nm version to a more compact 45 nm model. Beyond the gaming industry however, this may also help advance different fields of study as the Cell Broadband Engine is also used in areas such as medicine, software and architecture.

The small chip area size will have a more efficient power consumption rate of up to 40 lower compared to its predecessor. They are also looking into improving the design for manufacturability for Cell to simplify the CPU production process.

Other developments in the area of microprocessor improvements also include Intel's quad-core Itanium Tukwila, as well as the entry-level Silverthorne CPUs and Sun's 16-core Niagara 3 chip. All these will new advances will be featured at the ISSCC, which will be held at the Florence Metropole Hilton in San Francisco from February 3 to 7.

Article from: QJ

Offended by GTA: SA "hot coffee" scandal? Get Paid!

Following a preliminary announcement concerning all consumer class action lawsuits related to the Hot Coffee debacle back in November, a new settlement website detailing methods of securing compensation, and different levels of remuneration available to plaintiffs, has been set up.

The website states that “different relief requires different levels of proof” of purchase of the game. Relief is said to range between $5 for gamers who purchased the title but have no proof of doing so, to $35 or a replacement disc for those who have detailed proof of purchase. “All cash benefits may be pro-rated to a lesser amount, depending on the total number of people who claim benefits,” it adds.

New York-based publisher Take-Two previously said it had established a “sufficient” reserve to cover the fees, noting that it was committed to spending “at least” $1.025 million on the settlement. It also added that the settlement “generally caps” the defendant’s out-of-pocket costs at $2.75 million plus the cost of notifying members of the class action and the plaintiff’s legal fees.

According to Take-Two’s preliminary statement on the class action lawsuits:

“Under the terms of the settlement, class members will be able to claim benefits if they swear that they: (a) bought a copy of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas before July 20, 2005; (b) were offended and upset by the ability of consumers to modify and alter the game's content using the third-party Hot Coffee modification; (c ) would not have bought the game had they known that consumers could modify and alter the game's content using the third-party Hot Coffee modification; and (d) would have returned the game, upon learning the game could be modified and altered, if they thought this possible. Settlement class members who attest to these facts may apply for benefits that range from an exchange of the game disk for an edited copy of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas to a cash payment of up to $35 for consumers who submit detailed proofs of purchase.”

The Hot Coffee scandal broke in 2005 following the release of the PC version of GTA: SA. Motivated modders uncovered a minigame buried in the title’s code which, once unlocked, portrayed simulated sexual intercourse after a female character offered the game's protagonist into her home for some “coffee”.

It was later found that, using third-party hardware, Xbox and PS2 users could access the minigame too. The incident put the industry under the microscope of legislators who used it as evidence for the need for government regulation. It led to the title being pulled from shelves and re-rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board before being re-released.

The offer is currently restricted to US citizens as the class action was taken in the US.

Article from: Next-Gen

Sony facing another lawsuit for trademark violation

Sony is again facing lawsuits. A US electronic trivia game company named, Buzztime Entertainment, has filed a lawsuit against Sony's use of the trademark "Buzz", which is used for Relentless Software's Buzz! quiz series.

The company is saying that Sony is violating a number of the company's trademarks by using the "Buzz" name. Some of the "Buzz" related trademarks held by the company are things like "Buzztime", "Buzzhead", and "Share the Buzz".

The lawsuit claims that Sony is guilty of "malicious, fraudulent, willful, and deliberate" violation of trademarks. Buzztime Entertainment is asking for the recall and destruction of all of the allegedly infringing products as well as payment of damages. They have also requested from the US Patent and Trademark office that they reject SCEE's pending trademarks for "Buzz!".

Sony acknowledged this issue but will not make a public statement at this time.

120GB PS3 on its way?

Ars Technica's seemingly reliable inside source has snuck out of the shadows with another interesting bit of hardware "news". We know that the 80GB PS3 is being discontinued, even if Sony won't admit to it themselves. The rumour is that another SKU (for those of you playing at home, that's the fifth since launch) will take the place of the 80GB, and will come bundled with a Dual Shock 3 controllers. Prices will stay the same, but the new SKU will have a 120-160GB hard drive.

The article doesn't indicate whether the new SKU will have backwards compatibility, memory card readers, more than two USB ports or, you know, whether it even really exists. We're not convinced that this is the best idea - the 40GB has been the only SKU available in Europe for a wee while now and it's doing great. Why such a big hard drive? Is there something coming soon that is going to require so much storage space? We know Sony have been discussing video and music downloads for quite some time, so is it finally on the horizon?

Speculation on this can go on forever. We're going to remain skeptical until something concrete appears. If it's anything like the 40GB or 80GB revelations, we'll know it's coming a few weeks before it's "announced".

Article from: PS3 Fanboy

Blu-ray takes market

According to the NPD Group, Blu-ray hardware took 90 percent of the market after Warner Bros. Entertainment decided to go Blu-ray exclusive earlier this month. The market is no longer 50-50 between Blu-ray and HD DVD.

Stephen Baker, NPD VP for industry sales, said that data for only one week shouldn't be read into all that much. "One week is not a trend, it's a data point." Toshiba (a large HD DVD manufacturer) agrees with his statement.

Apparently, Toshiba recently ended their holiday discounts on HD DVD players and therefor, the sales numbers of HD DVD players were far less than the previous month. On the other side of things, Blu-ray players were being given away for free with the purchase of select models of HDTV's.

Toshiba did however seem to be a bit shaken by the announcement of Warner's exclusivity to Blu-ray, dropping their HD-A3 player from US 299 to US 149.99. Andy Parson, chairman of the Blu-ray Disc Association said this:

"Consumers have gotten the message loud and clear. Lowering prices sends the message that Toshiba is having a fire sale. [...] I don t see market share going back to 50-50. That I will bet a lot of money on."

I guess it is going to take a bit more time to see if this data becomes a trend or not, but as of now it is great news for Blu-ray Disc.

GTA 4 releasing April 29, 2008

Rockstar Games has announced that latest installment in its multi-million selling Grand Theft Auto series will be released worldwide for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on April 29. The news follows January 24th's earlier report that development of the Rockstar North game, which is arguably the biggest next-gen console title to date, is "virtually complete".

"We are so excited to be releasing Grand Theft Auto IV," said Sam Houser, founder and executive producer of Rockstar Games.

"We've pushed ourselves very hard to make something incredible and hope the game sets a new benchmark for interactive entertainment.”

Resistance 2 screenshots looking great

As you may know, Resistance 2 has been officially confirmed and if you are a fan of the series I thought you would appreciate the chance to see some screenshots of upcoming game. The Chimera are back and it appears that they have a bit of an upgraded appearance this time around. Here are a few of the screens and check out the source for about 4 more. Enjoy.



Source

PS3 will overtake Xbox 360 by this summer

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe president and CEO, David Reeves, said that they are now expecting the PlayStation 3 to have a greater user base than the Xbox 360 in all PAL territories by this summer.

