Get Your Motor Running - Gran Turismo 5 Prologue

Additional special features included in the European release
16-player online racing on PLAYSTATION Network – a Gran Turismo first!
71 dream cars, High Definition graphics, new physics engine… and a TV channel

Attention all driving fans!! One of the games industry’s most legendary titles is about to make its PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3) debut! That’s right - the real driving simulator that’s already sold almost 50 million units is back. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and Polyphony Digital are pleased to announce Gran Turismo 5 Prologue™, a prequel title showcasing the forthcoming Gran Turismo 5 for PS3, will be available both on Blu-ray Disc (BD) on Wednesday 26 March for £24.99 (RRP), and as a download from PLAYSTATION Network on Thursday 27 March. Launching on the same day as the standalone BD version, a PS3 bundle will be available including a PS3 40GB model, a SIXAXIS wireless controller and a Gran Turismo 5 Prologue game, all for just £299.99 (RRP).

Gran Turismo on PlayStation is one of the most successful global gaming franchises of the last decade – renowned for its realism, quality of design and in-car physics technology. Now, with the power of PS3 behind it, it’s going to be unstoppable. Gran Turismo 5 Prologue features 71 stunning cars – including vehicles by Lotus, Aston Martin, Subaru and, making another striking appearance, Ferrari - for you to race on six seriously realistic tracks: the Eiger Nordwand; the Daytona International Speedway; the London City Track; the Fuji Speedway, Suzuka and the High Speed Ring – all drivable in two layouts and all rendered in incredible High Definition graphics. There’s also all-new driving physics for the most lifelike driving experience ever and new, improved, opponent artificial intelligence for the toughest race challenge yet.

But that’s not all – for the first time in the history of Gran Turismo, you’ll be able to race online. Thanks to PLAYSTATION Network, up to 16 players will be able to go head-to-head on some of the world’s best racetracks – all you need to get racing is a broadband connection and a PS3. Once you’re up and revving, Global Online Rankings will leave the world in no doubt as to just who is the best at Gran Turismo.

And then there’s Gran Turismo™ TV – a dedicated online channel available exclusively from PLAYSTATION Network and packed with some of the greatest content that motorsport has to offer.

And, when you’re done watching live coverage, you can take a more sedate browse through the Gran Turismo museum, where you’ll find virtual exhibits on the history of many of the world-class car marques that have starred in Gran Turismo.

Key Features:

• The first ever Gran Turismo title with online racing: drive online against up to 16 other Gran Turismo aces
  
• Race a total of 71 stunning, high-performance cars
  
• Race the Eiger Nordwand, the Daytona International Speedway, the London City Track , the Fuji Speedway, Suzuka and the High Speed Ring - and then race them in alternative layouts
  
• All-new physics engine means true next-generation vehicle handling
  
• All-new and improved opponent AI opponents for a nail-biting race experience
  
• Access to Gran Turismo TV : a world of great motoring TV programming online
  
• In-game museum featuring the history and heritage of the top car manufacturers
  
• My Garage - a personalised homepage feature with calendar, clock and map & weather of major race circuits worldwide
  
• Quick Tune facility allows you to adjust power, tyres, suspension and more
  
• All in stunning High Definition at 1080p
  

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Additional Features for Europe:

• Drift Mode – The player’s drifting technique is measured based on drift angles, racing lines, and speeds within evaluation zones located at various turns on the course.
  
• In Depth Car Tuning – Players have the ability to adjust the vehicle’s performance, including power, tyres, suspension and the ability for quick tuning whilst racing.
  
• Two-player Split Screen Racing – Allows players to race head-to-head offline.
  
• New Race Events – Online racing fans can join in on a new set of scheduled events and time trials.
  

The complete Gran Turismo 5 launches in 2009. Until then, there’s enough ultra-realistic, high-speed racing in Gran Turismo 5 Prologue on PS3 and it’s out now! To find out more, visit www.granturismoworld.com.

Xbox 360 to get Blu-ray HD DVD drives?

Game sites are abuzz with rumours that one-time HD DVD stalwart Microsoft is now considering a Blu-ray drive for the Xbox 360. Speculation is swinging both ways, with some pundits claiming it to be improbable and others stating that talks are already underway.

Let’s look at the issue from a few different perspectives.

