Shane Kim, the chap who recently took the job of being the Corporate Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at Microsoft, offered a tasty nugget of information about the next Xbox console in an interview.

When replying to the question of how Microsoft will approach the next Xbox console, Kim replied:

“How [do] you think about next generation? What is that next generation going to encompass? How are you even going to define that? All of that is part of the equation. What kind of geographic expansion do we need to see? Is the world more of an online world than a hardware-oriented world? I think there are some really fascinating opportunities in front of us.”

Even though the next Xbox is still a decent way away, it’s interesting to note that Microsoft is considering the possibility that instead of the current hardware console they may be looking at an online digital distribution network similar to Valve’s steam network.

This run’s in line with former Vice President of Xbox Europe Sandy Duncan’s doubts over the long term future of the console market made in comments earlier this year.

“There is a definite convergence of other devices, such as set top boxes. There’s hardly any technology difference between some hard disc video recorders and an Xbox 360, for example.”

“In fact in 5 to 10 years I don’t think you’ll have any box at all under your TV, most of this stuff will be virtualized as web services by your content provider.”

This could mean streaming data from a server or PC directly into your TV. However it’s important to acknowledge that even though take up on broadband connections has risen, most people still don’t have a sufficiently strong connections in order to host large multiplayer matches through the P2P system, let alone be constantly streaming content from web servers.

If this is to be the future of console gaming then ISPs will certainly need to upgrade their infrastructure in order to meet the far heavier demand.

Another important question to ask is, are we ready for fully digital distribution?

I, like many others, still actually enjoy having a physical copy of a game and having something tangible in front of me which feels like it does a complex job rather than just streaming content. On the flip side, younger generations may actually embrace the new format of distribution, and physical game media could go down the pan, the same way cassette tapes and CDs have since MP3s arrived on the scene.

The console of tomorrow could even be cheaper to produce, but as always the cynic in me doubts whether these savings would be passed onto the consumer with having to build such a vast, complex online network which would far surpass Xbox Live.

One things for sure: This rabbit hole goes very, very deep.

Source: IGN

In another round of totally geeked-out food products, we’ve recently stumbled across this Xbox 360 cake. Of course, there’s not much you can do with just a 360, so this cake comes equipped with a cake controller and a Guitar Hero IV cake.

The cakes were made by Heather Spencer, a young woman who is currently working on a degree in Baking and Pastry Arts. I say she’s already earned her certificate with these delicious-looking masterpieces. Well, I’m not sure how delicious they would actually taste, but she’s definitely got the “Pastry Arts” part down.

Which is the cake and which is the real thing? Amazing!

You can see more photos of these cakes and Heather’s other creations on her Myspace page (if you’re a member, and let’s face it, you probably are): The Four Bees

The 360 version isn’t as far behind the PS3 version as most people thought.

Apparently, to make up for the lack of user-generated content, Epic has thrown in a few exclusive bits to the Xbox 360 version of Unreal Tournament III. Oh, and the disc will also contain a sneak peek at Gears of War 2.

The 360 version will offer 5 new maps and 2 new characters not available in the PS3 release, as well as the aforementioned split-screen mode. But maybe you knew that already. What you probably didn’t know, however, is that Cliffy Blaznats will also offer some color commentary on an exclusive, as yet unseen video preview of the upcoming Gears of War 2.

Does this make up for the near infinite possibilities of user-generated content like that found on the PS3 version of UT3? Mark Rein, vice president of the world (and Epic Games), had this to say:

“This is a great title and, with two-player split screen support and some very cool new content, Xbox 360 players should be thrilled with this fantastic version of the game.”

I’ll be the judge of how thrilled I am about your game, thanks. UT3 is set to ship July 7th for the Xbox 360, with a review most likely to follow shortly thereafter.

Source

While the Playstation was once home to all the greatest Japanese RPGs, the Xbox 360 has recently been stealing some of that star power.

Microsoft held an RPG conference in Japan today where Square-Enix announced Star Ocean 4 for the Xbox 360.

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Subtitled “The Last Hope”, the game is a prequel, taking place hundreds of years before the first Star Ocean. The game will also contain more science fiction elements this time around, feature a brand new battle system, and the ability to travel across different planets.

Star Ocean: The Last Hope is scheduled to arrive in 2009 for the Xbox 360. A PS3 version has yet to be confirmed, but is expected to be announced for the console.

Sources: StarOceanLastHope.com, Gamersyde

Yes, I’m British. I spell “rumour” with two u’s. What U going to do about it? Well hopefully you’ll have no time to do anything, because either you’ll be embedded in Snake’s final mission on the Playstation 3, or engrossed in one of Snake’s first on the Xbox 360.

Yes, with knowledge comes…well, snappy Ripten headings, and this time it could read; “Metal Gear Solid Coming to the Xbox 360.” At least, not in the form you might expect. As we all know MGS4 couldn’t possibly fit on a measley DVD, but Metal Gear Solid 1 might fit into 350mb (though even that’s questionable.)

Indeedy do, MGS may be following its tactical steps onto the Japan PSN Store by infiltrating Xbox Live Arcade. This is not too surprising, since the series has made its way onto non-Playstation consoles a number of times, and Microsoft even published MGS for the PC release.

I expect you’re asking how we know, or who our source is. Lets just say a reliable individual tapped into our codec frequency after spying the game on a certain pre-release network. We shall say no more – nudge nudge, wink wink – except this; there are problems in bringing Kojima’s masterpiece to this new playing field.