Reeves mentioned that last week, the PS3 outsold the Xbox 360 in all PAL territories by a ratio of three to one. In addition, over a million PlayStation 3 consoles were sold across all PAL territories last December.

Reeves also claims that the PS3's current cumulative installed base is now higher than that of the Xbox 360 in certain major markets in Europe. He further elaborated on this:

We don t often mention the competition, but I will give you some interesting data: In terms of installed base in some of our major markets, such as France, Spain, Germany and Italy plus some distributor territories in smaller markets like Switzerland our current cumulative installed base is now higher than Xbox 360.

Inspite of the recent success, Reeves did mention that they still don't have a hold on UK yet though they expect it to happen soon.

Via QJ

GTA 4 is virtually complete!

GTA 4, what CVG calls "the most epic sandbox yet" (referring to its "do anything you want" theme), has been announced to be very close to completion, which means we should be getting an official release date soon. It has also been recently announced that the main reason for the delay of the game was due to the difficulty of porting it to the PlayStation 3.

A Rockstar rep tells CVG, "The game is in a very, very different place now. It's improved in virtually every single way imaginable."

"When we first showed the game a year ago, we said it was really early - it was the earliest we've ever shown a GTA game, A year later and just three/four months away from release you're looking at a game that's virtually complete."

Even though no official statements have been made, it is widely believed that GTA will be released on April 25, the final day of Take-Two's fiscal fourth quarter.

The preview with CVG goes on to say, "There's still a lot of polish going on behind the scenes and the painful process of licensing GTA 4 is typically massive list of tunes is in full swing. But what's in front of us right now is looking rock solid.

Even with all the gorgeous building and cloud reflections in the water, and impressive real-time shadows skulking across the street, the framerate is bang on."

Check out our source for the full preview and some new screens.

Source

Best-Buy dropping 80GB PS3

Apparently the 80GB PS3 may have not been as great of success as many thought it would be. Today, PS3 Fanboy posted this article about Best-Buy dropping the 80GB PS3.

"An anonymous Best Buy employee has sent us a scan of an internal letter, which notifies employees that the 80GB system is being discontinued. "The 80GB version of the PS3 is going closeout and won't be replaced at this time," it reads. "It will come off the planogram on Jan. 28. The 60GB version should already be gone from stores. Only the 40GB version of PS3 will be sold in Best Buy stores at this time."

The 40GB model currently costs $399, and is the cheapest PS3 available. However, it does have a few limitations: it lacks memory card readers, features only two USB ports, and most importantly, loses backwards compatability, as noted in the memo. "This means that there currently isn't a version that is PS2 compatible," it notes.

There have been very shady rumors suggesting Sony is planning on introducing a cheaper $299 version of its console (although that has been repeatedly denied by Sony). Earlier in the week, we also discovered an FCC filing for a white model PS3. Whatever's going on, it appears that Sony's making moves for a big change. Stay tuned."

PlayStation Store updates for 24-Jan-08

It is time again to provide you all with this weeks list of new downloadable content for the PlayStation Store! The store is getting bigger and bigger and the quantities of new downloads each week do not seem to be getting any smaller! Check out the list...

Downloadable Games

PixelJunk Monsters ($7.99 for a limited time)

Add-on Game Content

Folklore Create-a-Creature Winner Add-On (free)

Rock Band

“Wonderwall” - Oasis ($1.99)
“Live Forever” - Oasis ($1.99)
“Don’t Look Back in Anger” – Oasis ($1.99)
Oasis Pack 1 ($5.49)

Need for Speed ProStreet Extender Pack Premium Car Bundle #1 ($5.99)

Need for Speed ProStreet Extender Pack Premium Car Bundle #2 ($5.99)
This bundle includes the following cars, only available through the PlayStation Store: Koeniggsigg CCX, Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG, Aston Martin DB9, Audi R8, Porsche 911 GT3, Honda S2000.

Stranglehold

Stranglehold Map Pack ($14.99)
The Stranglehold Map Pack features:

• 10 additional multiplayer maps including Kowloon Market, Wong’s Estate Grounds and the Rooftops of Chicago.
• 21 all-new multiplayer character skins.

Stranglehold CE Map Pack ($14.99)
The Stranglehold Collector’s Edition Map Pack features:
• 10 additional multiplayer maps including Kowloon Market, Wong’s Estate Grounds and the Rooftops of Chicago.
• 21 all-new multiplayer character skins.

Demos

Devil May Cry 4 Demo (free)

The Club Demo (free)

PS one Classics for PS3 / PSP

Jet Moto 2 ($5.99)

Game Videos

Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground – Stevie’s Skater Story (free)

Step Up 2: The Streets Trailer (free)

Dragon Wars Trailer (free)

PS3 Themes

PixelJunk Monsters Theme (free)

Lemmings Theme (free)

Enjoy this bounty of great new content!

Video: the future of 3D gaming

Recently I had this video emailed to me by a gamer who was ranting and raving about the concept. This may not be new to all of you but I must say that I was quite impressed by the idea of this. The creator of this video utilizes the Wii remote to create the effect of being able to basically 'get inside' of your screen while gaming.

Yes, this is utilizing the Wii remote but it certainly doesn't seem impossible for Sony to take advantage of this technology in the future. By using the Wii remote as a "camera", this guy creates the effect of being able to look around in your game as if your TV was a window.

This is a remarkable idea and I certainly hope that our favorite console manufacturers take advantage of this technology sooner rather than later. Take a look!

Video game sales to be US $10 billion in 2008

Seeing as video game console sales were so high last year, analyst Colin Sebastian of Lazard Capital Markets thinks 2008 will be the year for software to take precedence. He predicts that games will be US $10 billion in the United States for the first time.

Sebastian said, "Our estimate excludes the incremental contribution from online, casual, mobile, and advertising revenues, which we believe are key long-term growth and margin drivers for the industry." Sebastian predicts as much as a 34 percent increase in sales of gaming software for the Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStation 3, and Microsoft Xbox 360.

"In addition, we expect handheld and PC software sales to increase by 10 -15 and account for approximately $3.3 billion of software sales," explains Sebastian. "We note that strong 28 growth in 2007 has created a more difficult growth comparison; however, we believe there is increasing visibility for a solid new release lineup for all three major platforms."

This all makes sense if you consider the quantities of consoles sold in 2007, because all of those consoles certainly need more games to go along with them. It is fairly obvious that the Nintendo Wii will have another good year, the Xbox 360 is becoming more popular, and the PS3 is finally starting to take off. US $10 billion is very optimistic but we will just have to wait and see.

White-colored PS3 not coming to North America?

Well, this may not be and exciting news article but it is a must-know. Despite the recent FCC filing of the white colored Sony PS3 that is currently exclusive in Japan, it doesn't necessarily mean that the white PS3 will be headed to the United States.

Shacknews, a gaming website, asked SCEA about this issue and they responded by stating that the FCC filing is just a routine practice for Sony and they have already submitted similar FCC entries in the past.

