The Console Wars: 05.29.2005 | Xbox 360, Playstation 3 PS3, Revolution

Saturday, June 04, 2005

Final Fantasy XII to PS2 Square Enix to support PS3

Image Source: spong.com

Square Enix Makes Final Fantasy XII PlayStation 2 Commitment, Underlines PS3 Support

"In the wake of E3, confusion reigned as gamers struggled with rumour and misinformation regarding the final platform on which the long awaited Final Fantasy XII would reside. Various publications ran news claiming that the game had been shifted away from PlayStation 2 in favour of a next-gen outing alongside Sony’s new machine.

According to SE today, this isn’t the case. The firm announced, “…Final Fantasy XII will be released on the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system in fiscal year 2005 in Japan and fiscal year 2006 in North America.” No mention of a European date was made, however; strange as the press release received by SPOnG came from Square Enix Europe.

The release continues, “In addition, plans to bring a Final Fantasy title to the PlayStation 3, Sony Computer Entertainment’s next generation computer entertainment system that is currently in development, are just beyond the horizon.”"

Looks like the FFXII for PS3 was speculation at this point.

¶ D.Vader // 6/04/2005 09:13:00 PM // PermaLink //

PlayStation 3 Game Wish List on Gamestats.com

Image Source: gamestats.com

PlayStation 3: PlayStation 3 Wishes
"Tell us which PS3 games you are most looking forward to.

Last month's E3 brought us a slew of new game announcements, painting a clearer picture of what to expect from the next round of consoles. We've diligently added all the new games to our database and, judging from our record-breaking traffic in May, you've been busy reading all the information we've posted about them.

Now that you've had time to digest all the info, we're asking you: which PlayStation 3 games are you looking forward to? Select the games you're interested in from the list below (click the check boxes, and hit the 'add' button -- the service requires a free IGN user name to work). You have the option to add notes, turn on email alerts, and rank the games on your list, but more importantly, your choices directly impact a variety of services:"

PS3 Games Wishlist, cast your votes now.

Related Links:
GameStats.com

¶ D.Vader // 6/04/2005 09:12:00 PM // PermaLink //

Xbox 360, I am your father

Image Source: engadget.com

Xbox 360, I am your father

"So this photo has been floating about and we thought y’all might like to have a gander at the Xboxen Family Photo Album. The photo was taken by the much lesser-known (and as yet unphotographed) third cousin of the Xboxes."

¶ D.Vader // 6/04/2005 09:06:00 PM // PermaLink //

Miyamoto happy with the Nintendo route

Image Source: jaybibby.com

Nintendo: Innovation is dying
"Mario creator Miyamoto discusses what's wrong with the video game industry today

This might come as something of a shock to the gaming world, but Shigeru Miyamoto – the man who created Mario, Donkey Kong and Zelda – really doesn't feel like playing games these days.

'There's not a lot I want to play now,' he told me recently. 'A lot of the games out there are just too long. Of course, there are games, such as 'Halo' or 'Grand Theft Auto,' that are big and expansive. But if you're not interested in spending that time with them, you're not going to play.'

What he misses, he said, are games you can pick up and play – something the company hopes to accomplish with its next generation home console, currently code-named 'Revolution'.

Nintendo deliberately avoided giving too many details about the Revolution at the E3 conference this year, frustrating some fans who felt the company did not fight back against the PR onslaught of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Miyamoto didn't offer any firm details either, though he did offer a few more vague hints about how the system would be different."

¶ D.Vader // 6/04/2005 09:04:00 PM // PermaLink //

Friday, June 03, 2005

Next Grand Theft Auto not locked up for PS3

Image Source: gtafrance.com

Next Grand Theft Auto not locked up for PS3

"In an interview with TheStreet.com, Take-Two Interactive CEO Paul Eibeler tells the online publication that the home for the next Grand Theft Auto installment has yet to be determined.

Eibeler told TheStreet that the company is taking a 'wait-and-see' attitude to the market and will study it to see whether an exclusive deal will benefit the company.

...

An exclusive deal with a console manufacturer to debut the next installment could be a major factor in next-generation console sales. Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo are all striking deals to have games appear only on their next-generation systems in order to secure games that can't be played on rival systems.

Pubishers will take a more careful approach to development in the next video game wars. As development costs skyrocket in the competitive game market, sales are far from guaranteed and publishers must devote resources wisely. Midway recently announced that it would have launch titles for the Playstation 3 but not the Xbox 360, although the company does have titles in development for Microsoft's next-generation machine."

¶ D.Vader // 6/03/2005 07:30:00 PM // PermaLink //

Halo 3 to launch when PS3 launches

Image Source: bungie.com

Halo 3 to eclipse PS3 launch

"Expectation rises for Microsoft to 'pull a Halo' once more as US e-tailer takes pre-orders for Halo 3

US online retail website GameStop.com is taking pre-orders for Halo 3, citing a 1 June 2006 release, despite the fact that the game is yet to be officially announced.

Following yesterday's online retail shenanigans - which revealed expected dates and prices of Xbox 360 games, plus news that Burnout Revenge will come to Xbox 360 after all - it seems the next-gen game release rumour-mill is firmly in motion.

It's fairly safe to assume that Halo 3 is indeed on the way but as for the 1 June date... well, this will no doubt change depending on Sony's PS3 plans.

