Via Engadget

At Microsoft's E3 presentation today, one of the most eagerly awaited pieces of infomation concerned the company's plans to offer an external HD DVD player for the Xbox 360. And the company delivered -- sort of. Yes, they showed off a slide with a picture of an external player designed to match the 360. And the slide did state that the player will be available "this holiday." And, yes, that slide included images of HD DVD flicks that it will presumably be able to play. But the crucial details, such as a ship date, pricing, and, perhaps most important, info on whether or not the player will support HDCP or HDMI, were nowhere to be found. ...

Via Engadget

We've been hearing about the camera for the Xbox 360 for so long, that we almost forgot it still hasn't been released. Well, Microsoft finally came clean about the cam, and gave it an official name at the company's E3 event today. The Xbox Live Vision camera will be available this fall, and will allow users to use their 360 for video-conferencing, video-emails and gamer picture customization. Microsoft also announced the Racing Wheel controller for driving games, and a wireless headset, which presumably will bring joy to parents everywhere. All accessories are expected to be available this fall. ...

StrmnNrmn posted this update in our PSP News Forum

Ok, brief update time! I've been working on rewriting the dynamic recompiler from scratch for the PSP. A few months ago I started writing a PSP port of the original dynarec, but I quickly realised that I'd need to take a whole new approach if I wanted it to fit in memory on the PSP. If you've not heard of dynarec before it's basically a way of speeding up the emulator by recompiling the rom's code for the target platform (i.e. the PSP) rather than interpreting instructions one by one.

I'm basically using the same approach that HP used on their Dynamo dynamic optimiser (I talk about it a bit more here: http://strmnnrmn.blogspot.com/). The cool thing about this approach compared to my original attempt is that it uses far less memory - I think I will be able to get it running in less than 1MB ram, compared to around 10MB that the PC version used.

I've still got a lot of work to do before the dynarec is actually usable, but I'm hoping to release another build sometime over the weekend with a bunch of additional graphics fixes. In the mean time I'll try to post a few more progress updates on the site above.

...

Via Gamesindustry

Nintendo's pre-E3 press conference has revealed new details of what we can expect from the Wii and its remote controller - but there's still no word on a price point or release date.

"If all you want is next-generation, you're in the wrong place."

So spoke Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime in his opening presentation at today's pre-E3 press conference. "It's not just next, it's what's absolutely new," he continued. "Playing is no longer just about looks, it's about the feel."

And, as far as Nintendo's concerned, it's about the feel of the Wii's unique new remote controller. As shown in a series of video clips and on-stage demos, the controller can be used as a drum stick, a fishing rod, a golf club and a conductor's baton. Or, to give just a few more examples, to play tennis, fire guns, or control Mario.

Yes, Nintendo's mascot will most definitely be making an appearance on Wii, along with fellow classic character Zelda. According to Fils-Aime, two versions of the long awaited Twilight Princess will be released - one for GameCube and one for Wii.

It was at this point that yet another unique feature of the Wii controller was revealed - it has a speaker. This means that when the player is using it to fire an arrow in Twilight Princess, for example, he or she will hear the bow string go taut, and the sound will travel from the controller to the screen before impact occurs.

Other big name games glimpsed during the conference included Final Fantasy Chrystal Chronicles, next-gen Sonic the Hedgehog and Rayman, plus Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam. A pair of Ubisoft representatives were on hand to show off Red Steel, a first person shooter that makes use of the Wii's 'nunchuk' controller as well as the remote.

In total, Fils-Aime said, there will be 27 Nintendo Wii games playable on the show floor when E3 begins tomorrow. But he declined to reveal how many games will be available at console launch - or details of when precisely it will go on sale and how much it will cost. He did confirm that the Wii will launch during the fourth quarter of this year, but as far as further details go, he simply stated: "We believe it's in our interest to keep the details private."

Fils-Aime went on to defend the name Nintendo has chosen for its next-gen console, beginning: "First, we want to thank everyone who wrote good things about it the day you heard it. Both of you."

"At first every distinctive name sounds strange," Fils-Aime continued, illustrating his point with examples such as Lexus, Ikea and Google. Wii, he said, means "just what it sounds like... It's the sound of the future."

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata was also on hand to discuss the Wii, although instead of responding to criticisms of the name he took the opportunity to reaffirm the company's commitment to inclusive gaming.

"When I became president, we decided on a new goal for our company: expanding the total number of people who play games... The solution is to reinvent the relationship between player and game, the game controller interface," Iwata said, in a speech which heavily echoed the one he made at the Tokyo Games Show last September. But despite the emphasis on bringing new players to gaming, Iwata was also careful to observe that "core gamers always represent our most important audience."

