Nintendo unveils new DS camera
GamesIndustry.biz :: Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Nintendo has announced plans to release Face Training, a new DS game which will come with a digital camera add-on and teach users how to perform facial exercises.
PS3 boosts Blu-ray sales by 1000 per cent
GamesIndustry.biz :: Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced a huge increase in European Blu-ray disc sales – attributing the rise to the release of PlayStation 3.
Studios must learn to say no to bad deals – Perry
GamesIndustry.biz :: Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Former Shiny Entertainment boss Dave Perry has warned those hoping to work on movie and game properties that if a deal feels “half-baked” they shouldn’t be afraid to turn it down.
Xbox Live Marketplace growing by double digits each month
GamesIndustry.biz :: Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Although Microsoft is still declining to reveal revenue figures for the Xbox Live Marketplace service, the company has said that it is growing by double digits each month.
MMO operators at risk of breaking law from September
GamesIndustry.biz :: Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Law firm Campbell Hooper has warned that unless they take action now, some MMO operators risk their games being deemed illegal when a new law comes into force later this year.
Auto Assault closure won’t affect other NCsoft titles
GamesIndustry.biz :: Wednesday, July 04, 2007
NCsoft has told GamesIndustry.bizthat the closure of Auto Assault was purely to do with player numbers and will not have an effect on any of its current or future MMO titles.
Australian devs call for same treatment as film industry
GamesIndustry.biz :: Wednesday, July 04, 2007
The Games Developers’ Association of Australia is demanding the same rebate as that which recently granted to the country’s film industry, accusing the Government of “serious neglect”.
DICE reveals Mirror’s Edge details
GamesIndustry.biz :: Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Digital Illusions has revealed to GamesIndustry.bizdetails of how its new property hopes to revolutionise the way players experience games in the first-person perspective.
Gamecock to publish new TimeGate title
GamesIndustry.biz :: Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Gamecock Media Group has signed the publishing rights to TimeGate Studios multiplatform shooter Section 8, due for release in 2009.
World in Conflict Screenshots
Team Xbox :: Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Check out some new World in Conflict images complete with some brief descriptions explaining the action.
To End All Wars Announced
Team Xbox :: Wednesday, July 04, 2007
The benchmark for the first person shooter genre is set to reach new heights as Ghostlight unleashes To End All Wars onto the global battlefield.
Microsoft boosts Xbox 360 component orders due to upcoming Halo 3 launch
Xbox-Scene :: Wednesday, July 04, 2007
From beyond3d.com (http://www.beyond3d.com/content/news/321 ): [QUOTE] Words on the street of Taipei has it that optical drive OEM Lite-On IT expects to increase its shipments of DVD-ROM drives for the Xbox 360 at the eve of anticipated launch of the third Halo game, Microsoft’s biggest gaming franchise. DigiTimes also reports that Lite-On declined to comment due to non-disclosure agreements that bind the company to their clients. Sources close to component makers, which supply Lite-On with DVD-ROM drive parts, said that they began to increase their shipment toward Lite-On in June. In other words, the production of DVD-ROM drives has definitely gone up at Lite-On and the Halo (3) effect on the Q3/Q4 Xbox 360 sales has surely something to do with that. [/QUOTE] Full Story: beyond3d.com (http://www.beyond3d.com/content/news/321 ) | digitimes.com (http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20070703PD224.html )
EU Commission examines high-def DVD formats
Xbox-Scene :: Wednesday, July 04, 2007
From digitalartsonline.co.uk (http://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=8248 ): [QUOTE] The European Union’s antitrust regulator has asked Hollywood studios to turn over information about their negotiations with the developers of high-definition DVD formats, giving them until the end of this week to respond. The European Commission is concerned that exclusive deals struck by some studios with the backers of either the HD DVD or Blu-ray Disc formats may be a sign of anticompetitive activity in the industry. The Commission began looking for evidence of a possible infringement of E.U. antitrust regulations on its own initiative: there have been no complaints from companies in the industry, said Audrey Lemonnier, press officer for the cabinet of European Commissioner for Competition Neelie Kroes. The Commission wrote to a number of major studios in the first half of June, asking them for information about their dealings with the technology developers, Lemonnier said Tuesday. She would not say which studios received the letters, or how many were sent. The studios have until Friday to respond, she said. If the studios’ answers give the Commission cause for doubt, it may launch a full investigation, she said. [/QUOTE] Full Story: digitalartsonline.co.uk (http://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=8248 )
