SEGA Rally demo on Xbox LIVE Marketplace

Single-player demo gives Xbox 360 owners a sample of the off-road action.

SEGA Rally is shaping up very nicely, and looks back on track to its glory days following a less than spectacular effort on the PlayStation 2.

Thanks to the power of the current crop of consoles the rally stages will now change over time, with tire tracks appearing as mud is churned up beneath each rally car. This not only looks great but also affects the way cars move around the circuits.

The single-player demo weighs in at 691MB and should be available right now on Xbox LIVE Marketplace. The final game is set for release on September 28 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PSP and PC.

Wii Zapper Training Kids to be Killers?

In a recent post over at Wii Fanboy, a ruckus of sorts is being made by some over protective parents against Nintendo’s upcoming Wii Zapper. Apparently these wacky would-be parental figures think having a Wii controller resembling anything remotely like a gun is reckless and irresponsible on Nintendo’s part.

The New Jersey Star-Ledger’s Parental Guidance blog’s most recent Question of the Week centered around the attachment, and it seems to have some folks alarmed. One commenter said, “I think it’s irresponsible for Wii to come out with a controller that looks like a gun so kids can play games simulating shooting. What kind of message are we sending as parents when we buy these things for our kids?”

Oh, yes. The original NES Zapper included with my game cartridge of Duck Hunt certainly made me want to go out and shoot my dear old dog when I was 10 years old. I certainly turned out to be the homicidal maniac my parents always feared.

Give me a break. What’s next? A nation-wide ban on Super Soakers? Talk about missing out on your childhood.

Project Gotham Racing Goes Gold

Microsoft Game Studios and Bizarre Creations have announced that 'Project Gotham Racing 4' has gone gold.

To celebrate the game being released to manufacturing, Bizarre has also announced that the 'PGR4' website has also gone live.

It can be found at www.pgrnations.com.

The site contains a full vehicles list, information on the car and motorcycle manufacturers, and the official Achievements list.

Originally slated for a September release, 'Project Gotham 4' will hit European shelves on October 12 for the Xbox 360 for a recommended retail price of £44.99.

George Harrison, Nintendo US Marketing Chief, Steps Down

The Nintendo Marketing Chief, George Harrison, announced in an telephone interview with Reuters that he is leaving the company.

In June there were rumors that some Nintendo officials will leave the company, following Nintendo’s decision to relocate its sales and marketing staff from Redmond, Washington to San Francisco and New York, but Nintendo denied the reports.

Still it seems that the rumors were true and George Harisson is one of those who have chosen to not move to California. "I have confirmed to all employees that I will be leaving at the end of December and not making the move to California," Harrison told Reuters by telephone.

George Harisson joined Nintendo 15 years ago as Director of Advertising and Promotions and in 2001 he moved up to Senior Vice President, Marketing and Corporate Communications.

Harrison’s departure occurs while Nintendo has hit an all time high with its Wii console.

According to the latest data released by NPD Group in August Nintendo Wii has achieved again the first place in terms of sales with 403,600 units. This mean that until now Nintendo sold only in US 4.0 million consoles. During the same month the company managed also to sell 383,300 Nintendo DSs.

So far he Wii-makers said that in the April-June quarter the company sold 3.43 million Wii machines worldwide, which means that the total number of the units sold is 9.27 million units.

From these 3.81 million were sold in the Americas, 2.95 million in Japan and another 2.51 million in other territories.

According to VGChartz.com, Wii has already surpassed Xbox 360 as the next gen console with the largest install base, having sold 10.57 million units in less than a year, compared to 10.51 million units Microsoft’s gaming rig managed to sell in almost two years on the market.

Earlier this year George Harrison said that Nintendo expects to sell as many as 35 million Wii consoles in the United States and approach the record 38.2 million PlayStation 2s sold by Sony. Harrison indicated also the year in which Nintendo hopes to achieve its goal: 2012.

40GB PS3 set to ruin Halo 3 launch

THIS WEEK'S gaming news has been dominated by Halo 3. Let's hope it settles down once the game is finally released.

The game is expected to propel 360 console sales, which are already reaching new highs.

While the Nintendo Wii was the best-selling console in North America last month, the Xbox 360 outsold the Playstation 3 by more than 2 to 1.

According to analysts the NPD Group, via Eurogamer, 403,600 Wii units were shifted during August while DS sales stood at 383,300. Falling up in third place was Xbox 360 after a $50 price cut boosted sales to 276,700. Sony sold 151,200 PSPs and 130,600 PS3s.

Xbox 360
Microsoft's proprietary wireless feature of the 360 is becoming the bane of many developers due to the licensing fees - causing the Rock Band bundle from Harmonix to come with a wired guitar for the Xbox and a wireless version for the PS3, explains OXM.

The bundle is already set at a staggering $199.

There's always the odd pointless disassembly that gets coverage on the interwibble, but this one has to take the biscuit - the internals of the the Xbox 360 messaging pad.

Here's a more sensible unboxing.

Lets hope the pad will also arrive in the new controller colours announced by Microsoft - black, blue and pink.

Microsoft and Bungie have reportedly banned a Halo 3 fan from Xbox Live for more than 7,000 years after he got his hands on the Halo 3 Epsilon test build.

The gamer who goes by the name of 'Scar' says he won't appeal the ban.

We suspect that people purchasing early released copies of Halo 3 on Ebay may also receive similar bans.

In his latest research note to investors, Wedbush Morgan's Pachter said, "The top September release is expected to be Microsoft’s Halo 3 (360), which we expect to sell over 3 million U.S. units in its first 12 days."

"We expect the game to be a driver of console sales, and believe that Microsoft’s unit sales for the 360 could exceed 400,000 in September, the highest figure for a non-holiday month since launch."

Pachter also believes Sony could attempt to spoil the party.

PS3/PSP
Pachter notes that should whisperings about a Playstation 2 price cut to $99 and the release of a new $399 40GB PS3 turn out to be more than just rumors, the Tokyo Game Show would be an ideal venue for Sony to make such announcements.

“We think that both of these ideas have merit, and note that Sony Computer Entertainment president Kaz Hirai is the keynote speaker at next week’s Tokyo Game Show. If the rumors are true, we cannot think of a better forum for making such an announcement, given that the event is less than a week before the launch of arch-rival Microsofts Halo 3."

The analyst also stated in the past that he believes that the $599 80GB PS3 will be available for $499 once the 60GB version is out of stock. But he now expects another PS3 price cut 'no later than April' of 2008 to $399 for the 80GB version. This could possibly spell doom for the 40GB version, or an even lower price point for the entry level PS3.

Sony released another small firmware update for the Playstation 3 this week, bringing it to version1.92. The addition apparently only updates the PS3’s backwards compatibility.

The PSP firmware has also been updated to version 3.70 in Japan, with US and European updates to follow soon.

Version 3.70 which works on the new PSP Slim & Lite as well as the older model, although some features are specific to one or other model.

New features include the ability to set custom themes, while videos can now be searched through and played sequentially. You can also listen to music while browsing photos now.

An SCEE spokesperson has confirmed to Next-Gen.biz that Lair is the first Playstation 3 Blu-ray title playable on PSP via Remote Play.

Remote Play is a feature that lets gamers share content between their PlayStation 3 and PSP, locally using the devices' in-built wireless features or remotely via an access point.

While the in-built Remote Play functionality was previously restricted to accessing media content such as music and videos from the PS3's hard drive, Sony has stated that is no longer the case.

Just five days after the official European release of the PSP Slim & Lite, 'Team M33' has released their custom PSP firmware v3.6, which operates on both the PSP and newer slimmer PSP. This release also confirms that the previously announced "Pandora's Battery" will be fully compatible with the new PSP Slim & Lite. More at Maxconsole.

Wii/DS
Some excellent hardware hackers have been able to produce some homebrew software that enables to Nintendo DS to place VoIP calls via the internal WiFi and built-in microphone. You even get to dial on the DS' touchpad.

Nintendo has properly announced the new Wii Zapper peripheral, which integrates both the Wii Remote and Nunchuck into a gun accessory, and has stated that it will be available at retailers starting November 19th for $19.99.

"The Wii Zapper combines our remarkable controllers into one housing with a classic style reminiscent of arcade-style games," says George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. "Both veteran and first-time players will find it brings a whole new dimension to games where targeting is key and provides even more exciting game-play experiences."

In addition to the accessory, a Link's Crossbow Training game, based off the Legend of Zelda series, will come packaged with every Wii Zapper.