Naturally, rumours can turn out to be false, so we’ll bring you more information as it becomes available.

*Update* – Some have responded rather violently to this story, so I must mention a few words of solace. This was posted as rumour, not fact. Nor is the rumour itself any challenge to PlayStation fans. I am not talking of Metal Gear Solid 4 being ported to the Xbox 360, but a 10 year old classic that has found its way onto a number of platforms, with Microsoft themselves publishing the PC conversion.

Of course, it’s hard to understand how MGS1 could fit into 350mb due to the lengthy dialogue, but it wouldn’t be surprising for Microsoft to make an exception.

I originally withheld our evidence due to possible difficulties, but after the response I will spell it out. MGS was spied by our contact on PartnerNet, the developers-only Xbox Live network used to beta-test unreleased downloadable Xbox 360 games.

Moreover, we’ve reported on rumours in the past and have mostly been proved correct. One notable example was our article on MGS4 using a 50GB Blu-ray, which was subsequently sourced around the web and on the infamous Neogaf forums. The news was finally confirmed by Ryan Payton in the following week’s Kojima Productions Report.

Of course rumours may offend you, for which this story is not of interest, but if they do interest you, we’re pretty confident in our sources this time.

On the eve of Ninja Gaiden 2’s release, director Tomonobu Itagaki has announced that he is leaving Team Ninja and suing Tecmo. 

According to 1up.com, Itagaki’s aide Andrew Szymanski confirmed his resignation:

At approximately 2:30 PM Japan Standard Time today, June 3 2008, an official statement from Tomonobu Itagaki was sent by fax to major Japanese news outlets. In the interest of fair and expedient reporting of this story throughout the English-speaking world, I have been asked by Itagaki to convey this statement to you. Herein find attached Itagaki’s official statement, in English, for the benefit of your readers.

…You will likely have questions regarding the content of the statement, or about Itagaki’s future plans. I am afraid that I will be unable to answer such questions for the time being; however, rest assured that more information will be forthcoming as soon as it is deemed appropriate to do so.

Here’s an extract from Itagaki’s resignation letter, explaining why he has made such a drastic move:

Before the start of development on Dead or Alive 4, Tecmo Co., Ltd. had agreed to pay a completion bonus to me for this Xbox 360 title, which I produced. However, when the time came for the actual payment, Tecmo Co., Ltd. went against its previous agreement and refused payment. President Yoshimi Yasuda chose not only to violate this agreement, but also turned defiant, telling me ‘if you are dissatisfied with the decision not to pay the bonuses, either quit the company or sue it.’ In addition, he made demeaning remarks about me to my subordinates and colleagues, causing me significant emotional distress and worsening my personal relationships and work environment. Thus, I have no choice but to resign from Tecmo Co., Ltd.

The conduct of Tecmo Co., Ltd. and its president Yoshimi Yasuda towards me has been unbefitting of a publicly-listed company. I have filed this lawsuit with a strong intent to question the social responsibility of Tecmo Co., Ltd. and its President Yoshimi Yasuda, as well as condemning them for their unjust acts. Today, in addition to announcing the reasons for this lawsuit, I make clear my reasons for resigning.

To All Game Fans

I truly feel sorry to all the fans of the games I have made. Ninja Gaiden 2, which will launch on the 3rd of June will be the last Ninja Gaiden I will create. I will also never be able to make Dead or Alive 5. I regret the circumstances that have forced me to leave Tecmo, where I had worked for so many years, and I regret the disappointment this will cause my fans. However, I can no longer continue to work with President Yoshimi Yasuda, a man who chooses not to honor promises even when he is able to do so. I truly hope that nothing like this happens again in the future.

This is a complete shock to the gaming world, with one of the most iconic developers leaving the team and games that he made so famous. It’s unsure what Itagaki has planned next, but before his resignation he did state he was working on a brand new violent action game. 

Ninja Gaiden 2 releases today, so fans better eat it up as this will be Itagaki’s last Ninja Gaiden title.

We’ll bring you more information on Itagaki’s resignation and lawsuit when it becomes available.

Source: 1up.com

EA just announced that undefeated EliteXC mixed martial arts fighter and American Gladiator Gina Carano will be playing Natasha, a deadly Soviet commando, in Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3, which comes out for the PC and Xbox 360 this holiday season.

Not only will Carano appear in the live-action movie cutscenes, but her character will be a playable unit in the game.  Carano made these comments about her new role:

The last year has been such a whirlwind for me, from everything that’s happening with EliteXC this weekend to American Gladiators and now with EA and Red Alert 3.

Natasha is such a cool, powerful character; her actions definitely speak louder than her words which is something I definitely identify with. I can’t wait to see how everything turns out and I hope all of the gamers out there have a great time wreaking havoc as me.

Now is it just me, or is Command & Conquer turning into Dancing with the Stars? What’s up with using B celebrities in this franchise? Let’s see: so far we have James Earl Jones (Star Wars), Josh Holloway (Lost), Billy Dee Williams (Star Wars), Michael Biehn (The Terminator, Aliens), Natasha Henstridge (Species), Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica), Jennifer Morrison (House), and Michael Ironside (Top Gun).

Who’s next on their list? Michael Madsen? Lance Henriksen?

The recent PC update for Team Fortress 2 was a welcome addition to the already excellent gameplay, and it looks like our friends on the Xbox 360 will be able to enjoy the same delights soon enough.