"We are comfortable with our current two SKU strategy. We are continually evaluating the market trends and consumer input to determine the appropriate PS3 models for our territory."

So, that is about it. You may not see the white PS3 in North America, but we do not conclusively know anything yet.

Sony says PS3 price cut rumors are false

Kazuo Hirai of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. recently remarked in an interview that there are no plans for a price cut for the PlayStation 3, like the rumors on the net have recently been stating. This comment pretty much debunks all the rumors and smashes the hopes of the people looking forward to get their PS3 at a discount rate.

The announcement goes for all regions in which the PS3 is sold, including Japan. As you may know, the PS3 has dropped significantly in production cost, however this does not mean that Sony will be lowering the retail price. It has been suggested that the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto 4 could be a potential reason for a PS3 price cut which also seems to be untrue.

Analyst, Michael Pachter, also predicted that the console will double its U.S. sales, but only if a price cut were to happen. It is the beginning of the year and perhaps a price cut may still happen, but at this point we can only wait for Sony to make that announcement.

PlayStation 2007 sales figures for Australia

Continuing our constant news updates, here are some interesting figures for Australia's 2007 sales. Sony seems to be doing quite well 'down-under', these days. Over the Christmas season, they sold 48,000 units which brought their year totals for 2007 from 107,00 to 155,000. That is quite significant and Sony should be proud. The PS2 sold about 88,000 units, which took the spot as "most consoles sold in 2007".

New PSN ad makes a hit against Xbox Live fees?

The console war may be heating up hotter and faster than we previously thought, and it seems that Sony's on the offensive as far as citing the other parties' shortcomings are concerned. We see this in a very subtle way via the latest PlayStation Network advertisement, where the tagline speaks of online play on the PlayStation 3 being completely free - as opposed to on the Xbox 360, where players have to pay an annual subscription free to experience the same. Ouch.

Well, we can't really say that it's a deliberate hit against Microsoft's Xbox Live subscription fees (it could be just, you know, a very convenient coincidence) but the fact that you do have to pay to play online on Xbox Live does give Sony a lot to crow about. Of course, one doesn't really need to pay for an Xbox Live Gold subscription - Xbox Live Silver is free and gives players the ability to not only chat with their friends, but also access downloadable content - but yeah, you do need to shell out some extra moolah for online joy.

If anything, we hope that Microsoft sees the ad and takes it as a challenge to make online play a bit more accessible. Fingers crossed!

Article from: QJ

Retailers emphasizing Blu-ray

It appears that even the retailers are tired of the 'format war' between Blu-ray and HD DVD. Blu-ray recently posted this article on their website explaining that retailers are leaning toward Blu-ray in order to speed up the process of ending the battle.

"In the wake of the Warner announcements, major retailers are shifting focus to the Blu-ray format in hopes of accelerating the end of the format war. Trans World Entertainment, Newbury Comics, Video Buyers Group members and Hastings Entertainment are all beginning to emphasize Blu-ray as the next generation high definition format in hopes to spur growth in the relatively small market.

Mark Higgins, Trans World VP of DVD, videogames and consumer electronics merchandising commented, "As retailers, we need to simplify things for the consumers as much as we can with merchandising one format. We don't want to be biased, but that is clearly the direction that high-def production looks to be going."

Many retailers, especially online retailers with no shelf space limitations, will continue to offer both formats, but have been and will continue to order more copies of Blu-ray titles versus HD DVD titles due to demand. "Although it looks like the writing may be on the wall, DVDEmpire will continue to push both formats equally until our customers show there is no longer any demand for one format or the other," remarked DVDEmpire editorial director Shannon Nutt."

Guitar Hero makes US $1 billion in 26 months

Activision has announced that the Guitar Hero franchise has set an industry record by generating over US 1 billion in North American retail sales over a span of 26 months according to the data gathered by the NPD Group.

If you've been keeping up, this shouldn't come as a big surprise considering the success of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (Xbox 360, Wii, PS2, PS3, PC), which was a key factor in the NPD Group's naming of Activision as the number one publisher in the U.S. in 2007.

The Guitar Hero franchise has sold more than 14 million copies since the first game hit the market back in 2005. In addition, Activision has given word that users have downloaded over five million songs since downloadable content became available.

As expected, Activision is very pleased with this turn of events. So before we go, we'll leave you with a few words from the company's President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Griffith who shared a few of his thoughts on the franchise and its success:

"Guitar Hero is one of the biggest brands and one of the most powerful distribution platforms in all of entertainment today. Guitar Hero s popularity with broad audiences is a confirmation that video games have become a true mass medium."

Via QJ

Frontlines canceled?

Kaos' upcoming multiplatform FPS may be dropping the PS3 version. The title was originally planned for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 release. However, the PS3 version has mysteriously vanished from retailer databases. Comments from moderators do little to quell the fear that the PS3 version has been quietly axed. An official comment from THQ is yet unavailable, but we wouldn't be surprised if the game was either canceled altogether, or significantly delayed. Once again, could this be yet another title that has fallen by the wayside due to the PS3's uniquely difficult architecture? And more importantly, do any PS3 fans care about the loss of this FPS, in light of upcoming releases, such as Haze and Resistance 2?

Article from: PS3 Fanboy

Quality of game programming has gone down

Jon Hare has been around for quite a while. He was one of the co-founders of Sensible Software - the studio behind the Sensible World of Soccer - back in 1986 and since then has had a solid and prolific career in the video game industry.

His standing with the industry is one of the reasons his opinion carries a lot of weight and why ears perked up when he remarked in an interview that he "honestly believe[s] that the quality of programming has gone down."

The reason for this, he believes, is that today's current games need larger teams to work on it as compared to before, when developers could "virtually [do] the big games on their own":

"It was a different environment back then because the hardware was more stable. You didn't need loads of people running the graphics, programs just ran at 60 frames per second - so the onus was on the creative and not about fighting with the display.

You had a smaller team and that meant you started to get some of the subtle little things done that made such a difference to the final game."

Basically, the rise of the video game industry had an unexpected consequence, which leads us to one of the current issues with game development: gameplay versus graphics.

He adds that mediums like WiiWare and Xbox Live (whose games require smaller teams to develop) are "the best chance we have of seeing new and original games coming out." Perhaps this may extend to indie and homebrew game developers as well.

Article from: QJ

PS3 XMB virtual interaction via PlayStation Eye

There are already several rumors floating around about PS3's upcoming in-game XMB, as well as Photoshopped images of an alleged stolen picture of the XMB menu. But that's not all. Another rumor has it that Sony is planning something a bit more high-tech with the PlayStation 3's XMB: interaction via the PlayStation Eye.

So how would it work? Apparently, users can use a virtual interaction scheme with the PlayStation Eye, allowing them to browse through the XMB menu with hand motions. So imagine yourself making all those fancy hand movements as you peruse through media such as photos, music, and even your friend's list in the XMB. Cool, yes?

