Video Game Alerts & News
Owing to the abundance of hardcore violence in the video games of today, a government report has recently recommended the replacement of the existing hybrid model for rating with a single system. Currently, the method involves putting together a rating from the British Board of Film Classification with one from the video-game industry, which is actually a voluntary rating system. The House of Commons committee said that this was causing much confusion amongst parents.
The Culture, Media and Sport Committee said that both the systems would be “workable in principle”. But the BBFC’s classification system of 18, 15 and 12 and above has “significant advantages”. The recommendations made by the committee are part of a report which looked into the harmful content in video games and on the internet these days. The committee went on to accuse YouTube, a video-sharing website of being lax in their approach and asked that they do more to filter out the abusive content. At present, the BBFC rates all video games with violent content as per film classifications. Out of 1,231 games released in UK in 2007, 101 got some kind of rating while 29 of them were deemed to be fit only for those above the age of 18. Read the rest of this entry »
The virtual world seems to be a growing favorite with the people, with the sales of video game software and hardware rising to 53 percent in June since last year. The NPD report also revealed that it is especially due to Konami Corp’s ,”Metal Gear Solid 4” that the sale of Sony Corp’s Playstation 3 units has seen an enormous increase. Talk about a helping hand!
Take-Two Interactive Software Inc’s “Grand Theft Auto 4” had to give up its top spot as the best-selling game to “Metal Gear Solid 4” this June.GTA4 was reining at the top position since its release in April. This game by Konami has been designed exclusively for the PS3.Little surprise then that the sale of PS3 also showed a dramatic leap. PS3 sales saw a 94 percent increase from 208,700 consoles sold in May to 405,500 being sold in June.NPD analyst, Anita Frazer said that hardware system purchases are fuelled by exclusive content and the PS3 sales are a proof of the success of Metal Gear Solid 4.
With a price hike in almost everything around, families are looking for cheaper options for recreation and amusement. Household bills hardly leave you with enough to provide for entertainment. In come the video games that are not only entertaining but also an affordable alternative to a visit to the cinema or local restaurant.
The video games specialist, Game Group announced that business was at an all time high with the coming of a new generation of gaming consoles and titles. Games such as SingStar, a karaoke game are drawing a new set of customers who desire a personally interactive game. And it’s not just men who are into gaming as an entertainment option. More women are joining the fray day by day. Game Group said that its total sales in UK and other international stores were up by over 54 percent till June 28th. Read the rest of this entry »
It’s a peaceful Sunday afternoon at the B&B Game Shop in Eureka. John Bass and Todd Hughes are all set to dominate the world-the ‘virtual world’. Perched on comfortable black sofas, their head gears on and holding the Xbox Live game controllers, the two are raring to have a go at the pick of the day-Halo 3. Their internet opponents are ready to battle it out.
This is their dream job. One they see for themselves in a perfect world. Their dream is not one of its kind. Many have dreamt of doing this as a career option. Seems crazy does it? Its not. The dream is hard but not impossible to achieve.
You will be surprised to know that there are hundreds of gamers in this world who play to earn their wages. Earning salaries, prize money and competing in tournaments and leagues, these people enjoy full support of sponsors and numerous endorsement contracts.
The people at e-sports boosters say that this is just the tip of the iceberg. The Championship Gaming Series is all set for the second season with six US teams fighting for a place in the world championship league in July. Joining the digital warfare would be top teams from the world over.
Like any other sport, there is an annual draft for this league as well. The player’s salary ranges from $15000 to $25000 annually. Not to mention the money coming in from endorsements and winnings. For example, the Chicago Chimera’s-last year’s winning team won $500,000.And once you earn yourself a name as a gamer, you can even earn up to $250,000 a year. Not a small amount for doing something you love to do anyway!
The latest buzz in the virtual world a.k.a the world of video gaming is that “The Last Remnant” will be launched on the Xbox 360 first. The Xbox, Microsofts gaming system would see the RPG this winter before the PS3 version of “The Last Remnant” hits the gaming world as announced by Square Enix at a press conference.
Also aiming to cash in on the craze for role-playing games in Japan, Square Enix and Microsoft have announced a new endeavor called ‘Star Ocean: The Last Hope’. The game has a science fiction feel to it with humanity leading the way to a new universe after destroying planet Earth. Nothing surprising about that. Although slated for the Xbox 360 as of now, it seems common sense that a PS3 version should follow. Point to be noted-the game bears an uncanny resemblance to PS3’s ‘Star Ocean IV’; so much for originality!