Microsoft will want to release the next instalment to its biggest franchise right alongside Sony's PS3 launch - just as Halo 2 hit the shelves alongside Sony's introduction of the slimline PS2 hardware late last year. "

¶ D.Vader // 6/03/2005 07:01:00 PM // PermaLink //

ATI Looking to Extend Microsoft Partnership

Image Source: biz.gamedaily.com

ATI Looking to Extend Microsoft Partnership

"ATI Technologies is providing the graphics chip at the heart of the Xbox 360, but it appears they would like to do more with Microsoft than just the 360. As ATI's business expands beyond graphics cards for personal computers, the company is increasingly looking to provide graphics solutions for other multimedia devices and Microsoft could be a part of that strategy.

Ontario, Canada-based ATI Technologies Inc., a leader in graphics solutions for PCs, cell phones, game consoles and other multimedia products, recently indicated that it would like to continue working with Microsoft in the future, not just for the upcoming Xbox 360 next-generation platform. "

"The opportunity is to do much more together [with Microsoft] in a range of devices, and that's what we want to do because we believe this technology is ultimately redeployable in different forms," Dave Orton, ATI CEO

¶ D.Vader // 6/03/2005 06:56:00 PM // PermaLink //

IGN's Best of E3 2005 Awards

Image Source: ign.com

IGN's Best of E3 2005 Awards

"Welcome to IGN's annual Best of E3 Awards. Although there were over 1,000 titles shown at this year's E3, there were a few that stood head-and-shoulders above the rest. A few days after E3, we lock ourselves in a room and vote on what we think are the best games of the show. There's some arguing, some scratching, some biting and a whole lot of hugging, but eventually we end up with a list of quality titles that we're all happy to call the 'Best of E3.'

In case you're wondering about our criteria for the winners, with the exception of one category (namely 'Best Non-Playable Presentation'), the nominees for all of our categories have to be playable at the show. We want to know for sure that the titles we vote on are being manipulated in real-time, so although we do acknowledge some truly badass presentations with at least one award, the bulk of our awards are for real-time gameplay.

Without further adieu, we present to you our overall winners for the Best of E3 2005. After you're done here, be sure to check out our platform awards as well, which are linked at the bottom of this page."

¶ D.Vader // 6/03/2005 06:50:00 PM // PermaLink //

Eidos confirms Tomb Raider Legend for Xbox 360

Image Source: tombraiderchronicles.com

Eidos confirms 'Legend' for Xbox 360

"As we reported earlier this week, Eidos has today confirmed that a version of Tomb Raider Legend - now under the aegis of Crystal Dynamics - will debut on Microsoft's Xbox 360 (Xbox 2) entertainment console and Sony's Playstation Portable, although did not specify a release date.

Eidos announced the return of Lara Croft earlier this year on Xbox, PS2 and PC. However, during the company's financial reports, Xbox 360 and PSP versions were dropped into the equation. Although Eidos initially refused to comment on whether next-gen platforms would be supported, the company now confirms development is in progress.

Tomb Raider Legend is a return to the original properties of the series, according to Eidos. A revamped control system provides intuitive and fluid character movement coupled with a dynamic animation system that puts focus on continuous motion, giving Lara the ability to seamlessly handle any obstacle and interact dynamically with any surface.

Physics, water and fire systems bring the perilous environments of Lara's world alive, and challenge the player to improvise solutions to obstacles. Crystal Dynamics have drawn up five mammoth areas which seamlessly intertwine, providing cinematic & exotic locations including ancient tombs, dangerous jungles, snowy mountain ruins and numerous unexpected surprises in between."

¶ D.Vader // 6/03/2005 04:44:00 PM // PermaLink //

DOA Code: Cronus coming to Xbox 360

"Itagaki says Team Ninja's delayed title is now coming to Microsoft's next-gen console; Tecmo out of the current-gen Xbox game after Ninja Gaiden Black.

Dead or Alive Code: Cronus was originally announced for the Xbox at the Tokyo Game Show back in 2002, but after three years of silent development, the game is getting a platform change. In an interview published in the latest issue of Famitsu Xbox magazine, Tecmo producer Tomonobu Itagaki revealed that Dead or Alive Code: Cronus' development has been shifted to the Xbox 360.

Itagaki apologized for Dead or Alive Code: Cronus' delay, saying he couldn't return to developing the game on the current Xbox after noticing the capabilities of the 360. But Itagaki said that Temco will still be releasing Ninja Gaiden Black and Tecmo Classic Arcade for the current-gen Xbox. He hopes that gamers will enjoy the two titles, which he said will be the last games developed by Tecmo for the console."

¶ D.Vader // 6/03/2005 03:56:00 PM // PermaLink //

90 Million PS2s Shipped

"Milestone reached in record time

Today, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) announced that they have shipped 90 million PS2 console units worldwide. This includes more than 21 million units in Asia, 36 million units in North America, and 32 million units in Europe and PAL territories. This milestone was reached in 5 years and 3 months, which is 2 years and 3 months faster than the original PlayStation did.

In excess of 5,000 different PS2 games have been made worldwide with over 800 million copies shipped. 2004 alone saw the shipment of 252 million software units. The new slim line PS2 (SCPH-70000 series, for the technical minded) shipped more than 16 million between November 2004 and March 2005."

¶ D.Vader // 6/03/2005 03:52:00 PM // PermaLink //

MICROSOFT STRATEGY ON HIGH-DEF UNCLEAR

"The world might at last know the identity of Watergate's Deep Throat, but Microsoft's intentions toward the high-definition DVD business still remain a mystery.

Many high-def watchers had expected Microsoft's Xbox 360 game console to be equipped to play HD DVD discs, using a blue-violet laser, when the next-generation machines are released later this year. But when the Xbox 360 was unveiled in May, on the eve of the annual E3 tradeshow, the DVD drives were red-laser only.