Brando's 2-in-1 combined light gun will go into direct competition with the Zapper and has a leg up on rivals in its ability to be used as a pistol-like remote holder or a bazooka-style combination for the remote and Nunchuck together. More over at Joystiq.

Nintendo's success with the Wii is a benefit to the gaming industry according to Microsoft.

In an interview with canada.com (via Xbox-scene.com) at this year's X07, Xbox Marketing VP Jeff Bell said that there was room in the marketplace for three consoles.

"I'd like to see the industry grow and be robust" said Bell. "In many ways, I'm thankful the Wii has been as successful as it has."

As if the name 'Wii' wasn't bad enough, some entrepreneurial Japanese businessman have released the Chinese made 'Wee'.

The Wee is a mini DVD player, and probably performs similar to its name.

As usual, here's the Eurogamer Wii Virtual Console review round-up. µ

Nintendo dates Wii Zapper, Link's Crossbow for Nov. 19

As rumored earlier today, the Wii Zapper will included a Zelda mini-game, Link's Crossbow Training, to demonstrate potential uses for the add-on peripheral.

"The Wii Zapper combines our remarkable controllers into one housing with a classic style reminiscent of arcade-style games," said Nintendo vice president George Harrison in a statement. "Both veteran and first-time players will find it brings a whole new dimension to games where targeting is key."

Link's Crossbow Training is said to resemble Twilight Princess. Players progress through a series of tests while perfecting Link's crossbow chops.

Nintendo also announced additional titles to support the accessory housing including EA's Medal of Honor Heroes 2 which supports 32-person multiplayer, Capcom's Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, and Sega's Ghost Squad.

Sony to release $399 PS3 (40GB) this holiday

According to Ars Technica, an insider source has confirmed that Sony will drop the price of the 80 GB PS3 from $599 to $499 this holiday as expected. Additionally, the company will launch a new 40GB PS3 model for $399 complete with a Spider Man 3 movie bundle.

The report claims that Sony will make official the rumor at this year's Tokyo Game Show later this month in addition to dropping the price of the PS2 to $99.

Sony declined comment when contacted by GamePro.

Sony originally offered a 20GB PS3 for $499 alongside the former 60GB model. The company has since discontinued both models in favor of the current 80GB model which excludes full compatibility with PS1 and PS2 games, a move that is believed to save Sony an estimated $40 on every unit sold.

Call of Duty 4 Limited Collector's Editions Confirmed

TeamXbox.com has discovered that both the Xbox 360 and Windows PC versions of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare will get a Limited Collector’s Edition. Activision plans to make the formal announcement tomorrow, but tonight we can confirm that both editions will include a hardcover art book featuring exclusive concepts, never-before-seen imagery and artwork.

Additionally, the Xbox 360 edition will also include a bonus DVD with more than four hours of material that explores the S.A.S. from WWII to the present, and a series of “making of” vignettes highlighting Infinity Ward’s research, technology and story development for the game.

Sonic 2 on Xbox Live Arcade

Bad news everyone; Microsoft wants its points back, and its raking them in on Wednesday with the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on Xbox Live Arcade. We dare you not to buy it.

Arguably (as in we'll fight you in the pub over it) the best in the series, Sonic's second caper is coming in with the usual "enhanced" graphics (i.e. they've made the pixels blurry), online races and leaderboards.

Unfortunately the rankings are still based on points rather than speed, but maybe that's a problem Sega will fix with the inevitable release of Sonic 3 on XBLA.

It's out on Wednesday for 400 points (£3.40). Read all about it on Xbox.com.

Rock Band 360 bundle wired

Harmonix co-founder Alex Rigopulos has revealed that the Xbox 360 retail bundles of Rock Band will all come with wired guitars, while PS3 packs will be wireless.

It's all because it costs more to license wireless technology on Microsoft's console, apparently, which would mean the overall price-tag would end up being too high - although there's still no word on what that figure will be.

"The cost of wireless technology on the Microsoft side is higher, and to be able to offer those bundles at a price point that would be reasonable for consumers it was necessary," said Rigopulos in an OXM podcast.

So, if you want an axe to grind without strings attached, you'll have to stump-up a little more of your hard earned money for a separate guitar or two.

The microphone and drum kit will be wired on all versions, though, so the 360 bundle will come with a USB hub so they can all be plugged in at once.

Xbox Live down all morning

As predicted last week, Xbox Live is down this morning and will remain so until 1pm GMT (or 2pm GMT, if that makes more sense). The down-time is all about scheduled maintenance sadly, so there won't be anything thrilling and new available from this afternoon.

In fact, Microsoft are at pains to point out the routine and mundane nature of the maintenance, Major Nelson speaking on his blog to assure "There will not be a dashboard update waiting for you. This is scheduled maintenance only. After all, we need to get ready for [Halo 3], right?"

We'll keep you posted on all the latest Xbox news, with our all-seeing eye on the look out for word on the 360's Autumn update, which could usher in some changes for us to really sink our teeth into. More soon.

BBC content to hit UK Xbox Live video service?

A report on serious world event blog The Times this weekend said MS was talking to the BBC about getting its shows up on Xbox Live.

Whether this would be for download via the upcoming Video Marketplace or part of the longer-term IPTV plans they didn't really go into, although it'd make a lot of sense to have local stuff available for download when Video Marketplace launches here in a couple of months, rather than old episodes of US shows we've long since watched "on Bittorrent".

Whatever happens, getting top-drawer BBC content like Planet Earth and the rest of the corporation's HD content beamed to our Xbox 360s would be bloody good news. Although it would mean paying for them, instead of today's option of just lying about having a TV license and watching everything for free.

XBox 360 Sales Makes Impact in The UK

The sales of Microsoft XBox 360 have increased in the UK after the company slashed the price through out Europe two weeks ago. Meanwhile the sales of Sony’s PSP has suffered and it hopes to see an increased sale with the launch of a slim line PSP later this week.

XBox, now selling at Euro 179, is way much cheaper than the PSP and consumers are lapping it up. Sony says the new launch of PSP coupled with additional features such as increased storage, and a Blue-ray player thrown in might make PSP a better option.

However since the gaming industry is replete with examples of cheaper consoles selling better, it should be seen as to how the market behaves.

The Simpsons Game Updated Impressions (Xbox 360)

It’s been a fact of life in the game industry: Licensed games are more often than not…well, “teh suck.” It doesn’t matter if they’re titles made from movies, from TV shows or other media properties…they aren’t usually good games. (Let’s not even get into the similar history of movies made from games.)

However, Electronic Arts just showed us the latest version of The Simpsons Game, which is due out sometime this fall, and we’re happy to say that it looks really promising. The potential is there for lots of humorous moments, many of them self-deprecating—with even more if you’re a fan of the TV series and “get” the often-subtle in-jokes scattered around the game’s 16 episodes. But mostly it seems to be a video game that uses the Springfield family as a vehicle to honoring-by-way-of-poking-fun at the game industry.

As was noted in Will Tuttle’s E3 preview a couple of months back, the game is built around the premise that the Simpsons discover that they’ve been licensed to be in a video game and their subsequent discovery of their various game powers against numerous enemies. Through it, you can play as any of the four family members—Homer, Marge, Bart and Lisa—with some Maggie interaction also possible, as she rides on Marge’s back in the game.

Xbox Live to close on Monda

Console manufacturer Microsoft has sent a message to users of its Xbox Live service informing them it will close down on Monday for maintenance work.

The firm said the service will close at 9am on Monday but will be up and running again at around 1pm the same day.

Although Microsoft refused to comment on what the maintenance is for, there is industry speculation that it will involve the annual autumn update.

Rumours also suggest the update will include a parental timer, allowing an adult to pre-program a set amount of time for their youngster to play games before the console shuts down.

Iraq War vets protest America's Army game

America's Army is an interesting product. Used primarily as a public relations and recruiting tool and targeted specifically at the teenage male demographic, the game has been a relative success in the past. This is especially thanks to the fact that it's available for free, though it has made it to retail in the form of an Xbox version and soon an Xbox 360 version. But although America's Army may be just a game, there are some who take it very seriously
Veterans recently banded together in St. Louis at an expo to protest the game. Clad in black shirts and marching uniforms, the group of roughly 90 vets—known as the "Iraq Veterans Against the War"—chanted in unison while standing at attention: "War is not a game!" This isn't the first time that America's Army has been the subject of protest.

One of the protest's figureheads was a 29-year-old woman named Kelly Dougherty, who served as a medic and military police officer under the National Guard. Dougherty and the rest of the protesters were hoping to get the message out that joining the Army had its share of problems, including "increased chances of repeated deployment, extended tours of duty, a call back into war even after a contract expires, and difficulty accessing benefits upon return." The vets worry that unknowing youth will join the Army hoping that war is as "fun" as the game, and thus hope to educate those interested in service.

