It's been 10 years since Sega launched the Dreamcast, and while it eventually failed, we like to think that in an alternate reality somewhere the Dreamcast reigns supreme. Let's imagine Dreamcast victory!

In order for the Dreamcast to have been successful, many of the decisions Sega made leading up to the console would have to have been different. We're not going to go back that far. Instead, let's imagine what could have happened following the Dreamcast's U.S. launch on September 9th, 1999, to keep the noisy white console on top of its game.

September 9th, 1999: Sega launches the Dreamcast in North America, selling a record number of units thanks to the low-entry price and hot launch titles like Soul Calibur, Sonic Adventure, Power Stone, and Hydro Thunder. This actually happened, but we'll get to daydreaming soon enough.

Early 2000: Sega rolls out a massive update to its SegaNet online gaming service, integrating matchmaking, friends lists, and instant messaging, along with a framework that makes it easy for 3rd party companies to get their titles up and running online. EA changes its plans to support the console, delivering a wide variety of action and sports titles, at least until 2K signs an exclusive license with the NFL. Yes, now we are dreaming.

October 26th, 2000: Sony introduces the PlayStation 2 to North America. The ridiculously low number of units available at launch encounter a problem with the North American firmware, causing them to explode when placed in close proximity to cute kittens and adorable babies. Sony still sells huge numbers, but third parties slowly begin to abandon the console, not wanting to be associated with exploding infants.

Yes, this step is completely necessary. The key to this little fantasy is more third-party support, along with an event so catastrophic that it could shake the strong foundation of fans that Sony had built up with the original PlayStation. I don't like to imagine cute things exploding any more than you people do, but it would have to be something pretty extreme.

January 31st, 2001: Sega announces they'll be ramping up Dreamcast production in order to meet the rising demand, thanks in part to the last minute, baby fire-inspired move from one Japanese company...

July 19th, 2001: Squaresoft releases Final Fantasy X exclusively on the Dreamcast in Japan. Fans are grateful that the console's loud fan drowns out Tidus' dialog. A huge spike in Dreamcast sales ensues.

November 15th, 2001: Microsoft releases the Xbox. Aside from Halo, the most popular games on the system are ports of Dreamcast titles.

November 18th, 2001: Nintendo releases the Gamecube in North America. Dreamcast fans laugh at its tiny proprietary discs, preferring their larger proprietary discs. Lack of third-party support eventually leads to Nintendo leaving the console business, concentrating on making Mario and Zelda games for the Dreamcast, Xbox, and PlayStation 2.5 (now with less baby 'sploding).

From there, things could pretty much move in the expected direction. Fans would eventually get Panzer Dragoon Saga 2, perhaps with the release of the Dreamcast 2 sometime in the middle of 2005 or 2006. Of course they wouldn't call it the Dreamcast 2, as Sega was never big on adding numbers to their consoles. Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast....hell, we'll call it the Sega Revolution. Why not?

Whatever you call it, we'd still have a sleek new Sega system in our entertainment centers today, and Nintendo fans would be desperately wishing for the Gamecube 2.

Oh, and 3D Sonic the Hedgehog games would still suck. There's only so many problems you can solve by tearing a gaping hole in reality.

http://kotaku.com/5355634/10-years-o...ight-have-been ...

OK, not literally, but enough that Soundwave's Autobot colleague was the first thing I thought of. Him, or a shower radio.

But that's not negative space at top, or a handle. It's the screen of an "Xbox 1080" portable concept created by Carl Archambeault of Milwaukee, so standard concept disclaimers - not real, does not function, is not commissioned or endorsed by the company - apply. It's still a cool imagining of a Microsoft entry into the portable market. But they haven't done it and, considering the Zune, probably for good reason.

http://kotaku.com/5356011/concept-xb...m-transformers ...

According to a Sony rep speaking with Cnet, "over the following two or three years" Sony will begin installing hardware inside the PS3 that will enable the console to display games in 3D.

Now, before we go any further, this information was supplied to Cnet by a Sony rep at the recent IAF consumer electronics show in Berlin. The same IAF where Sony reps haven't exactly had the best track record for accurate statements. So this may turn out to be total bullshit.

But just in case it's not, here's the deal: next year, Sony will release a line of 3D-capable Bravia TVs designed to be compatible with the PlayStation 3. Which means, in theory, all PS3 games could run in 3D, provided you have that TV.

Sounds great, but remember, it's the same claim Sony later backed down from.

More interesting is the report that in 2011-12, similar technology will be installed inside the PlayStation 3 itself, meaning - in theory, at least - you could get games running in stereoscopic on other TV sets, not just specially-equipped Bravias.

Which would be awesome, but seeing as previous reports from IAF were so loose on facts, we've pinged Sony for comment, and will update if/when we hear back.

http://kotaku.com/5356060/report-son...inside-the-ps3 ...

The head of the largest adult video production company in the world plans to start pushing for the inclusion of porn on the Playstation Network.

If Vivid Entertainment head Steve Hirsch succeeds, he will look into getting adult videos on the Xbox 360 and perhaps the Wii, the co-founder of Vivid told Kotaku.

"Our point is pretty simple," Hirsch told Kotaku. "As long as age verification is in place that (Sony) feels comfortable with we see no reason why adults shouldn't be allowed to access adult movies on the Playstation 3."

Hirsch said his company, that has an extensive catalog of films including Bad Wives, Seven Deadly Sins and Tristan Taramino's Expert Guide to Oral Sex 2, is in the process of drafting a formal request to send to Sony Computer Entertainment, but that they have not yet discussed the idea with the company.

