It seems Nintendo success with their DS systems, which even started an Internet meme, could not carry the company through some doldrums last year. For the first time in 30 years, Nintendo is projecting to take a financial loss amounting near Y45bn ($586m). This was mainly due to missing forecasts of both the Wii and 3DS systems by 2 million a piece. Nintendo president, Satoru Iwata blames the timeliness in which the 3DS got some of its famous plumber titles, but believes they can make up ground with new downloadable content hitting the e-Shop this year. Analysts outside Nintendo believes the recent surges of the mobile platforms (smartphone and tablet) are the real challenges Nintendo are beginning to face.
The rise of the Yen last year is partly to blame for the loss, but Nintendo shares have still fallen 56% within the past 12 months
Hear that? That's the Mass Effect 3 hype train starting to roll down the tracks. Just this week we learned that ME toys will come with DLC codes. Now we get a multiplayer trailer to whet the appetite. I for one think I'm ready to save the galaxy.
In multiplayer you'll be able to play as any race and class combination, so if you've been just dying to be a Krogan Engineer, then this is your lucky day.
Mass Effect 3 will be released March 6 on the PS3, 360 & PC.
- The wonderful Rayman Origins is coming to the PC courtesy of publisher Ubisoft. And it's coming without DRM. We knock Ubisoft's practices on the PC quite a bit, but this is a positive move on their part.. Let's hope it portends good things for the future.
- Sega has announced that the Gearbox-developed Aliens: Colonial Marines has been delayed to the fall. It had originally been set for a spring release.
- Netflix has officially dropped plans to start renting physical copies of games. It had been part of the ill-fated 'Quikster' announcement last summer, when the company was going to split it's disc rental and instant streaming services into separate companies.
- Capcom has announced that the Sony versions of Street Fighter x Tekken will be getting some classic additions to the roster. Pac-Man and Mega Man will join the roster, alongside other Sony exclusives Cole, Kuro and Toro.
The release date for the Witcher 2 on 360 has been revealed. Get ready to hack, slash and brew potions to save the realm on April 17th.
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Originally Posted by Michał Nowakowski
Witcher 2 on Xbox 360 is not just a simple port of a PC game, it’s an adaptation. Our newest game has been enhanced with many new features, and according to many specialists it’s one of the best looking games on Xbox 360 ever.
The much-lauded 2D platformer Rayman Origins is coming to the PC. Publisher Ubisoft has announced a March 30th release date, at least in the UK.
Of course with Ubisoft one must wonder what kind of DRM the game will include. According to Rock, Paper, Shotgun:
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We’ve asked, can tell you that the digital download versions will only have a one-time activation, and retail copies, according to Ubi, will have “no DRM at all”.
Insomniac founder and CEO Ted Price said it bluntly yesterday at SMU's Game::Business::Law summit. The company is done with the Resistance franchise.
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“We won’t be making any more Resistances,”
See, very direct. Mostly.
You see while Insomniac is done with the franchise, Sony may not be. While Resistance was never the monster hit Sony was probably hoping for, it was always a solid seller and there's a decent chance that Sony will continue the series with another studio in the future.
So what's Insomniac up to? Presumably they're continuing to make Ratchet & Clank games for Sony (all of which except the recent All 4 One have been brilliant IMO) but they're also going multi-platform with Overstrike, which was announced last year.
It's been more than 5 years since the last new home console launched, and people are getting antsy. While surprisingly few people seem to really want the next gen to launch, the rumor mill on the next gen systems are cranking into overtime. The latest round all surround the next Xbox from Microsoft, which for the time being we'll call Xbox 3 just to be different. They're all unsourced rumors from anonymous sources, so all must be taken with a hefty grain of salt.
The first rumors came from IGN and tech site Fudzilla and focused on the processors. The CPU will be based on the PowerPC CPU, while the graphics processor will either be based on the AMD 6000 or 7000 line. In either case the new Xbox will provide about six times the raw processing power as the current Xbox. So far this is quite in line with previous rumors and simple logical projection.