Videos of the demonstration have made their way onto the Internet. Reactions to the protest were mixed, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, as some in the crowd declared the vets as being unsupportive of their country, while others countered in the vets' defense.

Xbox 360 title Halo 3 blasts past PS3, Wii at retailer

Pre-orders for Microsoft Corp.'s anticipated Halo 3 for the Xbox 360 have blasted past Nintendo Co.'s Wii and Sony Corp.'s Playstation 3 at retailer Amazon.com.The standard $59.99 Halo 3 SKU holds the No. 1 sales rank at Amazon.com, followed by the $69.99 Limited Edition version at No. 3.
The top rankings of the two retail SKUs moved down former top three products, Wii and the 60GB PS3 SKU.
The sold-out Wii on Tues. held a No. 9 sales rank. It held No. 1 sales rank one week prior. The 60GB PS3 SKU on Tues. held a No. 4 sales rank, down from a No. 2 rank one week ago.
Halo 3 is a final chapter in the Halo trilogy that chronicles the war between Master Chief and the Covenant. The previous installment, Halo 2, generated $125 million at U.S. retail in the first 24 hours of release. The franchise has sold more than 14.5 million units to date.
Microsoft in Aug. price cut the Xbox 360 to spur retail sales. The hardware moved 170,000 units in the month of July.

PlayStation 3 Firmware 1.92 Now Available

Sony quietly released the firmware version 1.92 for its PlayStation 3 console, which according to the Japanese company brings minor bug fixes among other things.
No official word yet about those “other things” but according to posts from different PS3 forums the update gives console owners the possibility to set flash wallpapers on the XMB. One user mentioned that the load times for the XMB, the icons and the avatars have shortened. Moreover, the Internet browser has been improved along with the support for the PS1 and PS2 games, while the video section now features mini-clips.
One long expected feature for the SIXAXIS wireless controllers also seems to have sneaked itself in the new firmware’s code: the auto-switch-off function, which turns the controllers off after about 5 minutes of inactivity. Fans of Warhawk and Lair should be pleased to know that the controllers are also more responsive now, and that apparently Warhawk servers do not suffer from the previous observed clogging.

Analyst Predicts Sony to Cut Price of 80GB PS3

Sony's $599 package could soon be the only option for gamers (Source: SCEA)80GB PS3 could soon occupy the $499 price point
When Sony announced in July a $100 price cut on the 60GB PlayStation 3, it also unveiled a new 80GB PS3 packaged with MotorStorm. What SCEA didn’t reveal, but SCEE boss David Reeves did, is that production had already ceased on the North American 60GB consoles.
SCEA communications officer Dave Karraker eventually confirmed, “The 60GB PS3 will be available in North America for $499 until supplies of that unit are depleted. We have ample inventory to meet the immediate needs of consumers in this territory for several months to come.”
During late August, Karraker said, “We no longer have any inventory in SCEA warehouses. All inventory has been purchased and shipped to retailers ... We don't have visibility as to if that is on their store shelves or in their warehouses at this time. However, based on inventory reports from our retailers, there is ample supply still left in the channel.”
According to comments Bloomberg received from Sony spokeswoman Kimberly Otzman, supplies of the 60GB model probably will last through October. What the representative could not comment on, however, is what would happen to the overall pricing of the PlayStation 3 once the $499 60GB console is no longer available to consumers.
Price has always been a sensitive issue for Sony’s latest console. Should there be no movement on price, the effective cost to consumers for the PlayStation 3 will be the $599 charged for the 80GB model – perhaps leading some to perceive the situation as a $100 price hike to own the console.
Sony likely already has plans for what it will do once the 60GB model is gone, but the company isn’t saying anything just yet. Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Edward Woo, among others, firmly believes that Sony will cut the price of the 80GB PS3. “That's what everybody's expecting,” Woo said in a Bloomberg interview. “That would be a surprise if they don't.”

Dead Rising 2 to be shown off at Tokyo Game Show?

We always get a few fun surprises at the Tokyo Games Show, and this year looks to be no different. Latest rumours point towards the sequel to Capcom’s brutal zombie-masher to be given a brief viewing at this years TGS at the end of September.
No denying that Dead Rising was indeed a fun little game. Running around slaughtering thousands of zombies was always going to be a pretty decent premise for an action game, and a chance for another opportunity to chop off a few heads is never one I’m going to pass up on.
It’s also rumoured that Dead Rising 2 might not be an Xbox 360 exclusive this time around, and might be making an appearance on the PS3. Fingers crossed the sequel won’t share the same frustratingly vertical difficulty curve, nor the ridiculous save system.

The Charts: Has Tiger Woods Teed Off BioShock?

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 tees off its Charts run this week, but it hasn't driven hard enough to take down the might of BioShock.
Despite a 39% slip in sales following last week's chart debut, BioShock hangs in at Number 1. (To see what's got everyone so moist for BioShock, take a look at SPOnG's review). While it has not been able to snag the top spot away from 2K's wet shooter, Electronic Arts' Tiger Woods title debuts at Number 2, notching up 42% of its sales on the Xbox 360 and 32% on the Wii.
Behind PGA Tour 08 at Number 3 for a third week is Nintendo's Brain Training for the DS, closely followed by Activision's Transformers, which slips from Number 2 to Number 4.
The brain training trend continues at Number 5, with More Brain Training dropping a place from Number 4. Nintendo's brainy offering for the Wii, Big Brain Academy, benefits from increased supply to climb from Number 23 to Number 6.
Ubisoft's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 creeps stealthily up three places from Number 10 to Number 7, followed by EA's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at Number 8.
THQ's Stuntman: Ignition crashes recklessly into the Charts at Number 9 for the 360 and PS2. Nintendo's Pokémon: Diamond rounds out the Top 10 after dropping four places from Number 6.
The back end of the Top 20 sees the release of two PC expansion packs, with SEGA's Medieval II: Total War – Kingdoms battling in at Number 16 and NCSoft's Guild Wars: Eye of the North not far behind at Number 18.
Wii Play does the opposite to Big Brain Academy, slipping 21 places from Number 5 to Number 26 thanks to lack of stock.
EA's new intellectual property for the Wii, Boogie, makes a disappointing entry into the Charts at Number 28, just behind another EA release: Madden NFL '08. The American (or as SPOnG likes to refer to it, 'pretend') football game makes its first Chart appearance at Number 27 thanks to the launch of the 360 and Wii versions and some strange members of the public who don't realise that rugby league is the one true sport of England.
Another disappointing Chart debut is Team17's Worms: Open Warfare 2 for the DS and PSP, which only just wriggles into the Charts at Number 38.

Haze not coming to Xbox 360

First it was a multiplatform release, then it became a PS3 timed exclusive. Now it looks like Sony will be notching Haze up as another victory in the mighty cross-format handbag war. According to Gamespot, Ubisoft has recently revealed that the title is currently in development for PS3 only, meaning that the Xbox 360 version and, peculiarly, the PC versions have disappeared.
My first instincts are that Free Radical or Ubisoft (or both) must have received a very decent incentive to drop the other platform versions. Multiplatform games are not only worth more to publishers due to the large install base, but Free Radical already has a lot of experience in making good cross-platform titles, such as the brilliant Time Splitters 2 and slightly underrated Second Sight.
On the other hand, with Haze due out in November, at the same time as other big name shooters like Call of Duty 4 and not too far behind the mighty Halo 3 – which is also offering similar 4 player co-op action – perhaps PS3 exclusivity is the best way for this title to avoid being overlooked…
Could the scale of Halo 3 hype-machine actually be putting off developers from trying to compete? If so, Microsoft’s huge dependency on the Halo franchise could actually back fire as not every gamer is so totally enamoured with Master Chief’s antics as the Redmond Giant would like to believe. Still, even if players do start to turn to the PS3 for variety this is probably only going to be an issue for this Xmas period and there are probably enough Halo fans to see the 360 through.

World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade to be Finally Released in China

When you think about World of Warcraft in China, all you can get is angry Chinese gamers and Blizzard getting sued. Gamasutra is reporting that The9 has finally decided to launch the World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, the first expansion pack from Blizzard for the massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG).