And if core gamers are frustrated by problems such as long load times, Iwata went on to argue, "How can we expect mass market to put up with it?" So, the Wii's Opera browser and Virtual Console games saved to ROM will take just a few seconds to load.

Iwata then showed off another hardware feature, which means the console is constantly connected even when it's switched off. So, for example, a player might wake up to find a new in-game Animal Crossing item has been delivered during the night. The Wii, Iwata, said, is "the system that never sleeps... What we are aiming for is a system that is new every day."

Following a lengthy presentation on the past and future of the Nintendo DS - of which more news to follow - Fils-Aime returned to conclude the event, and express his thoughts on how Nintendo's latest offerings will fare at this year's show.

"The bottom line of every E3 is simple - what's hot and what's not. It's hot if it's disruptive, it's not if it's predictable," he said.

"Wii and the DS represent the same thing: risk. Risk allows progress. We don't run from risk, we run to it. Change is good."

To finish, Fils-Aime encouraged all attendees to play the games on the show floor, stating: "Seeing is just an impression. Playing is believing." ...

Via Gamesindustry

As part of its pre-E3 conference in Hollywood, Nintendo has revealed a further hardware feature of the Wii console - WiiConnect24, a system which will allow the machine to continue to perform network functions even when in standby mode.

The idea behind the function is that rather than being turned off, Wii will go into a low-power mode which still has some vital systems running - including the ability to download content or interact with players on the network.

Announcing the feature in front of a large audience in the Kodak Theatre, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said that it could be used by developers to push new content to the system while players are asleep - but claimed that the functionality does not stop there.

One example he gave was of the possibility for other players to visit your village in Animal Crossing even while you have left the console "switched off" - so you could return to find that they have left a message or gift for you in the game.

"We designed a machine to provide a variety of services even when it seems like it is turned off," Iwata explained, going on to describe Wii as the "system that never sleeps."

"What we are aiming for is a system that is new every day," he told the audience. ...

Via Gamesindustry

Nintendo has given itself a hearty pat on the back in recognition of its success with the DS handheld, quoting sales of 16 million units and claiming that it's shifted "millions" more than Sony's PSP.

During the company's pre-E3 press conference, which naturally focused heavily on the new Wii console, Nintendo was keen to reaffirm its strategy of introducing 'disruptive technology' - suggesting that the Nintendo DS is was the first true realisation of the company's vision, and a perfect example of getting things right.

Nintendo's senior VP, marketing and corporate communications, George Harrison took to the stage, and took a pop at Sony by stating that since the DS launch 18 months ago, "true gamers have bought into true hardware disruption and software disruption." He added: "It's a different approach to portable play."

"The DS launched at the end of 2004, and it did very well," Harrison continued. "Then the PSP arrived and some of you questioned whether we were up to the challenge. Once the early adopters had cleared away, it was clear that it was all about the games, as it always is," he concluded.

Just to prove the point, Harrison detailed figures for Nintendogs, citing 6 million sales worldwide in 13 months, before mentioning that the DS Wi-Fi service has reached 1.3 million users and provided over 40 million gameplay sessions since its launch.

With the Western launch of the brain training games, Nintendo hopes to duplicate the 5 million sales success it achieved in Japan, and early signs are apparently very good. The company is also preparing to launch the new DS Lite in a few weeks in North America, which it believes will be even more popular than the original handheld.

Looking ahead, Nintendo is confident that the best has yet to come, detailing a number of high profile titles including a new Mario game, Final Fantasy III and the DS exclusive Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass, before stating that there will be more than a hundred new games for the system by the end of the year. ...

Rockstar Games, the universally-renowned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), is proud to announce Grand Theft Auto IV, the next-generation console debut of the genre-defining Grand Theft Auto franchise. Developed by world-class designers Rockstar North, Grand Theft Auto IV will be simultaneously available for the PlayStation®3 and Xbox 360™ and is currently planned to be in stores in North America on October 16, 2007 and in Europe on October 19, 2007. ...

This time, Xbox® Nation won’t have to wait. Responding to the cries of millions of Xbox 360™ owners, Microsoft Corp. and Rockstar Games, the universally renowned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., have struck a groundbreaking agreement that brings “Grand Theft Auto IV” to the Xbox 360 platform on day one of its global release.

“Grand Theft Auto IV,” the next-generation console debut of the genre-defining “Grand Theft Auto” franchise, is expected to be in stores on Oct. 16, 2007, in North America and Oct. 19, 2007, in Europe.

“Few franchises have had the profound impact on our industry as ‘Grand Theft Auto,’” said Peter Moore, corporate vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business in the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft. “Gamers can’t wait to play “Grand Theft Auto IV” in high definition on Xbox 360, and we couldn't be more excited to have the title on our platform from day one”

Separately, Microsoft and Rockstar Games are proud to announce a strategic alliance to provide exclusive episodic content for Xbox Live®, giving the community ever-expanding gameplay experiences that simply aren’t possible on other consoles.