Next up we have a slightly more...provocative rumor slate from Kotaku. They report that the Xbox 3 will sport a Blu-Ray drive (meaning anywhere from 50 GB to 100 GB of data per one-sided disc based on the most current BR standards) and a processing base which could be as much as eight times as powerful as the current system. It would also come packaged with a modified version of the Kinect that would include an on board processor (something part of the original Kinect specs which was taken out pre-launch) which would make it capable of much more precise motion sensing and voice/face recognition. But the most incendiary rumor centers around the possibility that the new system would not play used, rented or borrowed games.
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I've heard from one reliable industry source that Microsoft intends to incorporate some sort of anti-used game system as part of their so-called Xbox 720.
It's not clear if that means that the system wouldn't play used games or how such a set-up would work. Obvious approaches—I'm theorizing here—like linking a copy of a game to a specific Xbox Live account could seemingly be foiled by used-game owners who would keep their system offline. My source wasn't sure how Microsoft intended to implement any anti-used game system in the new machine.
While this sounds like music to the ears of publishers and developers sick of the used game racket run by Gamestop and the rental racket run by Gamefly. But would it work? My understanding is that it's very, very hard to truly tie a disc to a single machine in a way that couldn't be foiled by, as Kotaku mentions, simply keeping the system offline. Microsoft could implement a one time use code for all games to let you use it, but that could be a logistical nightmare as well. The obvious answer - making all games digital only - is incompatible with the addition of a Blu-Ray drive. The current state of ISPs here in North America, let alone the rest of the world, means there are a lot of people who have issues downloading an 8 GB game now. A generation of games clocking in at 6-10 times that would be a non-starter. There are also legal issues to consider. Apple can prevent you from re-selling your Apps since they exist solely in their network. Once you put a physical product out in the wild the rules change slightly. I'm not confident that the Fair Use argument would win in court, but would Microsoft be willing to bet the farm on that? So for the time being I'm going to argue that the BR and anti-used game rumors are in conflict. But as always, I can be wrong.
So there's the latest wave of rumors. Now what the hell does it mean? If hardware chips are being manufactured now - even if those chips are all destined for development kits - then we can make a reasonable guesstimate on a release window. It's not coming this fall, since there just wouldn't be enough units on hand to float a system launch. It's probably not coming in 2014 since it's too early to be making chips for a system a solid 32 months out from release. Which means that the next Xbox has a pretty decent chance of launching in the fall of 2013. This also means that Sony is likely looking at the same release window for the Playstation 4. Both of these mean we're likely to get at least the first hints of each company's plans at E3 this June. We're only in the beginning of rumor season people. Get ready for a long year or two of this stuff.
Are you one of those gamers who enjoys action figures of your favourite characters?
Do you like the Mass Effect series?
Do you like downloadable content?
If you answered yes to all of the above then this news story may brighten your day.
The new wave of Mass Effect action figures, from Big Fish Toys, will come bundled with DLC codes for Mass Effect 3.
Details are a little vague at this time as to what that DLC will be. The Bioware store page for the toys states:
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These products contain codes that can be redeemed for a downloadable content pack for Mass Effect 3 multi-player. They are slightly randomized during the registration and could include powerful new weapons and new characters. The pack could also include character boosters, weapon modifications, and weapon upgrades to make your multi-player squad stronger. (Only supported on XBox360 and PC.)
Available as a four pack, the packs include: Shepard, Grunt, Thane, and Tali figures in one pack, Miranda, Mordin, Garrus, and Legion in another.
Figures stand approximately 7" tall
A new handheld is on the way, carrying the SNK Playmore branding of Neo Geo. The new handheld (currently holding the placeholder name of Neo Geo Portable Device) was examined by Famicom Plaza, and they have a few details on it's hardware as well as it's bundled software. What we currently know is that it has a 4.3 inch screen, two gigabytes of internal storage and a 2200mAh battery. Additionally, it has an SD cart slot and TV-out capabilities. It seems to have four shoulder buttons, four face buttons, a stick of some kind (possibly a clicky stick as found on other Neo Geo platforms), a Start button and a Menu button.