That seemed to leave Microsoft at a disadvantage to Sony, whose PlayStation 3 console, unveiled a few days later, is built around the Sony-developed Blu-ray Disc high-def format. Sony hopes PS3 console sales will help build the installed based of Blu-ray playback devices and boost the format's appeal as a high-def movie format.

In turn, Blu-ray's success as a movie format will boost the appeal of PS3 as a home entertainment platform, helping Sony's game business.

Meanwhile, though Microsoft doesn't have the sort of direct interest in HD DVD that Sony has in Blu-ray, its decision not to include a comparable blue-laser-based high-def movie option in the Xbox 360 was puzzling to many. More mysterious still has been Microsoft's continued coyness over just what sort of playback the 360 will support."

¶ D.Vader // 6/03/2005 03:48:00 PM // PermaLink //

Nvidia Unveil New GPU Technology Soon

"Nvidia looks likely to lift the lid on its latest PC GPU technology and perhaps provide a further glimpse of the PS3...

Nvidia look set to unleash its next-generation graphics card technology at a US event on June 21st, leading to suggestions that further information on the Playstation3 RSX GPU will come to light at an “evening of full-throttle entertainment”.

The G70 chip is reported to be dubbed the GeForce 7800 GTX upon its release, rumoured to pump out 860 million vertices per second, 64-bit floating point texture filtering and blending, and featuring support for DirectX9.0, OpenGL 2.0 along with Nvidia's CineFX and Intellisample engines.

We’ll have more information soon."

¶ D.Vader // 6/03/2005 03:45:00 PM // PermaLink //

Polyphony Digital's Vision GT Playstation 3 screens

Image Source: themanroom.com

Polyphony Digital's "Vision GT" Playstation 3 screens

"The unveiling of another entry by Polyphony Digital into the Grand Turismo series came as a surprise to no one in attendance at E3. Offered as a minute-and-a-half trailer, Vision GT boasts an obvious attention to environmental detail with photo-realistic scenery, animated pit crews and bystanders that move, react and share the same shadowing as the cars. We suspect what was shown is still very early in the development cycle and the finished product will be sharper than these already mouth-watering screens.

Between Vision GT and Project Gotham Racing 3, racing fans will be sporting a huge grin for many months starting this Fall. Count us in on both."

¶ D.Vader // 6/03/2005 03:41:00 PM // PermaLink //

Nintendo Revolution’s classic Nintendo games will be free

Image Source: joystiq.com

Nintendo Revolution’s classic Nintendo games will be free

"Wow. Good move. When we spoke with Nintendo about the price of their classic “emulated” games on the Revolution, they were coy and left the pricing up to our imaginations. I assumed they’d follow the GBA model — 10-12 bucks for a classic would be fair. But George Harrison of Nintendo just sprung a surprise. Classic Nintendo titles will be free. Buy the console, take it home, plug it in and start playing your old faves. They’ll have to be careful not to offer too much out of the gate. After all, you want people to spend money on the software. But as far as exciting services to offer with their new hardware, it’s hard to come up with a better idea."

Related Links:
Nintendo vice president speaks

¶ D.Vader // 6/03/2005 03:41:00 PM // PermaLink //

PlayStation 3: Stranglehold Goes PS3

Image Source: ign.com

PlayStation 3: Stranglehold Goes PS3

"Midway bursts into the next gen with all guns blazing. First video and details of John Woo and Chow Yun-Fat's action-packed thriller.

After revealing that it would be supporting Microsoft's Xbox 360 at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo, Midway confirmed with IGN today that it would be supporting the PlayStation 3 as well. This means that to capture the intensity and potential of both next generation consoles, Midway will present its upcoming Stranglehold as its first unique convergence of motion pictures and videogames.

Scheduled for 2006, Stranglehold is a third-person action-adventure designed to capture the balletically-choreographed action and freeze-framed sequences that Director John Woo is so well known for. Starring Chow Yun-Fat as Hard Boiled character Inspector Tequila and taking place in Hong Kong and Chicago, this hyperkinetic, all-guns-blazing action game is sure to grab action fans and knock them out."

¶ D.Vader // 6/03/2005 12:22:00 PM // PermaLink //

Xbox 360 release dates and software pricing revealed

Xbox 360 dates and software pricing revealed

"EBgames and Play.com make pricing suggestions. Plus: Burnout 360

Retailers EBgames.com and Play.com have added product pages for Xbox 360 launch games to their listings, with both sites displaying higher-then-normal prices for software, indicating a new pricing trend for next-gen titles.

Both sites are listing games such as Dead or Alive 4, Call of Duty 2, Tony Hawk's American Wasteland and Project Gotham Racing 3, with titles carrying a price tag of $59.99 on EBgames.com and a RRP of £49.99 on Play.com - that's higher than the price of current-gen new releases by $10 for US games and £10 for UK titles.

With regards to dates, EBgames has all its titles pencilled in for a 1 November release, nicely hinting at the US date of the hardware itself.

Play.com goes one better by having the console actually listed along with the software, both carrying a 29 November release date, which, when compared to the EBgames date, works out about right - Microsoft has said there would be a three to four week gap between the US and UK launch.

Play.com also has the console available for pre-order at a staggering £399. This, however, is unlikely to be the final price, though, given that J Allard only recently told the press that Xbox 360 would be 'in the neighbourhood' of $300.

Also, despite only having been confirmed for PS2 and Xbox, Burnout Revenge has appeared on both EBgames and Play.com's Xbox 360 listings, seemingly confirming that EA is bringing the game to next-gen consoles after all."