Sony officials did not respond to requests for comment for this story.

Hirsch says they've decided to broach the subject now with Sony because of the console maker's decision last month to allow Japan's DDM.TV to bring on-demand Blu-ray quality HD adult movies to the console. That service is only available in Japan.

"They had made it clear in the past they were not interested," Hirsch said. "Now that they have agreed to in some way allow adult films on the Japanese platform we are going to move forward and make a formal request."

Sony's reluctance to allow adult films on their platform is not a new issue, Hirsch said they confronted the same issues when Blu-ray first came out.

"We do support Blu-ray now, but Sony did not want adult Blu-ray for a long time," he said. "The way they stopped that from happened was that there was only a few places where you could get Blu-ray replicated and authored.

"For a long time it was only HD-DVD that would allow us to replicate in HD. Ultimately Sony came around."

And Hirsch hopes the same will happen with the Playstation Network.

The idea is that there would be an Adults Only section on the Playstation 3's online network, which already rents and sells more mainstream movies. There are a number of ways to verify that a person is 18 before they get access to that area, Hirsch said.

Hirsch understands it will be an uphill battle.

"It is certainly something that creates a lot of attention, when you talke about adult content being put on any new platform," he said. "It isn't that dissimilar to getting it on cell phones.

"Certainly we understand there is going to be some resistance on Sony's part when it comes to adult content on their console. We all understand there are kids who use the Playstation every day and we want to keep content away from them, but there are also adults who use it."

Vivid Entertainment is currently drafting a letter that they plan to send to Sony by the end of the week, he said. And if things go well, Hirsch will look into getting adult content on Microsoft's Xbox Live video service and other gaming platforms.

"It is something as an industry we would like to accomplish," he said. "If we move forward here we would look at other potential gaming platforms like the Xbox 360. The Wii seems to skew a little young."

http://kotaku.com/5354956/adult-film...aming-consoles ...

The Marvel VS Capcom® 2 Arcade Fightstick: Tournament Edition will make you forget all about those silly limited-edition PAX and Comic-Con Street Fighter IV sticks you missed out on.

http://kotaku.com/5356373/marvel-vs-...ion-fightstick ...

New from Divineo USA



Wildfire is a wireless rapid fire controller for the PS3. It is completely compatible with the SONY DualShock3 and Sixaxis and communicates directly with the PS3 over high-speed Bluetooth.

Programmable Turbo Rapid Fire
Wildfire secret weapon is a programmable Turbo Rapid Fire mode that can be enabled on up to 8 buttons at various speeds, giving you a firepower advantage that can make all the difference. Just start the programming mode, choose which buttons you want to use rapid fire on and set the repeat speed. With rapid fire enabled weapons like single shot pistols and rifles in Call of Duty: World at War become lethal fully automatic weapons that can empty a clip on an enemy in a second.

Completely Compatible
Wildfire faithfully recreates every input from the DualShock3 including responsive and linear analogue sticks and triggers, the full range of buttons, tilt and motion sensors and vibration feedback. Nothing has been missed out or falls short. ...

Every highly-polished stainless steel lining has a cloud, it seems, and today's music player overhaul by Apple has been no different. Amidst all the excitement about moderate improvements and video cameras, we've also had to say goodbye to an old friend. Having been kept around for six months after the release of its successor, the second gen shuffle has finally succumbed, leaving the newly colorful 3G option all on its lonesome in the minimalist music lover space. Ah well, if you really have your heart set on the old rocker, refurb models are still available at Apple's online store, though probably not for long.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/i...2g-is-no-more/ ...

Wondering why Apple chose to add a camera to the iPod nano, but not the revised iPod touch? You're not alone, but one Mr. Steven P. Jobs has an answer for you: it's because the touch is a game machine, you see. Seriously -- that's what El Steve told the inimitable David Pogue today after the Rock and Roll event. According to Steve, Apple wasn't "exactly sure how to market the touch" at first, but once they listened to their customers and started to focus on gaming, "it just took off." That certainly explains the "funnest iPod ever" tagline, but still, why no cam? "We don't need to add new stuff -- we need to get the price down to where everyone can afford it." And... that's all he said about it, and Poguey didn't pursue the blindingly obvious followup: that's great for the $199 8GB model, but does Apple really think customers paying $299 and $399 for the larger editions would be turned off by paying slightly more for a camera sensor? Something tell us we won't hear Jobs say one more word about it until he's ready to actually unveil a touch with a camera -- at which point it will be a revolution.

P.S.- Make sure to hit the read link for the full interview -- it's short, but it's full of Steve saying things like "You notice Amazon never says how [many Kindles] they sell; usually if they sell a lot of something, you want to tell everybody."

http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/s...cause-its-a-g/ ...

Palm's App Catalog isn't exactly bursting with titles yet, but that isn't stopping the company from rejecting apps -- and the dubious honor of First App Rejected goes to NaNplayer, a music player app. Apparently NaNPlayer made use of an undocumented webOS API call, so it makes sense that Palm wouldn't approve it, but there's a somewhat less-sensible flipside: it was using the same API the built-in music player uses to index files so it could make playlists. That's pretty basic functionality, so we're hoping this all gets resolved with a future webOS update -- and in the meantime, NaNplayer will be released to the burgeoning Pre homebrew community when it's complete.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/10/f...ion-nanplayer/ ...