The Burning Crusade will be released in China on September 10, 2007. The9 made this announcement just some time before they were going to present their earnings in the second quarter of 2007. The news will come as a respite to Chinese World of Warcraft gamers, who have not got any new content since last October. In fact, what must have worried Blizzard and The9 was the decreasing number of average concurrent users (ACU) for two straight quarters.
But in June-end, World of Warcraft was updated to 2.0 in China and this had set the Chinese gamers excited, who had set the forums alight with talk about the Burning Crusade launch over there. However, not all things were going smooth for The9 as there were reports about gamers beating up marketing staff as well as a former employee being investigated for making irregular purchases.
But Chinese World of Warcraft gamers will be looking forward to the launch of the Burning Crusade on September 10, 2007. The expansion pack was supposed to be launched in China by the third quarter of 2007. But many analysts had predicted that the pack would be delayed, especially after China’s General Administration of Press and Publications (GAPP) had come up with a system in July to keep an eye on as well as limit time spent on games by minors.

Game of the Year Nominees

I know it’s a bit early for this since its just September, but the rush of AAA titles has already started hitting the shelves, so I decided to pick out the best bunch of titles which might be strong contenders for the overall Game of the year awards by various sites.

Guys do note most of these have not yet been released so this is only a rough assumption.
1) God of War II (PS2)2) Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)3) Call of duty 4:Modern Warfare (PC, Xbox 360,PS3)4) Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune (PS3)5) Bioshock (PC, Xbox 360)6) CRYSIS (PC)7) Mass Effect (Xbox 360)8) Half Life 2:Orange Box (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)9) Rock Band (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii)10) Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS)11) Assassin’s Creed (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
I think that about summarizes the list for now. The real contenders for the awards ceremony will only be decided sometime in December. I have tried to be as just as I could with the list, since I have tried to cover all possible genres and consoles within the sphere.

Gears Of War Map Pack Now Free

You might remember the controversy a few months back when Epic released the "Hidden Fronts" Multiplayer map pack for Gears of War. Supposedly Epic wanted the map pack to be a free download while Microsoft wanted to charge money for it. The two sides eventually came to an agreement where Microsoft would charge for the map pack, but only for a limited time.
Well today that map pack is a free download on the XBox Live marketplace. Both Microsoft and Epic kept their word that the map pack would be free as of Sept 3 and gamers you waited should have no trouble downloading. It should be noted that Microsoft has stated that there are no refunds so if you ended up buying the map pack earlier you will not be seeing a refund, unlike what happened with the Rainbow Six maps.
For gamers who haven't downloaded the map pack yet it weighs in at roughly 230.31mb and includes four

PS3 narrows Wii sales lead in Japan market

Nintendo Co. Ltd.'s video game console Wii outsold Sony Corp.'s PlayStation 3 by a ratio of three to one in Japan in August, but Nintendo's overwhelming lead in the market narrowed for the second consecutive month.
Nintendo sold 245,653 units of the Wii in the four weeks ending August 26, compared with 81,541 units of Sony's PS3, game magazine publisher Enterbrain said. The ratio was more than four to one in favor of the Wii in July and six to one in June.
Sony's PS3, packed with cutting-edge technology such as a Blu-ray high-definition DVD player, has been trailing the Wii in sales since the consoles were introduced late last year, due to the PS3's high price and a scarcity of strong game titles.
But the Tokyo-based electronics and entertainment conglomerate plans to launch a wide range of new games towards the critical year-end shopping season, including the latest installment of its popular in-house racing game "Gran Turismo."
Microsoft Corp., locked in battle with Nintendo and Sony over dominance in the US$30 billion global video game industry, sold 11,288 units of its Xbox 360 in August, Enterbrain said.
"Gran Turismo 5," one of the most eagerly awaited titles for the PS3, is set to go on sale in October, in a bid to ignite PS3 demand among devoted game fans.
Shares in Sony closed up 0.4 percent at 5,600 yen, while Nintendo fell 1.7 percent to 52,800 yen. The Nikkei average was down 0.27 percent.

Sony restocks 60GB PS3 online

Late last week, Sony responded to demand by restocking the 60GB version of the PlayStation 3 (PS3) console on the Internet. After completely selling out its online supply, the company decided to replenish stock at Sonystyle.com. The price of the 60GB version of the PS3 was dropped to $499 but the unit is to be completely replaced by a newer 80GB model. Sony's Dave Karraker said previously that there was no 60GB inventory remaining in in SCEA warehouses as they had all been shipped to retailers. Karraker also remarked that the US$599 80GB PS3 bundle may be reduced down to $499 once the complete supply of the 60GB version sells out. Sony's PlayStation 3 (PS3) console has been trailing the success of the Nintendo Wii console, mainly due to the units high price. Sony has backed the price of its console and is still confident that in the coming years, it will take the lead and eventually the PlayStation brand will take the generation for the third time running.

THQ Confirms Worms: A Space Oddity For Wii

THQ confirmed a new game for the successful Wii platform. Worms: A Space Oddity, the latest title of the Worms franchise is set to debut in spring 2008 and THQ said the game will have new environmental settings and intuitive controls. Of course the players will use the Wii Remote in order to launch their attacks.
Also, THQ said that Worms: A Space Oddity demonstrates significant visual, technical and design advancement over its predecessors with a new visual style that abandons the traditional drawn approach and replaces it with a distinctive style inspired by classic Sci-Fi looks. Though the company didn’t released any screenshots so it remains to be seen how the new game will look. Also THQ didn’t’ revealed anything about new weapons or other upgrades.
In A Space Oddity the Worms battles take place across six planets, each with its own, unique environments and global events. The players will enjoy the ultimate blend of classic Worms game modes and re-invented single-player missions. The online multiplayer experience pits up to four Worms fiends from all over the world against each other.
The game is developed Team17 Software Ltd out of West Yorkshire, UK , the team who is responsible for Worms franchise since 1995.
Worms: Open Warfare 2 for the Nintendo DS and PSP Worms 2007 for wireless handsets, are scheduled for release this fall.
Meanwhile in other Nintendo Wii-related news, the gaming platform has just become the fastest-selling console in UK. Nintendo Wii has reached 1 million units sold in only 38 weeks. PlayStation 2 needed 50 weeks to reach this target, while Xbox 360 sold 1 million units in UK in 60 weeks.

Wii Shatters Sales Record in UK

The Nintendo Wii is crushing its competitors in almost every territory where the console is currently on sale, and the latest UK estimates confirm this truth once again.
According to Chart Track, a UK-based research firm, Wii is now the holder of the record for the fastest selling home console in the British territory, with more than 1 million units sold in less than a year since its inception on the market.
More precisely, the Wii sold 1 million units in 38 weeks, compared to Sony’s PlayStation 2, which hit that landmark in 50 weeks, and Xbox 360, in 60 weeks. Nintendo DS, the Japanese gaming behemoth’s most successful product ever, reached 1 million units sold in UK in January 2006, which was also a record-breaking launch, considering that the worldwide debut of the handheld took place in March 2005. Approximately 13 million Nintendo DS were in the hands of people all around the world by the end of December 2005, leaving any competition standing. 2 million units were sold in UK by the end of November 2006, the portable console’s popularity being boosted by titles like Brain Training, Animal Crossing and New Super Mario Bros.
"The non-stop demand for Wii even in the traditionally slow sales periods for videogames in the UK is clearly behind this record-breaking achievement," said Nintendo UK boss David Yarnton.
"The performance of both systems appears to indicate that unprecedented interactive entertainment experiences, provided by a combination of the revolutionary nature of DS and Wii with the increasing number of unique software titles for the system from Nintendo and third parties, are being enjoyed by both avid and new gamers of all ages."
Home ground rival Sony managed to sell 1 million PS3 units in Europe earlier this month, with David Reeves, Sony UK manager saying that “we did that in nine and a half weeks. That was faster than both PS2 and PSOne. And I think that the analysts out there will also realise that it's faster than our brothers and sisters in the competitive world." But keep in mind that these numbers apply for the entire European territory (not just UK) and that the PS3 was launched there on March 23, 6 months later than the Wii.
In Japan, the same 1 million landmark was reached by Sony in July, by the time when Nintendo Wii had been already bought by more than 3 million people.