The PC downloadable content included the new game type ‘Payload’: this tasks the attacking team to move a mine cart containing a huge bomb through the level and into the defending teams base, where it goes boom.

According to Valve’s marketing director Doug Lombardi:

We’re looking at bringing the Goldrush and the new achievements and stuff out to the 360. How and when is still sort of being determined, on pricing and that kind of stuff. On the PC it’s sort of wide open, you can release stuff whenever you want. On the console there’s a little bit more of a pathway.

What we’ve been waiting for is until we had a critical mass of new content to put out, so we feel like we’re kind of there now. We’ll probably be making some announcements pretty soon on what will happen with the 360 stuff. I don’t know that–unfortunately I don’t know that any of that will make it to the PS3.

The PC pack also included new maps and the first slew of unlockable weapons, which is sure to change TF2’s gameplay dramatically. Hopefully more news will be rushing towards us for both the 360 and PS3 DLC plans.

Source: Shack News

It looks like Rare is interested in shaking up the Banjo formula with the next game in the franchise for the Xbox 360. Titled Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts, vehicle creation and component collection will play big roles.

Rare may be aiming for a more open-world, sandbox style of play for the new Banjo Kazooie. A large part of gameplay will revolve around the creation of vehicles from 1,600 parts throughout the game’s six levels. These parts include weapons and can create various things from gliders to monster trucks and bikes that have multiple uses and abilities.  Some possible creations can be seen in the following gallery:

Traditional platforming will still play a role, as will the collection of puzzle pieces and musical notes. Notes in particular will be used to buy blueprints for vehicles.

Levels themselves sound substantially larger than before, with the first area called Showdown Town being described as 16 times larger than anything Rare has done before.

Information on multiplayer is scarce, but Gamereactor experienced a few duels at Rare’s recent press day:

The first was a kind of ‘King of the Hill’ where we had to keep inside a circle that constantly moved. Two others were races, [the last being] some sumo-wrestling, where we had to push each other out of a ring. After we first had played the games only using the pre-made vehicles, we then were given the opportunity to create our machines, our own ultimate weapons, in an attempt to win the levels.

Seemingly headed for a release this year, it shouldn’t be long before we start hearing a lot more about a game that Microsoft will surely want attention for.

Source: Game Informer (June 2008) via Neogaf, Gamereactor via Videogaming247

EA has confirmed that the follow-up to SKATE is currently in development for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. No release date has been set at this time.

In addition to being praised for its environments and soundtrack, SKATE featured an innovative control scheme; using the thumbsticks the player could not only move around, but could launch grabs, perform manuals, accomplish flip tricks, and every other move possible. Hopefully the sequel will bring even more new features to the table.

Nintendo will also be seeing a version of SKATE on their platform in the form of SKATE It, which will utilise Wii Fit’s balance board.

Source: MCV.UK

EA DICE has issued a press release announcing that enlistment for Bad Company will commence on June 5th for the Xbox 360 & PlayStation 3.

The demo will give new recruits the chance to meet their fellow mismatch comrades in the single player component, in addition to fighting for the precious bounty in Gold Rush on the Oasis multiplayer map.

For all of you thinking about enlisting in North America and Europe, you can join the fight early on May 29th by pre-ordering the game.

Gold Fever Hits an All Time High With the Upcoming Battlefield: Bad Company Single-Player and Multi-Player Demo

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—You’ve been drafted to ‘B’ Company! DICE, a studio of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announced that a demo for its highly anticipated summer release, Battlefield: Bad Company™ will be available on Xbox LIVE™ Marketplace and PLAYSTATION® Store on June 5. Players will land on the battlefield as part of the ‘B’ or Bad Company, a wayward band of soldiers more interested in the pursuit of gold and personal financial gain than following the rules. Gamers will get a sneak peek at how tactical destruction changes the way shooters are played, both offline and online in the single player and multiplayer demo.

Players can also gain early access to the demo by pre-ordering the game through participating retailers in North America and Europe. More details on this special pre-order campaign can be found at http://www.battlefield.com/badcompany.

Players who missed their opportunity to participate in the closed beta get a second chance to experience the intense multiplayer Gold Rush mode on the Oasis map while the single player portion starts gamers at the beginning of their ‘B’ company career. The single player portion of the demo sets the stage for players as they’re introduced to the humorous and sometimes irreverent set of characters that make up the ‘B’ company. As gamers embark on their quest for gold, they’ll experience the same classic Battlefield gameplay including access to numerous vehicles, weapons and open maps as well as the new tactical destruction that only Battlefield: Bad Company can deliver.

Source: Kotaku

After two long years since the last Fight Night, Electronic Arts recently announced that EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 4 is in development at EA Canada.

The game will feature a revamped gameplay engine, all-new physics-based animations and, surprisingly, the appearance of a young Mike Tyson.

“The EA SPORTS Fight Night franchise has always been synonymous with quality and innovation that raised the bar for the sports videogame genre”, said Kevin Wilkinson, Executive Producer, EA SPORTS. “EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 3 was a platform defining game as the industry transitioned to next generation consoles. EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 4 will change how boxing games are played and measured in the future.”

Fight Night Round 4 will be available for both the PS3 and Xbox 360 sometime in 2009.

Source: EA Press Release

In a recent showing of their popular PC and Xbox 360 zombie shooter, Left 4 Dead, Valve’s Marketing VP Doug Lombardi let the world know that they weren’t developing a PS3 version of the game. However, he did leave hope that the game could be ported to the PS3. 