According to the gaming grapevine this feature will be implemented sometime at the end of this year. Will be sniffing out more news about this rumor, so stay tuned as we keep you posted!

Article from: QJ

PS3 HDMI vs. Component video

GameTrailers apparently had many requests for a comparison video featuring the differences between component output and HDMI output, using Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. The video shows both single screen and split screen comparisons.

This video does not speak for all games because it is not like Uncharted has the best graphics of all games on PlayStation 3. However, if you are one of the gamers that does not have the luxury of an HDTV (or if you use component), than this video will give you an idea of what you are unfortunately missing out on.

Comments on GameTrailers website seem to mostly agree that there is not much difference between the outputs, but you be the judge.

Convenient keyboard for PS3 controller - video

I am not personally a big fan of aftermarket console accessories, but this particular item does look appealing. MadCatz has made something that may remind you of the Xbox 360's chatpad. This device plugs into the PlayStation 3 controller and allows you to type messages or whatever you want, easier than ever. This device was supposedly released back in May but I have not personally seen one yet.

This device seems to be a rather interesting peripheral, however it is reported to not be compatible with PS2 games. For those of you who use the web browser on your PlayStation 3 or if you like to send messages to your buddies, than this device just might be for you. You can get your hands on this device for $30 (USD). Check out this video.

US 5.13 billion for Activision Blizzard's completion

When publisher Vivendi announced that it was merging with fellow giant Activision, shockwaves were sent rocking into the far reaches of the industry. The new business entity would later be known as Activision Blizzard, and Vivendi is sealing the deal with a US 5.13 billion loan that it just secured from a pool of banks.

The money that Vivendi borrowed would be used to complete its acquisition of Activision and French telecom company Neuf Cegetel. The loan is set to flow in by way of two major increments.

The first of the two is a "bridging loan" that is worth US 2.2 billion. Vivendi will pay back the banks it loaned from once the Neuf Cegetel deal is secure. The next part is a US 2.93 billion "revolver" loan that will be given to Vivendi over six years.

Some analysts are predicting as early as now that industry leader Electronic Arts will get a big run for its money once Activision Blizzard starts rolling. Vivendi owns the Warcraft, Starcraft, and Diablo franchises while Activision has the likes of the Guitar Hero and Call of Duty franchises under its belt.

Article from: QJ

Video: PS3 dies after yellow light of death

Nothing is perfect, and it seems even the Sony PlayStation 3 which can survive 108 hours of torture through freezer vans and sizzling sauna has instances when it fails. Someone going by the name foxracingnumba26 claims his PS3 failed on him indicated by yellow light followed by blinking red, and posted a video to prove it.

In the video below, you'll see the console fail a few seconds after it was turned on. As foxracingnumba26 described on his post at Gametrailers, the green light that shows your PS3 is up and running turns yellow before going red. The unfortunate console owner thus dubbed it the "yellow light of death," taking cues from the Xbox 360's famed red lights of death (aka RROD).

The problem persists even if he tries to repeatedly turn the machine on, so he supposedly told Sony about it. As of now, foxracingnumba26 said he's willing to show further proof in form of pictures to let everyone know that Sony acknowledged the problem and wants the PS3 back. You can watch the PS3's death video below.

Article from: QJ

A year before PS3 steals thunder from Wii

Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter is back with some more predictions concerning the never-dying topic of who will win the seventh-generation console war. This time, he says that the Nintendo Wii will continue its momentum for a year more, then the Sony PlayStation 3 will take command.

The catalyst for this change of momentum, says Pachter, will be pricing. He said that further drops in the PS3's retail value will give consumers the last push to get the machine.

"I think the Wii momentum will last until the Playstation 3 is under US 300, so another year," adds the well-known analyst in the latest issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly.

Those who have been following the console war debate will know that Pachter has had his money on the PS3 from the very beginning. Even in the toughest times of the beleaguered console, Pachter expressed optimism that it will come out on top in the long run.

Pachter could be right, as fiscal 2008 is earmarked as the period when Sony will throw the first wave of big bombs. A revitalized PlayStation Network, the emerging dominance of Blu-ray, the impending launch of PlayStation Home, and the slated releases of big exclusive games like Metal Gear Solid 4, Killzone 2, and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue are all factors being taken into consideration.

The only question that Pachter has to answer now is this: What if PS3 rivals Wii and Microsoft Xbox 360 cut their prices to compete?

Article from: QJ

Wal-Mart apologizes for false advertisement

As we previously posted, Wal-Mart had an ad displaying Haze for $30 and Smash Bros Brawl for $20. Even at that time it seemed a bit fishy.

The internet was raving about the advertised prices and how they seemed suspiciously low, on the Wal-Mart website. As we stated in the original post, we figured that the orders placed for the items would be canceled by Wal-Mart... and it happened. They even offered a $10 gift card to all people who placed pre-orders for the items. Wal-Mart said, "We apologize for our recent video game pricing error and the incorrect information included in our follow up e-mail correspondence with you. As we are always striving to provide a positive customer experience, we will be sending you a $10 electronic Gift Card toward a future purchase as an apology for your recent experience."

No downloadable content for Devil May Cry 4

Updating console games with downloadable content is the norm with next-gen console nowadays, but will extra gaming content be an important factor to make games even more enjoyable? For Hiroyuki Kobayashi, producer of Devil May Cry 4 (PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360), putting out extras aside from the content readily available in the game disc may not be necessary in making the latest iteration of the demon-slaying franchise more appealing and exciting to gamers.

"With DMC4, we feel that we have created a game that has a huge amount of content right out of the box without the need to download extra content," Kobayashi said about about the issue.

Fans of the series need not let the absence of extras dampen the game, however. After all, Kobayashi made sure that Devil May Cry 4 will surpass all of its predecessors.

Check out the rest of the interview here.

Article from: QJ

Rock Band boosts sales - song prices increase

It's another success for the music game genre as Harmonix sells more than 2.5 million downloadable songs from their hit game, Rock Band. This success reminds us of the time when digital music sales were also boosted thanks to Guitar Hero III.

According to Harmonix and MTV Games, the best selling tracks from Rock Band (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3) are from the Metallica Pack, which features the original versions of "Ride the Lightning", "Blackened," and "And Justice for All."

Other hit downloads include tracks from The Police, Queens of the Stone Age, David Bowie and Black Sabbath. Paul DeGooyer, MTV Senior VP of home entertainment, music and games, says we'll be able to see album releases "very shortly."

If you're a fan of Rock Band, you probably have until the end of the month to take advantage of their US 0.99 per song price tag. According to DeGooyer, the price will only be available for a limited time and will become US 2 by the end of the month.

Article from: QJ

Tiberium's exclusive debut trailer

If you're one of the many long-time RTS fans who have come to venerate the Command & Conquer series and you like the FPS genre just as much, EA's upcoming offering Tiberium (PS3,PC, Xbox 360) should appeal to you. It's a tactical FPS spin-off of the popular strategy series, and it's grounded strongly on a plot that happens 11 years after the Third Tiberium War.