Sony Revamps the PlayStation 2

Sony is bringing a fresh new look to its old, but successful PlayStation 2 console, offering it for sale this winter in a richer package.
Sony plans to attract casual and non-casual gamers with a Ceramic White limited edition of PlayStation 2, bundled with SingStar Pop, the second installment in the popular SingStar franchise. Of course, for wannabe artists that would be an incomplete package without the two high-quality USB microphones Sony plans to add to the promotional wrapping.
The new PlayStation 2 bundle will be available in North America in November for a suggested retail price of US$149.99/C$159.99.
Sony is on a quest to regain its console fans, which have slowly migrated towards Nintendo Wii- console whose price is comparable with PS2’s and whose revolutionary wireless controllers are apparently more enticing than the DualShock analogue controllers. Moreover, PS3’s hefty price has determined a lot of gamers choose Xbox 360 instead, forcing Sony to announce a price cut before this year’s E3, in Santa Monica.
The new limited edition Ceramic White PlayStation 2 features the same ultra-sleek design and functions of the current Charcoal Black and Satin Silver PlayStation 2 versions as well as the DVD and CD playback capabilities, digital surround sound, two memory card slots and an integrated Ethernet port for network gaming.
Sony has also been selling a pink limited edition of PS2 since November last year, complete with two pink DualShock Analog controllers and a pink 8MB memory card, all for 159.99 Euros. The package also contains SingStar Pop as a bundle.
SingStar Pop for the Ceramic White PlayStation 2 includes tracks from renowned artists like Alicia Keys, U2, Rihanna, Ashlee Simpson, The All-American Rejects and The Clash. With microphones in hand, aspiring pop stars can put on a concert in their living rooms by performing along with their favorite artists, singing duets and one-on-one battles, and even singing with up to eight players in a "Pass-the-Mic" social frenzy.
"With our expansive library of titles for PlayStation, led by social gaming experiences such as SingStar, and Buzz!, we have an incredible offering for first-time gaming families," said Jack Tretton, president and CEO, SCEA. "At $149, the limited edition Ceramic White PlayStation 2, bundled with the family-friendly social gaming title, SingStar Pop, is an unbeatable value that will provide fun for everyone this holiday."
Despite the hype created around the Wii by the media these days and notwithstanding Xbox 360’s strong momentum on the market (with blockbuster titles like BioShock and Halo 3 in its back yard), the PS2 is clearly the holder of all-times record: it has an installed base of more than 117 million worldwide, 44 million PS2s having been sold in North America alone. A further 10 million PlayStation 2 units are expected to be sold worldwide by the end of March 2008. More than 160 new games are expected in North America throughout the holidays and by the end of March 2008, including Guitar Hero Encore: Rock the 80s, Madden NFL 08, NBA '08, and Buzz, as well as a back catalogue of over 1,400 games.

Guerrilla: Xbox 360 Couldn’t Handle Killzone 2

Guerrilla managing director Herman Hulst and Killzone 2 producer Steven Ter Heide have been eulogizing the capabilities of Sony’s PlayStation 3 and speaking of the benefits of developing games for a single platform.

Speaking about the benefits of working on a game for a single platform instead of going down the cross-platform route, Guerrilla managing director Merman Hulst said that he couldn’t imagine the same quality of content being produced on any machine other than PS3.

"It's a huge benefit. If you're developing a game on multiple platforms there are restrictions you always have to take into consideration.

"We are taking huge advantage of the architecture of PS3. I firmly believe that what we've shown we can get out of that machine would be difficult, if not impossible, to deliver on a competing machine."

Killzone 2 producer Steven Ter Heide backed up Hulst’s comments in no uncertain terms.

"I would say impossible. We literally can't do this stuff on any machine other than the PS3. If you're developing a multiplatform game, and looking at your budgets, you have to find a common denominator between the systems and say: that's what I'm developing for. Whereas someone focused on a single platform can really take advantage of everything it has to offer.

"If you're not willing to make that investment then you're going to lose out on some options. To make it simple, the Xbox 360 doesn't have SixAxis or Blu-ray. PlayStation 3 does. And for us that's a really big thing. The level you've just seen is 2GB. We really need Blu-ray to make the game. I don't know how you could fit it on Xbox 360 without taking some shortcuts."

Halo 3 Topping PS3 and Wii In Sales Charts

Halo 3 is on top of the latest Amazon video game sales charts beating out both the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii platforms.
Bungie’s upcoming Halo 3 is set to be the biggest video game release of all tiem and it seems they are on track. Halo 3 is still just a pre-order as well as the game has not even been released yet as it is set to release on September 25th.
Halo 3 is already six spots ahead of the best selling Xbox 360 game Bioshock to put that into perspective a bit. We will have to wait and see how this continues but Halo 3 is sure going to move some Xbox 360 units.

Haze A PS3 Exclusive Until Christmas

It appears that Ubisoft is going to make Haze a PS3 exclusive for Christmas but other platforms such as the Xbox 360 may get it at a later date.
A representative at Ubisoft spoke and stated that "Basically at E3 it was announced that the game would be PS3 exclusive for Christmas. That’s where we stand - other platforms have not been ruled out but nothing has been confirmed."

This means that the PS3 will have Haze as an exclusive until Christmas. What happens after that is not known but it would be extremely likely that following Christmas we will see releases on other platforms such as the Xbox 360.
In times where exclusives are almost non-existent, it would almost be a bad business decision on their part to keep it a PS3 exclusive, unless Sony decides to open their wallets.

Protective Mask for your PS3 - Best accessory ever

If you want to get ready for Halloween and protect your shiny Sony PS3 surface from dust then check out the Sony PS3 Protective Mask Scream Style. The 3D skin attaches to the top of the Sony PS3 and is supposedly removable without leaving residue. There are some auctions offering the Sony Playstation 3 Protective Mask for $15 on eBay. These 3D PS3 skins come mostly from China. I found several offers for them on Chinese OEM directories

Lair: the dragon-packed PS3 game you can play on your PSP

As if any game needed more to recommend it than the phrase 'involves bluddy great big dragons flapping about all over the place'. I'm sold on Lair right there. But Sony's upcoming PS3 title just got another unique (for now) selling point.
See, Lair will be the first PS3 game that's also playable on a PSP, using Sony's Remote Play technology. Assuming your PS3 and Wi-Fi network are both on, you'll be able to log in and play from anywhere in the world using your PSP - the game still runs on the PS3, but you're controlling it using the PSP, and watching a live stream on its screen.
It all sounds a bit complicated, to be honest, although it would probably impress fellow delegates if you were away at a conference. Although to be honest, conference delegates are generally just as impressed if you drink seven pints of Polish vodka before successfully staggering your way to the nearest strip bar. I know what goes on in these things.

Sony: Developers having trouble with PS3 is a good thing

It has already been reported that a number of developers have complained that Sony's PS3 is too difficult to develop for.
Kaz Hirai, President of Sony Computer Entertainment has been speaking with the guys at Official PlayStation Magazine and issued a statement on the development issues. Maintaining a positive spin on the situation and actually going as far as saying it is a good thing!
Hirai proposed a parallel between the problems that the PS3 is facing and the problems that faced the PS2 at launch. He also when on to say that if developers were finding it easy that might point to them getting the best from the system immediately and thus reducing the systems lifespan.

So what does this mean for us gamers? Well Hirai thinks we might be in for a bit of a wait till developers are truly draining the PS3 of all its resources, anywhere up to six years!
Still, this means that Sony expect to PS3 to have a long life and they will be supporting it fully for a long time to come!

'Haze' to Grace Sony PS3 Only!

Fans of the upcoming sci-fi first person shooter (FPS) 'Haze' aren't going to be too happy about this one... Game developer, Ubisoft, has announced plans to release 'Haze' as an exclusive title for Sony's PlayStation 3 (PS3) gaming console only.A war-based game, the basic plot of 'Haze' hinges on the future where the biggest force aka Mantel Global Industries -- with a private militia under it's control -- has taken over everything. Set in the year 2048, the game sees Mantel fighting against a group of South American rebels called The Promise Hand. Previously, 'Haze' was slated for a multi-platform release on the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC. The company now says the PC and Xbox 360 version of the game are not as yet confirmed. Meanwhile, the company has hinted that it is open to future partnerships to develop the game for other platforms. But for now, it's 'Haze' only for the PS3, expected sometime in November this year. Other gaming platforms can wait...

Microsoft rolls out Xbox 360 Elite

THE XBOX 360 ELITE is the latest incarnation of the Microsoft gaming console. The first model shipped late 2005 and in two skews, the basic Core and System/Premium which includes a 20GB hard drive.
Since then Sony put out the PS3 with an HMDI slot and an internal Blu-ray drive. This new console is really Vole's comeback to this and one we’ve been waiting for in the UK. As it now ships with an HDMI port and a much larger hard drive, it's perhaps an effort to win back the audience and satisfy existing users.
From seeing and briefly using the earlier Xbox 360, things have moved on in terms of design. For starters there's a new paint job, a rather nice matt black finish. It makes for a sleek, professional looking machine.. Microsoft's also brought this colour scheme to the new peripherals – a wireless controller and HDD.