When asked if EA would be porting the game over to the PS3, much like they did with The Orange Box, Lombardi replied,

Left 4 Dead doesn’t have that guaranteed appeal yet – it’s a new IP. If you mention a new Half-Life, people want to make as many versions of it as possible. If Left 4 Dead is big, then we may see a PS3 version later, or if and when we do a sequel, people may be more interested in that.

Lombardi went on to say,

We’re only 150 people, so there’s only so many things we can do. But it’s one of those things with partners, wanting to take on that investment and risk. I think until L4D is proven, you’ll probably just see what we make in that franchise.

It seems as though much of the concern with developing a PS3 version is the financial risk and Valve doesn’t want to have any part of it. Hopefully, Left 4 Dead does well on the PC and Xbox 360 to allow the possibility for a PS3 port.

Sources: CVG.com and PS3fanboy.com

For the number junkies out there in cyberspace, SCEE’s PlayStation Day is pumping out sales numbers like Mardi Gras beads, and you don’t even have to take off your shirt to get your hands on em. (I suppose you could, if that’s your thing.)

SCEE chief David Reeves said Sony Europe has sold 12 million PSPs, 5 million PS3s and a solid 48 million PS2s. Now, if that isn’t a pretty solid user base I don’t know what is.

Reeves also went on to point out that Sony has been outselling their closest competitor (the Xbox 360, the Wii is still in a solid first place) consistently since October.  He even added that the PS3 has sold more units than the Xbox 360 in Europe to date, despite Microsoft’s 18 month advantage. Not bad for Sony’s big black beast.

Sony Computer Entertainment president Kaz Hirai has been kind enough to show off Sony’s world-wide sales figures. A respectable 10.5 million PS3s, 34 million PSPs and a whopping 127 million PS2s had been sold upto the end of 2007.

And look at this, even more numbers! This day just keeps getting… numberier. Reeves talks more European numbers, revealing that Gran Turismo 5: Prologue has sold 1.5 million copies, EyeToy has sold 6.7 million, SingStar is rocking 12 million copies, and Buzz has sold 6 million copies. Who bought 6 million copies of Buzz? I have no idea. But there you have it. Straight from the horse’s mouth. Well, SCEE chief’s mouth actually, but you get the idea.

It’s fun to compare consoles, especially when the comparison involves one of the biggest games of this generation. Grand Theft Auto IV has been littered with websites giving their opinions on which version looks best. Surprisingly, most had no inkling of each version’s native resolution.

Eurogamer are the first to speculate that GTA IV on the PS3 runs at 630p. When in fact, it doesn’t… It runs at 640p.

Yes, GTA IV on the PS3 is sub-HD. And if it couldn’t be any more ironic (the traditionally Playstation series runs at a lower resolution) it has the same resolution as Halo 3 on the Xbox 360 – perhaps the first game to receive the sub-HD back-lash.

The man who spilt the news? The now infamous Quaz51 of Beyond3d technical forums. PS3 GTA IV runs at 640p with 0xAA, in comparison to the Xbox 360 version at 720p with 2xAA.

Eurogamer, who base almost all their multi-platform comparisons on Quaz51’s findings, were using opinions from B3D’s technical wizard before he had received a reliable PS3 screenshot. In receipt of a high-res shot, Quaz51 had this to say:

Good news [...] it’s 1152×640p (and no AA) exactly like Halo 3, Perfect Dark [Zero] or Dark Sector PS3.

The resolution itself is unsurprising, but the side by side comparisons carried out by numerous websites tell a more complex story. For example, in IGN’s head to head, the PS3’s Anti-Aliasing is cited as being the better of the two versions, even though the Xbox 360 has 2xAA. This could be due to the upscaling and post-processing effects smoothing the edges on the PS3.

In their review, IGN continues to state that due to the PS3’s mandatory install there is less loading and less pop-in than on the Xbox 360:

For those wanting to know which version looks better, the edge goes to the PS3. The textures and framerate are comparable, but the PS3 has far less pop-in. The 360 has richer colors, but the PS3 has better anti-aliasing making it look a little cleaner. Because GTA IV can preload onto the PS3 hard drive, the in-game loads are faster. Don’t worry Xbox owners, the load times are rarely more than 30 seconds and don’t occur very often.

In another nod to differences between the two versions, EGM mentions that the “PS3 version looks slightly more vibrant and sharp.” You’d think the Xbox 360’s higher resolution would facilitate the sharper look.

Native resolution, thus, appears to have less of an impact than we might have first thought. At least, you are more likely to notice indirect differences, than the lower resolution itself. For example, upscaling on the PS3 appears to have some positive graphical results, which may explain why some websites say it looks better. Eurogamer’s Rich Leadbetter hypothesises:

It’s worth noting that due to the post-processing effects the game employs (there’s a serious amount of stuff being done to the raw frame), the PS3’s lower resolution serves to mask a lot of the nasty after effects.

For example, look at the dithering on the signs in the background on those shots. A bit ugly on Xbox 360, but smoothed and blurred away on PS3, presenting a generally nicer look.

In the end, what really matters is that both versions run extremely well and at an almost locked framerate. There are certainly differences on paper, but many will find it difficult to notice them in the game:

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Which version of GTA IV should you buy? Due to the game’s impressive multiplayer – buy the version where your friends reside, because you could potentially spend hundreds of hours duking it out online.