“Through Xbox Live, we have a unique opportunity to reach out to our audience in new ways,” said Sam Houser, executive producer and founder of Rockstar Games. “This strategic alliance allows us to craft experiences that fully leverage the on-demand distribution power and sheer size of Xbox Live.”

The agreement to distribute exclusive Rockstar Games content via Xbox Live highlights the publishing community’s growing desire to feed gamers’ insatiable appetite for downloading new high-definition experiences and playing online. Since Xbox Live launched, fans have logged nearly 1.8 billion hours playing online and have downloaded more than 18 million pieces of content in just the past six months. ...

— Microsoft Corp. Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates today staked the claim that the Xbox 360™ system will have a 10 million-unit head start by the time the competition enters the market and more than 160 games by the end of the year. Gates went on to outline the company’s bold new vision to connect millions of Xbox 360 gamers with hundreds of millions of Microsoft® Windows®-based PC and mobile gamers from around the world through the Xbox Live® online entertainment network. Gates made the announcements at a press conference to open the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), the largest annual confab for the interactive entertainment industry.

Dubbed “Live Anywhere,” the initiative puts gamers at the center of a ubiquitous always-on world where their digital identities, games, friends and digital entertainment are always accessible through the familiar Xbox Live interface, regardless of location or device. The plan also clears the way for groundbreaking cross-platform gameplay scenarios, with participants using Windows-based PCs, mobile phones and Xbox 360 consoles to play together simultaneously.

Currently more than 3 million console gamers are connected to the Xbox Live community via their Xbox® and Xbox 360 consoles and Microsoft expects that number to double to 6 million by this time next year. In addition, more than 25 million casual gamers are currently playing games on MSN® Messenger and MSN Games. Envisioning a forward look to more closely align these powerful communities, Gates outlined next steps to bring the Live Anywhere vision to fruition:

Xbox Live experiences come to Windows-based PCs. Gamers will have the ability to jack into the vibrant Xbox Live world from their Windows-based PCs early next year to play games with friends. Answering the call of millions of Windows gamers for a world that is always on, the Xbox Live experience on Windows will give gamers a consistent online game experience in which they have one identity, one friends list, one set of achievements and voice communications across all games on the network. These experiences will debut on Windows with the Windows Vista™ operating system and “Shadowrun™” this winter.

Microsoft’s mobile offering. Spanning Windows Mobile®, Java and BREW-based handsets, the world-class mobile games service will give gamers on-the-go access to cross-platform gaming communities at any time, from any location. By this time next year, users will be able to send messages, access friends lists, download the best of mobile game content, and sample, purchase and play favorites such as “Bejeweled,” “Zuma” and “Hexic®” as part of the integrated gaming world.

“By opening the Xbox Live entertainment network to the entire universe of Windows and mobile gamers, we’re creating unparalleled gameplay opportunities that will drive incredible growth of the online community,” said Gates. “Our vision is to deliver consistent, compelling experiences that make it easy for consumers to jump in and play, from any device at any time. It’s a vision that only Microsoft can deliver.”

Gates, making his first appearance at E3, joined Peter Moore, corporate vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business in the Entertainment and Devices Division, on stage to announce a barrage of new game titles coming to the Xbox 360 and Windows Vista platforms.

Microsoft announced that it will have 160 Xbox 360 titles by end of 2006. The stunningly smooth high-definition graphics and sophisticated level of gameplay in these titles are proof positive that the development community is hitting its stride with the console’s powerful hardware and programming tools.

Gates and Moore dazzled the crowd with an initial look at “Halo® 3,” the hugely anticipated sequel to the highly successful and critically acclaimed “Halo” franchise. Enthusiasm for “Halo 3” has been building since its predecessor, “Halo 2” — launched by Microsoft Game Studios in 2004 — rewrote history books by becoming the biggest launch in U.S. entertainment retail history, with $125 million in sales and 2.4 million copies sold in the first 24 hours. In this third chapter of the “Halo” trilogy, Master Chief returns to finish the fight, bringing the epic conflict between the Covenant, the Flood and the entire human race to a dramatic, pulse-pounding climax.

Microsoft Game Studios also showcased exclusive Xbox 360 titles “Gears of War” (Epic Games Inc.), “Fable® 2” (Lionhead Studios) and “Forza Motorsport™ 2” (Turn 10). Ubisoft’s next-generation version of “Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Double Agent™” will also debut on Xbox 360. In addition, Microsoft Game Studios showed “Alan Wake” (Remedy Entertainment Inc.) and “Shadowrun™” ...