Staff lay offs at Sony may not end with the recent jobs cut at its European operation, it's emerged.

Reuters reports that the US and Japanese arms of the company could see redundancies, although SCE spokesperson Satoshi Fukuoka said nothing has been decided in this regard yet.

It's reckoned PS3 sales have been slower than expected, but Fukuoka said any job cuts occurring at Sony America and/or Sony Japan would be due to changes in how the games industry works - e.g. changes in software distribution from traditional retail to online - rather than sales performance of the new console.

Recently news broke that 160 jobs were to be axed throughout Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, yesterday details arriving on the SCEE development studios affected by the cuts.

via cvg ...

Videos showing the locations of COG tags in Gears of War have been released on Xbox Live Marketplace, but you have to pay for them.

There are individual videos for Acts 1 through to 5 and, ranging from between 51MB and 150MB in file size, cost 100 Microsoft Points each. Or 85 pence. Or £4.25 for all five.

Unsurprisingly, the charge for the videos has got people's backs up as information on the location of COG tags is available on the internet for free.

Collecting COG tags in the game gets you achievements and gamescore points.

via cvg ...

Heres the full list of what import games and toys have been released this week from Play Asia

PlayStation3™:
Communicator Headset US$ 19.90
Data Max US$ 19.90
Dust & Nicotine Guard 3 US$ 16.90
Hori Pad 3 Turbo (black) US$ 24.90
Hori Pad 3 Turbo (blue) US$ 24.90
Hori Pad 3 Turbo (red) US$ 24.90
Madden NFL 07 JPN US$ 64.90
MotorStorm ASIA US$ 59.90

Nintendo Wii™:
Bust-A-Move Bash! US US$ 44.90
One Piece Unlimited Adventure JPN US$ 64.90
Silicon Cover Set (blue) JPN US$ 14.90
Silicon Cover Set (gray) JPN US$ 14.90
Silicon Cover Set (white) JPN US$ 14.90
The Dog Island: Hitotsu no Hana no Monogatari JPN US$ 64.90
Wii Remote Control Fingerprint Guard Film JPN US$ 6.99
Wii Remote Controller Protect Film JPN US$ 4.99
Wii de Yawaraka Atama Juku JPN US$ 49.90

Xbox360™:
Test Drive Unlimited JPN US$ 59.90
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas JPN US$ 64.90

Misc:
Broadband Router US$ 49.90
HDMI Optical Selector US$ 289.90

PlayStation2™:
Binchou-Tan: Shiwase Koyomi JPN US$ 64.90
Binchou-Tan: Shiwase Koyomi [Limited Edition] JPN US$ 95.00
Elvandia Story JPN US$ 64.90
Eureka Seven Vol 2: The New Vision US US$ 39.90
Ichigo Mashimaro (Shock SP) JPN US$ 34.90
Iinazuke JPN US$ 64.90
Iinazuke [Limited Edition] JPN US$ 79.90
Negima!? Dream Tactic Yume miru Otome ha Princess [My Hime Version] JPN US$ 64.90
Negima!? Dream Tactic Yume miru Otome ha Princess [Utahime Version] JPN US$ 59.90
Ojousama Kumikyoku: Sweet Concert JPN US$ 64.90
Ojousama Kumikyoku: Sweet Concert [Limited Edition] JPN US$ 89.90
Orange Honey: Boku wa Kimi ni Koishiteru JPN US$ 64.90
Orange Honey: Boku wa Kimi ni Koishiteru [Limited Edition] JPN US$ 79.90
Raiden III US US$ 39.90
Rogue Hearts Dungeon JPN US$ 64.90
Shinkyouku Soukai Polyphonica JPN US$ 34.90
Siren 2 (PlayStation2 the Best) JPN US$ 34.90
Taiko no Tatsujin Super Animehit (PlayStation2 the Best) JPN US$ 29.90
Taiko no Tatsujin: Appare Sandaime (PlayStation2 the Best) JPN US$ 29.90
Tengai Makyou III: Namida (PlayStation2 the Best) JPN US$ 29.90
The Dog Island: Hitsotsuno no Hana no Monogatari JPN US$ 64.90