¶ D.Vader // 6/03/2005 12:20:00 PM // PermaLink //

First look at Fifth Phantom Saga for Playstation 3 PS3

Image Source: themanroom.com

First look at Fifth Phantom Saga for Playstation 3

"One of the more bizarre Playstation 3 games debuted by Sony at E3 had to be Sega's Fifth Phantom Saga. At first glance this first person shooter doesn't look like anything special, that is until the floating glowing blue ghost is recognized as a friend and not a foe. Apparently this phantom will always be there, floating in the corner of screen, ready to carry out commands issued to it. Think of it as a cool looking giant swiss army knife.

There's sure to be much more revealed about the abilities of the phantom and other twists Sega plans on including over the rest of this year and into next. As long as the phantom adds to the gameplay in a unique manner without becoming an annoyance by blocking the action, Sega may be on to a neat new addition to the tired FPS genre."

¶ D.Vader // 6/03/2005 12:16:00 PM // PermaLink //

Nintendo Revolution Game List

Revolution Game List

"Set up your own personal Nintendo Revolution game wishlist.

Last month's E3 brought us a handful of new game announcements, painting a clearer picture of what to expect from the next round of consoles. We've diligently added all the new games to our database and, judging from our record-breaking traffic in May, you've been busy reading all the information we've posted about them."

It doesn't appear that these are all definites, but it should give you an idea of what titles the are at least thinking about. I don't think Kid Icarus has been done since the 8-bit days!

Animal Crossing Revolution (Nintendo 2007)
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Revolution (Square Enix TBA)
Kid Icarus Revolution (TBA TBA)
Killing Day (TBA 2006)
King Kong (Ubisoft France 2006)
Legend of Zelda Revolution (Nintendo 2007)
Mario Revolution (Nintendo 2006)
Metroid Prime 3 (Retro Studios TBA)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (Eurocom 2006)
Super Smash Bros. Revolution (Nintendo TBA)
The Darkness (Starbreeze AB TBA)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell 4 (Ubisoft Montreal 2006)

¶ D.Vader // 6/03/2005 11:59:00 AM // PermaLink //

Bling Bling! 24 carat gold-plated Xbox on eBay

Image Source: ebay.com

eBay of the day: 24 carat gold-plated Xbox

"Somebody went and hacked Willy Wonka’s golden geese and put the results up on eBay. If you thought the Xbox 360 was gonna be expensive…"

Image Source: ebay.com

Auction ends Jun 4th!

Related Links:
UNIKAT!! Vergoldete Xbox - 24crt - gold plated Xbox

¶ D.Vader // 6/03/2005 11:49:00 AM // PermaLink //

Thursday, June 02, 2005

Killing Day & The Getaway Screens for Playstation 3

Image Source: themanroom.com

First "Killing Day" screens for Playstation 3

"Ubisoft's FPS entry into the next-generation storm at E3 surprisingly came in the form a new franchise, Killing Day for Playstation 3. Little is known at this time about the game other than what appears in these screens which were taken from a short demo at the Sony E3 Press Conference. What we do know is the game promises a lot of explosive action the current generation of consoles are unable to support. In order for us to believe that, we'll need to see something with a bigger wow factor than thugs getting gunned down by dual-wielded pistols in a ritzy shopping mall."

Image Source: themanroom.com

Early screen tests for "The Getaway" on Playstation 3

"These early screen tests will give you an idea of the level of detail SCE Studios Soho has already injected into the pub riddled city even at this early stage of development. Look closely and you'll see people performing different leisurely tasks, the corner of a newspaper slightly wrinkled, cars moving in traffic patterns and realistic glaring sunlight adding an extra level of realism to the entire scene. The processing power of Playstation 3 will no doubt deliver a breathtaking representation of downtown London like no game has before."

Related Links:
Killing Day
The Getaway PS3

¶ D.Vader // 6/02/2005 08:28:00 PM // PermaLink //

Fight Night Round 3 Demo Impressions PS3

Image Source: ign.com

Fight Night Round 3 Demo Impressions

"The general consensus among most of us here in the IGN war room, is that Sony's 2005 E3 press conference was the best of the bunch. Boasting a ton of in-game, out-of-game, and tech demo footage, the PlayStation 3 unveiling was a roaring success. One of the biggest reasons for that reception was the excellent in-game demo of the upcoming EA Sports Fight Night Round 3 boxing title. Developed once again by the team at EA Chicago, Fight Night Round 3 is already the best looking boxing game in history -- and it's not even close to finished yet."

The folks at IGN have given their impressions of the Fight Night Round 3 demo.

Related Links:
EA Sports Fight Night Round 3

¶ D.Vader // 6/02/2005 07:46:00 PM // PermaLink //

Q&A: Nintendo Vice President George Harrison

Image Source: gamespot.com

Q&A: Nintendo Vice President George Harrison - GameCube News at GameSpot

"NOA's marketing and communications chief talks about the Revolution, Game Boy Micro, and the future of gaming.

At this year's E3, both Microsoft and Sony showed off their new consoles, the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, with much fanfare and flashy tech demos. Not so in Nintendo's case. While it did show off a prototype of its Revolution console, it preferred to keep its cards close to its chest. The company did not show any next-generation gameplay, nor did it reveal the unit's controller, where the real "Revolution" reportedly lies.

But as far as Nintendo senior vice president of marketing and communications George Harrison is concerned, that's just fine. Like fellow speakers president Satoru Iwata and vice president of sales and marketing Reggie Fils-Aime, he believes Nintendo's long-standing history of innovative gameplay and its ever-popular franchises will trump anything rolled out by its rivals. He also hinted that the Revolution will be more powerful than expected, and that Nintendo is making an effort to make it the easiest next-generation console to develop for.