While details of how one might acquire games for the system are currently unavailable, they do say that it will include an assortment of twenty Neo Geo titles built into the system:
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Originally Posted by Andriasang
1.WORLD HEROES
2.ULTIMETE 11
3.TOP PLAYER'S GOLF
4.SENGOKU
5.NAM-1975
6.MUTATION NATION
7.LAST RESORT
8.KING OF MONSTERS
9.FRENZY
10.CYBER LIP
11.FATAL FURY SPECIAL
12.ART OF FIGHTING
13.SUPER SIDEKICKS
14.LEAGUE BOWLING
15.METAL SLUG
16.MAGICAL LORD
17.BASEBALL STARS PROFESSIONAL
18.SAMURAI SHODOWN
19.KING OF FIGHTERS '94
20.FATAL FURY
Doors and keys have long been used as storytelling devices. In horror fiction this is no less true. What creeping horror lies on the other side? Is it salvation or terror? After a terrible incident, a family tries to make a fresh start in their old family home. Will it be the renewal they need? Or merely the beginning of a new dark chapter? Join us as we explore the first volume of Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez’s Locke and Key. Thoughts on the show? Let us know over here.
For years, some critics of Microsoft's XBOX Live! have come down against the use of the virtual currency of "MS Points". Available only in certain denominations and obscuring the actual cost of online content, they argued that the use of points made it too difficult for consumers to wisely monitor their online spending.
Well, according to the folks at insidemobileapps, they say they have sources that point to Microsoft ditching the "MS Points"-based market in favor of a more direct money-based system that is more in-step with rival Apple and Android markets for their mobile apps.
The change is not entirely unheard of - you can already make some purchase for Zune or Windows Phone based on your local currency, as well as some downloadable games over XBox Live.
According to the rumor, the changeover is supposed to happen by the end of the year. However, attempts to confirm by both insidemobileapps and Gamasutra have been rebuffed with a refusal to comment on "rumor or speculation". Stay tuned.
Sony has begun rolling out the first of many, many phases in the Starhawk beta. Playstation Plus members can hit up PSN for the beta at this very moment. But that's only the first wave of beta testers. There are more.
So how many phases are there to the beta?
- Playstation Plus members have access to the beta now.
- Starting January 31, vouchers from copies of Uncharted 3 can be redeemed for access
- A week later on February 7 you can get access by 'Liking' either Gamestop or Playstation on Facebook.
- IGN will be handing out codes on February 14
- The beta will be opened up to all Playstation 3 owners on February 21
There have been major wartime invasions which included fewer phases. But everyone who wants to will be able to try Starhawk before it's May release.
As a huge fan of Dungeon Keeper and Dwarf Fortress, this has me quite excited. From Rock, Paper, Shotgun:
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Originally Posted by RPS
It’s a strategy-cum-management game, by Zeal Game Studios, in which you must control a dwarven settlement. It has a Theme Hospital meets Dungeon Keeper vibe about it, with a sprinkling of Settlers, and of course a lot of Dwarf Fortress, as you manage your crew of dwarves to dig, build and defend themselves. It’s going to be randomly generated, meaning each time you start a new game it’ll be a completely unique dungeon, requiring new strategies.
Terrible voice-acting aside, this trailer shows off some of the gameplay:
There are a few screenshots at the above RPS link, which also mentions that the game should come out sometime in 2012.
Fight for the Future, which ran the largest organizing sites for the recent SOPA protests (sopastrike.com and americancensorship.org), applauds the announcement that the Senate and House have postponed action on the proposed web censorship bills.
“We sent the MPAA back to the drawing board,” said Fight for the Future Co-founder Holmes Wilson, “But any law that lets the copyright lobby block our websites, censor our search results, or cut off our Paypal accounts--without even going through a judge--will be soundly defeated.”