The first trailer has just been released, and as expected, it looks great. Licensing Crytek's CryENGINE2 really seems to be paying off for the team over at EA Los Angeles judging by these visuals.

What you'll see when you play the video below is a cinematic premise of the story you'll unfold in Tiberium. Mankind is fighting to stay alive after centuries of conflict within its fold and with alien species, and the only hope is survival is to continue fighting. It looks like we've got another hot prospect from the devs who brought us the Medal of Honor series and Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars.

Article from: QJ

Video: PlayTV and how it works

We have all hear the buzz about PlayTV, however we have yet to see it in action and get the real feel for what it truly is. We all know by now that it is something similar to TiVo for the PlayStation 3, right? The question still remains, "how does this things work and how does it benefit me?" Well, this video should clear up all of those questions. In the video, it will briefly show you exactly what it is, how to hook it up, and a bit of how it will benefit you when you go portable (with your PSP).

The actually release date for PlayTV is still a bit hazy as is the price of the system. Though Play.com did leak a possible date and price (March 28th for £99) this has now been taken off the site. As for now, just watch the video and see if this is something that you fancy.

Four MGS4 characters yet to be revealed

Thus far we haven't been able to get a whole lot of insight on the upcoming PlayStation 3 exclusive, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. I know there are a lot of you out there that are anxiously awaiting more details on the game. Well, Konami's Ryan Payton has some news that just might be pleasing to your ears.

Payton recently sent out a podcast from Japan (where he is currently located) revealing that there are still four major characters in MGS4 who have yet to be shown to the world. He said that there are three returning from previous games, while the forth is new.

At this point, we can only guess who those returning characters might be. If you have been a fan of the franchise, you might be guessing that Big Boss is going to return or possibly Mei Ling.

If you are interested in listening to this somewhat lengthy podcast, just follow the 'podcast' link below.

podcast

Video: first look at Prototype's gameplay

Well, it is finally here. This is the first gameplay preview of the highly anticipated game, Prototype. Radical Entertainment and Sierra Entertainment's Prototype (Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, PC) is anticipated to be an explosive 'sandbox' that allows you to do just about anything from jackin' cars to leaping from one helicopter to another. This is an easy 'idea' to be excited about, but will it play as well we all hope?


"Alex Mercer, the dude who's been a victim of a biological outbreak, can steal choppers in the air and survive exploding tanks - feats that make Tommy Vercetti look like he's living in his own little world of nice things. Radical Entertainment's Chris Ansell talks about what's happening on screen and how co-op will roll in Prototype's hectic action-packed streets, so you don't want to miss the video embedded below."

Source

Industry Explodes With $18 billion in 2007

The US gaming industry hit $17.9 billion in sales over the course of 2007. This shattered records! Halo 3 and Wii Play led the units for sales.

This overtook 2006 sales by 43 percent, according to the NPD group.

NPD analyst Anita Frazier stated, "While I wouldn't count on similar growth in 2008, I would expect to see 2008 increase over 2007, with more growth (proportionately) coming from software sales. While we will continue to see strong hardware sales, particularly if prices come down again, the spotlight now turns from hardware to software."

Total video game software sales were $8.64 billion for the year, which was a 34 percent increase from 2006.

The top-selling piece of software for 2007 was September 2007’s Halo 3 for Xbox 360, selling 4.82 million in the US alone. The Halo 3 juggernaut was followed closely by February 2007’s Wii Play w/ Remote, which sold 4.12 million.

The next in line for video games was the Xbox 360 version of November’s Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, which sold 3.04 million copies.

"Halo 3 captured the top-spot in single-game sales for the year selling 4.8 million units at retail. This performance certainly puts it among the elite in gaming history with performance similar to that of GTA: Vice City in 2002, and GTA: San Andreas and Halo 2 in 2004,” said Frazier.

According to Frazier, "Guitar Hero games sold over $820 million at U.S. retail, a record for any franchise in a single year."

The Nintendo DS and Wii led total 2007 hardware sales with 8.5 million and 6.29 million units sold. Wii has sold 7.38 million units life-to-date while DS has sold 17.65 million life-to-date in the US.

Xbox 360 followed, selling 4.62 million (9.15 million LTD), PS2 sold 3.97 million (41.12 million LTD), PSP sold 3.82 million (10.47 million LTD) and PS3 sold the least, with 2.56 million sold during the year (3.25 million LTD).

"Nintendo has certainly been the belle of the hardware ball this year, capturing the top two spots for hardware units sales for the year with the DS followed by the Wii,” Frazier added. “The DS has driven portable gaming to a new level, and for the second year in a row, the DS has been the top-selling hardware platform."

Top games of 2007 are listed below by unit sales:

360 Halo 3, Microsoft, Sept: 4.82 million
Wii Play w/ Remote, Nintendo, Feb: 4.12 million
360 Call of Duty 4, Activision, November: 3.04 million
PS2 Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Activision, Oct: 2.72 milllion
Wii Super Mario Galaxy, Nintendo, Nov: 2.52 million
NDS Pokemon Diamond, Nintendo, Apr: 2.48 million
PS2 Madden NFL 08, EA, Aug: 1.9 million
PS2 Guitar Hero II, Activision, Nov: 1.89 million
360 Assassin’s Creed, Ubisoft, Nov: 1.87 million
Wii Mario Party 8, Nintendo, May: 1.82 million

Video game accessories were up 52 percent for the year, reaching $2.26 billion.

December rounded out what was already a stellar year. Total December videogame industry sales were up 28 percent to $4.82 billion.

Videogame software generated $2.37 billion, a 36 percent increase over December 2006.

The top-selling game of the month was the Xbox 360 version of November’s Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, which sold 1.47 million in December. Super Mario Galaxy followed close behind with 1.4 million sold, while Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock for PS2 sold 1.25 million.

Nintendo DS and Wii led December hardware sales, selling 2.47 million units and 1.35 million units respectively.

Xbox 360 was a close third with 1.26 million units sold during the month. PS2 sold 1.1 million units, followed by PSP, which sold 1.06 million and PS3, which sold 797,600.

"Both the PS3 and the Xbox 360 realized strong month-over-month hardware sales increases,” said Frazier. “The 360 in particular seems to have benefitted from a killer slate of hardware-acqusiition-driving content including COD4, Assassin's Creed and Halo 3."

Annual game accessory sales were up 37 percent to $621,600.

