PlayStation 3 launch details to be revealed at midnight

Price, date and software line-up to be unveiled tonight

The full launch details for the PlayStation 3 in Europe are due to be revealed tonight at midnight.




It is widely expected the console will launch on March 23, with a price of £425 in the UK.

The 20GB model of Sony's new home console is not expected to be available during the European launch window.

The console should retail for EUR 599 in most other European territories, except Ireland, where consumers will be asked to pay EUR 629.99.

The line up of software available during the launch window should also be revealed, and is expected to include titles such as Evolution Studios' Motorstorm and Insomniac's Resistance: Fall of Man.

It's official - Wii use can cause weight loss

Video gamers who'd rather battle virtual villains than fight the flab can take heart. Use of the new Nintendo Wii can lead to weight loss.

After six weeks and 21 hours of total game play on Nintendo Co. Ltd.'s new game console, Philadelphia resident Mickey DeLorenzo is nine pounds (4 kgs) lighter and making a splash with his new svelte self.




"I'm on my 15 minutes here," he joked, referring to the famous Andy Warhol quote about 15 minutes of fame, in a telephone interview with Reuters on Friday.

Reuters Pictures

Editors Choice: Best pictures
from the last 24 hours.
View Slideshow

DeLorenzo, 25, came up with the idea for his experiment after he and his fiancée ended up breathless and glistening with sweat after virtually pummeling each other in the "Wii Sports" boxing game.

"On the fly, as I was typing my blog posts, I set up a daily regimen and went at it 100 percent," said DeLorenzo, who tipped the scales at 181 pounds -- where he's been for the last couple years -- when he started the experiment on December 3.

He ate as usual and didn't deprive himself during the holidays. The only thing that changed was the addition of daily, 30-minute sessions of Wii tennis, bowling, boxing or baseball.

PS3 is harder to cost reduce

But Japanese retailers reportedly slash price

SCEA boss Jack Tretton has warned that it will be hard to cut the cost of PS3 as the machine is so expensive to make - but according to reports, some Japanese retailers have already slashed 20% the RRP.

When asked in an interview with US magazine Game Informer whether PS3 price cuts be "as soon or as drastic" as they were for PS2 Tretton replied, "No... There's a heck of a lot more under the hood and it costs us more money to make it."




But although he conceded it will be "a lot more difficult to cost reduce" PS3, Tretton said that consumers will still be willing to pay the asking price.

"I think the consumers that get their hands on a PlayStation 3 clearly see the value and not only want to buy one for $599, in some instances they're willing to pay ridiculous prices to buy one on eBay," he concluded.

However, reports suggest that demand for the hardware is already slowing in Japan. According to Media Create figures the PS3 suffered its worst sales week so far earlier this month, and now there are claims that some retailers are drastically cutting the price of PlayStation 3.

As reported on Akibablog.net and partially translated by Kotaku, some shops are said to be reducing the price for the 20GB model from YEN 49,980 (EUR 315) to YEN 39,980 (EUR 253) - a drop of 20 per cent.

But market watchers PS3 wasn't the only console to experience a post-Christmas sales slump - Media Create's figures revealed that the numbers for Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360 were also down during the same period.

Companies warned of Chinese outsourcing pitfalls

A new report from Pearl Research has highlighted pitfalls in Chinese outsourcing, as the region's videogame market is set to exceed US $1.3 billion (EUR 1bn) in 2008.

Outsourcing and development in the region will continue to grow, but the report warns that costs are not as cheap as some companies believe, with travel, training and project management eroding savings made in areas such as low labour costs.

Other challenges presented by outsourcing development in the region include concerns over product quality, protection of intellectual property and competition for skilled employees.

However, Pearl Research notes that as as the market matures, so will the long-term quality of output.

The report also notes that online casual gaming will make up 30 per cent of the Chinese games market in 2008, while the most popular Chinese MMORPGs can generate US $80 million (EUR 61.6m) annually.

Miyamoto to speak at Game Developers Conference

First keynote since 1999 from Nintendo's senior MD

Shigeru Miyamoto, the acclaimed game developer behind titles such as Super Mario Bros. and Legend of Zelda, will keynote the Game Developers Conference 2007.

In his first keynote since 1999, the developer will reveal the creative process behind his work on highly-regarded software as well as his thoughts on new Nintendo hardware, in a session entitled, 'A Creative Vision'.



"The Game Developers Conference is a place for developers to learn from one another, and I think it is safe to say that every member of the community has at one time or another fantasised about having Shigeru Miyamoto as a mentor and teacher," said Jamil Moledina, executive director of the GDC.

"By guiding us through his creative vision with a keynote at this year's GDC, Miyamoto is allowing all attendees this incomparable privilege."

The Game Developers Conference tales place March 5 - 9 in San Francisco. Discount for early registration for the event closes January 31.

Miyamoto's keynote will take place at the GDC on Thursday March 8, in the Moscone Centre.

European DS sales top 10million

Nintendo's handheld breaks more records

Nintendo of Europe has announced that 10 million DS units have now been sold across the continent, making it the fastest and best-selling handheld in history.

The DS launched here in March 2005, and was followed by the redesigned DS Lite in June last year. It was one of the most popular products for European consumers at Christmas, with 1.7 million units sold during December alone.



"This landmark figure of 10 million Nintendo DS gamers cements the console's position as undisputed leader of the handheld market, bringing gaming to a whole new audience - something that was unimaginable a few years ago," said European marketing director Laurent Fischer.

"The DS is now helping to shape the whole market with sales of the Nintendo DS console and games being the main drivers behind recent market growth all across Europe."

The original DS is priced at EUR 130 / £89, while the DS Lite retails for EUR 150 / £99. Forthcoming titles for the handheld include Mario Slam Basketball, Star Fox Command and Final Fantasy III.

EA predicts software price cut

Ryan Jones, general manager of Electronic Arts Australia, has said that he believes the console cycle transition phase is now at an end - and that game prices are set to fall as a result.

Jones said, "I think it's safe to say that we're just about done with transition.

"Retail will show strong growth with the investment of GAME into the market, and it bodes well for the future having two strong specialists in the market as they tend to hold pricing and discount less to drive sales," he continued.




"On that point though, we do see next-gen pricing drifting down to AU $99 [EUR 60] by the end of the calendar year for all premium new releases." At present, full price Xbox 360 games retail for AU $120 (EUR 73) in Australia - the same price PS3 titles are expected to cost when the console launches there. Wii games sell for AU $100.

"We've had very successful next-gen launches in 360 and Wii, and with PS3 launching in March its initial success has become less significant," Jones said.

"Longer term it's hard to say who will win the console war out of the three hardware platforms but three strong platforms is certainly better than one strong, one average and one failure.

According to Jones the Nintendo DS is still enjoying strong growth, which he believes will make the handheld "a strong bet" for third-party publishers.

"We might see Nintendo's dominance on their own platforms challenged for the first time," he added.

"The challenges will be maximising the retail opportunities with so many different platforms in the market and limited growth in retail real estate in the medium term."

Rumor: Mario Galaxy Pushed Back Metroid Coming in April

The word around Nintendo is that promises of Mario Galaxy in the spring are not going to be kept. Although, the New Metroid for Wii will be coming sometime between April and June. He also told me that Metroid will be the first Wii game to be playable over the internet. When. The lack of Wi-Fi games so far has been due to developers not making use of it.

Wii laptop in action

Wii laptop created by Ben Heckendorn



Or waych here

Playstation 3 Capacity

How much capacity on a BluRay disc?



Or watch here