The Revolution also marks a reversal of sorts for Nintendo. It includes DVD playback functionality, giving the console the multimedia functionality that Nintendo railed against when it rolled out the games-only GameCube. It will also have a major online component, with built-in Wi-Fi and an Xbox Live-like multiplayer. But it will also have a distinctively Nintendan touch, allowing users to download every NES, SNES, and N64 game and play it on the Revolution's built-in emulators.

Despite analysts giving it the bronze medal of the big three E3, Nintendo talked tough at its E3 conference, proudly showing of the new Zelda and the iPod mini-sized Game Boy Micro. But with Microsoft and Sony hogging all the press, how does Nintendo intend to regain the headlines--and stave off a two-pronged assault in the next generation of gaming?"

This interview is a few days old. I wanted to post it just because Nintendo hasn't given us much news to go on lately.

¶ D.Vader // 6/02/2005 07:44:00 PM // PermaLink //

PlayStation 5 predicted to be as powerful as the Human Brain!

Image Source: cnn.com (AP photo)

Brain downloads 'possible by 2050' - May 23, 2005

"By the middle of the 21st century it will be possible to download your brain to a supercomputer, according to a leading thinker on the future.

Ian Pearson, head of British Telecom's futurology unit, told the UK's Observer newspaper that the rapid advances in computing power would make cyber-immortality a reality within 50 years.

Pearson said the launch last week of Sony's PlayStation 3, a machine 35 times more powerful than the model it replaced, was a sign of things to come.

'The new PlayStation is one percent as powerful as the human brain,' Pearson told the Observer. 'It is into supercomputer status compared to 10 years ago. PlayStation 5 will probably be as powerful as the human brain.'"

Great, that's all we need is dead friends and relatives hoggin up our system resources. Now I wanna know if you will be able to do a "death match" in Quake 25 vs. your dead relatives and friends?

¶ D.Vader // 6/02/2005 07:12:00 PM // PermaLink //

Xbox 360 Peripherals & Accessories - High Resolution Pictures

Image Source: teamxbox.com

Xbox 360 Peripherals - High Resolution Pictures

"Today, we bring you high resolution pictures of some Xbox 360 peripherals. Available this holiday season in Europe, Japan and North America, Xbox 360 is the next-generation video game and entertainment system that places gamers at the center of the experience. "

Items profiled:

Xbox Live Camera
Xbox 360 Headset
Xbox 360 Memory Unit
Xbox 360 Universal Media Remote

¶ D.Vader // 6/02/2005 12:26:00 AM // PermaLink //

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

So where was the Phantom at E3?

Image Source: tweakers.net

So where was the Phantom at E3?

"One of the big surprises to emerge from E3 2004 was Infinium’s Phantom console, available for test in playable form on a really rather impressive booth, complete with plasma TV’s, girls and free T-shirts, seeing the firm covering all the tradeshow bases.

“...Infinium Labs is dedicated to launching the Phantom
Game Service and has committed its full attention and
resources on product rather than trade shows. We
continue to achieve significant and well publicized
milestones and are well on our way to delivering to
consumers a compelling end-to-end, video games
on demand solution.”

This year there was nothing. Not a murmur, prompting many to assume the Phantom was, as expected, living up to its name and disappearing into the darker space surrounding capital investment in the technology sector.

SPOnG contacted Infinium CEO Tim Roberts for clarification of the issue last night, eager to find out why the no show had occurred. He came back to us to say, “This is our company’s statement to the public regarding E3: Infinium Labs is dedicated to launching the Phantom Game Service and has committed its full attention and resources on product rather than trade shows. We continue to achieve significant and well publicized milestones and are well on our way to delivering to consumers a compelling end-to-end, video games-on-demand solution.”

So according to the firm, all is well. However, one would imagine that at least a meeting room at this year’s event to discuss “significant and well publicized milestones” wouldn’t have been too much to ask.

We’ll keep you updated with any and all Phantom news as the saga plays itself out. Stay tuned."

Related Links:
infiniumlabs.com

¶ D.Vader // 6/01/2005 06:43:00 PM // PermaLink //

Sony Boss Kutaragi Slams Microsoft

Image Source: cnn.com (AP Photo)

Sony Boss Slams Microsoft - News at SPOnG.com

"President of Sony Computer Entertainment Ken Kutaragi has launched a savage attack on Microsoft’s ongoing Xbox project, declaring the firm’s offering is “not a threat” to the PlayStation brand.

“Microsoft is trailing behind us and is not a threat,' Kutaragi declared. 'It is good at improving, but we will be advancing to the next level with revolutionary technology. Beating us for a short moment is like accidentally winning a point from a karate master and Microsoft is still not a black belt.'

And Kutaragi-san, a well established proponent of anti-PR, wasn’t finished. In the same piece, as published in a Japanese newspaper yesterday, he continued, “'Like with Microsoft's operating systems, it might come out with something good around the third-generation of their release.'"

My ninja style is superior to your ninja style! Prepare to DIE!

¶ D.Vader // 6/01/2005 06:41:00 PM // PermaLink //

HDRI (High Dynamic Range Images) & RSX on PS3

Image Source: grabageek.net

"Chief among the improvements in [the Playstation 3's] visuals is a strong focus on HDRI (High Dynamic Range Images) For me, this is more important than any other effect a game could have to immerse you into it visually. Some PC games are starting to experiment with HDRI but the results are not quite there yet. PSX 3 has it down and it's magnificent to see in action.