Top-selling games for December 2007 are below:

1. 360 Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Activision, Nov: 1.47 million
2. Wii Super Mario Galaxy, Nintendo, Nov: 1.4 million
3. PS2 Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Activision, Oct: 1.25 million
4. Wii Play w/ Remote, Nintendo, Feb: 1.08 million
5. 360 Assassin’s Creed, Ubisoft, Nov: 893.7K
6. 360 Halo 3, Microsoft, Sept: 742.7K
7. NDS Brain Age 2, Nintendo, Aug: 659.5K
8. PS2 Madden NFL 08, EA, Aug: 655.2K
9. 360 Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Activision, Oct: 624.6K
10. Wii Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games, Sega, Nov: 613K

Source: Next-Gen

2D Bionic Commando for PSN is amazing

As you may know, CES had a great little demonstration of the upcoming Bionic Commando for PS3. Well, over at PS3 Fanboy, they have an interesting article on the quality of the original, 2D, Bionic Commando remake for PSN. Bionic Commando is not the average game and never has been so it was a very good choice for Sony to supercharge the original and make it available again. Here is the quote from PS3 Fanboy.

"Capcom really knows how to make their 2D remakes worthwhile. Super Street Fighter II features new HD sprites from Udon Comics that make it look absolutely dream-like. Their upcoming Bionic Commando continues the trend. Utilizing assets from the upcoming 3D Commando game, this revival of the NES classic adds new gameplay elements. This downloadable title certainly doesn't feel small budget at all, due to its nice graphical overhaul.

It's been nearly twenty years since the original's release. Ben Judd told IGN that, "We have taken special steps to get feedback and opinions from some of the staff that were working at Capcom at the same time on other titles in order to maintain the 'classic style' of gaming that we feel Bionic Commando Rearmed needed." Let's hope it plays as well as it looks!"

The PS3 is showing off its power agian

Well, once again the Playstation 3 has shown its true colors as being more than just a game console. A professor at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, Guarav Khanna, purchased eight Playstation 3's and combined their power. Using Linux, he and his co-workers are working on some serious scientific research thanks to the power of the Cell processor.

Khanna believes that the 'supercomputer' could be used for more than just scientific research. Most 'supercomputers' have extremely complex calculations whirling around inside of them that can take 1-2 days to computer an answer for a given question. If all schools had a PS3, or a cluster of PS3's in this case, that issue would no longer be a problem. It could also be used as a computer running Linux allowing kids to do work and surf the web with much better performance than they are currently offered.

Playstation Store udates for Jan. 17, 08

Here is the listing of PSN Store updates for January 17. It looks like Sony is really keeping up the quantities in their updates. After the first few updates that had considerably more content than previous, I personally didn't think it would last but I was wrong. So take a look at the list of fabulous updates for today. We will keep you informed of any related information.

-Turok demo (free)
-FIFA Street 3 demo (free)
-Mesmerize: Trace PlayStation Eye "game"
-Tori Emaki PlayStation Eye "game"
-Blast Factor bundle
-Motorstorm "Double Track" add-on pack ($2.99)
-Rock Band downloadable content ($1.99 each)
-Sweet's "Action" (cover)
-The Monkees' "Last Train to Clarksville" (cover)
-Blink 182's "All the Small Things"
-PixelJunk Monsters trailer (free)
-Syphon Filter: Combat Ops trailer (free)
-Lost Planet trailer (free)
-Brother In Arms: Hell's Highway trailer (free)
-Dynasty Warriors 6 trailer (free)
-Borderlands trailer (free)

Michael Rosenbaum lends voice for Dark Sector

When it comes to portraying dark and tormented characters on screen, you have to hand it to Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor from Smallville, anyone?) for a top-notch job of acting. D3Publisher of America, Inc. has decided to call in the award-winning actor to lend his voice for the main character in its upcoming action shooter game Dark Sector.

Rosenbaum will bring to life the character of Hayden Tenno, the hero who is granted inhuman abilities thanks to his mutated right arm. Considering the rather somber attitude of the main character who struggles to control his powers while playing the hero, Rosenbaum is definitely a solid choice to give Hayden a proper voice in the game.

This isn't the first time Rosenbaum has lent his voice to a video game character either. Dark Sector is the third video game title he's voice acted for; his previous roles include Valens from Gladius and Akira Nishiki from Yakuza.

You can catch more of "Lex" once Dark Sector is released this March 25 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 platforms.

Article from: QJ

Infinity Ward dev 'blown away' by piracy on PC

Yet another developer began to rain on the piracy issue of PC gaming, and the one taking to the limelight this time is one from Infinity Ward. In his personal blog, the developer exclaimed that he was "blown away" by the rampant piracy in PC gaming, especially with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Windows PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360).

In an entry sub-headed "They Wonder Why People Don't Make PC Games Any More", fourzerotwo, author of the blog, stated that they've been able to extract statistics on the people who go online to play Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. However, they also detected a good number of those players running on stolen and cracked PC copies. What followed was this:

"Not sure if I can share the exact numbers or percentage of PC players with you, but I'll check and see; if I can I'll update with them. As the amount of people who pirate PC games is astounding. [sic] It blows me away at the amount of people willing to steal games (or anything) simply because it's not physical or it's on the safety of the internet to do."

If you can remember correctly, there were other PC-only game developers who have expressed their dismay of the "growing" piracy scene. id Software was the most iconic, after they revealed that they were finally going multi-platform to keep financially afloat. Epic Games and even Valve Software are following suit, too.

Of course, there's two sides to every story (and yes, that's at the least), so we're bound to hear more flak and feedback from third-parties all over the globe. Stay tuned for more developments.

QJ

Piracy of violent games threatens Saudi youth

Violence in video games and piracy that allow children to easily afford games with their own money are problems even in Saudi Arabia, said a group of educationists after a study conducted in Saudi's capital, Riyadh. A group of young juveniles were involved in the study, and it ended up with a conclusion that 90 of youngsters were negatively affected by violent video games.

According to the study covered by Asharq Alawsat , many young people were unable to distinguish virtual reality from real life. Cited were "evil scenarios" such as combating security forces, destroying state property or violating people in various ways that juveniles wanted to imitate after extended hours of play.

Piracy was blamed by research, saying the complete absence of official censorship coupled with lower than US 2 price tags (as opposed to US 27- 53 prices for legit copies) allow violent video games to spread among children.

The study also noted the lack of games that develop mental abilities and skills, and the how certain games "do not encourage youths to adopt strong values and noble customs and only time is wasted." It also concluded with the idea that "society is facing a critical issue as the danger lies in the fact that video games are interactive," reports the Asharq Alawsat.

Article from: QJ

Midway Austin confirms "routine" layoffs

Midway Austin, one of Chicago-based game publisher Midway's largest studios, has confirmed that "routine" layoffs are underway in their lower ranks. This comes after top management personnel were shuffled off to different assignments.

"The reductions were routine and a function of our current project requirements," a Midway rep explained. "There was one minor concentration of layoffs in Austin due to the completion of a project there, but we are still growing our other teams and studios to fulfill our project needs."

Some pundits, however, believe that there may be a story behind what looks like a bit of restructuring on Midway's part. The reassignments of chief financial officer Thomas E. Powell and marketing chief Steve Allison are being tied into the matter as is the case with resigning chairman Kenneth D. Cron.

Cron will be replaced by former board vice-president Shari Redstone. Shari is the daughter of controlling stockholder Summer Redstone.