First off, current rumours aside, how likely is an Xbox 360 Blu-ray drive? I remember being in the audience for Bill Gates’ keynote speech at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2006 when he casually mentioned that Microsoft could create an external Blu-ray drive just as easily as the HD DVD drive that it planned to ship later that year. That tells me two things: 1) Microsoft has, at the very least, given the idea some thought over the last few years, and 2) in terms of technology, an Xbox 360 Blu-ray drive is quite feasible.

Next, what form might this hypothetical gizmo take? Is an external drive the only option, or could we see a Super-Duper Elite Xbox 360 with internal Blu-ray capabilities instead? It’s anyone’s guess at this point. An external drive might seem the obvious choice, since it could easily be attached to the 20 million Xbox 360s already in people’s homes, but such a device would only happen if Microsoft can make one on the cheap (and keep in mind they would have to license the technology from Sony—oh, to be a fly on the wall in those meetings).

And that brings us to the final question: Does it make sense? From the perspective of Xbox 360 owners, an external drive would simply be a way to watch high-definition movies, offering no advantage to the games they play. Identical functionality could be obtained just as easily by purchasing any number of standalone players—including a PlayStation 3. The Super-Duper Elite Xbox 360 with integrated Blu-ray drive we imagined above might be appealing to first time buyers of Microsoft’s console, but it would almost certainly be prohibitively expensive.

The bottom line is this: Regardless of the form it might take, if a Blu-ray drive does find its way to Microsoft’s current console, it will be—at best—a niche product.

Personally, I’m more interested to learn about the optical drive technology going into the next generation Xbox, which has been forecast to arrive as early as 2010. Is there any option other than Blu-ray? Will Microsoft be forced into a key partnership with one of its greatest competitors?

Source: Globe & Mail

Next-gen Blu-ray "mindblowing" say Sun's James Gosling

Forthcoming third-generation improvements to the Blu-ray specification are "going to be just mindblowing," according to James Gosling, vice president and fellow at Sun.

Demonstrations planned for the company's JavaOne conference in May to show off the new features "will blow [delegates'] socks off" providing the code is ready in time, he said.

"People are going nuts trying to exploit everything that's in Blu-ray," Gosling added.

While Gosling was unable to reveal details of what's ahead, he was keen to talk about what we'll see when Blu-ray Profile 2 (agreed about a year ago) finds its way into players in the coming months.

Blu-ray Profile 2 increases the amount of local storage that must be provided by a player (flash memory is now so cheap that this is unlikely to make much difference to the price of Blu-ray hardware) and also mandates the provision of Internet connectivity.

This will result in "all kinds of really interesting Blu-ray applications that use the network," Gosling told iTWire, such as first-person shooter games, shopping, and community subtitling.

The idea of allowing outsiders to provide subtitles is getting a mixed reception from the movie industry, he said. On one hand, it means they can release movies before subtitling is complete and it provides a way of reaching many more markets with a single product, but the studios are also concerned about the loss of control. There are quality control issues when subtitles aren't subject to review by the movie's creators, and there is also the possibility that spoof or otherwise humorous subtitles could be unofficially released.

"There's still a lot of dissension in the industry," Gosling observed.

Most manufacturers of upgradable Blu-ray players have almost finished work on Profile 2 upgrades, he said.

Furthermore, people have realised that "Blu-ray players are pretty interesting things even when they don't have a disc in them" as with appropriate programming they could deliver other functions such as acting as an IPTV set-top box.

Sun's Java language - originally designed by Gosling - is part of the Blu-ray standard.

Source: IT Wire

Hideo Kojima -Metal Gear Solid 4 too big for Blu-Ray discs

Several big names may be going the Blu-ray way, but perhaps not all are satisfied with the decision. Konami’s video game designer Hideo Kojima is one such example. Apparently the 50GB Blu-ray is not enough for Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, reported renowned gaming blog Kotaku.

Speaking to Famitsu, Hideo Kojima stated, “For us, we are still not satisfied with the quality we can do. You know, there’s not capacity space.” The interviewer then asked Kojima if he was referring to the Blu-ray, to which the father of Metal Gear replied, “That is correct. There is not enough space at all. There is not enough space. We always talked about where to cut and what to compress.”

It seems, the team had to compress certain parts of the game to fit it on the Sony format, and the foreign voice tracks were entirely cut.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriot will be released in June 2008 across the globe.
Well coming back to, Kojima’s stance, what do you think? Would you yet prefer “Quality over Quantity”? Do drop in your views below and let us know about the same.