The video game industry is faced with a grave threat. No, it is not piracy. The new threat to the gaming industry is in-game advertising. In-game advertising is the by product of rising game development costs. These costs have led to the search for alternate revenue. In this search, in-game advertising seems to be the answer.
Sony says dynamic in-game advertising is to be soon introduced in it’s titles. The in-game advertising revenue is touted to grow 1,150 percent in 5 years (between 2006 and 2011). It seems that the future will see every video game title incorporating advertising in it. This is not a good idea from the gamers POV but video game companies think it is a good idea. Read the rest of this entry »
How do you turn your average bloke into an electronic age caveman? Just put a video game console around him. This is not just a rambling statement but one backed by brain activity research
Stanford University men of science tested participants by rigging them to an MRI scanner while they played a video game that needed them to win territory. Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus was the outcome of this experiment.
When middle age comes along there are just two options. Pop a vitamin pill or exercise. Now there seems to be a third option, though. Play a video game. Who knows a futuristic doctor might prescribe playing a video game rather than popping a pill!
A huge number of baby boomers are turning to video games in a quest to ease the body and mind. Not only are video games fun, but they also relieve stress, increase mental agility even help you socialize and give you a dose of healthy exercise.
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The Wii Fit was inspired mainly by Sumo wrestlers. This is in line with the trend of getting you off the couch when playing your video games. The balance board of the Wii Fit resembles two scales fused together. Two is more fun than one in this case.
In Japan alone the game has sold more than 2 million copies. Nintendo is hoping to duplicate that success in America. This game veers from snowboarding to yoga in its effort to entertain and keep you fit. Meanwhile the Wii console is still difficult to find in stores.
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Grand Theft Auto IV has had a $500 mn first week sale that has broken all records. This brings the video game industry under the scanner once again. This time it is lawmakers that are examining it and not parents. A bill was introduced by Congress members with a view to regulating this massive industry.
This comes amidst reports of violent games being sold to kids inspite of a drive to have stores observe the industry’s rating system. The Video Games Rating Enforcement Act was introduced this week to force stroes to check on people purchasing games which had an M and AO rating.
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Hackers have invaded the Wii! So Wii fans get ready for the rush! The Wii’s encrypryption keys have been toyed with by hackers and cracked! This makes the most popular video game console in the world able to play home brewed games and open source ports. There is also the possibility of a complete version of Linux on the Wii. Whee!
There is a video available on the internet that has been released by the 24th chaos communication congress which demonstrates a Wii operating arbitrary code. More information can be found in the WiiLi forums. http://www.wiili.org/forum/24c3-tweezer-attack-homebrew-mission-accomplished-t3197-s7.html
Video games from the dreamy 1980’s are back courtesy a California company. This company sees profit in retro nostalgia rather than futuristic vision. Founded by Michael Ware, an ex Intel engineer, this business is internet based.
The project began 5 years back as a gift for his wife who just could not get over Pacman, and now has blossomed into a full time business which focusses on New age expressions of 1980’s video games.
Once upon a time Christmas was about a hammer, tacks, Christmas trees and Santa Claus. Today Christmas is likely to see a video game console under the tree in the morning.
The Wall Street Journal reports that November saw a 62 percent increase in video game software sales. Gamers are really enjoying it this season.
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Toyota is developing games to stimulate and train the brains of old drivers. It is developing a car for the purpose of brain training. This is to avoid crashes by elderly drivers. This system is being developed in collaboration with the man who made Nintendo’s Brain Age hand held video games console.
According to this scientist - professor Ryuta Kawashima, the mental exercise in the game lead to better brain activity. These games have become very popular in Japan. Mathematics, reading and other tasks are used to test the age of the brain.
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If you have been out shopping for a Nintendo Wii, you know how difficult it is to find one. As soon as there is news of new shipments people camp in front of stores for them. On Friday, Reggie Fils-Aime, president and CEO, Nintendo of America addressed this issue in a telephone press conference.
Accoding to Fils-Aime so much demand for the Wii was not expected. Even though production has been almost doubled to 1.8 million from 1 million Wii’s every month, the Wii is not easily available. Fils-Aime denied allegations of Wii stockpiling.
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According to NPD group, a research firm, video gamers constitute nearly two thirds of the US population. These games are played on consoles, PC’s, handhelds, kids systems, iPods and other devices. This survey was done on 5,000 online participants.
