DCEmu Featured News Articles

It's been just over a month since we broke the news that Sony's working on an Android 3.0-based gaming phone with PlayStation branding, and a new job posting seems to indicate that progress is being made -- the PlayStation division is looking for a senior server engineer in London with "experience in mobile development, specifically Android." The rest of the listing sounds like this person will be involved in running an online game service, which certainly makes sense; Sony would do well to counter Xbox Live on Windows Phone 7 and Apple's Game Center with PSN on their own device. Either that, or this just means nothing -- but you know us, we're eternal optimists.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/20/s...ith-android-d/ ...

Sony has fully detailed the PS3 Firmware update 3.50 - letting gamers know what the upgrade is about to offer their console.


The upgrade not only offers the widely reported 3D Blu-ray support - but also enables users to use PlayStation Move to control their on-screen cursor.

Firmware update 3.50 will go live tomorrow evening. According to the Spanish PlayStation Blog (translated by The Examiner), it will offer:

-3D Blu-ray Support

-Move can be used as web browser cursor

-Users reports can be sent from PS3 through the 'Friends' tab

-3D notice screen for 3D enabled games

- Better access to your Facebook profile
- Better description of the 14 most common errors

-Updated user interface for PlayStation Plus in PlayStation Store

-New Qriocity icon in the Music section.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...VG-General-RSS ...

The issue of pre-owned and the second-hand games market is a hot topic at the moment in the industry.

As increasing numbers retailers expand their video game offerings to encompass used games, publishers and developers have spoken out about the damaging effects of the second-hand market.

Activision and THQ are just two of many publishers taking steps to combat the increase in pre-owned sales.

One of the methods being discussed is to charge those who buy used extra for online features. PSM3 makes the case for - and against - this method.

NO: IT'S THE THIN END OF A DANGEROUS WEDGE. IT NEEDS TO STOP NOW

If extra payments remain limited to multi-player, and fees become standard - say, a £5 flat rate on any game - few could seriously complain. Multi-player's a continuing service, with running costs attached.

But it won't stop there. Some major figures have spoken of their desire to destroy the second hand market.

While last year EA boss John Riccitello equated used sales to piracy - propaganda designed to soften up opposition, seeding the idea that used game sales, uniquely in our capitalist, consumer society, are immoral.

This goes against notions of property accepted for thousands of years. It's breathtakingly cynical.

One-use codes are far too tempting to waste on additional services. EA's Project $10, for instance, is less about adding value than controlling it.

Publishers can't control discs once they're out, but they can control downloads. Download-only gaming isn't quite here yet. So in the meantime, why not make discs worthless? Hobble the game, then ask buyers to download the balance as 'extras'. For a fee.

So thin out the 'extra' enemies, remove the 'extra' guns and chop 'extra' levels from Future Shooter X and you've shifted the value from the physical property to a download code.

Publishers get to sell discs and we get to buy them, but not own them or sell them or anything annoying like that. Ace. - Steve Williams

YES: ONLINE SUPPORT AND DLC COSTS MONEY, SO YOU SHOULD PAY FOR IT

It's an unpopular view, but I genuinely believe games are fairly priced. Yes, I know £50 is a substantial outlay, even if you're reasonably well-off, but for the amount of effort that goes into games (well, the ones that are actually worth buying) it's a fair deal.

And, the longer you own a game, the more value you get from it. £50 for Battlefield Bad Company 2 is more reasonable if - like me - you bought on day one.

Why? It costs EA money to support the game online, and it costs DICE time and effort (so, money again) to develop the VIP map packs we've all enjoyed for free.

So, I don't think it's unreasonable to ask anyone who paid less for Battlefield because they picked up a pre-owned copy, to pay the extra money. After all, they're enjoying the same services as everyone else.

EA (or indeed any publisher) is perfectly entitled to charge a fee for anyone buying pre-owned, because they don't see a penny of the money from when that person actually buys the game. Why?

That cash is in the retailer's pocket, and I don't see them offering to help EA support their servers. And if you don't want to pay for an 'online pass' or any other locked out services - well, that is your choice.

You can still play the majority of the game without worrying yourself about how the publishers and developers are going to recoup their costs for support or future sequels.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...VG-General-RSS ...

Industry veteran David Braben has called on the industry to not be complacent in the view that online game portals will end piracy.
In a new Develop opinion piece, the Frontier Developments founder agreed that online-focused game platforms largely circumvent the threat of illicit file sharing.
“But experience shows it is unlikely to last,” he warned.
“There are quite a few worrying aspects to this. Some of the online distribution services are already now damaged by piracy; look at the recent ruling against Apple, suggesting ‘jail-breaking’ the iPhone is legitimate.
“That is a very dangerous precedent,” he added.

Braben’s observations come as part of a wider look at social and online gaming, with the Elite creator exploring what he sees as four ‘misconceptions’ of the sector.
He agreed that online-only games such as World of Warcraft provide a valuable answer to piracy – yet they are not without their own side-effects.
“The downside to this is the maintenance of back-end servers for each game; not a problem while the game is new, but when are the servers and support turned off?
“Eventually this time will come, and where are the genuine players left then? And what about single player? The key thing is to make sure common platform functionality – offered by Live and PSN – is used rather than bespoke servers, but this currently doesn’t address the pre-owned issue.”

http://www.develop-online.net/news/3...iracy-solution ...