To achieve more realism in games, it has been traditional to use larger and larger texture maps, which don't pixelate as badly when you get up close to them. PSX3 breaks away from this ball and chain of ever decreasing performance through larger textures which become harder to shift around in real time by finally realizing nVidia's dream of a purely shadier powered environment.

PSX 3 has enough power to rely completely on pixel shaders to adorn its 3d models and together with HDRI and real-time soft shadows, modest use of texture mapping types and volumentrics/caustics you have a realism that really has never been seen before in not only a console, but any PC game either."

Image Source: grabageek.net

This article provides quite a compelling argument for the PS3, and elaborates on why the heads of Sony call Xbox 360, Xbox 1.5. It focuses on the details the PS3 will be able to provide. The piece is PS3 biased, but the author hits on some things that have not been discussed to death.

Full Story: Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Nintendo Revolution head to head

¶ D.Vader // 6/01/2005 06:33:00 PM // PermaLink //

Halo 3 for Xbox 360 On Sale $59.99

Image Source: Gamestop.com

Gamestop.com - Halo 3

"Halo 3
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: Bungie Software
Platform: Xbox 360
Category: Action,Shooters,Online
Pre-Release ETA: 6/1/2006
Price: $59.99"

Gamestop.com is selling Halo 3 for $59.99. Now there hasn't even been as much as a screen shot to be released yet. YThis can be filed under ridiculous!

¶ D.Vader // 6/01/2005 06:25:00 PM // PermaLink //

Blu-Ray is Ramping up (Prototype up to 200GB)

Image Source: blu-ray.com

Bullish release from Blu-ray claims its discs can be made for around the same

"Sony has developed equipment to streamline the disc mastering process by reducing the eleven steps currently used in DVD mastering to five for BD-ROM. This mastering process, Phase Transition Mastering (PTM), requires as little as one-fifth of the space required for DVD mastering and the equipment can be configured to allow mastering of both BD-ROM and DVD-ROM on a single system. The first two commercial machines are for Technicolor and Cinram for Q2, 2005 installation.

With these developments in the industry, replication facilities in the United States are setting up and preparing to mass produce BD-ROM Discs. Technicolor is establishing a complete pilot BD disc manufacturing process by July 2005. Cinram already has a pilot replication line that produced demo discs for CES 2005 and is awaiting the delivery of commercial lines.

“Fox is pleased to see the increasing number of technology companies and materials vendors committing to Blu-ray implementation, which is reducing costs to promising levels through technological breakthroughs and innovation,” said Danny Kaye, SVP Technology and Research Strategy at Twentieth Century Fox. “We look forward to continued technological progress along with developments in content protection.”

In addition to ramping up for mass production of the 50GB discs that will be available at format launch, Blu-ray has begun work to ensure that the format continues to grow as high-definition technology evolves. Blu-ray companies have successfully demonstrated 200GB discs in a laboratory environment and are poised to further expand the format’s capacity as needs dictate.'"

¶ D.Vader // 6/01/2005 06:06:00 PM // PermaLink //

Video Game Controller Family Tree

Image Source: axess.com/twilight/

Sock Master's Video Game Controller Family Tree

"How did the current home-console controllers come to be? How have they evolved? You may have noticed some similarities between the current generation controllers, or between them and the previous generations of controllers. So, how do they all tie together?"

¶ D.Vader // 6/01/2005 01:47:00 PM // PermaLink //

Play.com offering Xbox 360 with free shipping! (In the UK)

Play.com (UK) - Free Delivery - Xbox 360 - Search Results: Xbox 360

Play.com is offering the MicroSoft Xbox 360 for £399.99 Delivered ($725USD 6/1/05). They quote the availability as "Due for release on 29/11/2005".

Considering Microsoft has not yet announced the price or the exact ship date of the Xbox 360, I think this might be premature!

¶ D.Vader // 6/01/2005 09:55:00 AM // PermaLink //

Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Ubisoft Open to Purchase by Media Conglomerate

"Ubisoft Chairman and CEO Yves Guillemot is apparently open to an acquisition by a large media company. He would not say which companies Ubisoft had been talking to, but analysts have suggested Disney, Time Warner and Vivendi Universal as possibilities. And if the company manages to stay independent, Guillemot believes that Ubisoft will double its value in the next two years.

Ever since Electronic Arts announced back on December 20 of last year that it had acquired 19.9 percent of French publisher Ubisoft, making EA the largest shareholder and giving the company 20.88 percent of the voting rights, the industry has been rife with speculation that a full buyout of Europe's third-biggest independent publisher is imminent.

More than five months later Ubisoft remains independent, but how long will that last? Could a purchase by a large media conglomerate be in Ubisoft's future?

...

In talks with media companies
Despite all this discussion about independence, Guillemot also told reporters at E3 that he would still be open to an acquisition/merger. Moreover, he said that Ubisoft has actually been in talks with entertainment companies. Guillemot refused to say which media groups Ubisoft had been in contact with, but some analysts believe that companies such as Time Warner Inc. or Walt Disney Co. are very real possibilities."

Well if EA doesn't gobble them up it looks like maybe Time Warner might clobber Ubisoft as an Encore for what they did to AOL.

¶ D.Vader // 5/31/2005 08:10:00 PM // PermaLink //

Bandai / Namco to support Nintendo Revolution?

Bandai to support Nintendo Revolution?
"Namco could follow suit as companies prepare for September merger

Bandai, the owner of popular gaming franchises Gundam, Digimon and .hack, has announced plans to produce games for the Nintendo Revolution, according to a report on Japanese website FujiSankei Business.