Nintendo DS™:
Arasuji de Kitaeru Sokumimi no Susume DS JPN US$ 39.90
Arasuji de Oboeru Sokudoku no Susume DS JPN US$ 39.90
Atama no Kaiten no Training: Rubik's Cube & Chou Yuumei Puzzle Tachi JPN US$ 34.90
Choco Inu no Sweets Depart JPN US$ 48.90
Chou Shittou Caduceus (Atlus Best Collection) JPN US$ 29.90
Daito Giken Koushiki Pachi-Slot Simulator: Hihouden - Ossu! Banchou - Yoshimune DS JPN US$ 48.90
Dekitayo! Mama, Onna no Ko JPN US$ 39.90
Dekitayo! Mama, Otoko no Ko JPN US$ 39.90
Eiken-Ou: 3-Kyuuhen JPN US$ 39.90
Eiken-Ou: 4-Kyuuhen JPN US$ 39.90
Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings JPN US$ 48.90
Gamics Series Vol. 1: Yokoyama Mitsuteru - San Goku Shi - Vol. 4 - Sangoku Teiritsu JPN US$ 39.90
Hana Deka Club: Animal Paradise JPN US$ 48.90
Kokoro ga Mezameru Otoko Tachi no Nurie DS: Tamiya Box Art JPN US$ 39.90
Korede Haji o Kakanai: Ashita Tsukaeru DS Business Manner JPN US$ 39.90
Meteos: Disney Magic JPN US$ 48.90
Momotarou Dentetsu DS: Tokyo & Japan JPN US$ 48.90
Momotarou Dentetsu DS: Tokyo & Japan (w/ Nintendo DS Lite Console) JPN US$ 249.90
Nanpure VOW JPN US$ 39.90
Nintendo DS Lite (Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings ~Sky Pirate Edition~) - 110V JPN US$ 299.90
Panel de Pon DS JPN US$ 39.90
PikuPiku: Toku to E Ninaru 3-tsu no Puzzle JPN US$ 29.90
Pokemon Diamond US US$ 39.90
Pokemon Pearl US US$ 39.90
Super Black Bass: Kitahankyuu Tsuru JPN US$ 48.90
Touch Pen Knock Metal (Black) US$ 4.99
Touch Pen Knock Metal (Silver) US$ 4.99

Sony PSP™:
Doko Demo Issho: Let's Gakkou! (PSP the Best) JPN US$ 29.90
MLB 07: The Show KOR US$ 49.90
Minna no Map 2 JPN US$ 48.90
Minna no Map 2 (w/ GPS Receiver) JPN US$ 95.00
Monster Hunter Portable (PSP the Best Reprint) JPN US$ 19.90
Test Drive Unlimited US US$ 39.90
Valhalla Knights US US$ 39.90

PC Games:
A.I.M. 2: Clan Wars (DVD-ROM) ASIA US$ 34.90
Ascension to the Throne (DVD-ROM) ASIA US$ 34.90
Cossacks 2 Gold Edition (DVD-ROM) ASIA US$ 39.90
Rider's World: I Want to Jump ASIA US$ 24.90
Rider's World: I Want to Race ASIA US$ 24.90
Rider's World: I Want to Ride ASIA US$ 24.90
Warhammer: Mark of Chaos (DVD-ROM) ASIA US$ 39.90
Whirlwind of Vietnam: UH-1 (DVD-ROM) ASIA US$ 34.90

Book releases:

Gyakuten Saiban Official Fan Book Vol.3 JPN US$ 14.90
Pokemon Diamond & Pearl Official Nintendo Player's Guide US US$ 14.90
Pokemon Diamond & Pearl Official Strategy Guide US US$ 16.90
Vampire Graphic File JPN US$ 29.90

Toys & Misc:
Bible Black 1/6 Scale Pre-painted PVC Figure - La Noche De Walpurgis JPN N/A
Capcom Figure Collection Basara JPN US$ 6.90
Monster Hunter - Hunter Goods Collection Life Figure (2nd Edition) JPN US$ 4.99
Neon Genesis Evangelion ...

press release:

Nintendo Co., Ltd., today reported final consolidated fiscal year revenues of 966.5 billion yen and operating profits of 226.0 billion yen for the year ending March 31, 2007, an increase of 90 percent and 150 percent, respectively, over the same period one year ago. Both numbers are record highs for the company.