Midway has encountered a few bumps in its trek through fiscal 2007, seeing its stock fall to 52-week lows and parting ways with BlackSite: Area 51 (Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, PC) creative director Harvey Smith. It can be remembered that Smith left Midway on a sour note, badmouthing his last project with the company in public.

Article from: QJ

Two new Motorstorm tracks available tomorrow

If you recall, last week we posted about Europe receiving two new Motorstorm tracks in their PSN Store. More than likely you felt a bit mistreated at that point if you are an American. Well, you do not need to be sad any longer. Sony has officially announced that the double track pack will be arriving on the American PSN Store tomorrow.

That is not the only good news though. The track pack will be at a discounted rate in the US PSN Store. $2.99 for two tracks in really a good deal. So, get your $2.99 transfered to your PSN wallet and prepare to be mesmerized by these great new additions to the Motorstorm game!

Stranglehold TV Ad Banned

The ad for the 18-rated third-person action game featured a prolonged shoot-out between four men. During the gunfight a voiceover stated, "Honour is his code. Vengeance is his mission. Violence is his only option. John Woo presents Stranglehold. The next generation of action gaming has arrived."

The ASA received complaints about the advertisement from at least two viewers. One argued that the commercial “glorified violence and gun crime and that it was a dangerous incitement to susceptible people”, while another challenged whether it was acceptable for transmission before the 9pm watershed.

The agency responsible for the commercial, Picture Production Company, said that it had edited the footage to ensure bullets were seen to be fired into mid-air and did not result in any character or person being shot. It also argued that it was clear to viewers that the ad featured animated game play and not real-life violence.

In its assessment of the advert the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said that that the shooting was almost continuous throughout, and noted the realistic appearance of the violence, even though it was computer-generated.

“We considered the voice-over… suggested that it was honorable to seek revenge and that violence was an acceptable solution to a situation,” said the watchdog.

“We considered the ad was likely to be seen as encouraging and condoning violence. Because the issues raised by the ad could not be addressed with a timing restriction, we considered the only solution was to withdraw the ad from transmission completely.”

Midway declined to comment on the ban!

Article from: Next-Gen

Streaming media from Mac to PS3, easily

Being the owner of Mac, I was recently very interested in how to 'easily' stream media from my Mac to my PS3. It can be difficult to find easy-to-understand tutorials on how to do just such things. While browsing for such a tutorial, I finally found a terrific post on AppleSource.

With the advent of the next-generation consoles like Sony’s PS3 and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 there has been a surge in interest in the usage of media streaming capabilities these consoles offer for its users. In the first of a two-part series we’ll endeavour to explore free alternatives to achieving this with a Mac acting as the media streaming server.

In part one we’ll focus on getting your Mac to work with the PS3 console, and part two we’ll take a how to do this on the Xbox 360.

What is media streaming?
Media streaming is a functionality that enables the playback of media files, such as music, photos and even videos over one’s local network on supported devices. With this functionality you no longer need to transport these media files from your computer to the playing device — saving time and hard disk space.

If you are interested in getting the full scoop an step by step instruction on how to easily setup your Mac to be compatible with PS3 media streaming visit you can read more here!

Blu-ray capabilities unique to PS3

The future-proofed PS3, which is one of the cheapest existing Blu-ray players on the market, features inbuilt hardware and online access that enables users to upgrade the system’s Blu-ray capabilities as time goes by.

However, owners of other Blu-ray players may find themselves unable to enjoy future developments in the technology because their machines are not upgradeable, reports the BBC.

The problem appears to have arisen because, unlike the HD-DVD camp, Blu-ray backers failed to devise a concrete standard relating to system requirements for the platform upon its launch. This meant that it wasn’t mandatory to include internet functionality in players which would allow users to download firmware upgrades and access newly released features.

Philips’ Frank Simonis, who is European chairman of the Blu-ray Disc Association, acknowledges that it is "not an ideal situation", although he suggested that high definition playback itself, as opposed to extra features, is the most important thing to Blu-ray shoppers.

Later this year the Blu-ray camp will introduce Profile 2.0, dubbed BD Live, which will allow players which support the feature, such as the upgradeable PS3, to connect to the internet and download content including ringtones, trailers and photos.

The battle for supremacy in the high definition format war between the Blu-ray and HD-DVD camps recently took a turn in favor of the former when Warner Bros. announced that it was ditching HD-DVD support in order to focus exclusively on Blu-ray distribution.

Article from: Next-Gen.biz

Bluetooth Headset mod for PS3, PS2, and PSP

Here is an interesting mod that I read about today for using a bluetooth headset with your PSP to voice chat wirelessly while playing your games in multiplayer mode. N3M3515 is the mastermind behind this modification and it has also enabled N3M3515 to run wireless voice chat on the PlayStatin 2, which was tested with SOCOM: Combined Assault.

The mod also allows you to use the Bluetooth headset while running the same PS2 game on a PS3 (with backwards compatibility.) N3M3515 explained that this not normally possible as PS2 titles are not coded to use the PS3's Bluetooth capabilities.

If you would like to try this mod for yourself, you'll need these components:

-PSP Remote
-PSP Headset plug (4 Conductor)
-Cardo BTA II Bluetooth Adapter
-2.5 mm Stero (3 conductor) Plug for PSP USB Box
-USB Box from a PS3 headset
-Bluetooth Headset

Those who think they're up to following N3M3515's mod attempt can find the full instructions by visiting the source linked below.

Source

Call of Duty 4 tops UK's Chart Track

Though shaken by Nintendo's More Brain Training from Dr. Kawashima last week in the UK, Infinity Ward's latest war shooter wasn't deterred from taking back the top of the Chart Track list. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare from Activision rose to the occasion once again this second week of January, beating back both Brain Training titles from Nintendo in the top three most units sold in the week ending January 12.

In the all-platforms front, EA Sports' FIFA 08 withdrew from the throne to allow Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare to ascend. Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed leaps to the third spot, while EA's The Simpsons Game loses some steam to land on fourth. Fifth seat goes to four-spot jumper Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock from Activision, just above the only non-mover of the week, Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 from Konami.

EA Black Box' Need for Speed: ProStreet throttles down to number seven, but manages to stay on top of biggest jumper and yet again new top-10 entry, Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training. More Brain Training from Dr. Kawashima drops one spot to ninth, with SEGA's The Golden Compass closing last week's top ten top sellers.

In quick summary, last week's top ten sellers on all platforms are:

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Infinity Ward, Activision)
FIFA 08 (EA Canada, Electronic Arts)
Assassin's Creed (Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft)
The Simpsons Game (Rebellion, Electronic Arts)
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (Budcat Creations, Activision)
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (Konami Digital Entertainment, Konami)
Need for Speed: ProStreet (EA Canada, Electronic Arts)
Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training (Nintendo, Nintendo)
More Brain Training from Dr. Kawashima (Nintendo, Nintendo)
The Golden Compass (A2M, SEGA)

Article from: QJ

THQ acquires Big Huge Games

The last time we picked up on THQ and developer Bii Huge Games, both groups were in the spotlight to discuss their yet-to-be-named RPG project for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.