Source: Tech Shout

MGS4 Squeezes Onto PS3 Blu-ray, Could It Fit On Xbox 360? - db Techno

Microsoft plans to drop the price of the Xbox 360 Arcade to match Nintendo Wii?

When it's priced the same, for all intents and purposes, which it's looking like it just might be by late next week. Referencing "trade sources," MCV claims that Microsoft plans to drop the price of its entry-level Xbox 360 Arcade by as much as €50 ($76 USD). TechRadar.com adds spice to the rumor by avowing the drop and claiming it'll occur across Europe on March 14, sourcing "numerous UK retailers...who agree that the 360 price is set to be slashed on this date."

Altogether, the Xbox 360 Elite is poised to take a dive from €300 to €240, while the basic Arcade system, which lacks a hard drive, should drop from €200 to €150. That would technically make the Arcade cheaper than the Wii, which lists for €180.

Is it time to drop the price of the Xbox already? Let's see:

- Microsoft dumps HD DVD drive for Xbox 360 -- more of a psychological oops, but it leaves a ton of existing 360 owners in a lurch, and feeds a right or wrong public perception that something major associated with the Xbox 360 failed.

- Sony muscled past the 360 for the first time in January. I know, it shocked me too, and since Microsoft beat the pants off Nintendo and Sony each in software sales that month, I guessed it was Blu-ray sales driven. Which means Sony could be on the verge of a hardware sales turnaround that's not even games driven.

- The Xbox 360 has (or had) an absurdly high unit failure rate, i.e. the doleful "red ring of death," and enthusiast confidence on message boards and blogs is low, trending toward sardonic. Microsoft has performed minor miracles to rectify the situation and deserves full honors for being stand up about the problem, but first impressions (like possession) are nine-tenths law. Unreliable and expensive is of course a universe away from "bargain-priced" and "sufficiently revised."

- A considerable part of the Xbox 360's revenue model is Xbox Live and aftermarket online and/or casual game sales. Drop the 360 price into Wii territory and get your marketing team going toe-to-toe with Nintendo on the casual-online front and you just might redraw the battle lines. Nintendo may have found a new niche, but it remains a pretty monolithic one. The Xbox 360 (uniquely) has the economic and creative potential to mix and match hardcore and casual demographics. Figuring out how to market that message is Microsoft's game to lose.

So yeah, I think it's time to drop the price, unleash the new marketing campaigns, spin the monthly statistics to emphasize the company's forte (software revenue and critically acclaimed games), release a standalone Blu-ray player, etc. to get the system back on its feet, lest Nintendo continue to pull ahead based on sheer momentum, and Sony eradicate Microsoft's lead by virtue of movie player sales alone.

Will U.S. Xbox 360 prices follow suit? Grab hold of your wallet, then bet your bottom dollar.

Source: PC World

Xbox 360 to be cheaper than Wii on March 14 - TECH.BLORGE.com

Xbox 360 Getting Price To Compete With Wii - db Techno.com

Xbox 360 to get Wii-Like Pricing? - Spong

Microsoft Dumps HD DVD Drive for Xbox 360 No Blu-Ray as users move to download HD?

Microsoft Dumps HD DVD Drive for Xbox 360
Still, the company hasn't confirmed support for Blu-ray in its game console, noting growth of downloads.

Microsoft will stop making external HD DVD drives for its Xbox 360 game console, but won't say whether it will offer a Blu-ray Disc drive instead.

The company will continue to provide warranty and product support for existing HD DVD players, it said.

The Xbox 360 has a standard DVD drive built in: support for high-definition content came only with an add-on. Sony's Playstation 3 console, however, has a Blu-ray Disc drive built in, which helped grow support for the rival high-definition format.

Microsoft's announcement comes barely a week after HD DVD's main backer, Toshiba, said it will stop making the drives in the face of declining support for its high-definition format from retailers and studios. HD DVD's other supporters included Microsoft, Intel, HP and Universal Studios. Blu-ray also had the support of Panasonic and Samsung.

Warner Bros., which initially supported HD DVD, said early this year it would switch to Blu-ray Disc, a decision widely seen as a mortal blow to the format. Retailer Wal-Mart also recently said it would no longer sell HD DVDs.

Initially, Microsoft said Toshiba's announcement would have no effect on its Xbox plans.

A Microsoft spokesperson said Monday morning that the company is taking the long-term view that support for specific high-definition drives is less important as people increasingly look to download movies and content from the Internet.

Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace lets people download content to their Xbox or PC from major studios such as Paramount Studios and Warner Bros., with recent titles such as "Ocean's Thirteen."

That movie, which costs US$39.26 to download from the site, lets a user keep one copy on their PC and one copy on their mobile device. The movie is encoded in Microsoft's Windows Media Player format.

Source: PC World

Toshiba cuts HD DVD price in US to combat Blu-Ray

Manufacturer attempts to minimise Warner Bros damage by halving some prices

Toshiba has reacted strongly to last week's news that Warner Bros had defected to Sony's Blu-ray camp by cutting prices on its HD DVD players in the US by up to half.

According to a report on CNN Money the suggested retail price of its three standalone players will fall by as much as $200 - the HD-A3 falls from around $300 to $150, the HD-A30 drops from $400 to $200 while the HD-A35 goes from $500 to just $300.

The company already marketed one of HD DVD's key advantages as being cheaper than Blu-ray, and Toshiba is taking drastic action to keep its format in the next-generation DVD race.

Following Warner's decision Blu-ray now boasts five key players on its side of the divide, while Paramount and Universal support HD DVD.

Toshiba America's group vice president of digital audio and video explained: "While price is one of the consideration elements for the early adopter, it is a deal-breaker for the mainstream consumer."

The company also plans a lengthy advertising campaign to promote HD DVD on TV, print and online.

Source: Games Industry

Warner Brothers defect to Sony Blu-ray High Definition from HD-DVD

WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT TO RELEASE ITS HIGH-DEFINITION DVD TITLES EXCLUSIVELY IN THE BLU-RAY DISC FORMAT BEGINNING LATER THIS YEAR Decision Made in Response to Strong Consumer Preference for Format
(January 4, 2008 - Burbank, CA) - In response to consumer demand, Warner Bros. Entertainment will release its high-definition DVD titles exclusively in the Blu-ray disc format beginning later this year, it was announced today by Barry Meyer, Chairman & CEO, Warner Bros. and Kevin Tsujihara, President, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.

"Warner Bros.' move to exclusively release in the Blu-ray disc format is a strategic decision focused on the long term and the most direct way to give consumers what they want," said Meyer. "The window of opportunity for high-definition DVD could be missed if format confusion continues to linger. We believe that exclusively distributing in Blu-ray will further the potential for mass market success and ultimately benefit retailers, producers, and most importantly, consumers."

Warner Home Video will continue to release its titles in standard DVD format and Blu-ray. After a short window following their standard DVD and Blu-ray releases, all new titles will continue to be released in HD DVD until the end of May 2008.

"Warner Bros. has produced in both high-definition formats in an effort to provide consumer choice, foster mainstream adoption and drive down hardware prices," said Jeff Bewkes, President and Chief Executive Officer, Time Warner Inc., the parent company of Warner Bros. Entertainment. "Today's decision by Warner Bros. to distribute in a single format comes at the right time and is the best decision both for consumers and Time Warner."

"A two-format landscape has led to consumer confusion and indifference toward high definition, which has kept the technology from reaching mass adoption and becoming the important revenue stream that it can be for the industry," said Tsujihara. "Consumers have clearly chosen Blu-ray, and we believe that recognizing this preference is the right step in making this great home entertainment experience accessible to the widest possible audience. Warner Bros. has worked very closely with the Toshiba Corporation in promoting high definition media and we have enormous respect for their efforts. We look forward to working with them on other projects in the future."

Sony PLAYSTATION 3 System Software Update Version 2 specification.10

Blu-ray Disc Standard Profile 1.1 (Bonus View) EnabledDivX and VC-1 Video Playback Codecs SupportedVoice Changer for Audio Chat Introduced

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today announced the immediate availability of the latest system software update for PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3). Version 2.10 will enable the world’s most popular gaming system to expand its value as a home entertainment hub by allowing it to play the very latest interactive Blu-ray Disc™ movies, as well as broadening the number of video formats supported to make PS3 even more verstaile than before.

With the introduction of Blu-ray Profile 1.1 (known as Bonus View) PS3 will be able to fully exploit the potential of the new Blu-ray movies coming to market in 2008. With features such as Picture in Picture (PiP), the exceptional visual clarity offered by Blu-ray is further enhanced with richer features and interactive content, limited only by the imagination of the studio.