The results are due largely to full-year sales of more than 23 million portable Nintendo DS™ systems globally, along with 123 million Nintendo DS games. Since introduction, the Nintendo DS has now eclipsed lifetime sales of 40 million systems.

In addition, in less than five months since introduction, the company sold 5.84 million of its new Wii™ home video game systems globally, virtually every one snapped up immediately by consumers, along with nearly 29 million Wii games. Wii has taken a step toward becoming a cultural phenomenon, appealing widely to both avid and previously disinterested game-playing audiences.

For the fiscal year beginning April 1, 2007, Nintendo projects sales of 14 million Wii systems and 55 million games worldwide. The company projects sales of 22 million Nintendo DS hardware unit sales and 130 million software units sales. Nintendo forecasts consolidated sales increasing nearly 18 percent to 1.14 trillion yen, and operating profits growing nearly 20 percent to 270 billion yen. ...

press release:

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts today announced that its 2007 British Academy Video Games Awards will be held on the evening of Tuesday 23 October at Battersea Evolution in London.

“In a very short space of time, an Academy Video Games Award – which recognises excellence in the fastest-growing form of entertainment – has become the most coveted in the industry,” says Paul Jackson, Chair of the Academy’s Games Committee.

“The art form of the video game has truly come of age and the Academy could not be prouder to recognise its creative and technical practitioners,” adds Hilary Bevan Jones, Chairman of the Academy.

Last year’s Awards were attended by almost 700 guests and BAFTA has had to seek a larger venue for the 2007 Awards – Battersea Evolution. London’s exciting new event space in the heart of picturesque Battersea Park can accommodate more than 2000 guests and is just five minutes from Victoria.

Anne-Marie Flynn, BAFTA’s Head of Awards, says: “We needed to find somewhere which gave us room to expand, because the Academy’s long term commitment is to make these awards the global kitemark of games excellence. Last year we mounted the most highly attended Awards in the industry and this year will be even bigger. We are very excited about putting on a really visually arresting Awards show in 2007.” ...

Press release:

Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game publishers, and Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax Media company, announced today that the blockbuster role-playing game, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion® will be available for PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system in the UK on April 27th.

Released in March 2006 for Windows and Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Oblivion has already earned countless awards from publications around the world including numerous Game and RPG of the Year awards. Gamerankings.com and MetaCritic.com list Oblivion as the highest rated game of all time on Xbox 360 and PlayStation3, and the Official PlayStation magazine in UK recently rated the game with an amazing 10/10, the first PS3 game to achieve that score in the magazine.

Oblivion is a unique role-playing game that features a powerful combination of free-form gameplay, unprecedented graphics and cutting edge AI. Gamers can choose to unravel Oblivion’s epic narrative at their own pace or explore the vast world in search of their own unique challenges.

After the mysterious and untimely death of the Emperor, the throne of Tamriel lies empty. With the Empire ready to crumble, the gates of Oblivion open and demons march upon the land - laying waste to everything in their path. To turn the tide of darkness, you must find the lost heir to the throne and unravel the sinister plot that threatens to destroy all of Tamriel.

For more information on Oblivion PS3 visit http://oblivion.ubi.com/ ...

press release:

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) and Del Rey, an imprint of Ballantine Books at the Random House Publishing Group, announced today that Del Rey will publish a novel based on the critically-acclaimed Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars™ computer and videogame on 29th May 2007 in the US and Canada. The novel will release in the U.K. and Germany in the months following. The game is available now for the PC and will be in stores 11th May 2007 for the Xbox 360™ videogame and entertainment system.

