Author Archive
Video Games Live Comes Back To The Motor City
I am a huge fan of Video Games Live. And in Detroit, I’ve now had the pleasure of working as a volunteer at both concerts, this year and the one in 2008. If you haven’t yet been to see this awesome concert in person, I urge you to go right now to their website and check for the soonest date that they will be in or around your city. Conceived in 2005 by founders Tommy… Read On »
Stores Gearing Up Early For Black Friday With Deals
Online retailers are gearing up early and offering “Black Friday” deals well ahead of the mark this November in an effort to boost sales for the holiday season. Retailers are starting to push out big ticket items to the net savvy over three weeks early with some deals. Let’s take a look:
Walmart.com
Walmart’s online store will be offering deals with its Amazing Walmart Electronics Event starting on November 6th this year, with LCD TVs being at the front of some amazing bargains. One of note is a 55″ Vizio LCD sporting 1080p at 60Hz for $898. As well as the Sony PS3 Move Bundle for $399 which includes a $50 Walmart Gift Card.
These deals are listed as while supplies last, so get up early on Saturday to score the best deals you can find.
Newegg.com
Newegg is holding a Black November event this year, with deals changing daily including sales on GPS units, computer parts and accessories, George Foreman grills, cell phones, electric shavers and more.
Amazon.com
Amazon is holding a Get Three Games For The Price Of Two sale on over 800 video games on their site. Many popular and new games are available to be purchased under this sale including Fallout: New Vegas, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2, and Rock Band 3.
Slickdeals.net is also reporting a deal on Target‘s website to purchase 3 Kinect games for $85 shipped. Although a recent check has the games out of stock, I’ll be watching this one closely for my own holiday shopping.
With some key retailers ramping up the deals early, you can bet that many others will follow suit. You may want to tune into slickdeals.net and bfads.net for the latest and greatest in holiday deals.
Supreme Court To Hear Arguments On CA Video Game Ban Law
Today, the United States Supreme Court will be hearing oral arguments in Schwarzenegger v. EMA. This case will determine if the 2005 law passed in California banning the sale of violent video games to minors is constitutional or not.
The law overrides the ESRB ratings by requiring a seperate label be placed on video games deemed inappropriate for minors. The point of contention in the law is the labelling of “violent video games” in the law makes it possible to label children’s games such as “Super Mario Bros.” as violent and require an 18+ label. This of course could greatly affect video game sales, as well as the type of content that they could sell to minors.
As a parent, I agree with the restriction of sales of violent video games to minors. However, I believe that the ESRB has created a robust system of ratings designed to catch the attention of parents and make it easy to decide whether or not a game is appropriate for their child. I also believe that the ESRB’s retail partners overall are doing a good job of enforcing these ratings by refusing to sell Mature rated games to minors.
However, laws passed by the government are usually intentionally vague and are open to broad interpretation, usually doing more harm than good. And instead of creating an arbitrary system to label games as the government sees fit to label as Mature or 18+, I think that any state government would be better off to partner with the ESRB in enforcing its already established ratings system as they already have 15 years of experience behind them.
~W75
Kinect Sold Out On Amazon/Best Buy – Resellers Taking Advantage
As reported earlier this week, Amazon and Best Buy appear to still be sold out on Kinect sensor pre-orders. As a matter of fact, checking on Amazon’s list of sellers under “See My Buying Options” reveals that their third party resellers have now upped the price over $200 for their Kinect pre-orders.
Another check on eBay reveals that sellers are doing the same there. Charging anywhere from $159.99 to $300 for a pre-order there.
Savvy Shoppers should know that if you instead go to sites such as Newegg, or Walmart with their $199, two game bundle, or Gamestop instead of these other third party resellers.
While I would like to believe that it’s the innovation in the new product and its easy to use interface, I’m much more inclined to believe that these sell-outs are largely happening due to the Oprah and Ellen effect.
Console News For Wednesday, October 27th
Sony To Introduce Its Own Console Phone?
As reported by Engadget, it looks like Sony is looking to steal some of Microsoft’s thunder in the phone market with their own Playstation phone. While still considered a rumour, I can’t but wonder if this is the reason why Sony has so drastically marked down the price of the PSP Go.
Microsoft has been working very dilligently to bring the XBox Live experience to the mobile platform with the introduction of Windows Mobile 7, and further extend the Live experience with their upcoming revamp of Games For Windows Live to unify gamers across all devices. An entry by Sony with a Playstation phone could very well take a bite out of Microsoft’s efforts in re-entering the mobile market.
Of course, if Sony is to do this, then the real winner would be Apple Inc. As a split of users determined not to buy an iPhone between Microsoft and Sony would only bolster their position as the number one mobile phone maker in the market.