With sales of PS3 on track to have reached a cumulative global total of over 16 million by the end of March 2008, and the system software update making them all compatible with Bonus View, the market for Blu-ray discs showcasing these new interactive features is enormous. The first Blu-ray movies to take advantage of Bonus View are scheduled for release in January 2008, making PS3 owners amongst the first consumers able to enjoy the enhanced movie-watching experience that Blu-ray technology makes possible.

Many Hollywood and independent studios supporting Blu-ray will be bringing out an ever increasing range of movie titles in all genres featuring Bonus View interactivity to add to the pleasure of watching movies on Blu-ray disc.. With superb image clarity up to five times that of normal DVD video, and crystal clear Dolby 5.1 Channel audio, Blu-ray movie playback on PS3 really broadens the entertainment possibilities of PS3.

The provision of support for DivX and VC-1 video playback codecs in system software Version 2.10 will also significantly expand the multimedia capabilities of PS3 by enabling users to enjoy access to the broad library of video content available in both the the DivX and VC-1 digital media formats.

Version 2.10 also introduces an engaging voice changer feature to enhance Voice Chat on PS3, enabling users to alter the tone and pitch of their voice from the Control panel during AV Chat.

Blu-ray format dominating in Europe

HD 300 and Bond - Casino Royale top titles

The Blu-ray format is outselling rival HD DVD in Europe, accounting for 73 per cent of all HD movies sold.

According to the Blu-ray Disc Association European Promotions Committee, sales recently broke the 1 million barrier. That's not counting PlayStation 3 games, which adds another 20 million units to Blu-ray disc production for sale in Europe.

HD DVD was developed by Toshiba, while Sony backs the Blu-ray standard. Microsoft's Xbox 360 offers an add-on HD DVD movie player; Blu-ray disc playback is standard in every model of Sony's PS3.

Of the high definition movie discs bought by consumers so far this year in Europe, 73 per cent were in the Blu-ray Disc format and 27 per cent were HD DVD, according to sales data provided by Media Control Gfk International.

The Blu-ray Disc Association said the best-selling titles in the Blu-ray format were 300, Casino Royale, Spider-Man 3 and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.

In the US, Blu-ray disc movies had outsold HD DVD movies by almost two-to-one during the first nine months of 2007 according to Home Media Research.

Blu-ray Disc Movie Sales Across Europe Surpass 1 Million Units

Blu-ray disc accounts for 73% of High Definition discs sold

Total Blu-ray Disc movie sales across Europe have topped one million units, it was announced today by the Blu-ray Disc Association European Promotions Committee. Of the High Definition movie discs bought by consumers year-to-date in Europe, 73% were in the Blu-ray Disc format and 27% were HD DVD, according to sales data provided by Media Control Gfk International.*

The only High Definition packaged media universally supported by the film, music, gaming and computer industries, BD is the #1 selling High Definition packaged media. The one million sales figure relates to movies: if BD game disc production is added into the equation then total number of discs produced for sale in Europe already exceeds 21 million units. The so-called ‘PlayStation effect’ is important since it is creating major economies of scale and makes BD disc replication cost effective.

Blu-ray Disc movie sales experienced their highest weekly sales since the inception of the format, in week 44, topping 66,000 units. * This is due to the launch of new release titles such as 300, Spider-Man 3, Die Hard 4.0 and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End releasing in some markets.

“This is an important milestone for Blu-ray Disc in Europe and proves once again that whenever consumers have the choice they decide overwhelmingly in favour of BD,” stated Frank Simonis, Chairman of the Blu-ray Disc European Promotions Committee. “Early indicators show that the Christmas holiday season will be exceptionally good for Blu-ray Disc across all categories from packaged media to standalone players and BD capable games consoles.”

Blu-ray Disc has become the first High Definition movie format to sell more than one million discs in Europe, with Blu-ray Disc's sales lead over the rival HD DVD format increasing each month since the PS3’s release in March, outselling HD DVD by 2:1 YTD and 3:1 since the launch of the PS3.

The launch of the PS3 in March was seen as a turning point for the Blu-ray Disc format across Europe, with weekly movie sales of Blu-ray Disc titles averaging between two- and five-times the amount of HD DVD sales week over week.*

The best selling Blu-ray titles year-to-date are 300 – the number one selling title in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Benelux and Sweden and Casino Royale - the number one selling title in UK and Ireland.

News of the 1 millionth Blu-ray Disc sale in Europe was met with pleasure in many of the leading Hollywood studios. Bob Chapek, Worldwide President, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment believes that this news is the prelude for an exponential growth period in BD sales.