In a press release on their website, game publisher and world domination contender Electronic Arts announced they will be releasing Monopoly on multiple platforms. That’s right, you can bankrupt your friends and loved ones on the Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, Pogo.com, and even on mobile phones. 

Monopoly is no stranger to the virtual world, having been available on the PC as early as 1995. However, EA promises to take the family favorite on a new level. The EA version of Monopoly will feature 4-player simultaneous play, unlockable game boards, and interactive minigames.

EA’s Monopoly (snort) is inspired by Hasbro’s upcoming Monopoly Here and Now: World Edition board game. The video games are slated to launch in the fall, simultaneously with the board game.

Source: EA.com

It almost sounds too good to be true. Almost? It is too good to be true. Could Cry Engine 2 on consoles really look any where near as good as Crysis on the PC? Crytek’s Engine Business Manager, Harald Seeley, states that they expect the console versions to “look like they’re running at high settings, or nearly high settings, on a PC.” *Shock.*

When asked what differences there would be between the PC and console versions of the Cry Engine 2, and whether the engine will be tailored to each platform, Seeley replies:

Yes, we definitely tailor the engine specifically to each platform. More than just the difference in CPU and video hardware capabilities of PCs and consoles is at play here. So are the much smaller memory budgets we must work with, the lack of a hard disk on some models, and the acceptance requirements of the hardware vendors themselves. All have an effect on how we approach each version of the engine.

The surprising thing has been how well the consoles can perform visually, once this tailoring is in place. We expect the final outcome will result in games that look like they’re running at high settings, or nearly high settings, on a PC. Actually, we found it as much or more challenging to address the memory limitations of the consoles when converting our current AI system, as we did while converting our rendering engine or physics system, which was not something you might have expected at the start.

As to the differences between Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 development, and the possibility of a Wii engine, Seeley states:

Well there is no doubt that porting our engine to the PlayStation 3 is the more challenging of our two ongoing conversion projects, but that works to our advantage in the end. We feel certain we have the ability to get the most that is possible out of that platform, and therefore PS3 games which run on our engine in the future will definitely stand significantly apart from other games that don’t.

We haven’t seen a great deal of demand for third party engines for the Wii, the limited complexity of games which can be developed for that console also limits the need for the kind of sophisticated tools and middleware which we are known for. So I doubt we will be providing any engine technology for that console in the near term.

Poor Wii, but bring out the parade for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3! For the rest of the interview, please visit IGN.

Madden ‘09 is the first casualty of the cull, which is apparently because we love our consoles too much.

We had wondered whether last week’s decision not to ship Madden for PC might be an isolated incident, but not so. Speaking on his blog, EA Sports head Peter Moore said:

The PC presents some very serious business challenges to us in the sports category, particularly because so many of you all are playing your favourite sports games on the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii.

He goes on to say a limited number of titles will be released on PC this year, but without an indication of which ones, and whether that means they’re slowly winding down or just keeping the few bestsellers.

Meanwhile, if you are at this moment spewing vitriol or letting the tears cascade down your face, at least there’s a caveat; PC appears to be getting a suspension rather than a lifelong ban.

Moore promises:

We do have ideas for how to revitalise the PC for sports games and the types of games that are best suited to the platform, and we’ll continue to explore those.

Of course he’s yet to respond to the outraged Madden community about whens and hows.

His comments are buried in this post over at EA

Last week we said that Monster Hunter Portable G would probably skew this week’s hardware rankings in favor of the PSP. In retrospect, that might have been an understatement. 

With the PSP pushing well over 100,000 units this week (more than all other consoles/handhelds combined), the low murmur that the DS might be past its peak has picked up a bit, to be silenced again when Dragon Quest IX hits Japan.

1. PSP – 129,986
2. Nintendo DS – 58,916
3. Wii – 48,785
4. PlayStation 3 – 11,206PlayStation 2 – 10,296
5. Xbox 360 – 1,547

Bonus: Japanese Software Rankings

As you probably imagined, Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G has grabbed the top spot by a pretty substantial margin compared to its nearest rivals. Take a moment to meditate on these numbers, then ponder what exactly the Japanese see in this series that Westerners don’t.

1. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (PSP) – 880,000
2. Pokémon Ranger: Batonnage (DS) – 106,000 / 348,000
3. Mobile Suit Gundam 00 (DS) – 49,000
4. Wii Fit (Wii) – 42,000 / 1,794,000
5. Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch – Lost Colors (PSP) – 34,000
6. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii) – 34,000 / 1,524,000
7. Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch – Lost Colors (PS2) – 30,000
8. Deca Sports (Wii) – 29,000 / 94,000
9. SimCity DS 2: Kodaikara Mirai e Tsudzukumachi (DS) – 25,000 / 74,000
10. Crayon Shin-Chan: Arashi o Yobu Cinema Land (DS) – 19,000 / 54,00011.

Soucre: Media Create

As if June wasn’t going to be busy enough with Lego Indy on the 6th and Guns of the Patriots on the 12th, two more heavy hitters have been stamped with a June release. 

Sierra have let out that the Bourne Conspiracy will be released on the 27th for both the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. We sat down with three levels at Play.com Live a few weeks back – expect a preview shortly.

Meanwhile, Tecmo’s claret-heavy Ninja Gaiden 2 for 360 is mooted as the 6th following an update to retailer GAME’s website – an assertion that has allegedly been confirmed by ‘inside sources’. 

True or not, better start raiding the piggy bank; July’s going to be tight.