The news means that fellow Japanese giant Namco is also likely to support the Revolution, since the two companies are set to merge this September. Together they will form NamcoBandai Holdings, which will be the third largest games company in Japan.

Nintendo had not confirmed the report at the time of writing. The company has previously stated that 'strong third-party support' for the Revolution is expected along with exclusive content from 'key second-party developers.' Square-Enix is already hard at work on a WiFi-enabled version of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicle."

¶ D.Vader // 5/31/2005 08:03:00 PM // PermaLink //

Nintendo Revolution - Last but not least... 2006 / 2007

Image Source: nintendo.com

Nintendo Revolution Penned for Late 2006
"Possibly even Spring 2007 for Europe

The current word on the street is that Nintendo's next-gen Revolution console will launch towards the end of next year in North America first, followed shortly after in Japan and lastly the European PAL territories:

'With Xbox 360 out later this year and PS3 slated by Sony for a spring ’06 launch, Nintendo refused to be drawn on its own timings during last week’s pre-E3 conference call.

But speaking to MCV after the event, a senior Nintendo source outlined the company’s current thinking. 'Revolution will launch towards the end of next year,' the source said. 'We’re currently looking at mirroring the DS strategy, so Revolution would release in the US first in November, closely followed by Japan – then we’re looking at March 2007 for PAL territories.''

Entering the race last on nearly all territorial fronts has lead to fears that the Revolution will be playing a deadly game of marketshare catch-up in an uncomfortable position behind its competitors, like the PlayStation 3 which will debut earlier that year. In Nintendo's defense, it's still not clear just when Sony's console will actually hit North America after its planned Spring 2006 launch in Japan (if it even makes that), and no real reassurance has been given regarding PS3 for Europe by 2006 to boot. The Revolution will definitely trail Microsoft's Xbox 360 by practically a year, however; Microsoft is betting on a global launch for their console by Q4 this year.

Will the revolution Nintendo hopes to deliver to their faithful be able pull them through Sony and Microsoft's launch titles? Q4 2006 might be considered fashionably late for North America and Japan, but Spring 2007 is definitely a long way for our friends in Europe."

Related Links:
Spring ’07 launch for PAL Revolution

¶ D.Vader // 5/31/2005 08:01:00 PM // PermaLink //

Hideo Kojima reveals details on Metal Gear Solid 4 for PS3

Hideo Kojima Interview

"Q: Is there anymore you can tell us about the storyline or the location for MGS4?

A: If you see the trailer for MGS4, you see we have the concept of 'No place to hide'. That's the kind of the message how MGS4 is going to be. That doesn't mean that Snake will no longer hide or the game is no longer a stealth game. It will be a stealth game, however the situation will change because in the past there was a concrete wall of a building or some jungle where Snake could hide. But in the event like in the trailer, when a bomb explodes in a building, he has no place to hide because the environment might move or might fade away getting destroyed. There might be situations where Snake cannot hide so that's why we say 'No place to hide'.

That's the biggest hint and I hope you understand that I cannot say anymore about it. Also, another hint is that you will probably get another feel of a stealth game. In the past MGS series it was very clear the good guys against the bad guys, Snake against someone so Snake had to sneak in some enemy's base. But this time it won't be simply A versus B, there will be more groups like A, B, C, D, there will be more complex situations where it's not your everyday hero versus the villain. That's another point of the theme "No place to hide". There might be a situation where according to your situation or who you stand for there might be no place to hide so you get a totally different feeling even though it's still a combat stealth game. "

¶ D.Vader // 5/31/2005 02:45:00 PM // PermaLink //

Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima unsure of PS3 development

Hideo Kojima unsure of PS3 development

"Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima has stated in a recent interview with Boom Town that he is not sure if developers will be able to live up to Sony's expectations on PlayStation 3.

Kojima told BoomTown.net he believed developers might be able to do more with their budgets on Nintendo's Revolution console, and that starting Xbox 360 development might also be easier than PlayStation 3.

Concerns over the difficulty of programming for PlayStation 3 have been a hot topic in the lead up to the next generation of games consoles, with Sony seemingly unashamed to have a platform whose intricacies could act as a filter of lesser devcos. However, speaking at the PlayStation 3 unveilling ahead of E3 a fortnight ago, where real-time footage was shown of PlayStation 3 performance using the Unreal engine 3, the demo developers' remarks included that they had found the PS3 easy to develop for.

Full details of both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 have now been announced, but Nintendo has avoided showing any footage of what is expects to compare to the console or revealling specs of the machine's innards. Nintendo shares next-generation partnerships with long time allies ATI, which developed the Xbox 360 GPU, and IBM, which co-developed the PlayStation 3's Cell processor.

Kojima is yet to begin development on PlayStation 3."

So far there hasn't really been any complaints from PS3 developers. This is the first I have seen and as the article explains, Kojima has not used the PS3 development system.

Related Links:
Boomtown.net Hideo Kojima Interview

¶ D.Vader // 5/31/2005 02:42:00 PM // PermaLink //

Unreal 3 Engine Demo on Playstation 3

UNREAL 3 ROARS ON PS3

Image Source: epicgames.com

"Wobbly Cam debuts as we secure footage from Epic's PS3 ...er epic - and it's a corker

Perhaps you're a Sony addict or maybe a Microsoft aficionado - or perhaps you swing both ways, who are we to judge? Anyway whichever side of the biscuit you lick, Epic's Unreal 3 engine is going to be a massive part of your next-generation experience.

With Unreal 3 being the engine of choice for Xbox 360 and also ploughing a mighty furrow on PS3, there's probably going to be no escaping Epic's all-conquering engine in the next generation - and a good thing too in our book, because from everything we've seen, it's going to be an absolute stormer.

