Posts filed under 'Gaming'
Pre-Christmas figures suggest that Wii has trumped the PS3 in the holiday shopping stakes, outselling its rival at the rate of 2 to 1.
However, both consoles sold less units that the Xbox 360, meaning that Microsoft must be starting to feel just a little bit confident that it might be the ultimate winner.
The reasons behind Wii’s outselling of the Nintendo console are clear. Despite being lower spec, having a daft name and not even playing DVDs, it is more fun. The buzz around Wii easily eclipses that of the PS3 and a straw poll of TechSmec Towers confirms that the latest iteration of the PlayStation is perceived as just that - a small step forward, whereas the Nintendo console is a paradigm shift in gaming with its revolutionary control method and a games line up that is created with gaming in mind rather than the latest visuals.
December 28th, 2006
If you needed a sign that the Nintendo Wii is going to belie its ridiculed name and challenge both the PS3 and the Xbox 360, then take a look at the news from the States where games retailer Gamestop has already sold out its preallocated supply. It did so on the very first day that preordering opened.
Preorders for the PS3 are still open, several days after they commenced.
So, at a glance the news looks extremely good for Wii. Anecdotal reports from across the pond suggest queues for Wii were longer than for the PS3 and more diverse as well. However, the headline stat does not provide the complete picture. Because of production delays with the PS3, Sony has reduced the number of PS3s available for preorder by a fourth. Each Gamestop store may only be getting a number of units in the low teens. At least Sony is being open about the figures.
Wii is suffering no reported production problems, but even so, Nintendo has not yet confirmed store by store availability. So each Gamestop manager has to guess, and with the prospect of sobbing children and angry parents on their threshold if they get it wrong, most will be guessing on the conservative side.
So Wii’s selling out its preorder allocation is not too surprising, as no one is entirely sure what that allocation is.
Most analysts expect Wii to be a plucky loser to the PS3 and today’s news only goes a little way to challenging that expectation.
October 17th, 2006
A Florida judge has struck a blow against the needless censorship of games, by throwing out a complaint against Rockstar’s, soon to be released, Bully.
Attorney Jack Thompson has demanded a ban on the sale of Bully in Florida, claiming that it breaches a nuisance law that prohibits activities that can injure the health of the community (yes, even if you argue successfully that Bully is a disturbing premise for a piece of entertainment, it’s hardly a nuisnace to the community).
Thompson referred to Bully as a “Columbine simulator” which doesn’t stand up to any scrutiny. For a start, Bully doesn’t involve firearms. The most dangerous weapon that the protaganist has access to is a baseball bat. Columbine involved a group of reclusive youths from a firearms obsessed society living out a violent fantasy. Bully is about a downtroden pupil at a private school using his fists to firstly defend himself, then to rise through the ‘ranks’ until he’s the biggest bully in the school. And a bully is all he remains, not a murderer.
Judge Friedman said that, although Bully contains violence, the video game exposes players to less violence than they would encounter watching television. He spent an hour and a half watching a Rockstar employee playing the game before coming to a decision.
October 17th, 2006
Logitech today announced the Logitech X-540 speaker system, an affordable surround-sound system designed for gamers, which solves two distinct problems: The X-540 system enables people to enjoy the experience of
surround sound even with two-channel audio sources, by including matrix surround-sound technology. And for those playing games using a flat-panel display with no convenient place to set a center-channel speaker, Logitech’s patent-pending integrated center-channel clip gracefully and securely attaches the speaker atop the monitor, saving desk space.
With a dedicated center channel and acoustically matched front and rear satellites, the Logitech X-540 system produces balanced surround sound. The X-540 speakers use Logitech’s Frequency Directed Dual Driver technology.
This technology helps the speaker system produce richer sounds by having two drivers in each satellite speaker. It also overcomes high-frequency overlap that leads to uneven sound.
Pricing and Availability
The Logitech X-540 speaker system is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe beginning in November. Its suggested retail price in the U.S. is $99.99.
October 11th, 2006
In an unusual move, Nintendo has launched its DS Browser in Europe, while continuing to neglect the USA.
The DS Browser, developed by Opera, has been available in Japan for half a year. It comes in the form of a cartridge that plugs into the DS. There are two varieties - one for the standard DS and one for DS Lite.
Nintendo claims that any web page can be displayed, although there is no Flash capability yet. Pages can be viewed in a single column, spreading across both screens, or in ‘DS mode’ where the entire page is shown on the bottom screen, with a zoomed-in section on the top.
The Opera Browser for the DS and DS Lite is priced at £29.99 (about $56) in the UK and across Europe at €39.99 (around $50).
October 9th, 2006
Logitech today unveiled the Logitech ChillStream controller for PlayStation3, the company’s first product designed specifically for Sony’s next-generation gaming platform. Logitech’s patented ChillStream technology includes a built-in 40 mm fan that circulates up to 3.41 cubic feet of air every minute, while generating very little noise. Three narrow vents on each side of the controller push air directly onto the four fingers, the base of the thumb and the palm of the hand. The air stream can be used in one of three settings – high, low, or off. The Logitech ChillStream controller for PlayStation 3 has a suggested retail price of $39.99 in the U.S. The controller will be available in the U.S. when the PlayStation 3 launches in November.
In addition to the ChillStream controller, Logitech has announced that several of Logitech current game controllers are also compatible with the new PlayStation 3 console: the award-winning Logitech Driving Force Pro wheel Logitech Driving Force EX wheel and the Logitech USB headset for PlayStation will also work with PlayStation 3 games in addition to legacy PlayStation 2 titles.
October 5th, 2006
Logitech today unveiled a new game controller with an innovative built-in fan-based cooling system, designed to keep the hands of gamers cool and dry – even during intense competition. The Logitech ChillStream controller for PC is the only new game controller to offer this exclusive, patented technology.