The battle to for which game is the King of the FPS genre is never ending. Whether it's in-game, on forums or even at the water cooler, the dominance of the genre is a topic that always generates heated and passionate debate.

Fortunately, The Golden Joystick Awards are here to settle the debate once and for all - well, until next year, that is.

Gaming's most popular franchises are battling out to claim the ITN Game On Shooter of the Year award at this year's Golden Joystick Awards.

And you can vote for your game of choice and share in the glory.

"The FPS genre is perhaps the most fervently supported of any gaming category."

"The soaring sales and continuing popularity of the nominated titles in the ITN Game On Shooter of the Year category proves that whilst video gaming has broadened it's appeal into a mainstream lifestyle pursuit over the last few years, quality shoot 'em ups have grown their popularity in the bedroom and living rooms of the world." explains the Golden Joysticks' release.

Make your voice heard and your opinion count by casting your vote here.

Here's the full list of nominees for shooter of the year

Aliens vs. Predator
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
Bioshock 2
Borderlands
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Halo 3: ODST
Left 4 Dead 2
Metro 2033
Metriod Prime Trilogy
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Call of Pripyat

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...VG-General-RSS ...

Halo: Reach has topped the UK all format chart this week, knocking Mafia II from it's three-week reign at number one.

Reach has become the biggest ever launch week title for Microsoft and the fifth biggest UK launch overall, behind Modern Warfare 2 on both PS3 and 360, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on PS2 and Grand Theft Auto IV on 360.

Reach has also sold 20,000 more units than Halo 3 did in its first week and has smashed ODST's week one figure buy nearly 200,000.

Sony's Move has had some impact on the charts, too - Move-exclusive Sports Champions has gone straight in at number two, Start the Party! at 29 and Ubisoft's Racket Sports at 32.

Games which feature Move but are not exclusive to it have seen a small boost, but only Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 was significantly bolstered, seeing a 41 per cent increase in sales from last week which pushed it back up to number 9 in the chart from 17.

This Week Last Week Title
New Entry 1 Halo: Reach
New Entry 2 Sports Champions
3 1 Mafia II
4 4 Toy Story 3
5 9 Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
6 2 Tom Clancy's HAWX 2
7 3 Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days
8 11 Just Dance
9 17 Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11
10 10 Red Dead Redemption
11 8 R.U.S.E.
12 12 Super Mario Galaxy 2
13 6 Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
14 22 New Super Mario Bros.
15 13 LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
16 14 Mass Effect 2
17 24 Wii Fit Plus
18 16 wii Sports Resort
19 18 Battlefield: Bad Company 2
20 5 Tetris Party Deluxe

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-steals-second ...

Sony has confirmed that the PlayStation Network will be suspended for regular scheduled maintenance tomorrow.

According to the Official PlayStation Blog the maintenance will begin 8 am Pacific Time on September 21 and will last until approximately 5 pm.

That's 4pm BST on Tuesday, September 21 until 2am on Wednesday, September 22 for European users.



During this period users may encounter problems signing into PSN and will be unable to access the PlayStation Store, PlayStation Home or manage their account.

Since the maintenance period overlaps with the normal release window of PlayStation Store content in the US, this weeks update will be released later tonight for North American users.

Why not spend your new found free time looking at PlayStation Move review round-up and see if the new controller takes your fancy.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...VG-General-RSS ...

The focus of the PSP is to begin shifting towards a younger audience, Sony America's marketing mouthpiece Peter Dille has said. By doing so, the handheld will equip Sony with "a very big tent" of PlayStation entertainment that doesn't rely on one product "like our competitors".

"There will be [a focus on the younger audience], and that's part and parcel with the strategy as you go longer into the lifecycle," Dille told thealistdaily. "With quality game experiences for $9.99, we're talking in a way that none of our competitors can on all of our platforms.

"On the PS3, the PlayStation Move lets us talk to more casual gamers and at the same time we're introducing 3D games. On the PSP, we're pitching something that appeals to a younger audience, and we're also putting out something that appeals to core gamers with titles like Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker and Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep.

"If you look at what Sony WWS does, we have titles ranging from Killzone to EyePet. PlayStation is a very big tent," he added, "and we've never been reliant on one product genre like one of our competitors and it's helped us sell 377 million PlayStation hardware products and two billion software products in 15 years."

Whether the supposed-to-be-secret PSP2 will seek a younger audience remains to be seen. So far we've heard that Sony's new handheld will perform "like iPhone on steroids" and feature touch-screen controls on the reverse of the device.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...w-towards-kids ...

The Daily Mail has published an article claiming professional gangs of traders are buying up vast quantaties of the UK's iPhone 4 stock and shipping it abroad.
The tabloid claims this is "depriving ordinary customers of getting their hands on them."
Apparently, these hoards of 'runners' are paid around £70 for each un-contracted device they get their hands on, which they pay between £499 and £599 for.
It's tough to see how anyone is making much money on such a scheme by the time the devices are shipped to Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia – but The Mail claims international shortages will mean customers will pay £400 over the retail price.
Directly asserting that this supposed practice has caused the iPhone 4 shortage, the Mail goes on to explain the chaos as 'genuine' customers become frustrated they cannot buy one.

"Fights have been known to break out and some stores open much earlier than their advertised time of 9am in an attempt to reduce any crowd trouble."

http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/34630...oreign-traders ...