Xbox Live Marketplace growing by double digits each month
Xbox-Scene :: Wednesday, July 04, 2007
From gamesindustry.biz (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=26374 ): [QUOTE] Although Microsoft is still declining to reveal revenue figures for the Xbox Live Marketplace service, the company has said that it is growing by double digits each month. That’s according to a New York Times report which also said growth has been consistently in the double digits since the service began. “The people we’ve partnered with see this as a good way to re-connect with the consumer,” said Ross Honey, senior director of Microsoft’s media entertainment group. “We allow a consumer who’s very engaged in games to shift, with the same box, to watching The Departed.”‘ [/QUOTE] Full Story: gamesindustry.biz (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=26374 )
Microsoft Denies Forza 2 Causing ‘Major’ 360 Issues
Xbox-Scene :: Wednesday, July 04, 2007
From 1up.com (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3160766 ): [QUOTE] This weekend, posts appeared alleging someone at Microsoft was deleting threads on the official Forza 2 forums. The offending thread was reportedly full of gamers claiming Forza Motorsport 2 was causing major problems with Xbox 360s. Forza 2 Community Manager Che Chou responded to the accusations in his Weekly Pitpass Report (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3160766 ): “We’ve gone and tested Forza 2 extensively against the hardware and have confirmed that the game itself does not brick Xbox 360 consoles. Although it might seem like the number of instances is high, especially if you go by forum reactions, it’s actually a very small percentage that it’s happening to and we acknowledge that it’s very frustrating. In other words, there isn’t really a software solution here. …As for the recent controversy over a ‘deleted’ forum thread discussing Forza 2 and hardware freezing, the truth is that I moved it to a moderator’s section for preservation and investigation. It has not been deleted (and I can easily prove it). The thread no longer served a real productive purpose other than as an excuse for folks to violate FM.net’s terms of service with ad hominem attacks. However, thanks to the thread, we are acutely aware that it is a very real issue with a small percentage of our community but a problem nonetheless.” [/QUOTE] Full Story: 1up.com (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3160766 )
Confirmed: Microsoft buying vacant Nintendo site
Xbox-Scene :: Wednesday, July 04, 2007
From seattletimes.nwsource.com (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003773038_webnintendoland03.html ): [QUOTE] Nintendo of America is feeding a large chunk of land in Redmond to Microsoft, which seems to have a nearly insatiable appetite for office and parking spaces lately. The unused, 28-acre parcel sits between Nintendo’s North American headquarters and Microsoft’s RedWest campus, which houses its MSN online unit. Neither company disclosed the sales price. The property was assessed for 2008 at more than $26.5 million, according to King County records. Nintendo bought the property in 1987 for $601,277. The transaction is set to close in mid-July. [/QUOTE] Full Story: seattletimes.nwsource.com (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003773038_webnintendoland03.html )
Chris Early appointed general manager for Windows Live
Xbox-Scene :: Wednesday, July 04, 2007
From gamesindustry.biz (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=26348 ): [QUOTE] Microsoft has appointed Chris Early, currently the studio manager for Microsoft casual games, as general manager for Games for Windows Live effective July 9. Microsoft reports that Early will work to “bridge the gap” between PC and consoles, which includes adding Xbox Live-type features to PC titles and assisting developers in integrating Games for Windows Live into upcoming releases. Interim Xbox Live group manager Bryan Trussel will replace Early as head of Microsoft casual games. [/QUOTE] Full Story: gamesindustry.biz (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=26348 )
EDGE’s Top 100 Games of all Time
Xbox-Scene :: Wednesday, July 04, 2007