“We’re always evaluating the different kinds of materials and technologies that can help make the gaming experience more comfortable,” said Ruben Mookerjee, Logitech’s director of product marketing for gaming. “But for intense action-games, there is nothing that can substitute for moving air – it’s the best way to keep hands cool and dry. This new controller offers Logitech’s unique ChillStream hand-cooling technology without compromising on the size and design of the controller. And the fan is extremely quiet – you’ll know it’s on only because you can feel the air cooling your hands.”
Logitech’s exclusive ChillStream Technology includes a built-in 40 mm fan that circulates up to 3.41 cubic feet of air every minute, while generating very little noise. Because of the fan’s compact size, Logitech can deliver the ChillStream feature in a standard-size controller. Three narrow vents on each side of the controller push air directly onto the four fingers, the base of the thumb and the palm of the hand – the three areas of the hand that need cooling most. The air stream has three settings – high, low, and off. The air vents are recessed from the surface of the controller and rubber linings surrounding the vents are flush with the surface – making the vents barely noticeable to the touch during gaming.
The plug-and-play, full-speed USB Logitech ChillStream controller for PC works on Windows XP computers (with the latest service pack), and will work with Windows Vista when Microsoft’s new operating system becomes available. The controller’s stylish silver-and-black color scheme is
accented by the metal grille covering the air intake at the base of the controller. The controller features Logitech’s patented floating D-pad, which uses four points of contact instead of a single pivot point – a design that resists side-to-side tipping inherent in other controllers, making the controller more precise. The controller’s analog stick has been machine-tested to perform at least one million circular revolutions, ensuring that it can handle the rigors of gaming over a long period of time.
The Logitech ChillStream controller for PC will be available in the U.S. and in Europe, beginning in September. It has a suggested retail price of $39.99 in the U.S.
August 22nd, 2006
The number of Playstation3 units expected to be available by the end of the year is 2 million. However, according to Sony Computer Entertainment American president Kaz Hirai, not a single console has yet rolled off production lines, meaning that Sony is going to have to knock out one new unit every minute from now until Christmas to meet its target.
“We haven’t started manufacturing yet. Some of our ops guys were actually just in China, and also in Japan just reviewing the [production] lines and everything else,” said Hirai in an interview with Gamespot. “But they are, again, preparing as we speak to get the manufacturing going.
He then went on to admit that a date had not yet been set for production to start.
Sony appears to harbour no aspirations of actually meeting demand. “I think it’s going to be very much of a challenge to be able to meet every single unit demand that’s out there in the market,” said Hirai. “That’s just a logistical impossibility.”
August 21st, 2006
EA is milking its Lord of the Rings license as much as it can (and why shouldn’t it?). The latest announcement is an RPG based on the film trology, or at least, inspired by the world of the film trilogy.
The Lord of the Rings, The White Council is scheduled to ship in late 2007 for the PC, Xbox 360 and PS3.
“Our extremely talented and dedicated team is committed to creating an incredible new experience for fans of The Lord of the Rings and role playing gamers,” said Steve Gray, executive producer, The Lord of the Rings, The White Council. “With its next generation gameplay and epic new storyline, we think The Lord of the Rings, The White Council will be a huge success.”
Players have the freedom to explore the open world of Tolkien’s Middle-earth in The Lord of the Rings, The White Council. Players can choose their role as a man, an elf, a dwarf, or a hobbit. Each role’s destiny is to become a hero allied with the White Council, whose members include the famed characters Gandalf, Saruman, Galadriel, and Elrond.
A combination of stunning graphics and expansive environments, along with the freedom of movement demonstrates the innovation and quality of the next-generation RPG, where players can create their own adventures.
July 15th, 2006
Envizions has announced that the Evo: Phase One media entertainment console will go on sale via the internet October 20, 2006 priced at $679.95The system will ship with the Akimbo video on demand application pre-installed, plus, customers can apply an additional discount on over 1,600 games from the Evo: Direct store upon purchase of their EVO unit.
Evo: Phase One combines computer, media center, and PC gaming into one unit. The system will also boast amazing graphics supported by the Sapphire RADEON HDMI X1600 Pro graphic card. The Sapphire RADEON X1600 Pro has 12 pixel pipelines that provides the highest graphics performance in its class even for shader intensive gaming; equipped with 128MB of DDR3 memory and this model features clock speeds of 500MHz (core) and 800MHz (memory). Other key features include customized liquid cooling system, built-in biometric fingerprint reader and digital video recording features. EVO is designed much like a PC, customers can purchase extended warranties and get next day onsite assistance or 24/7 IT phone service and remote access service packages. The system’s online and networkability will be more apparent in phase two and customized games will be available as the systems continue to expand. EVO will give customers the option to upgrade certain aspects of the system. The EVO: Phase One will offer one package option, with the suggested retail price of $679.99. The package will carry one wireless PC game controller and an EVO: Direct discount card. Other accessories will sell separately. In addition, customers can order customize EVO paint applications upon request.
Derrick Samuels CEO and Founder reported today. “Evo will be one of the first true gaming hybrid consoles that will be built -to-order with few restrictions, but at the same time offer a platform that will constantly evolve to suit the customer’s need. Evo is a computer but it will also provide the entire family the opportunity to access the different applications throughout the home via wireless network.” Samuels added, “The final hardware units should be done in late August and is greatly improved from the unit displayed at E3 this year in Los Angeles. Upon request units will be available for review. Envizions’ goal is to build on quality, service and reliability. To reward our customers we plan to ship all pre-orders first since the unit will have limited release qualities available at launch.
July 12th, 2006
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