Source: Engadget
NATS and Xbox Live
@majornelson‘s (Xbox Live’s Major Nelson) Twitter feed this morning links us to a Microsoft Xbox Engineering blog talking about NATs (Network Address Translation) and how strict and moderate NAT’ing can affect your Xbox gaming experience. It’s full of plenty of extremely useful information of how Xbox devices under networks of certain NAT configurations will react to Xbox devices under other NAT configurations.
Of course it was written by an Engineer, so if you find the details to be a bit cumbersome, they included a very easy to follow diagram for the regular non-geek.
NAT info for the regular person.
Source: Twitter, XBox Live Engineering Blog
Game Pack 11 For Game Room Released
Microsoft has released Game Pack 11, the add-on for Xbox’s own classic video game emulator just a couple of weeks after the closing of Krome Studios. The Microsoft dev team responsible for Game Room and the “regularly scheduled releases”.
I haven’t downloaded the pack to see what games are on it as of yet, but one fellow blogger seems to be quite taken with a Konami game that found its way into the release.
Source: Xbox Live, The Examiner
Sims 3 On Xbox 360 And Playstation?
EA has announced that the popular Sims franchise is now available for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. So now you can date, get a job, be a criminal and set your virtual you on fire from the comfort of your couch!
Interestingly enough, there’s been a lot of news about problems with Microsoft’s Xbox Live guidelines and MMOs in the press lately. With that said, you have to wonder if any of the guidelines were bent or broken to allow the Sims 3 to come to the Xbox? Or is it a case of the subscription requirements in the other MMO games that are the real sticking point?
Only time will tell.
Source: Electronic Arts; MCVUK
Best Buy Sold Out Of Kinect Standalone Again
After hearing that Kinect was sold out on Amazon.com, I decided to check out the usual haunts and found that Best Buy is again sold out of the standalone Kinect unit, and still has not restocked their Kinect 250GB Console Bundle.
Newegg and Gamestop appear to still be taking orders however. Looks like Microsoft continues to underestimate demand for their product. This is the second time that the largest retailers of Xbox products have run short of Kinect Standalone units in just a few weeks.
Console News for Tuesday, October 26th
Microsoft Spent $30,000 To Build The First Kinect Device
The New York Times has a very thorough article on Kinect, and the work that was done to make it happen. One thing of particular note is the cost of the first Kinect device. Over $30,000 was spent to build the intial unit. Also, the article claims that, according to Don Mattrick, Microsoft’s President of Interactive Entertainment business, “the company has a product it can sell for $150 a pop and still turn a profit.”
I wonder how much of a profit they turn with the discounted Xbox 4GB Bundle?
Source: New York Times
PS3 and PC To Get Back To The Future, Xbox 360 Excluded?
NowGamer is reporting that while the upcoming Back To The Future game is set to release on the PS3 and PC, it is not slated to release on Xbox 360. A quick check on Telltale Games’ forums indicate that there is in fact no current plans to release Back To The Future to Xbox Live Arcade.
Nuts.
Source: NowGamer
Red Dead Redemption – Undead Nightmare DLC Now Available
Zombies are what bacon is to any food. It just makes it so much better. And now you can get tasty tasty zombie cowboys for your RDR needs. The new DLC touts:
And all of it is now available on PSN for $9.99 and Xbox Live for 800 Microsoft Points. Not a bad deal at all!
Source: Bezinga
Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit Demo Now Available On Xbox Live
You can now get your mits on quite possibly the NFS game to hit the consoles on Xbox Live. Check out the demo and let me know what your thoughts on the latest addition to EA’s high speed franchise.
Source: Xbox Live
Microsoft Not Interested In HD Remakes…For Now
During an interview with Microsoft VP Phil Spencer, they asked if there were any plans to re-release original Xbox titles such as Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2 in HD. Spencer replied, “”We obviously have a lot of new things going on, so the thought of re-doing a bunch of things is probably difficult to just weave into the overall portfolio,” Spencer added. “If you can provide real value to the customer, there could be possibilities for that, but I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about it.”
Honestly, I can agree with him. While Sony is re-releasing PS1 and PS2 games on PS3 by way of BluRay disc or PSN, they have to with the lack of backward compatibility available in the newer systems. Whereas there are very few games in the Xbox library that aren’t compatible with Xbox 360. Likewise, many of the original Xbox games are being re-released on Xbox’s Games On Demand for public consumption.
I do know that with Halo: CE, the Games On Demand version is in HD and widescreen format. But I don’t see MS releasing a completely revamped version for something that already works and is available for the time being.
Thoughts?
~W75
Console News For Monday, October 25th
Remedy On Why Alan Wake Took So Long
A recent interview with Matias Myllyrinne of Remedy stated in an interview with VG247 that it, “could be that we shared with the world too early,” and, ““To be fair, we did not think it was going to take this long to get right, so when we announced we did not think folks would have to wait for so long.”