Xbox 360 Elite
We badgered MS for details of the inner workings of the Elite, but as a spokesvole put it “We are constantly updating internal components on our consoles and therefore will not comment on details of specific components.” So we grabbed a torque screwdriver and set about taking the Xbox 360 Elite apart.
It was rumoured from day one of the Elite being announced that MS would be going with the 65nm core, which we tried to confirm several times and in various different ways. All to no avail. We looked for a comment to confirm this but were thwarted.
From our surgical dissection of the machine, it appears that Microsoft has stuck to the same format as the USA shipped version of the Elite. The DVD drive shipped with the unit is the Hitachi-LG GDR-8050L, just the same as stateside. From a few choice websites, it appears this is the easiest and most valuable drive for those keen Xbox hackers as it’s the one with the most readily available options for playing illegally copied and backed-up games on. Way to go Microsoft for ensuring the latest version of your console is hack proof.
The second part in confirming the UK version is the same as the USA shipping one was the hard drive. After some tinkering with torque tools we found that Microsoft has bundled the Fujitsu MHW2120BH 120GB drive here too. It’s a nice 54,00 RPM drive, ideal for this kind of machine.
With the system on and functioning the operational noise level is barely noticeable. Then you add DVD media to the drive and things change. We used and tried out a few titles EA furnished and the DVD drive noise became loud and bothersome which was unexpected. We’ve would have thought MS would have realised this was an issue, or perhaps the company expected any games sound to drown out the issue. What was even more surprising was when we used the Xbox to playback a film-based DVD - the noise was gone. It was almost as if this DVD media type wasn’t even in the drive. The same was found on audio CDs. Why is this an issue then? We found some forum posts relating to the Hitachi drive that MS has shipped in the Elite to being louder than the models included in other skews. This all goes no real way to explain away the problem and could put off potential converts.
We hooked up the Xbox 360 Elite to the LG 32LC2D 37” HD LCD TV that we’re in the midst of reviewing. This was just to see how good the new MS box really was and if HDMI was worthwhile all the buzz surrounding it.
MS has included an HDMI cable in the box, unlike Sony, which was a bone of contention from nearly every buyer. So a point goes to the Xbox. Also, the original HD/SD combo cables have been included along with an audio splitter

Xbox 360 Elite – box and contents
We were suitable impressed at the high definition output of the Xbox Elite. The games were clear and bold; these were both titles addressing the HD arena as well as some that didn't. We have spent some time with the LG screen already, so we could easily distinguish from the regular HDMI content seen and what the Elite was now delivering.
The Xbox Live television content isn’t here in Europe yet, so we couldn’t see how well that would play out. It does appear to be successful stateside though, so perhaps that will be a good selling point for the Xbox and its high definition angle.
As this is the last retail edition of the Xbox we thought there would be more on offer. It’s disappointing that MS could not have addressed High Definition more thoroughly in the final incarnation. The inclusion of an HD DVD drive internally would have done just that - it also would have shown that MS would have been fully aware of the PS3 stronghold in the Blu-ray world, what with the internal drive. It’s not as if the Vole would have lost out with existing media. as HD DVD drives are backward compatible and can address both DVD and HD DVD discs.
We would have also thought that Wi-Fi capability would be on offer by now, but it isn't: the Ethernet port is still the only way to grab an Xbox live connection. A Microsoft spokesperson believes that more homes are Ethernet wired than wireless, though we disagree.
The public relations company involved in the Elite UK launch either set out to be the bane of our existence on The Inq, or are focusing on becoming the butt of all our jokes. It took them well over a week to turn around some simple answers to a few questions, which they actually promised the following day.
In terms of media to be used for the review, rather than it being just a black box in the corner, they struggled on that too. When asked for images to be used in the review, they told us to go and find them ourselves and that we were being awkward for awkward's sake. Good to know MS hires such friendly companies in the care of its valued launches.
In Short The Xbox 260 Elite does shine as a high definition machine in all its graphical aspects. It’s just a shame the Vole left out an HD drive. Clearly this has been aimed at the more serious gamer with the higher capacity hard drive with plenty of space for game saves and content downloads. With the middle range product, the system/premium, to be shipped over the next few month with an HDMI port included, is the extra HDD space and new paint job really worth another £50?
The Good HDMI, 120GB HDD
The Bad Noisy DVD drive, cost
The Ugly No HD DVD drive included

PS3 closing in on Wii sales, Xbox 360 falls

In the month of August, the Nintento Wii outsold the Sony PlayStation 3 by a ratio of 3 to 1 while the Microsoft Xbox 360 sales fell short. Overall, the Nintendo Wii lead narrows as the Sony PlayStation 3 sales climbed.Nintendo sold 245,653 units of the Wii in the four weeks ending August 26, compared with 81,541 units of Sony's PS3, while the Microsoft Xbox 360 only sold 11,288 units. Sony's PS3, packed with cutting-edge technology such as a Blu-ray high-definition DVD player, has been trailing the Wii in sales since the consoles were introduced late last year, due to the PS3's high price and a scarcity of strong game titles.But the Tokyo-based electronics and entertainment conglomerate plans to launch a wide range of new games towards the critical year-end shopping season, including the latest installment of its popular in-house racing game "Gran Turismo."Shares in Sony closed up 0.4 percent at 5,600 yen, while Nintendo fell 1.7 percent to 52,800 yen. The Nikkei average was down 0.27 percent.What's also interesting to note is what game companies such as Red Planet LLC are doing. Red Planet is the maker of the upcoming "Lost Colony MMO" game which has already launched a global test using both the PC & Mac platforms. According to their paid members forum (the Lost Colony game sells for $19.95 which grants you access to the game and the paid members forum) they also obtained a development license for the Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3, and the Nintendo Wii platforms. It does sound like Lost Colony is going to be the first MMO ever to support all platforms.Further information about Lost Colony can be seen here: MMO Console GamesThe site users and the developers are very friendly and so far this has been one of the most anticipated MMO games in the world. Production of the game started in late 2004 and they are getting ready to roll out an official version this week. The battle takes place on 9 different worlds which is post war WW3. It's worth every dime.

Xbox 360 Chatpad out this Friday

Xbox 360 users keen to send text messages to other gamers will soon be able to do so using a Qwerty keypad after Microsoft announced Friday as the release date for its new Messenger Kit.The pack, which is expected to sell for £24.99, will feature both the innovative Chatpad controller and an Xbox 360 headset, allowing users to text, chat and play games simultaneously.Microsoft also announced it will release two limited edition Halo 3 wireless controllers and headset on September 26.The new add-ons, which will retail for an estimated £34.99, feature artwork by legendary comic book artist Todd McFarlane, promising to be both fade and scratch resistant, will also come bundled with a limited edition Halo 3 'Master Chief' figurine designed by McFarlane.

Nintendo Wii North American VC Gets Bonk 3 On Monday

On Friday, the European Wii Virtual Console welcomed both Vegas Stakes and Bonk 3 to their lineup. And now the news, straight from Hudson, has arrived that North America Nintendo Wii gamers will also be getting B3. Woo-hoo?
Hey, it’s still better than Vegas Stakes, right? Details from the upcoming announcement on Labor Day follow.
This week sees the 1993 Turbografx title Bonk 3: Bonk’s Big Adventure making its way onto the Virtual Console. This quirky action game sees our hard-headed hero ‘bonking’ his way through seven colourful rounds based in the Dinosaur Kingdom.
With eight hidden bonus stages to unlock and two-player multiplayer, this game will be a sure-fire hit. B3: BBA will be available for 600 Wii Points.
The big question now is: Will Super Bonk ever come to the Virtual Console? Guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Nintendo Wii Wreaks Havoc These Days |

Wii has been wreaking some serious Havok lately, with two different reports lately of Nintendo Wii games taking advantage of the middleware's physics engine.
"Havok has become synonymous with state-of-the-art physics in games in recent years," Nintendo said back at E3 last year when the latest partnership was announced. "With this announcement, we feel developers have another critical tool in their hands that helps unleash the real magic of our platform."
Earlier this week, exciting evidence arrived via NeoGAF that none other than SSBB would be using Havok.
And later in the week, Cat Daddy Games boasted of the engine's use in Carnival Games, saying it "doesn’t just make things look good – it’s an essential part of game play."
"The rigid body dynamics, including collision detection, allow us to build experiences for the player that are as realistic and fun as possible. Things like bottles collapsing and falling in the Milk Bottle Throw, and bowling balls spinning and rolling in Bowler Coaster, all leverage rigid body dynamics."
Havok physics -- if it's good enough for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC, it's certainly good enough for Wii.