“Blu-ray will inevitably prevail because Blu-ray delivers what consumers want: True High Definition picture without compromise, the best sound quality, the best choice in content, the most in special features, and of course the most disc storage capacity. No tradeoffs. No compromises,” commented Chapek.

Notes to Editors:

Blu-ray Disc is a next generation optical disc format developed for High Definition video and high-capacity software applications. A single-layer Blu-ray Disc holds up to 25 gigabytes of data and a dual-layer Blu-ray Disc holds up to 50 gigabytes of data. This greater storage capacity enables the Blu-ray

Disc to store over six times the amount of content than is possible with current DVDs, and is particularly well-suited for High Definition feature films with extended levels of additional bonus and interactive material, as well as next generation computer games.

Also, Blu-ray Disc features the most advanced copy protection, player backward compatibility with the current DVD format, connectivity and advanced interactivity. Showcasing picture quality with six times the resolution of DVD and theatre quality “uncompressed” audio for the purest digital sound, the cutting-edge discs also feature enhanced and integrated menus, games, High Definition bonus materials and Java-encoding for more dynamic and sophisticated interactivity.

Sony's largest advertising campaign launched

Sony Computer Entertainment America is due to launch one of its biggest advertising campaigns this weekend as it introduces the new 40GB PlayStation 3 to the US market.

For the first time the PlayStation Network service is to be one of the key messages behind the marketing push, along with the console's Blu-ray capabilities, the new price point and the line-up of available software.

"The games are here, the price point is now USD 399 and we wanted to make the news loud and clear," said Peter Dille, VP of marketing for SCEA.

"Beyond the brilliant HD games that the PS3 delivers, you'll also see a big focus behind the PS3's Blu-ray movie capability and, for the first time, you'll see a major focus behind the PlayStation Network and the exclusive gaming content available on the PlayStation Store, as well as break through services like Home," he added.

Sony has lined-up a number of 60 second commercials showing off first-party exclusives including Heavenly Sword, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue.

The company is also pushing third-party software Haze, Burnout Paradise and Assassin's Creed, with Dille describing Konami's delayed Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots as "the mother of all exclusives."

"We have the 40GB PS3 'officially' launching tomorrow at a price point that will appeal to a wider audience and the 80GB PS3 which is demonstrating phenomenal sales growth since we announced the USD 499 price point," continued Dille.

"Add to that the inflow of great games and a PS3 brand campaign – our largest ever behind a hardware platform – and we think it's going to be a great holiday season for PS3."

Source: Games Industry

Nintendo to Sell Wii In China

Nintendo Co Ltd said it aims to launch its Wii game console in China and South Korea next year, helping accelerate its break-neck growth and cement its recent lead over Sony Corp and Microsoft Corp.

One day after the three game makers' earnings announcements, Japan-based analysts said Nintendo looks well positioned to win the race for top spot in the current-generation videogame console market due to a strong software line-up and low hardware price.

"New game hardware comes around once in every five, six years. So, making a good start is crucial," Daiwa Institute of Research analyst Koki Shiraishi said.

"Since the Xbox 360 was launched one year ahead, it is roughly on par with the Wii in total sales. But if you take a look at current momentum in net growth, the Wii is well ahead."

In July-September Nintendo sold 3.9 million units of the Wii, which features a motion-sensing controller that allows users to direct on-screen play by swinging it like a racket, three times as many as Sony's PlayStation 3 sales and twice as many as Microsoft's Xbox 360 sold during the same period.

"We suffer a global shortage of the Wii. Our responsibility now is to deliver as many consoles as we can to existing markets," Nintendo President Satoru Iwata told a news conference.

"But next year, I think we can bring the Wii (to China)."

Iwata also said on Friday he has no plan to cut the Wii price in response to recent console price cuts by Sony and Microsoft.

"We are in a situation where we need to focus our effort on satisfying demand. I am not at all thinking about price cuts."

Sony recently announced PS3 price cuts and the launch of a low-priced model to ignite demand and win back game maker support in the run-up to the critical holiday season.

However, the lowest-priced PS3, which goes on sale on November 11 in Japan for 39,980 yen ($350), will still cost 60 percent more for buyers than the Wii.

Sony loaded the PS3 with its cutting-edge technology such as a Blu-ray high-definition DVD recorder. But advanced components have driven up the price for buyers and made it difficult and time-consuming for game creators to develop PS3 software.