In COMMAND & CONQUER: TIBERIUM WARS™, the novel by Keith R. A. DeCandido, the year is 2047 and the stakes could not be higher. Tiberium—a self-replicating alien substance that has infected the Earth—is spreading like a radioactive ice age. The Global Defense Initiative, a high-tech alliance of the world’s most advanced nations, is fighting to contain Tiberium, but Kane, the megalomaniacal leader of the Brotherhood of Nod has other plans for Earth. Kane’s secret society turned superpower is bent on using Tiberium to take control and transform humanity into his twisted vision of the future. In the midst of battles throughout the world, a third alien race emerges, and all-out war rages over Tiberium. The fate of the planet rests in the balance.

“We’re excited to expand the Command & Conquer franchise to a new form of media and offer a depth to the underlying fiction of the game series like never before,” said Patrick O’Brien, VP of Business Affairs at EA. “Keith DeCandido wrote a great story, and we’re pleased to have partnered with him and Del Rey.”

Del Rey editor Keith Clayton said, “Command & Conquer remains one of the most popular and well-reviewed gaming franchises, and we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to work on an original story set in EA’s Tiberium Universe.”

For further information on the novel, COMMAND & CONQUER: TIBERIUM WARS, visit www.delreybooks.com. ...

press release:

Leading gaming accessory manufacturer eDimensional has teamed up with renowned modder Benjamin J. Heckendorn on their latest product. Gamers worldwide are clamoring to know about what Ben will design next and eDimensional is eager to build it and bring it to market. Now you can win one just by guessing what it is! eDimensional and Ben are pleased to announce the “What the Heck?” contest, where you can send us your guess for what the new product will be. Correct answers will be entered to win a signed copy of the newest product when it is released soon.

eDimensional CEO Michael Epstein raves, “It’s been an absolute pleasure working with Ben on the new eDimensional product. He’s full of fantastic ideas that are truly inspired by the hard-core gamer, which is exactly who we design our products for. We’ve really given him free reign to fulfill his creative vision and are thrilled with how the new product looks and performs. We can’t wait to offer a benheck original to the entire gaming community.”

Author of Hacking Videogame Consoles, BenHeck has been creating acclaimed custom devices such as his recent XBOX 360 laptop since the last century. He notes, “I'm really excited about releasing my latest project, the first opportunity for gamers worldwide to purchase a Heckendorn original! Thanks to eDimensional for their contributions and support in making my latest creation a reality.”

Please visit www.eDimensional.com/whattheheck.php for the latest clues and entry information. New clues will appear at random, so be sure to check back often to see if you can figure it out ...

One of the video game industry's most celebrated franchises is officially hotter than ever. Within just five days of availability, more than 1 million copies of Pokémon® Diamond and Pokémon Pearl for the portable Nintendo DS™ have sold in the United States since Sunday's launch; a faster rate than any previous Pokémon games since the franchise's U.S. introduction, almost a decade ago. To date, more than 155 million copies of Pokémon games have sold worldwide.

Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl are poised to become two of the top-selling games of 2007 in the United States. More than one half million people pre-ordered the games before launch. Additionally, thousands of people attended the kickoff launch event in New York, and demand for the games continues to be off the charts. These latest versions of Pokémon games were introduced in Japan on Sept. 28, 2006, and have already been purchased by more than 5 million video gamers there.

The two games include a number of features that make them particularly attractive to gamers, including:

More than 100 new Pokémon.
A 3-D look that makes Pokémon jump off the screen.
Worldwide wireless battling and trading using Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection.
Voice chat functions that let players talk wirelessly with their friends.

Later this year, these two titles will also help expand the Pokémon universe for the first time to Wii™, Nintendo's new home video game system. Diamond and Pearl owners will be able to use their DS hardware units as controllers for Pokémon Battle Revolution (launching June 25), the first Pokémon game available for Wii. Players also will be able to export characters to the Wii game.

For more information about Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl, visit www.Pokemon-Games.com. ...