Source: Bourne Conspiracy, Ninja Gaiden 2

One of the most wanted features missing from the Playstation 3 is the ability to use a custom soundtrack during gameplay. Movement has been made in this area with some games beginning to offer support, notably Super Stardust HD and High Velocity Bowling, but it’s yet to be offered for all games.

Though many expect the inclusion to come when Sony supports an in-game version of Playstation 3’s cross media bar, the implementation of this feature might just stay with the developers, since Microsoft owns a patent for this very functionality.

Microsoft implemented the ability to play your own music during gameplay in their first gaming system, the Xbox. The functionality naturally moved over to the Xbox 360, where Microsoft was patiently waiting for a patent to go through.

The custom soundtrack patent was submitted well before the release of the 360, presumably with the intention to lock down the feature for the next generation. It wasn’t issued until mid-2006, luckily just before the US/Japan release of the Playstation 3.

The US patent named “Method and Apparatus for Creating and Playing Soundtracks in a Gaming System” appears to cover any application that allows users to create soundtracks using their own audio tracks, such that they can be played during the execution of the game instead of the game’s default soundtrack.

Comprising of a thorough list of points and diagrams, the patents stand out claim is outlined thus:

1. A method comprising:

- receiving a request to launch a game in a gaming system;
determining whether the game has a user-associated soundtrack;
- if the game has a user-associated soundtrack:
launching the game; and
playing the user-associated soundtrack;

- if the game does not have a user-associated soundtrack:
allowing a user of the gaming system to select a soundtrack to play while the game is executed; and
playing a default soundtrack if the user of the gaming system does not select a soundtrack.

What does this mean for Microsoft’s competitors? Will this patent stop Sony from implementing the console-wide custom soundtrack functionality? This is possible, and could be the reason why it has been missing from the Playstaiton 3 for so long.

Sony may have already found a loophole in the patent to allow them to provide custom soundtracks for particular games, as long as the functionality is not system-wide. In this way they could avoid the patent. Microsoft could charge Sony for the privilege, but it would be a lot of wasted effort to patent this particular feature and then allow competitors to implement it.

Therefore, when Sony’s in-game XMB eventually comes around, custom soundtracks might be left on the cutting room floor. It will all depend on how constricting the patent actually is, and how kind Microsoft are feeling. Reasons for the in-game XMB delay may be found here – Sony are trying their best to get custom soundtracks installed legally.

Source: US Patent Office

At the beginning of the month I was puzzled why 5pb, in bringing Cave shooters Ketsui and DoDonPachi Dai Ou Jou Black Label to the Xbox 360 in Japan, would choose retail as their distribution medium when digital download seems so much more fitting. As it turns out, they were given no choice… by Microsoft.

Famitsu magazine included some words from Masaki Sakari of 5pb recently. 5pb are responsible for the ports of the two Cave shooters. He revealed that they had a plan to port many popular arcade titles to Xbox Live Arcade and even convinced many of the original developers to grant them licenses to do so, only to be shot down by Microsoft.

Sakari had this to say of their transaction with the company:

We secured these licenses, and finally talked with Microsoft. There they rejected all of our proposals saying, ‘We are going to cut down faithful arcade ports.’ We felt so frustrated. We wanted to show them that their decision was wrong. So we switched our two most promising projects into retail.

If that’s how Microsoft feels it’s certainly unlikely we’ll ever see these games available in North America, as a retail release here of such niche titles would probably be completely overlooked and require too high a price point.

It’s too bad Microsoft would turn down more choice for its online users on the download front, but perhaps they feel they have their bases covered and these titles wouldn’t garner enough interest, in either region, to be worth the bother.

Seeing complete re-imaginings like Super Street Fighter II HD and Bionic Commando Rearmed, as well as a number of original high-quality downloads on PS3, may have Microsoft wanting to up the ante on what makes it on to their online service.

Hopefully, as many quality, hard-to-find, niche and independent games as possible can find greater audience and preservation on XBLA and PSN. Perhaps the quality of these titles just wasn’t there in Microsoft’s opinion. After all ,Ikaruga is still set to appear on XBLA sometime very soon.

Source: Neogaf via Xblah

If you’re lucky enough to have a working Xbox 360 in your home, and you’re also a quick responder to the call to arms that is this article, you just might be playing Battlefield: Bad Company multiplayer in a few hours.

Hosted by IGN and GameStop (who else?), the beta is only playable to those of you who suffer through their corporate evil to obtain a code. IGN offers codes through its Insider program; you can go to their underground smut dealership, FilePlanet, and download a key.

The front page states that only European codes remain (as of this writing), but it also claims subscriber keys are still available. Very curious… This is obviously just another attempt for IGN to get you to shell out cash for their stupid VIP club of douchebags (no offense to any VIP club douchebags who may already be “Insiders”).

GameStop, on the other hand, has 5,000 beta keys reserved for the first people to pre-order the game through their website at www.gamestop.com/badcompanybeta. Please note that this is for the Xbox 360 only, as there is no word on a beta test for the PS3.

Karl-Magnus Troedsson, Senior Producer for Battlefield: Bad Company, had this to say:

“We’re really excited about this beta since it gives us a chance to let a wider audience play our new multiplayer game, ‘Gold Rush’. The feedback coming back from something like this is crucial for us as developers and will help us with the final changes and polish in the game. Battlefield and FPS fans get their first glimpse into how tactical destruction can be applied in multiplayer gameplay. We think offering two of the multiplayer maps will give gamers a fantastic experience and some great insight into the game.”