In a major coup, Nintendo said earlier this month software publisher Capcom Co Ltd would develop the latest version of its blockbuster "Monster Hunter" action game for the Wii.

The game had previously been developed for Sony's consoles and the switch to Nintendo has fed speculation that support for the PlayStation franchise may be slipping.

CASH PILE

As a key software for this holiday season, Nintendo will launch a "Wii Fit" home fitness game on December 1 in Japan featuring a pressure-sensitive mat that allows players to "head" virtual soccer balls and imitate ski jumping.

"'Wii Fit' is probably going to appeal to light gamers and it will be helping Nintendo to win more users," Mizuho Investors Securities analyst Etsuko Tamura said.

Nintendo's strategy to offer innovative but easy-to-play games to expand gaming population has been a smashing success.

Nintendo shares have risen more than fivefold in the past two years to make the game maker Japan's third-most valuable company.

Asked what Nintendo plans to do with its growing cash pile, Iwata said the company may carry out a new capital policy in the near future, but did not elaborate.

"Nintendo has ample cash for sure and you may say we have strong cash-generating power," Iwata said.

"There is a chance that we will need to do something we haven't done or we haven't said in the not-so-distant future in terms of capital policy, if cash keeps accumulating. But it is too early to say what it would be."

Nintendo's cash and deposits totaled 912.7 billion yen as of September 30.

Shares in Nintendo closed up 2 percent at 67,700 yen, outperforming the Nikkei average's 1.4 percent gain.

Source: Reuters/New York Times

XBox DVD drive movies giveaway extends to UK

In the high-def war, the HD DVD camp has been taking a kicking in the publicity stakes [and sales, apparently] from its Blu-ray rival.

As a result, Microsoft has extended its US offer of free HD DVD movies to the UK. If you buy the HD DVD player for the Xbox 360 between now and the end of January 2008 you will get five free HD DVD movies. Just buy your HD DVD add-on for the 360, then pop over to this page on the Microsoft site and enter in your details along with the barcode from the player and your movies will be winging their way over within 28 days.

Choose from the following:

Serenity
The Chronicles of Riddick
Hulk
Children of Men
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
Troy
Full Metal Jacket
Corpse Bride
The Prestige
Swordfish
Black Rain
Dreamgirls
Word Trade Center

The offer is also extended to anyone that bought a HD DVD after Oct 1st [as long as you have the receipt] but early adopters of the HD DVD are left out..

Sony's new Blu-Ray Christmas ad

Sony throw away PlayStation 3 features to attract buyers?

Watching Sony's attempt to jumpstart sales of its PlayStation 3 console by dropping features is like watching a pilot throwing out cargo to lighten the load before takeoff.

The problem is, of course, that the one feature responsible for the bulk of the PS3's cost... the Blu-ray drive...is the one piece of hardware they cannot get rid of. It's the engine, if you will. So, Sony is forced to instead eliminate features it once touted as important.

Backwards compatibility, which may have had more than a little to do with the early success of the PS2, is the latest feature to be jettisoned in the new 40GB console announced for Europe and Japan...and also expected for North America.

Dropping the PS2 Graphics Synthesizer chip, as well as two of the four USB ports, apparently saves Sony enough money to justify pricing the latest US version of their console at $399.99.

There is no question that the new price tag makes the PS3 more attractive to those who might have balked at the original asking price, and it also brings the PS3 closer in line to its competition. In fact, with the 20GB Xbox 360 Pro now priced at $349.99, the extra $50 could easily be justified by the PS3's Blu-ray capabilities, not to mention a hard drive which is twice as large.

The loss of backwards compatibility, however, represents some unexpected turbulence.

At first glance, one can almost agree with Sony's newfound belief that backwards compatibility isn't important. After all, it isn't difficult for people to keep a PS2 hooked up to the same television set. It is also hard to point to a single PS2 title that the majority of PS3 owners would demand to play on their new console. And, while it may have caused some grumblings among hardcore gamers, incomplete backwards compatibility didn't adversely affect sales of the Xbox 360.

In fact, prior to the debut of the PlayStation 2, you would have to go back to the mid-1980's (with the Atari 7800) to find a videogame console that featured backwards compatibility out of the box. It simply wasn't considered an important feature.

For those people who have dumped their old consoles long ago, publishers have already been able to provide NES, SNES, N64, Genesis, TurboGrafx and PS One titles for download to the latest generation of consoles. Thanks to broadband, and the availability of larger hard drives, it may even one day be possible for the most recent generation (Xbox, PS2) titles to be made available for download via Xbox Live or the PlayStation Network...although, at this point, the download time would be almost unbearable.

