A number of Web sites have been promoting pre-orders on discounted or bulk shipments of the game system — without the cooperation of Sony, the company stated. Company representatives did not name the sites but suggested consumers can avoid potential scams by purchasing PlayStation products only from authorized retailers and resellers, which includes well-known stores such as GameStop, EB Games, Best Buy and Wal-Mart.
The PlayStation 3 system, with models priced between $500 and $600, is set to go on sale in the U.S. on Nov. 17, though only in limited quantities. Some authorized stores began taking pre-orders on Oct. 10. At some GameStop and EB Game locations, the orders were snapped up within minutes. Sony has said it plans to ship 6 million Playstation 3 machines in its fiscal year through March 2007.
Today, Microsoft released its Fall System Update for the Xbox 360. Not even one day later and bulletin boards around the net are already hot with user testimonies that the update had rendered them unable to play any games or even start up their consoles normally. Microsoft is staying quiet on the topic of the subject and as of press time, has yet to release a statement. However, speculation suggest that the intention of the update was to render modified Xbox 360 consoles unusable. The problem with this is that a considerable amount of users are reporting problems with unmodified consoles being bricked, and according to users at Xbox Scene, the update is not consistently bricking modded consoles as it supposedly should.
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Sony has announced that the official PSone emulator for the PSP should have titles available for it by late November in Japan. There will be a total of 9 available at the launch of the service by November’s end. These will be available on the Playstation Store under the section entitled “Game Archives”.
Here’s the official list:
1. Bio Hazard Director’s Cut (aka Resident Evil)
2. Konami Antiques MSX Collection Vol. 1
3. Konami Antiques MSX Collection Vol. 2
4. BishiBashi Special
5. JumpingFlash!
6. Everyones Golf 2
7. Silent Bomber
8. Tekken 2
9. Mister Driller
10 more PSone games will be added to the PSP/PS3 service each subsequently following month. It is speculated that the latest firmware will be required.
About two weeks ago, a Korean gaming site carried pictures from a presentation on Xbox 360 peripherals at Microsoft’s X06 Korea event. The snapshots included art of the Xbox Live Vision camera, a 256MB memory card, the Xbox 360 wireless gaming receiver that lets players use the system peripherals on a PC without cords, and an Xbox 360 hard drive with “100GB” written across the top. The news was picked up and reported around the Web, and Microsoft finally addressed the issue directly. A representative for the company passed on the following statement:
“The reference to a 100GB hard drive in a recent presentation in Korea has been misleading, and in fact we have no plans to bring a 100GB hard drive to the market. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.”
The representative could not explain exactly how the reference was misleading. When asked if the company had plans for a larger Xbox 360 hard drive, he did say it was “always a possibility.” “The device is modular, and there’s the possibility that different hard drives will be available in the future,” the representative said. “To reiterate, we have no plans to announce such an accessory in the near future.”
New York Times Best Selling Author, Richard A. Knaak, writer of Diablo: The Moon of the Spider, has a new book out. Diablo: The Sin Wars is a precursor to the actual events of the Diablo video game, however it plays a great role in telling the leading story. It is also a direct collabarated effort between Chris Metzen, Blizzard, and Richard Knaak.
Recently, some have hinted towards the possibility of Diablo III. Leading up to E3: 2006, IGN.com displayed a promotional teaser advertisement listing games being showcased at E3. Diablo III was on that list. It was later pulled as it turned out it had been an error. However, the speculation does not cease there.
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PRESS RELEASE — Sony Computer Entertainment America announced today the release of ATV Offroad Fury® 4 exclusively for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. For the first time in franchise history, players can race MX bikes, buggies, and trophy trucks along with the classic ATVs. In addition, players can rip through more than 70 new tracks featuring eight different styles of racing.
ATV Offroad Fury 4 follows the recent launch of the acclaimed ATV Offroad Fury® Pro, released on October 26, 2006 exclusively for the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system. Developed by Climax Racing, ATV Offroad Fury 4 received critical acclaim when it debuted at E3 2006 and IGN named it “Best Racing Game” for the PlayStation 2.
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The best way to kill something is slowly and whether you have noticed it or not, Nintendo’s Gameboy line has been eclipsed by the Nintendo DS. The primary reason for the Game Boy’s retreat from the limelight is due to the Nintendo DS’s ability to play Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance games. Another important lies with the company itself. Nintendo diverted its focus from its Game Boy line to its popular Nintendo DS line and highly anticipated Wii.
This strategy makes sense when one reflects on the Nintendo Gamecube, Nintendo’s console disaster. Nintendo’s refocusing and reconcentration signals the beginning of Nintendo’s attempt to once again rise to the forefront of the gaming industry and appeal to gamers of all ages. In order to do this, Nintendo must produce a continuous stream of hit consoles, handhelds and games. Unfortunately, by the look of Nintendo’s strategy a new Game Boy handheld may not appear on shelves anytime soon.
Blizzard Entertainment® today announced that the release date for World of Warcraft®: The Burning Crusade™, the highly anticipated expansion for World of Warcraft, will be in January 2007. By adding a few extra weeks to the development cycle beyond its original target date, Blizzard will be able to extend the closed beta test and further refine the new content that will ship with the game.
“We appreciate the enthusiasm surrounding World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, and we’re excited about putting the finishing touches on all of the new content,” said Mike Morhaime, president and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “We feel confident that the extra time spent polishing the game will result in the high-quality experience that our players expect and deserve.”
Blizzard began the closed-beta phase of testing on World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade earlier this month. The January 2007 release window will allow extra time for current beta testers to participate in the final stages of development and continue providing valuable feedback. Further information on specific worldwide release dates, pricing, and other details will be announced in the near future.
“What if you woke up one day and you were a Pokémon?” For the first time, players play as an actual Pokémon. They can even talk and interact with other Pokémon in the new Pokémon Mystery Dungeon video game. Nintendo and SmugMug have united to host the first ever Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Detectives Contest. Pokemon fans can submit artwork or photos relating to their life as a Pokemon.
The Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Detective contest spans from October 16 to November 5, so there is still time to submit artwork about your wonderful life as a pokemon . Winners of the contest can receive a Pokemon Mystery Dungeon game and a Nintendo DS Lite.
In October 2005, the game industry was stunned when it was announced that Peter Jackson would executive-produce the film version of Halo. Many assumed that having the imprimatur of the writer-producer-director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy would assure that the Xbox shooter adaptation would buck the trend of game-based films being Uwe Boll-quality.
However, some financial concerns were raised in Hollywood when trade magazines reported that the price of the Halo script was $10 million and its budget would be at least $75 million. Adding to the witch’s brew of doubts about the project were the hiring of novice director Neil Blomkamp and reports that Microsoft was demanding a hefty cut of the box-office proceeds. The film’s original Alex Garland (28 Days Later)-penned script, which received rapturous buzz, was also reportedly rewritten by inexperienced screenwriter D.B. Weiss.
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