The beta will run from today through April 25th. Battlefield: Bad Company is scheduled for release on June 24th for the PS3 and Xbox 360.

A couple weeks ago rumors were swirling about a few maps in development for the upcoming Call of Duty 4 downloadable pack. It seems the info was not entirely correct. Imagine that!

Official word is now out that four new multiplayer maps are on the way very soon, including the return of an old favorite from the original Call of Duty.

Microsoft has revealed that the Variety Map Pack will be available for download April 3, 2008 on the Xbox 360. The pack will cost 800 points ($10 USD) but will be an Xbox Live exclusive for 21 days before hitting the Playstation 3.

While two of the previously rumored maps are nowhere to be found, Broadcast is included in this pack. It features a redesign of the indoor and outdoor TV Station areas from an early mission in the single-player campaign, ‘Charlie Don’t Surf’ (a reminder to go watch Apocalypse Now, now).

The other maps are Creek, an outdoor village environment; Killhouse, an indoor training locale; and Chinatown, the triumphant return of a very popular multiplayer map from the original CoD.

What’s that? You don’t recall a Chinatown location in WWII Europe? Quite right! Infinity Ward has added a modern twist to the old map, and a similar twist to the Middle Eastern and Eastern European settings of CoD4. Variety is the name of the game, after all. Gametrailers TV had the first look at Chinatown recently, where it was revealed to be a complete re-skinning of Carentan.

For those of you new to CoD with CoD4, Carentan features a mix of indoor and outdoor combat with some long streets, multi-story buildings to occupy and a few very clear choke points. Whatever your preferred role, you could always find a place to hang out in Carentan.

If you’re interested in getting into CoD4 but haven’t yet, there will also be a Game of the Year Edition of CoD4 releasing April 1, 2008.  This will include a token to download the new maps online April 3rd for free. A nice incentive for new players, but why not reward the players who have purchased the game already as well?

Source: Loot Ninja

Maybe not all systems are created equal, but it turns out a lot of them are built by the same company.

Digitimes reports that Pegatron Technology and Unihan Technology recently secured an OEM order (Original Equipment Manufacturer: the original manufacturer of a component for a product, which may be resold by another company – Thanks Wikipedia!) to begin producing Xbox 360s to the tune of 500,000 systems a month.

Pegatron and Unihan are also OEM producers of Sony’s PlayStation 3. So, many systems will share a common place of birth – China, of course. Hopefully this should sort out Microsoft’s reported Xbox 360 shortages and get them all set in time for GTA IV.

Via MCV

The release of Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto IV is coming up fast, and we’re starting to hear more and more about the game. Finally, some info about the game’s mysterious multiplayer component has surfaced. Multiplayer is a first for the series, so let’s take a look at what Rockstar has to offer.

GTA4.net reports via PSM Spain that GTAIV’s multiplayer will support 16 players across 15 modes with fully customizable characters to boot. All multiplayer takes place in Liberty City, same as the single player game. Here’s the full list:

Hangman’s NOOSE
Car Jack City
Bomb da Base
Bomb da Base II
Mafia Work
Team Mafia Work
Deathmatch
Team Deathmatch
Turf War
Cops n Crooks
Race
GTA Race
Deal Breaker
Free Mode

Each, or most, of the game types will have settings and rules chosen by the host to govern various options like police involvement, weapon availability, what vehicles can be used in races and so on.

Race, Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch are pretty self-explanatory. Cops n Crooks is what you might think, one team playing the role of the cops with the other trying to evade them. Mafia Work, and its team variant, has you racing to complete mob tasks.

The cell phone and GPS will play a role in at least some of the multiplayer modes. For instance, the cops can utilize the GPS to track the criminals in Cops n Crooks. PS3 Attitude even writes that the cell phone will initiate the multiplayer, perhaps creating a seamless experience a la Burnout Paradise.

No specifics are given about the remaining modes. The names give you an idea for some. Bomb da Base and Turf War sound like they will involve territory control, while others can only be guesses.

Since this info is out of a PlayStation magazine, none of this is likely “unique” to the Xbox 360, which supposedly will have some exclusive multiplayer elements.

Rockstar definitely looks to be taking multiplayer seriously. The mission Hangman’s NOOSE even features co-op, escort style play.

For a game reportedly sporting an already vast single-player experience, multiplayer will give players yet another way to experience GTAIV and even more to do once they’re through the main adventure.

Source: GTA4.net

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News coming straight in from Play.com Live in Wembley stadium is final confirmation that Haze will eternally be a Playstation 3 exclusive.

The full game is playable at the event – that’s right, the full game and Kev Lochun will be giving a preview this weekend. It’s looking clean and sharp, and overdosing on Nectar is a pleasing yet disorientating experience.

While playing through the game we got speaking to two independent Ubisoft reps. When asking both on whether the game will ever come out for the Xbox 360, they said in a resolute fashion that the game is not just a PS3 timed exclusive, but will never make its way onto any other platform.

This result is apparently a recent decision, but final. Sony must have paid Ubisoft/Free Radical a nice little packet to bag this one.

Street Fighter fans out there may have been distracted by all the recent Street Fighter 4 info, but Capcom doesn’t want you to forget about its upcoming HD re-creation of the classic Super Street Fighter II. They’ve released a couple new screens and some info about a beta stress test coming your way.