So what benefits does backwards compatibility offer?

Backwards compatibility might encourage brand loyalty. A family with a decent library of PlayStation games and controllers may feel better about their investment, knowing that their existing software and accessories won't have to be abandoned so quickly if they stay with Sony for the next generation.

Backwards compatibility also might encourage consumers to purchase a new console earlier than they might have otherwise, since they know they will be able to play their last-generation titles while waiting for new software to arrive. This is especially important for consoles whose launch titles have been somewhat disappointing.

Let's face it--so far, there really haven't been that many PS3 titles worth playing. The system has yet to see a title achieve both critical acclaim and commercial success to the same extent as a Gears of War or a Halo 3. Some anticipated exclusives, such as Lair, have performed poorly, while games such as Heavenly Sword and Warhawk have received average reviews at best. The recent delays of Unreal Tournament 3, a timed exclusive, and GTA IV, which is multiplatform, aren't helpful to PS3 sales either.

Things may change in the near future with the release of Ratchet & Clank Future and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, but the fact remains that Sony has never had the likes of a Halo or Zelda title to sell its consoles. While it does have many successful first-party franchises (Gran Turismo, Jak & Daxter, Sly Cooper, SOCOM), Sony has generally relied upon strong third-party support...support which is not yet forthcoming in this generation due to the PS3's smaller installed base.

That, of course, is the "Catch 22" that Sony finds itself in: people won't buy the PS3 until there is an attractive software library, but third-parties won't create an attractive software library until more people buy a PS3.

To Sony's credit, it has been hard at work trying to resolve both sides of this conundrum. It slashed the price of the PS3 only eight months after the US launch--not an easy thing to do considering how much money it already lost on each console sold. It has settled the case with Immersion, and has slated several key titles for a holiday release...although, frankly, this would have been better news last year.

While Sony certainly sold a number of PS3 consoles to videophiles as Blu-ray players, and will likely do so again with the latest price drop, it is questionable whether or not this group will ever purchase a significant amount of software. And Sony's cut of a $30 Blu-ray movie is surely less than its take on a $60 PS3 game.

As has always been the case, consumers purchase videogame consoles based upon the games that the machine can play. Since the perception is that the PS3 is currently lacking in this regard, backwards compatibility arguably becomes even more important.

It is therefore surprising that Sony has made the decision to eliminate this feature in order to further reduce the price of the PS3. They seem to be gambling that potential PS3 customers are willing to forego backwards compatibility in order to save a hundred dollars. But are they? After all, gamers who didn't bite at the last $100 decrease are likely to still be playing PS2 games...which are now no longer recognized by the new console.

Whether or not Sony's latest gamble pays off, its decision has resulted in a confusing mix of SKUs and a possible customer relations problem over PS2 games that will work (20GB; 60GB), may or may not work (80GB) or definitely will not work (40GB) on a PS3.

Alternatively raising and lowering the capacity of the included hard drive and eliminating features once considered important gives the impression that Sony has no overall flight plan, but is making this up as they go along.

It isn't too late for PS3 sales to soar. The only question is, in its attempt to lighten the load, has Sony jettisoned the parachute?

By Mark Androvich
Source: Games Industry

Playstation 3 Capacity

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Sony say - PS3 is most powerful console

Sony has declared that PlayStation 3 the most powerful next-generation console available - despite what it's rivals might claim.

Sony president said, "I have heard many people say our competitors' systems are just as powerful as the PS3. That simply is not true."

"No other next generation entertainment system pushes the envelope on advanced technology like PS3."

However, producing such advanced technology has caused difficulties - with manufacturing problems leading to stock shortages and launch delays.

"I don't think anyone could have foreseen the difficulties we encountered in the production of the blue laser diode for the PlayStation 3".

"We were asking our teams to develop millions of components for the PlayStation 3, like the Blu-ray disc player and cell broadband engine, that had previously only been produced in the thousands."

I have heard people say that a high-capacity game delivery vehicle like Blu-ray isn't necessary in a next generation computer entertainment system. You just can't expect that 9GB of storage capacity found on today's DVDs are going to have enough space to hold tomorrow's games.

Hirai went on to observe that some of the first wave of PS3 games, such as Insomniac's Resistance: Fall of Man, take up 16GB of space - which "simply wouldn't be possible on any other system without using multiple discs".