“This was the largest online protest in history,” said Fight for the Future Co-founder Tiffiniy Cheng, “The MPAA was trying to quietly force this bill through Congress, but when internet users started paying attention, real democracy happened. This is a watershed moment in the fight against lobbyists’ influence on politics.”
“The MPAA could have proposed a law to address copyright infringement,” said Holmes Wilson, “Instead, they proposed giving rightsholders veto power over online innovation and free expression. At that point, it was just a matter of getting the public involved.”
There are times in life when you wish you could delete from your memory something you just saw or read. Today is one of those days for me.
It's no secret that SEGA (they of Sonic the Hedgehog fame) has struggled for relevance the last few years, what with a string of high profile failures and the Sonic brand being abused for all its worth.
So what's a once-venerable company to do? Try competitive urinating. I kid you not.
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Japanese games maker Sega is pushing beyond living rooms and barging into bar bathrooms with "Toylet" devices that are played by speed and volume of urine.
The games use urinals fitted with sensors and small digital displays placed at eye level.
Five titles are available, including "Hold, Manneken Pis!", named after the iconic Brussels fountain depicting a small boy in the act. Players compete on the basis of volume.
But in "Splashing Battle!" the user takes on the previous visitor in a virtual fight based on stream strength.
In "Violent wind warning has been issued", the player tries to blow up a virtual girl's skirt with a digital wind, also dependent on the power of his flow.
Been enjoying the Diablo 3 beta? I'm sure you have, and while you've been enjoying it, Blizzard has been taking notes. Unlike most other major beta tests, this one will result in significant changes to the final product.
Game director Jay Wilson has laid out most the changes in a long blog post, and the changes are big. For starters, the Identify scrolls have gone bye-bye. All characters will be able to identify items without any external items clogging up your inventory. Reversing course, the Stone of Recall is now a straight up Town Portal, and several items included to make the absence of a town portal less onerous have been removed. The Mystic artisan has also been dropped, since the developers think it just wasn't interesting enough. They do hope to bring her back in a later content update.
But the biggest changes are on the stats page.
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We're changing core character attributes to Strength, Dexterity, Intellect, and Vitality, and the benefits each stat provides is being broken down as:
Strength
+Barbarian damage
+Armor
Intellect
+Wizard damage
+Witch Doctor damage
+Health from globes
Vitality
+Health
We're dropping Defense, Attack, and Precision as attributes, Armor is taking over for what Defense used to provide, +Physical Resist will take over for Armor, and +Chance to Crit will fill in for Precision. Obviously these stat changes are one of the bigger systems changes we're currently working on as they have far reaching requirements to re-itemize and balance the game.
More changes are coming to the rune and skill systems, but Blizzard is not ready to talk about those yet.
In case it wasn't glaringly obvious, this means Diablo 3 won't be out any time soon. The changes will have to be made, pushed out to beta and reevaluated before Blizzard can even think about a release date. Wilson put his feelings on the delay thusly
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Our job isn't just to put out a game, it's to release the next Diablo game. No one will remember if the game is late, only if it's great
It's absolutely the right attitude to have, and it will be of absolutely no comfort to the many hardcore Diablo fans who have been going nuts waiting for it.
The new developer diary for Darksiders 2 shows off just how different the new protagonist Death is from his brother horseman War. I was a big fan of the original Darksiders, and really cannot wait for the sequel, which is set for release this summer on the 360, PS3 & PC, with a WiiU release to follow later on.
If you remember our earlier coverage from PAX11, we were treated to a live demo of Strange Loop Games' Vessel. Vessel is a fluid physics puzzler that stars an inventor named Arkwright, who has developed fluid-powered automatons called Fluros. The original intent of this invention was to perform tasks faster and cheaper than humans. The only thing is, they've begun to do things they weren't originally designed for, so Arkwright must figure out what is wrong with his invention.
Strange Loop Games announced in a press release today that Vessel will be releasing on Steam and strangeloopgames.com starting on March 1st for $14.99. Strange Loop Games will also be releasing Vessel on XBLA and PSN on an unannounced future date.
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