Could your next iPhone or Wii be made in Vietnam?

In a move that could be seen as reducing exposure to China, Taipei-based Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai Precision Industry) announced last week it was expanding operations in Vietnam.On Friday, the world's largest contract maker of electronics, including Apple's iPhones and iPods and Nintendo's Wii, announced that in the first half of this year its after-tax profits were up 32% year-on-year to NT$31.26 billion ($944.4 million). Net income rose 18% to NT$15.6 billion. Analysts had, however, expected an even better performance. The mean estimate of six analysts compiled by Bloomberg had profits hitting NT$16.7 billion. But its earnings translate into a net EPS (earnings per share) of NT$4.97 for the first half, which is the company's highest EPS ever for an interim period. And it’s continuing its effort to diversify its plant operations as a way to ensure it stays in the lowest-cost, most efficient manufacturing areas. China may be it now, but will Vietnam be the future?
On August 29, Foxconn chief executive Terry Gou and Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment signed a framework agreement in Hanoi on the group’s commitment to invest $5 billion in various high-tech and supporting industries projects – which range from building its own plants to developing real estate and industrial plants.Since starting Hon Hai in 1974, Gou has built the company by offering lower prices and spending on product development. It mainly manufactures in mainland China, employing roughly 450,000 people there, with its biggest factory in Shenzhen where it has about 270,000 employees. While it also has subsidiary-owned plants in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Mexico, Brazil and India, expanding its operations in Vietnam enables it to service Asean countries and also hedge against rising salaries in Shenzhen, as well as fears of an escalating trade war between the US and China. "Vietnam is the next outsource manufacturing centre of Asia, this is because of a China-plus-one strategy that manufacturers are adopting and a response to anti-dumping suits that will be hitting the Chinese point of origin manufacturers hard over the next few years," says Tung Kim Nguyen, a partner at Indochina Capital. According to Vietnamese state media reports, Foxconn has invested around $160 million in two plants in Que Vo Industrial Zone in the northern part of the country. The factories, which it opened on Friday, sit on a 1.1-hectare plot and will mainly produce camera modules, main boards and connectors. The state press adds that Foxconn has recruited about 500 local university graduates for its Vietnam facilities and could hire up to 300,000 thanks to its plans to invest up to $5 billion in the country. At the signing event, the state media quoted Gou, who could not be reached for comment for this story, as saying Foxconn seeks to become Vietnam's largest foreign investor in terms of export turnover and would contribute to the nation's development by bringing the latest information and telecommunications technology to its local operations. Foxconn isn’t alone in seeing Vietnam as a future high-tech manufacturing frontier. Last year, Intel announced that it would build a $1 billion fab near Ho Chi Minh City, prompting other manufacturers – from Toshiba to Matsushita - to pledge future investments.

Colin McRae demo now on PS3

It's time to get your hands dirty and test drive Colin McRae: Dirt for the PlayStation 3 as Codemasters launches the playable demo, now available to download from PlayStation Store.
With the full game set to launch on 14th September, Colin McRae: Dirt takes rally king off-road in a multitude of race events. The playable demo delivers three events to experience, including Crossover, C.O.R.R. (Championship Off-Road Racing), and a point-to-point rally stage.
The Crossover race has players competing against Colin McRae himself. Set in Germany, the Avelsbachring's smooth but twisty tarmac is the perfect battleground for a pair of Subaru Impreza WRX STI spec Cs. Then, with nine other racers aggressively competing for position, it's a fierce C.O.R.R. competition in V8 650hp buggies at the Bark River Off Road Raceway, Michigan.
Finally, and exclusive to the PlayStation 3 system demo, the gravel churning start of the Cuconi B rally stage in Sardinia will have players racing to achieve a best time through Italian vineyards before hitting the tarmac at the end of the stage.

Selling Xbox extras

Coming soon to a bookstore near you: Xbox 360 For Dummies.
Okay, not really (hang on, better check amazon.ca to confirm that... yep, not really), but maybe it's not such a bad idea. Despite Microsoft's efforts to make the Xbox 360 console as user-friendly as possible, the bigwigs in Redmond are discovering that 360 owners might not be the sharpest knives in the drawer.
That, or consumers are so blissfully enraptured with the console's gaming capabilities they take for granted that it can do other stuff, like play movies or go online.
"We just got data back that one-third of all Xbox 360 owners don't know that it plays DVDs," said Jeff Bell, corporate vice-president of global marketing for Microsoft's interactive entertainment division, during an interview at the X07 Canada event this week in Toronto.
"Seventy percent didn't know there's a USB door in the front, they found the USB port in the back. They didn't know what the (Xbox Guide) button did to the controller. People didn't know how to hook up to Xbox Live." In an effort to take new users by the hand and gently guide them through the 360's garden of delights, Microsoft will begin shipping new Xbox 360s with a welcome video installed directly on the hard drive (or on a DVD-ROM, in the case of the stripped-down Xbox 360 Core), which will automatically play the first time the console is powered on.
The 2-O-minute tutorial, a light-hearted affair in the vein of Bill Nye the Science Guy, will introduce the console's basic functions and features to users. It's slated to start showing up on new Xbox 360s on sale this fall, and will likely be available for download through Xbox Live as well.
At least the timing means the video will be seen by a lot of people. The Sept. 25 launch of Halo 3 is expected to be the biggest game release of the year, and Microsoft is counting on the return of Master Chief to give Xbox 360 sales a meaty bump.
Unfortunately, the second big blockbuster of the fall was supposed to be Grand Theft Auto IV, which has now been delayed until spring of next year. But Bell said that while GTA IV's delay may be a heartbreaker for fans, it's actually not such a bad thing for Microsoft.
"I believe we benefit from the delay of Grand Theft Auto IV," said Bell. "We would have loved to have launched it this fall, we were disappointed that it moved, but now that it has, let's just take a deep breath. We have BioShock, exclusive. We have Halo 3, exclusive. We have Mass Effect, exclusive. I think it certainly hurts other people more than it hurts us."
Bell is presumably referring to Sony, who were counting on Grand Theft Auto IV to be a system-seller for the PlayStation 3 also this holiday season. But the PS3's fall lineup of exclusives is similarly solid, with Heavenly Sword, the dragon dogfighting game Lair and the Tomb Raider-esque action title Uncharted: Drake's Fortune slated for release before year's end.

Given the lack of decent games on the PS3, you probably do not need more excuses to keep your distance from the console. This demon embossed protectiv

Given the lack of decent games on the PS3, you probably do not need more excuses to keep your distance from the console. This demon embossed protective mask is another such reason, though kick-ass, it is so bed-wettingly petrifying, you will have problems getting within two meters of any next gen bad boy sporting it. The protective casing is constructed from black glossy plastic in the classic PS3 casing style. The case slips on and off and as far as we can tell, only protects the outermost surface. Retailing on eBay at around $15, it is a small price to make your PS3 look even more bad to the bone.
Considering sleeping in the dark and panties still cause us to have anxiety attacks laced with fear, we shall have to give this one a miss. If you think you are tough enough, hit the link. [eBay via I4U].

Goth-Up Your PS3 With The Demon Protective Mask

Given the lack of decent games on the PS3, you probably do not need more excuses to keep your distance from the console. This demon embossed protective mask is another such reason, though kick-ass, it is so bed-wettingly petrifying, you will have problems getting within two meters of any next gen bad boy sporting it. The protective casing is constructed from black glossy plastic in the classic PS3 casing style. The case slips on and off and as far as we can tell, only protects the outermost surface. Retailing on eBay at around $15, it is a small price to make your PS3 look even more bad to the bone.
Considering sleeping in the dark and panties still cause us to have anxiety attacks laced with fear, we shall have to give this one a miss. If you think you are tough enough, hit the link. [eBay via I4U].

Sony talk about making PS3 games

Shu Yoshida, the head honcho of product development in Sony, dropped by the Official PlayStation Blog to speak about how games are made and how much time and money is invested in bringing us the next greatest home entertainment experience.
He has made it clear that the latest technology and tools make developing commercial games for consoles such as the PS3 take more than thousands of man hours and millions of dollars.
Many publishers have their own styles and standards when approving projects for development. For Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), studios first cook up LOADS of ideas. There is freedom in the conceptualisation process, leaving the window open for any type of game in any genre to be put across.
Studios often have multiple concepts as candidates for approval by the guys at the top. When a PlayStation 3 game concept sounds good enough, it gets a prototype that can take up to a year to build and costs US$ 2 to 5 million. Then, the project will have to be assessed by other SCE branches from all over the world.
Development will be tweaked based on the market it's most suitable for. When the game is in full production, it will be reviewed thoroughly to make sure it attracts its intended market. Some projects are often scrapped when standards aren't reached, while others are delayed until the market shows interest in the concept.
So basically all Sony games have to conform to a set of rules and standards to make sure you guys are getting the very best games possible. Obviously this is not always the case but even if you don't like the latest Sony "masterpiece" remember that a huge amount of effort has gone into creating it, so at least some credit should be given!