But why take our word for it when you can see the Unreal 3 engine in action on PS3 all for yourself? Why indeed as today C&VG debuts the first in what we hope will be an ongoing multimedia visual type experience thing, with our new patented Wobbly Cam technology, which we deployed to show the Unreal 3 tech in action at Sony's Monday E3 press conference. "

If you haven't missed this video check it out. You may need to sign up for the host, but it's worth it.

Related Links:
UNREAL 3 ROARS ON PS3

¶ D.Vader // 5/31/2005 01:08:00 PM // PermaLink //

Ubisoft fights off Electronic Arts

Game maker Ubisoft fights back

Image Source: bbc.co.uk

"French game maker Ubisoft has appealed to shareholders to resist overtures by US games giant Electronic Arts (EA).

Last December, EA snapped up a 20% stake in one of Europe's largest video game makers.

Since then, Ubisoft has been fighting what it considers a hostile bid.

At the recent E3 games expo in Los Angeles, Ubisoft boss Yves Guillemot urged shareholders to hold on to their stocks, saying the value of the company would double in the next two years.

'We are working hard to remain independent,' Mr Guillemot told the BBC News website.

Gallic pride

Ubisoft has a portfolio of more than 1,000 games titles and 2,300 developers in studios in Canada, China, France and the US.

We are in a business of creation. We need to keep the creativity and that is the value of the company
Yves Guillemot, Ubisoft It has enjoyed success with games such as Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon and Prince of Persia.

EA, the world's largest games company, showed an interest in Ubisoft in December when it bought 20% of the firm.

The move by the American giant provoked strong feelings, with the French press seeing it as an assault on the Gallic gaming industry.

For Mr Guillemot, who started Ubisoft with his four brothers in the mid-1980s, this was unwelcomed attention.

"We know those guys are around," he said, referring to the EA interest. "

¶ D.Vader // 5/31/2005 11:03:00 AM // PermaLink //

Square Enix's Final Fantasy set for PS3 and Xbox 360

Final Fantasy set for PS3 and Xbox

"Famed Japanese development company Square Enix is putting a foot in both camps in the next-generation console race, producing Final Fantasy XII for the PlayStation 3 and Final Fantasy XI online for the Xbox 360.

Square Enix's president Yoichi Wada managed to front up to both Sony and Microsoft's pre-E3 press conferences on May 16, showing loyalty to both camps.

The move seems a safe bet for the company, as after E3 presentations of both machines, no clear leader has emerged.

But as we all know, it's early days for the consoles, and at the end of the day, it's all about the games."

Image Source: square-enix.com

¶ D.Vader // 5/31/2005 10:28:00 AM // PermaLink //

Monday, May 30, 2005

Iomega 850GB Jumbo DVDs coming — but at what price?

National : Jumbo DVDs coming — but at what price?

"`Size Does Matter' — if you want to be pack leader in the optical storage business. And the latest contender for the title of `Digital Godzilla' has just stomped into the arena, promising a jumbo-sized offering that dwarfs all rivals in the field. United States-based storage player Iomega, has announced, it has been granted two optical storage patents, that if converted into a production process, can turn out Digital Versatile Disks (DVDs) with a mind-boggling 850 giga bytes (GB)capacity — that is 850 billion bits of information. This will make the devices about 100 times bigger than the biggest DVDs available today — and with at least 20 times more capacity than the next-generation high-density formats being readied for year-end availability.

...

Experts believe the transition from patent to product could take anything from two to five years. Today's 4.5 GB DVDs (9 GB, double sided) are set to be replaced by the high-density formats expected by end 2005."

¶ D.Vader // 5/30/2005 08:12:00 PM // PermaLink //

Three new game systems battle it out PS3 Revolution Xbox 360

Three new game systems battle it out

"Video gamers love a battle royal. And they're surely licking their lips in anticipation of the next Battle of the Boxes among Microsoft's Xbox 360 (aka X360), Sony's PlayStation 3 (PS3) and Nintendo's Revolution.

All three systems were unveiled at the recent E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) trade show in Los Angeles, with pre-combat position statements justifying the looming warfare and the heavy investments to make the formats fly.

MIGHTIEST OF THE MIGHT: Microsoft executives blustered at their press conference that Xbox 360 is the 'world's most powerful game system' and predicted that the console would reach an audience of 'one billion' customers.

Given that Sony's cumulative world sales of the most successful PlayStation systems are currently at the 190 million mark, you gotta wonder what the Microsoft gang's been smoking."

¶ D.Vader // 5/30/2005 07:44:00 PM // PermaLink //

Sony Playstation 3 Controls Gamer Mindshare

Playstation 3 Controls Gamer Mindshare

"According to GamerMetrics (cool stat tracking site), the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 enjoyed a 60% 'mindshare' of E3 (PS3: 34%/Xbox 360 26%), followed by 17% GameCube, 10% Playstation 2 and 5% PC. Hand-helds and the Xbox had less than 6% between them.

Despite coming out of the gate after the significant excitement about the Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation3 surprised some by garnering the lion's share of interest in the console war. IGN Entertainment's GamerMetrics, a leading videogame business intelligence tool analyzing awareness, engagement, and purchase intent of more than 20 million gamers, showed that the PlayStation3 and Xbox 360 were the buzz of the show, enjoying a more than 60% mindshare among the network's 2.1 million daily unique visitors.

The top 5 most popular games per traffic were The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Metal Gear Solid 4, Killzone, Devil May Cry 4 and Vision GT."

¶ D.Vader // 5/30/2005 07:41:00 PM // PermaLink //