03/01/06 | | Chris Martin
It was only a matter of time before Microsoft joined the handfull of companies that offered portable multimedia devices. Microsoft\'s
Origami Project will feature portable gaming (including the ability to play Halo), music, and all other things digital entertainment. We\'re still waiting for \"Week 2\" to arrive so we can understand a bit more about \"Origami,\" we\'ve got the lowdown on what Origami is and why you might be asking for one next Christmas.
02/27/06 |
PS3 | Aaron Stanton
Heading into the Spring season, rumblings are growing that Sony won\'t be able to hit their announced PS3 release date of \"Spring 2006.\" Next-Gen.biz is reporting that delays in finalizing the Blu-Ray drive could force Sony to push back the PS3\'s release. GameSpot is also reporting that potential supply problems could make it difficult for Sony to mass produce the drive. Both articles quote similar sources, both claim that Sony has acknowledged the potential for delays. It\'s our suspicion that both reports are based on the same data, subject to varying types of interpretation, but either way you read it makes you wonder about the accuracy Sony\'s original release window.
02/24/06 | | Aaron Stanton
Sometimes the human elements of the industry are the hardest to report, and the most important not to miss. Mark VanDeVelde, a Vice President at Crave Entertainment and an industry veteran, passed away last Saturday, February 18th. The memorial service will be held today, and a scholarship fund has been established for Mark\'s 11-year-old daughter. While the chance is small that this news will impact the average gamer on a day-to-day level, sometimes we have to care simply because we know that someone else is fundamentally affected by such changes. It says something about Crave Entertainment that they felt it was important to share the loss, and our condolences go to Mark\'s family. We are genuinely saddened for you, and we can only imagine how difficult a time this must be. You have our best.
02/17/06 |
NDS | George Holomshek
Nintendo has steadily been releasing details about upcoming products and services that have us wondering if Big N could be the big success story of 2006. The latest news comes from a Japanese press conference in which Nintendo announced a partnership with Opera to bring a web browser to Japanese versions of the Nintendo DS. In addition to the new Internet feature, the DS will also receive broadcast TV capabilities in Japan. Of course, we\'re wondering: When will these features come to the US? George has more details here.
02/16/06 |
PSP | Shawn Rider
Koei\'s latest historical Asian brawler is heading to PSP in the very near future. Samurai Warriors: State of War has gone gold and is in production as you read this. In addition to announcing the impending launch, Koei also sends word of a revamped website for Samurai Warriors: State of War. The new site is sized and optimized for the PSP\'s small screen web browser. That is a nice touch for PSP owners, who can browse the web with the browser included on the handheld gaming system. Get more details about Samurai Warriors here.
02/14/06 |
NDS | Chris Martin
One of the most beloved strategy games of all time makes its way to the Nintendo DS. Ensemble Studios\' juggernaut PC series Age of Empires has been a long time coming, and promises to prove once and for all the value of that touch screen. While Age of Kings has obviously been modified to fit the requirements of gaming on the go, the addition of wireless multiplayer and the ability to carry the game with you anywhere should be enough to get any Age of Empires fans interested in the potential. Official confirmation has gone out: Age of Kings has shipped.
02/14/06 |
PC | Shawn Rider
Sony Online Entertainment announced today that they would offer the new Sony Station Access program. For a single monthly subscription of $21.99 gamers can access several popular MMOs including Everquest, The Matrix Online, Star Wars Galaxies, and Planetside. In all, over 10 titles in five active online worlds are included in the Station Access membership, and some titles, such as Everquest II, have been upgraded to allow more character slots. The Station Access Collection will be sold at retail for $39.99 and will offer five games for PC and a free 30-day trial of the Station Access subscription. Read more here.
02/13/06 |
XB360 | Shawn Rider
Jake Ludington from MediaBlab sent word of his recent posting, which details how to segment your wireless network to optimize Xbox Live performance. The tutorial focuses on Xbox 360 optimization, but we imagine it will work just as well for improving online gaming on any Xbox. And you could apply the network segmentation approach to virtually any computer on your wireless network to optimize performance. The instructions are good and the advice is sound. Check it out.
02/12/06 |
PC | Sean Hilliard
The Slamdance Guerrilla Gamemakers Competition continues to bring innovative, independent gaming to the masses. But just in case you weren\'t able to make it out to Utah for the events, our man Sean has you covered with a complete rundown of the prize winners. From art-game darling, Facade, which took home the Grand Jury Prize, to the PopCap Casual Game award-winner, Odyssey, these are games worth checking out. And lots of them are available for you to download and play. So get the scoop right here.
02/10/06 | | Aaron Stanton
Few games excited the gaming media during E3 2005 like Alan Wake. The self-billed action suspense title was on many release lists to be set free at the beginning of this month; it\'s no where to be found. In fact, there isn\'t even yet word on an official publisher, a fairly crucial step in the release of a game. Remedy, Alan\'s developers and the creators of Max Payne, are hard at work and wrapped in a cloud of secrets and mystery, for the time being. Which leaves us all with the question: Who is Alan Wake? And maybe more importantly, where is Alan Wake?
We got pwned.