The average number of hours of play per week was about the same as it was last year for most people. 30 percent each said they played more than and less than last year. The majority of 40 percent said that they played the same amount as last year.
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Over the years different genres of games have excited gamers. The latest big hit has been Guitar Hero. After this genre’s success, analysts have given their opinions on which genre will be the next one to entertain gamers.
According to some analysts like Jesse Divnich the next big genre of games is board game types that will be big over the next few years. The Xbox 360 has seen the launch of Scene it. This is expected to have moderate success. In addition titles that promote learning which are very successful abroad are likely to have a great degree of success as well.
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The Japanese company Nintendo struck gold with the Wii. Starting from the time that it was launched in the market until now, it has experienced record sales, even beating its rivals such as the Sony Playstation 3, which has been encountering numerous technical problems, and Microsoft Xbox 360.
A report released by the NPD Group, one of the largest research companies in the world, revealed that Nintendo Wii far exceeds the combined sales of Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 during the first six months of 2007.
Sometime in September 2007, Wii is gaining momentum over Xbox 360, which was launched in 2006, making the former the leading brand in the world of gaming consoles. It’s also the fastest-selling handheld device for games in all of Australia’s gaming history.
Nintendo’s secret weapon was its ability to control production costs. This way, they can extend their profit margin. Thus, in Japan alone, every Wii unit sold can give the company a return of almost $15. That number doubles when you consider the sales achieved in Europe as well as in the United States.
If you thought the Wii was good only for video gaming, you are in for a bit of a surprise! The Wii is now being used in Therapy. The idea for using the Wii as therapy incepted seemingly from a rehab hospital in Alberta, Canada which was using the popular video game console from Nintendo.
According to Winget, an occupational therapist, who had a chance encounter with the Wii, playing with the Wii could help in building lower and upper body strength in addition to balance, endurance and coordination.
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The worlds leading information and communications event is the BETT.The BETT educational technology fair in London this January comes with a message. The message is simple - chalky blackboards and textbooks are a thing of the past as far as school learning goes.
Through the BETT fair teachers can explore technology that they do not see every day. This year there will be 600 exhibitors. One of the items on display is the RM Asus miniBook. Valued at 1699 pounds, it allows students to access the web, type assignments and send emails.
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If you’re trying to get your hands on a Wii this holiday season, one thing you might consider is buying one of the special holiday Wii bundles. 
These cost more than if you could buy the Wii alone (which is nearly impossible at SRP these days), but you get a Wii plus some great games and accessories.
Walmart has a great deal on the Wii right now. You get the Wii itself plus you choose one accessory and six games for one great price.
Wal-Mart is also offering a bill-me-later option on this bundle so you don’t have to pay it all at once.
The 
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This software has extremely fast conversion speed and friendly user interface which lets you convert video files between many formats with ease.
The powerful features make Apex xBox Video Converter an affordable and powerful video conversion solution on personal computer. Read the rest of this entry »
Activision is in the news once again. It is slated to combine with Vivendi’s game division to create the largest video game company in the world. This agreement places a price tag of $18.9 billion on Activision. Vivendi is a well known French conglomerate that operates in the media and entertainment spheres.
In the past many of the more popular games for Sony’s PS3 console as well as Microsofts Xbox 360 have been developed by Activision. By joining hands with Vivendi, Activision is likely to enjoy even more clout in the gaming sphere. They are likely to now strongarm into online games that are hugely popular.
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If someone on your Christmas list wants a Nintendo Wii, you probably have already realized you have got a challenge on your hands to deliver this in-demand gift.
It is not easy to find Nintendo Wii’s at retail stores right now. Today, I randomly visited six local retailers (Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Target, Circuit City, Sam’s Club and Ultimate Electronics). All six of the retailers were sold out and claimed it could be January before they receive additional shipments.
So how does this help you? Read the rest of this entry »
The term Wii stands for “we,” which basically what the game is all about. It speaks of friends gathering to play popular games or two boxing fans trying to duke it out with each other with punches and jabs.
In truth, Wii is changing history in how we define interaction when it comes to multiplayer and one-on-one games. It’s also setting a new trend in the market, scaring off a number of Nintendo’s major competitors, such as Sony and Microsoft.