All remaining 60 gigabyte PS3's shipped to retailers: Sony

Sony has shipped all their remaining 60 gigabyte Playstation 3 consoles to retailers.

"We no longer have any inventory in SCEA warehouses," Sony Games President David Kararaker told PCWorld. "All inventory has been purchased and shipped to retailers."

"We don't have visibility as to if that is on their store shelves or in their warehouses at this time. However, based on inventory reports from our retailers, there is ample supply still left in the channel."

Sony has alluded to a price drop after the 60 gigabyte model has sold out, but nothing official has been announced yet.
"We won't be making any further announcements regarding our PS3 model hardware strategy in North America until the 60GB model is exhausted and market conditions are evaluated," said a Sony representative.
By no longer stocking the US$499 model in its warehouses, Sony is making the $599 bundle version the only model available to consumers after the 60 gigabyte sku sells out.

If Sony decides to keep the price at $599, they might have some trouble this fall. Microsoft dropped the price of their core system to $279, $349 for their premium version and $449 for their Elite console.

Nintendo is expected to stay put on its $249 price point, making it very attractive to casual consumers, its target audience.

Sony Confirms Internal Depletion Of 60GB PS3

Sony has announced that it has shipped all remaining inventory of the 60GB PS3 console to retail.

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Sony Computer Entertainment America has confirmed that it has shipped all of its remaining 60GB PS3s to retail, but confirmed that “ample” supply is still available for purchase.
"We no longer have any inventory in SCEA warehouses. All inventory has been purchased and shipped to retailers," said SCEA spokesperson David Karraker, in a recent email.
"We don't have visibility as to if that is on their store shelves or in their warehouses at this time. However, based on inventory reports from our retailers, there is ample supply still left in the channel."
As revealed last month, the 60GB version will be phased out once stock at retail has been depleted, leaving only the 80GB console, which retails for USD 599 and comes with a copy of MotorStorm

Xbox 360 Dominates PS3, Wii In Most Requested Top 10

Xbox 360 completely dominated the Top 10 most requested titles on Gamefly for the week -- both Wii and PS3 didn't even come close.
According to GD, the top four were all Xbox 360 titles. First was Bioshock, followed by John Woo Presents Stranglehold at number two, Blue Dragon took the third spot and Medal of Honor: Airborne was fourth.
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption broke the Microsoft streak, with the Wii shooter hitting the five spot. Back to 360 for 6-8, with Two Worlds, Madden NFL 08, and Halo 3 respectively.
Alas, the bottom two belonged to PS3. Lair came in at nine and Warhawk was number ten. Still, having seven out of the top ten is certainly nothing to sneeze at. You can't win 'em all, as they say. Besides, it wouldn't be fun without any competition.

Sony Readies Wii-like PS2

What's a family to do this holiday in the event they still can't find a Wii on store shelves? Buy a Wii-esque looking PS2 bundle instead complete with karaoke game, two mics, and white controller for only US$150.
If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Or at least that appears to be the thinking (not to mention the timing) behind Sony's white PS2 as Nintendo's Wii continues to outsell the competition.
Sony announced on Wednesday plans for a limited edition "Ceramic White" PlayStation 2 bundled with SingStar Pop, two USB microphones, and a single white Dual-Shock controller. The bundle launches this November for $150.
Granted, Wii doesn't own the patent on the color white; that one belongs to Apple. And even though Wii similarities abound, the announcement shouldn't take anything away from the PS2. To date the system has sold an unprecedented 117 million worldwide, 44 million in North America alone. In fact, PS2 is still the second best selling console in the world some seven years after its initial release.

Review: Ninja Gaiden (PS3)

As far as arcade games go I would have to say that Ninja Gaiden (PS3) is one of the better ones I have played.
For a start the graphics are some of the best I have seen so far on the PS3 (mind you I still think they can do better) and the characters' interaction with the environment is pretty sweet.
For example, you have the ability to run along walls and perform spectacular attacks using the walls as a springboard.
The backstory seems to revolve around a ninja called Ryu, the original name for a ninja I know (see the Street Fighter games if you don't know what I'm talking about), and his quest to do . . . something involving a sword – I think.
Anyway the story's not important, what is important is the action and this game has loads of it.
If I did have to put a negative spin on Ninja Gaiden it would be that at times it is just simply too arcady for my liking, in that all you do is kill some ninjas and then kill some more ninjas.
I like a game to have more to it than just straight-up fighting all the time.
This game does have some moments of strategy, just not quite enough.
Overall a pretty good game and hopefully, graphics wise, it is sign of things to come

Sony Responds: 60GB PS3 Back in Stock

Responding to consumer demand, Sony has restocked the 60GB PlayStation 3 online.
After a complete sell-out of its online supply (first discovered by GamePro earlier this week), Sony has replenished its 60GB PlayStation 3 supply on Sonystyle.com.
When GamePro first reported that the 60GB version of the PS3 became listed as on "back order", Sony's Dave Karraker confirmed that there was no longer any 60GB inventory remaining in SCEA warehouses and that it all had been shipped out to retailers.
Sony has responded to the online demand and now has replenished the online supply of the 60GB version, shipping ample retail supply back to fulfill online orders.
Karraker also remarked that the US$599 80GB PS3 bundle may be reduced down to $499 once the complete supply of the 60GB version dries up.

Week recap: PS3 No. 1; Xbox 360 HD DVD; Wii decline

Sales for the 60GB Playstation 3 this week reached the No. 1 sales rank at Amazon.com on a free Blu-ray disc promotion that offers buyers a total of eight free movies.Additionally, 80GB PS3 sales this week held a 271 percent increase due to the free disc promotion.
Sales for the PS3 in Japan decreased following a four-week sales streak in the territory. The PS3 ranks as the No. 4 best-selling game hardware in Japan.
Sony this week began offering new demos, videos, and trailers to the Playstation Store. New downloads include NASCAR '08 demo, Heavenly Sword No. 4 Anime video, and new movie trailers.
Sony this week sent the multiplayer title Warhawk to U.S. retail this week. The game is available for purchase in a $59 retail SKU or a $39 download at the Playstation Store.
Capcom Co. this week began offering Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix to the Playstation Store. The download title features new play modes and 1080p graphics for $10.
Sales for Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360 HD DVD Player increased this week on a free disc promotion at Amazon.com. New buyers are eligible to receive eight free HD DVD titles from the retailer.
Sales for the Xbox 360 in Japan reached just over 2,000 units in the latest retail data from the region. The console ranks as the No. 6 best-selling game hardware in Japan.
Microsoft this week announced that the Xbox 360 Messenger Kit and Limited Edition Halo 3 Wireless Controllers and Headset will be available in Sept. The peripherals will be sold from $29 to $59.
Microsoft this week announced that Halo 3 has entered the retail manufacturing process and will be ready to blast retail in late Sept. The latest installment in the Halo franchise will conclude the trilogy storyline.
Capcom Co. this week released Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix to the Xbox Live Arcade division. The title features Ranked and Player online matches and 12 new Achievements.

70% of Xbox 360 Owners Unaware of HD?

According to an NPD report, as many as 70% of Xbox 360 owners are unaware of the HD capabilities (both gaming and video) of the Xbox 360. It’s almost as bad for the PlayStation 3…as many as 60% don’t know that their console can play back Blu-Ray movies and only 50% are aware of the HD gaming aspects of the $500 console. (Awareness of the HD DVD add-on for the 360 was not included in the poll.)
it’s very likely that this is a side effect of the low user base for HDTV. Even I, while "aware" of the HD abilities of the Xbox 360, was playing in Standard Definition until just recently. There have also been other stories recently about people buying HDTVs that are watching standard TV because of improper cabling and setup. Most people don’t have the visual sensitivity to notice the enhanced quality of HD.
It would have been interesting to have had NPD go the extra mile and ask how many of the respondents had an HDTV. I would suspect that the "awareness" factor would have been larger for those that had the prerequisite equipment. Still, the report tells a very interesting story…for two companies battling for HD supremacy, neither is getting the word out fully or doing a good job of educating their consumers. In fact, most people probably won’t even know what that shiny new HDMI port in their Xbox 360 is for.