From next-gen.biz (http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6231&Itemid=2 ): [QUOTE] A superb print collector’s volume called Edge Presents: The 100 Best Videogames goes on sale today. Next-Gen has the online exclusive full list. Click through for the best 100 games of all time, as judged by the readers and writers of Edge, as well as game industry insiders. Here’s the TOP 10 10. Super Metroid 09. Tetris 08. Final Fantasy XII 07. Halo 06. The Legend Of Zelda: A Link to the Past 05. Super Mario World 04. Half-Life 2 03. Super Mario 64 02. Resident Evil 4 01. The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time [/QUOTE] Full Story: next-gen.biz (http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6231&Itemid=2 )
N-American Retailers Estimate Xbox 360 Failure Rate High as 33 Percent
Xbox-Scene :: Wednesday, July 04, 2007
From dailytech.com (http://www.dailytech.com/Retailers+Estimate+Xbox+360+Failure+Rate+High+as+33+Percent/article7892.htm ): [QUOTE] In an effort to gain a more accurate picture of Xbox 360 failure rate, DailyTech decided to poll retail outlets that sell the Xbox 360 and with it the option to purchase an in-store extended warranty. Out of all Xbox 360 extended warranties sold, we wanted to know how many were claimed by consumers with defective consoles, thus giving us a more accurate failures percentage. After contacting several retailers from various regions in North America, the responses were unanimous: the Xbox 360 is the least reliable gaming console in recent history. Current EB Games or GameStop employees who offered information did so under strict anonymity, as it is against company policy to reveal such information to the public. Furthermore, our sources confirmed that EB Games revised its Canadian warranty policies during early 2007 for consoles solely due to the failure rate of the Xbox 360. EB Games held conference calls for its Canadian stores informing them of the new policy changes and revealing alarming failure rates of the Xbox 360. “The real numbers were between 30 to 33 percent,” said former EB Games employee Matthieu G., adding that failure rate was even greater for launch consoles. “We had 35 Xbox 360s at launch I know more than half of them broke within the first six months (red lights or making circles under the game discs). Two of them were dead on arrival.” The failure rate nearing a third of all Xbox 360 consoles was found at other retailers too. A Best Buy customer service department manager, who wished to remain unnamed, said that failure rates for the console were “between a quarter to a third” of all units sold. [/QUOTE] Full Story: dailytech.com (http://www.dailytech.com/Retailers+Estimate+Xbox+360+Failure+Rate+High+as+33+Percent/article7892.htm )
Xbox Live India to be Launched in September
Xbox-Scene :: Wednesday, July 04, 2007
From gameguru.in (http://www.gameguru.in/online/2007/02/xbox-live-india-to-be-launched-in-september-by-microsoft/ ): [QUOTE] It’s been a long time since Microsoft has launched the Xbox 360 in India. Gamers here were waiting for a long time to hear the words “Xbox Live India” from Microsoft. It seems that their wait is over as Microsoft is planning to launch the online gaming service in India. The Xbox LIVE launch will take place simultaneously from 23rd to 30th September. All of this will coincide with the Xbox 360’s first anniversary in India, which also falls on the 23rd. Xbox LIVE subscriptions will be available in 1 month, 3 month and 12 month denominations, and from what we hear, will be quite attractively priced. There may even be an Xbox LIVE bundle in the works, comprising a live subscription, a broadband internet connection and a game. [/QUOTE] Full Story: gameguru.in (http://www.gameguru.in/online/2007/02/xbox-live-india-to-be-launched-in-september-by-microsoft/ )
Amazon and Microsoft Team Up to Help Indie Filmmakers Jump Into HD DVD
Xbox-Scene :: Wednesday, July 04, 2007
From the press release (http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/AQM05402072007-1.htm ): [QUOTE] Amazon.com Inc. , and Microsoft Corp. today announced the 1,000 HD DVD Indies Project, designed to lower the barriers to entry for filmmakers to produce and distribute movies in the HD DVD format through the innovative manufacturing-on-demand technology of CustomFlix, a part of an Amazon group of companies. Jointly sponsored by Amazon and Microsoft, the project will provide free authoring and setup services for up to 1,000 selected indie titles. The project will be spearheaded by CustomFlix, which will bring as many as 1,000 feature-length independent films to Amazon customers using the CustomFlix DVD on Demand technology, which produces and ships DVDs only as they are ordered. This model greatly improves the cost structure for independent filmmakers by eliminating the need for costly inventory. [/QUOTE] Full press release: money.cnn.com (http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/AQM05402072007-1.htm )