The two companis' ties can only get tighter as of late, as THQ has announced plans to acquire BHG. THQ's executive VP Jack Sorensen expressed his company's optimistic outlook regarding the new deal:

"The acquisition of Big Huge Games is a big win for THQ as we continue to expand both our internal development capabilities and our portfolio of owned intellectual properties. The talent at Big Huge Games has an outstanding history of developing top-selling quality games and we look forward to their creation of many exciting new owned franchises for THQ."

To its credit, BHG hosts noted developers like Brian Reynolds, Jason Coleman, Dave Inscore and Tim Train. These four are well-known for the development of titles like Rise of Nations, Alpha Centauri, and Civilization II. Train, president and COO for BHG, had this to say on their side of the news:

"We are extremely excited to become a part of THQ. We believe their passion for games, developer support, and understanding of the creative process is without parallel in the industry. THQ provides an ideal environment to help us develop new, innovative games for both core gamers and mass market."

The acquisition is expected to conclude soon. According to the deal's conditions, BHG is to become a wholly owned subsidiary of THQ. It will, however, retain all its managers and employees, implying that work on their mystery RPG project should go uninterrupted. The financial details of this transaction are yet to be revealed.

Article from: QJ

December 2007 console sales forecast

The folks over at NPD will be handing in the official December sales soon, and analysts have already sent in their forecasts about how it will turn out, including Michael Pachter and Colin Sebastian. This time, it's simExchange's turn to give gamers and anyone interested their own insight about the December sales turnout.

Quite remarkably, simExchange's predictions (as presented by Jesse Divnich) for December 2007 show Xbox 360 soaring high with 1.45 million consoles sold, maintaining its lead ahead of the PS3 (which scored about 854,000 units sold). However, Nintendo's Wii still maintained its lead with a total of 1.73 units.

As for the handheld gaming arena, Nintendo's ever-popular DS is still sitting on a lofty position with an estimated 2.9 million units sold, with the Sony PSP trailing behind at 1.03 million units.

More updates to come!

Article from: QJ

Atari debunks Alone in the Dark January Release

Good news (and this time, it really is good news): remember the earlier article that mentioned the supposed delay of the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC versions of Alone in the Dark by Epic Games? As it turns out, it was just a rumor that was easily dismissed by an Atari spokesperson.

So instead of a sad September release, the versions of Alone in the Dark for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC are still a go for an Easter release (that's around March and April).

As for the Nintendo Wii and PS2 versions of Alone in the Dark - both developed by Hydravision - there's no currently no news about them being delayed so far, so at this point we can expect a prompt release for Alone in the Dark on all five platforms. More updates as we get them!

Article from: QJ

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune success and future

In an interview of That Video Game Blog with Evan Wells, co-president of Naughty Dog, the success of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune's and future plans were the topics of conversation.

Metacritic gave Uncharted: Drake's Fortune an average score of 89 out of 100. Asked what they feel about this, Wells said:

"We are very pleased with the critical response that we have received. Particularly that the scores have been so consistent. There really hasn t been a single reviewer who hasn t enjoyed the game and the vast majority of the scores have been 9 s or above."

Given the success that the game has established, a sequel should be in the making, no doubt. As for the plans of the company to develop a game following Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Wells said, "We ve also only just started brainstorming on ideas for our next project. Nothing has been solidified yet."

Along with their ideas on developing sequels that will follow, upgrades such as downloadable content were also discussed. With the coming of the PlayStation Home in the near future, Wells disclosed that, "We aren t planning any downloadable content for Uncharted, but we are planning to take advantage of whatever kind of integration into Home that s possible."

There you have it. Evan's Wells' thoughts on the success of their game and what we could expect from their company in the future. If you want to read the complete interview, you can head on over to the source link below.

We'll be keeping you posted for more information on the game as they come.

Article from: QJ

Bioshock team looking for PS3 developers

2K Boston, the team behind the wildly success Bioshock, is looking for a number of PS3 programmers. "PS3 and production experience using Python or Ruby will be highly regarded" for the Tools Programmer position. "Experience with PS3 development is highly desirable." for the Senior Console Programmer position. "PlayStation3 experience highly desirable" for the Programmer position.

Something has us thinking that the 2K Boston team is making a PS3 game. Just call it a hunch. Of course, this is in stark contrast to previous rumors that they were avoiding PS3 altogether. Could the sequel to Bioshock be coming to PS3? Considering 2K's acquisition of the team, we say it's very likely.

Article from: PS3 Fanboy

Sony hiding 20 secret projects for PS3?

An insider at Sony Computer Entertainment let the word out that the game division had at least 20 secret projects allegedly for the Sony PlayStation 3, two of which come from Team ICO. Other studios such as Project Siren (Forbidden Siren) and Team Saru (Ape Escape) were also mentioned taking part in the development of the said games.

Now that's interesting, because in mid-fall last year, Sony's top man, Kazuo Hirai, mentioned that Team ICO were actually working on a "sequel". Obviously the question "The sequel to what?" was raised, but few particulars were milked from Team ICO and Hirai. In fact, there's nothing rock solid yet.

Yet another sighting has raised eyebrows in the East: a recent patent for "The Last Guy" was spotted in Japan according to Gamefront.de (external link). The patent is seemingly for Sony Computer Entertainment Japan. Speculating third-parties believe that the phrase could be a subtitle of a Sony game in the works.

There was no clarification if any of the 20 titles were for the PlayStation Portable, but we may hear more that may change that in the near future.

Article from: QJ

"Knock It Off" HD DVD for Inevitable Blu-ray Victory

For all of you who are following the battle between Blu-ray and HD DVD, here is some interesting news from Home Media Magazine that is posted on the official Blu-ray website. Thomas K. Arnold, HMM, has asked that HD DVD steps down instead of delaying the inevitable victory that Blu-ray is sure to have over HD DVD. Here is a quote of the story:

"Home Media Magazine, the weekly industry magazine which alerts retailers and those inside the home media industry to news and releases, has posted a statement to the HD DVD Promotional Group: "Knock it off". Stating consumer confusion as the reason for lack of consumer adoption of high definition home media, magazine contributor Thomas K. Arnold has asked that HD DVD step down instead of delaying the inevitable Blu-ray victory.

With Warner Home Video dumping HD DVD, the format has the support of just two of the six major studios. It cannot win. At best, it can be a spoiler, but I'm hoping Toshiba, Universal and Paramount will take the high road and, for the good of the entire industry, bow out. Universal and Paramount, in particular, need to jump on the Blu-ray Disc bandwagon so we can go into the new year with a unified front and a unified mission: To educate consumers about the advantages of high-definition media and convince them the time to transition from standard DVD to Blu-ray is the day they bring that HDTV into their home."

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