It took the design engineers two years before they can fully finalize the entire look and feel of Wii. Covering all of the major markets across nations, Nintendo was set to send the first batches of Wii to Oceania, Europe, South America, and Asia. Read the rest of this entry »
According to Activision Inc CEO Bobby Kotick Video Game Consoles must fall below the $200 mark to be appealing to the masses. The PS3 - although a good product is highly priced at $400. The cheapest XBox is worth $280. The Wii from Nintendo is leading the pack in price positioning at $250.
The fact that the Wii is not so technically complex may not matter so much to the consumer. It provides great entertainment for the price. According to Kotick, the masses will adopt a video game console at a price point of $199.
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The holidays are almost here and video game consoles are likely to be among the most popular gifts this festive season. So which console should you be gifting. Lets take a peek into the top three.
If you know a gamer, he is probably playing games on an Xbox 360, a Nintendo Wii or a PS3. These are the most popular video game consoles on the market today. Each has something that sets it apart.
Gamers and science fiction fans have something to be very excited about. The much awaited and award winning RPG game ‘Mass Effect‘ is finally out to purchase and play. This game has been created by BioWare - makers of other critically acclaimed games like Jade Empire.
The game is available for play exclusively on the Xbox 360. According to reports, Mass Effect is an intense story with great combat. The graphics are high definition and you can interact with voices of many digital actors.
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Sony Corp. seems to have adopted a new strategy for better game software development. It is looking to encourage independent designers to create games for the PS3. With this in mind, Sony has halved the charge for the software development kit for the PS3.
According to sources, the PS3 development package cost is now only USD 10,250 in North America, 950,000 yen in Japan and Euro 7,500 in Europe.
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This october, video game harware and software sales have crossed the billion dollar mark to reach 1.1 billion dollars. Last year the sales were 643 million dollars in October. The Nintendo Wii was the top selling video game console.519,000 Wiis were sold in October, 366,000 Xbox’s and 121000 PS3’s. Microsofts Halo 3 had propelled it to become the highest selling console in September.
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Xbox has recently come up with an interesting offering. You can now download old games that play on the Xbox 360. This has been made possible through a software update. Games available for download now include Burnout 3, Halo, Fable and Crimson. These games have been some of the most popular among Xbox 360 games. Is this going to be a big successful move for Microsoft? Yes and No.
In simple words these games are not old enough to bring out nostalgia. The older the game is, the more the nostalgia. I would rather download Super Mario Bros than Halo. This is the edge Nintendo has over Microsoft. Classic titles are unplayable on the newer consoles. You may find them on eBay, but if your old console is not working, you can’t play them.
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The Atari brought a whole new world of games to children three decades back. It was instantly accepted by the children of that generation. When it was launched, it retailed for $199 and contained just 9 games. It has been a long and exciting journey for video game consoles since then. Today the graphics and quality of video games is much different from the earliest predecessors.
Xbox is now giving parents control over their childrens gaming habits. Video game usage of kids can now be managed with a family timer.This is the first time the video game industry is seeing the entry of parental control.
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If you ever thought you could put together a better team of Marvel superheroes than the Fantastic Four or the X-Men, Marvel Ultimate Alliance will give you the perfect opportunity to prove it. Initially developed for the xBox and the PS2, the latest port of this action filled RPG for is for the Nintendo Wii. Fortunately, unlike many of the Wii’s initial releases, Ultimate Alliance makes good use of this new platform to enhance the playing experience.
For starters, the game’s designers have adapted the game controls to take advantage of the Wii’s remote and nunchuck. Although the game controls were originally designed for a standard game-pad, the Wii version allows you to physically involve yourself in game play by shaking, thrusting, swiping and lowering the controls to execute various moves and attacks throughout the game. Although these controls take a while to get comfortable with, they certainly give the battles in the game an extra edge. Read the rest of this entry »
If you’ve shelled out the cash for an xBox 360, you’ll likely want to do everything you can to enjoy all of it’s features to the fullest. Although the exceptional graphics are one of the key selling-points of this console, the sound card is also very powerful. Many game publishers have taken full advantage of this and include incredible audio tracks and sound effects in their games. If you don’t have high quality xBox 360 compatible headphones though, you can’t enjoy this feature to its fullest without annoying the neighbors. Here are reviews of 3 of the best sets you can choose from.Top Of The Pile: Pioneer Wireless Headphones Model SE-DIR800C
Only for the true audiophile, these headphones provide the ultimate audio experience for any xBox 360 gamer. They have integrated Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, are wireless, light and run on two AA batteries. They are very simple to intergrate into your system too. Just plug them in, connect the coaxial or the red and white audio cables and switch everything on.
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