Planned as a downloadable title for the Xbox 360 and PS3, HD Remix is based off the original Super Street Fighter II game code while updating the visuals with brand-new, 1080p artwork. It will also feature online play.

To get the kinks worked out, Capcom is planning a beta test. Xbox Live Gold members will be able to access the beta by purchasing Commando 3 on Xbox Live Arcade, due out this spring. PSN users are out of luck, I guess. The beta will only allow play on one stage and include the characters Ken and Ryu. It will last for eight weeks.

If that sounds spartan to you, you’re not alone. Hopefully the test will serve its purpose and they’ll get the online play running smoothly.

The full release, arriving later this year, looks to be much more feature-rich. Aside from the original game, there will also be a “rebalanced” mode that makes changes to all the characters, an option to play in 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratios, and a remixed soundtrack to augment the inclusion of the original.

Source: Gamespot

After rumours that the Xbox 360 would be seeing a price cut in Europe, today is the day Amazon.co.uk let the numbers slip before the end of the announcement’s NDA. The NDA has now been lifted. Follow the jump for the new prices and PR.

Not only have Amazon.co.uk listed the new prices, they have cut them by a further £10. As far as price drop rumour rumblings, these came from the German Financial Times and two stores in the Netherlands. The price cut was rumoured to be as follows:

Xbox 360 Arcade – from €279.95 to €199.95
Xbox 360 Premium + 2 games – from €399 to €299.95
Xbox 360 Elite – from €449 to €399.95

Amazon.co.uk can now confirm the new UK prices. The Xbox 360 Arcade will drop from £199.99 to £159.99 (cheaper than the Nintendo Wii no less, a phenomenon we can recall from December 2007), the Xbox 360 Premium from £249.99 to £199.99, and the Xbox 360 Elite from £299.99 to £259.99.

The Xbox 360 Elite is still priced considerably higher than the Premium even though the value added does not appear to match £60. Still, at a further £10 off of each model at Amazon.co.uk, Microsoft have set themselves up for some jolly shopping by the time Grand Theft Auto IV comes out. This is especially clear when compared to the PS3’s current cost of £284.99 at the online retailer.

You’ll find that the price cut will be officially announced at approximately 2pm GMT today.

*Update 12.55pm GMT* Amazon.co.uk have returned their Xbox 360 prices to the original costing, presumably because they have jumped in front of the official press release. Thankfully we have a screenshot to prove the price drop.

*Update 2.20pm GMT* Just after 2pm, as I predicted, the Microsoft Press Release comes. The price cuts will be effective in Europe as of March 14th.

Microsoft today announced it is lowering the estimated retail price (ERP) for its Xbox 36 family of consoles in Europe. Now with an entry-level ERP of £159.99, Xbox 360 is a mass market entertainment proposition with something to offer for every interest and budget.

From Friday, 14th March, Xbox 360, which includes a 20GB hard drive and one wireless controller, will have an ERP of £199.99 – a saving of £50 on the current ERP. The Xbox 360 Elite, which comes with a massive 120GB hard drive enabling consumers to store huge quantities of content downloaded from Xbox LIVE Marketplace as well as their own music, will have an ERP of £259.99 – a saving of £40. The Xbox 360 Arcade console, perfect for those wishing to make their first foray into the gaming and entertainment world of Xbox, will have an ERP of £159.99 – a saving of £40.

Xbox 360 is the number one next-gen console in EMEA, owning 42% of the market in terms of life-to-date revenue. Xbox 360 continues to enjoy the highest software attach rate of any game console in Europe with more than 7.0 games sold per console (PS3: 3.8; Wii 3.5) after 26 months on the market.

The new ERPs are part of Microsoft’s ongoing strategy to open up the ultimate in high-definition gaming and entertainment to an even wider audience, with an offering for everyone.

“Xbox 360 is now mass market in Europe,” said Chris Lewis, Vice President, Microsoft Interactive Entertainment Business Europe. “We have reached and surpassed several key milestones that form part of our long term strategic plan to achieve critical mass in Europe; and our portfolio now offers the kind of mainstream entertainment experiences that secure wider appeal for Xbox 360. These factors allow us to execute on our strategy to widen the market for Xbox 360, as planned.

“We continue to offer intense, immersive gaming experiences for gamers – but now we’re priced in a way that will allow new consumers to find out for themselves why Xbox 360 is the ultimate in high-definition entertainment.” said Lewis. “History shows that £159.99 is the price point where a console’s audience begins to expand, and with these new ERPs in place we’re ready to bring more consumers into the Xbox 360 world.”

Credit: Gamer.nl for magazine scan
Full Press Release can be found at MCV.UK
Xbox 360 Price Cut Q&A with Chris Lewis, Regional Vice President Xbox Europe: Wonderwallweb.com

Upon a recent journey to my local Wal-Mart, I found myself in the electronics section like I mysteriously always do. What I found, however, was a slight surprise – a Rock Band Special Edition bundle with an included wireless guitar.

While I’ve read several times that the Rock Band wireless guitar would become available separately come April, I don’t remember hearing anything about the guitars being included in the bundle. Perhaps it just wasn’t advertised or maybe I just don’t pay attention since I already own the game, but it came as a surprise to me.

The bundle I saw was for the Xbox 360. I looked in the PS3 section also, but they didn’t have one. That’s not to say they don’t exist, but I can’t confirm it because there weren’t any there. If you didn’t know about this new bundle, then guess what? You heard it here first!

Riptenites assemble! Form of — Blaznats!