He goes on to say, “The first Max Payne was a similar story too, but I think as long as you can live up to the vision you set to build people will still be excited and welcome the game when it is done.”
Considering that both games are epic in their own fashion, I think it’s safe to say that in this case, it was well worth the wait.
Source: VG247
How To Fix The RROD – Marine Corps Style.
All I can say to this is…Hu-Rah! Apparently, the RROD is possible even in the middle of the desert. And one Marine shows us how the Corps fix that little problem.
Source: Unrealitymag.com
Sony recalls Shuan Wtihe Skatebaording Doo Too Speeling Error?
Strategy Informer is reporting that Sony has recalled the PS3 version of Shaun White Skateboarding due to a misprinted disc. SCEA had this to say regarding the issue:
“There was a manufacturing issue with a misprinted disc at Sony Computer Entertainment America and the wrong version of the Shaun White Skateboarding PlayStation 3 game was shipped to retailers. We’re working with Ubisoft to correct the issue.”
Corrected copies of the game will be available in stores by this Thursday.
Source: Strategy Informer
Activision hiring PI’s to stop Black Ops Pirates?
I actually had to double and triple check this one before posting it. Apparently, Activision has hired private investigators to track down pirates of the up and coming Call of Duty: Black Ops, and are “kindly” asking for the discs to be returned and to stop selling illegal copies of the game.
This is an unusual tactic for Activision, considering that they have a battery of lawyers ready to sue pretty much anyone and uses shady tactics when dealing with their own employees.
I’m positive no baseball bats were used in the recovery of those discs…right?
Source: Venturebeat
MS VP Says Kinect Pre-Order Numbers Are Good
Joystiq reports that during an interview with Phil Spencer, VP at Microsoft Games Studios, stated that Kinect, “Pre-order numbers are good,” and that, “The retail channel seems to be excited for what we’re doing. We feel good about our supply that we can build. I imagine we’re going to have to work hard to fill out the demand that’s out there, is kind of our sense, but we’re willing to work hard so that’s fine.”
Considering reports that retailers such as Best Buy, NewEgg, and Gamestop have had to resupply allocations for pre-orders, it might just be quite a sales rush come November 4.
Source: Joystiq
5 Squenix Games I’d Like To See On XBLA
To be totally honest, each console, the Xbox 360 and the PS3, both have their merits as a console. When it came down to decision time for me to jump in, there were many reasons why I chose the 360 over the PS3, and I’m still to this day very happy that I did.
However, Squenix seems to still be very tight knit with Sony. They’ve released quite a few games in the last few years that were either PSOne or earlier console releases that don’t seem to find their way to Xbox Live Arcade. And this is really disappointing to me.
But if Squenix ever did decide to change their mind, these are what I’d love to see:
1) Final Fantasy VII (PS1) – Who can’t love this game? Millions bought it. I know I did. And I still enjoy playing it to this day occasionally on my PS2.
2) Parasite Eve (PS1) – This was just announced to be coming to the PSN yesterday. A cult classic in my eyes. Awesome gameplay and a compelling story.
3) Chrono Trigger (SNES) – How can you forget the loveable characters and enjoyable storyline of this classic? Squenix at its best!
4) Einhander (PS1) – A throwback to the good old sidescrolling shooter. Awesome!
5) Kingdom Hearts (PS2) – Why this didn’t make it to the original Xbox is beyond me. But an awesome game nevertheless.
Xbox.com Update – Play Dressup With Your Avatar Online!
As Larry Hyrb, Xbox Live’s Major Nelson, previously announced, Xbox.com received a facelift today. And so far, the result is very nice and clean, with some excellent new features added.
Dress up your avatar online. It's even animated and plays with the props.
One of the nice new features is the ability to now go online and not only purchase avatar clothes and props, but to be able to try them on as well. I went straight to the avatar props and clicked on my Halo:Reach Falcon and my avatar immediately started playing. So cool!
The profile page is very clean and easy to navigate through.
Surfing through the profile pages, I found it was fairly easy to navigate through. Finding where I can redeem my codes, update my credit card info and view my game information easily. There is also a Family Center link now available under the “My Xbox” menu, but it looks to still be under construction for the time being.
The Achievements Page is very clean looking as well.
The Achievements Page got a bit of a touch up as well, making things a bit easier to read at a glance. Your total gamerscore for the game and number of achievments acquired/remaining is a bit more in your face now.
KEEP IT CLEAN!
Of course, the update is still continuing, and there will probably be a couple of bugs or glitches while they tweak things to make for a good experience. So be sure to be patient. I’m sure @xboxlive is going to be blowing up enough on Twitter as they work out the kinks. Enjoy the update!
What’re your impressions? Feel free to talk amongst yourselves.
~W75