via Gizmodo


For a company that's invaded our lives as much (and as well) as Google, the one thing they've never had to do is provide customer support—until now. And Nexus One owners are paying the price.

Selling an actual product to actual consumers is a very new game for Google, and if the myriad messageboard complaints and now a New York Times piece are any indication, the company is making the kind of toddler missteps you'd expect. Google sells the Nexus One exclusively, but haven't set up a system of customer service that's anywhere near adequate for a product as buzzed-about as the Nexus. There's no way to contact Google by phone, and email responses are reported to take several days for a response. That's a huge problem for Nexus One owners.

We like the Nexus One a lot—Jason even called it "the best Android phone" on the market—but if Google doesn't get their shit together and start providing the kind of service smartphone owners have come to expect, it'll prove a serious setback for not just Google but Android as a whole. We hope they work it out—they're working to reduce that several-day delay in email response to a few hours, but it better happen fast if they don't want people to lose confidence. ...

via Eurogamer


A new report suggests enough content has been cut from Final Fantasy XIII to make an entirely new game.

That's what art director Isamu Kamikokuryou supposedly told an unnamed Japanese magazine, according to Andriasang's translated version of FF Reunion's report (via VG247).

Kamikokuryou said a number of areas were cut from Japan's PS3 release of FFXIII, including a space around protagonist Lightning's home, resistance group Nora's secret base and an amusement park called Nautilus Park.

Square Enix axed the content to preserve the game's balance and keep the game-size down, the report said. Perhaps it could open up downloadable content options in the future?

Square Enix couldn't be reached for verification.

Final Fantasy XIII will be released for PS3 and Xbox 360 in Europe on 9th March. ...

via Gizmodo




One of our close Apple connects who haven't steered us wrong dropped a little bit of information on us. Here's what we know:

• The tablet's multi-touch gestures are "out of control."
• It's powered by an incredibly fast ARM CPU
• It runs on the iPhone kernel.
• The internal model number is K48AP.
• There hasn't been an updated iPhone OS build because there's too much tablet-related code/references in the OS and Apple obviously didn't want that to leak. Oops.
• The tablet is basically an "iPhone on steroids."

That's all we've got for now! ...

via Eurogamer


Update: Nintendo's told Eurogamer that no release date has been confirmed for Other M in Europe and the uK.

Nintendo's announced that Wii action game Metroid: Other M - a collaboration with Ninja Gaiden studio Team Ninja - will be released this year.

"The next highly anticipated offering in the Metroid franchise is Metroid: Other M, which will be available this year," the company told G4TV.

The statement came after Nintendo was spotted discontinuing the brilliant Metroid Prime: Trilogy, presumably to show fans there was something to look forward to.

Zelda fans are not so lucky, as Reggie Fils-Aime still refuses to pin down a date for the new Zelda game on Wii.

"Right now, it's still in development. But the key message that Mr. Miyamoto and Mr. Aonuma are telling us is that it really has to be perfect when it launches. That really is what the Zelda fan is expecting," said US boss Fils-Aime on the Nintendo Week show.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess has been Link's only adventure on Wii to date, and that was a game originally designed for GameCube, with Wiimote controls tagged on.

At E3 2008, Nintendo overlord Satoru Iwata told the world that the Zelda and Mario teams were hard at work making new games. The Mario team was evidently busy with the now announced Super Mario Galaxy 2, which is due out this year.

But what the Zelda team is up to we're still waiting to hear. Shigeru Miyamoto said at E3 2009 that he "really wanted to announce a Zelda game for Wii", but explained that it was better for the team to focus on development rather than cobble together a demo for the show.

An E3 2010 reveal, then, is on the cards. ...

via Computer and Video Games


Here's yet another utterly gorgeous Final Fantasy XIII trailer from the boys and girls at Square Enix, whose art-drawing skills spawn worlds and people more beautiful than real life. Fact.

This is an extended trailer - so you may recognise certain scenes - with heaps of new footage, English-language speech and the western-specific Leona Lewis theme tune, titled My Hands, from her newest album Echo.

This is available on Xbox Live now too, if you want to watch it on your telly. It doesn't look like PSN has it yet though - maybe in tomorrow's update.

March 9 can't come soon enough.


Trailer at CVG, right here ...

via IGN


Fans looking to upgrade their current Xbox 360 harddrive may want to wait. The 250GB unit may be making its way to shelves soon.

Online orders through GameStop, Walmart, Target, and Best Buy show the 120GB harddrive is no longer in stock. Reader tips and forum members have also noted the harddrive has been difficult to find in stores for some time.

When asked for comment, a spokesperson told IGN that Microsoft is still selling the 120GB harddrive, but would not specify where or for how much longer.

"Microsoft works closely with retailers to determine the best approach for our products in each market around the world. The 120GB Hard Drive is available for $149.99 (U.S.)."

It looks like Microsoft is making sure the retail channels are clear before introducing a 250GB harddrive if this is indeed the case. The unit is currently only available exclusively when purchasing the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 bundle, though Microsoft at the time said it would not be sold separately. ...

via Computer and Video Games


Capcom has said it will bring back "a brand we haven't seen in a while" via Microsoft's Natal.
So the question is, we haven't we seen in a while from Capcom? There are plenty of candidates such as Viewtiful Joe, Clock Tower, Darkstalkers... none of which are suited to Natal, at all. What Capcom series would you like to see brought back that could work on Natal? ...

via Games Industry


Sony's PlayStation 3 is set to bounce back in 2010, with expectations that it will be more successful in the next 12 months than rival consoles from Nintendo and Microsoft.

Results from the latest GamesIndustry.biz Network survey show that 34 per cent of industry professionals are backing Sony's home console, in a year that will see major software such as Gran Turismo 5, Heavy Rain and God of War III released, along with a brand new motion control peripheral for the system.

The support is almost double that of last year, when only 16.4 per cent of those surveyed saw a positive 2009 for the PlayStation 3, at a time when it was still hampered by a high price point at retail and a number of different SKUs.

Not far behind Sony in the survey is Microsoft and the Xbox 360 with 29.9% of votes, a console that has already sold 39 million units worldwide and with the positive buzz surrounding Project Natal is on track to enjoy another strong year.

The biggest upset in the poll is that while last year Nintendo lead the market, the survey suggests that Apple's iPhone is likely to have a better year than the Wii in 2010.

Support for Nintendo's home console was only 9.3 per cent compared to the massive 54.4 per cent a year earlier. Although still strong, growth has stalled for the console in contrast to Apple's handheld, which is still relatively new to the market.

Looking at publishers expected to be the most successful this year, and once again Activision Blizzard comes out on top with a massive 43.7 per cent of votes, up from the 30.6 per cent last year, as it prepares to release new IP such as Blur and Singularity as well as new updates to its Call of Duty and Hero franchises. Meanwhile Blizzard is set to release StarCraft II, and possible Diablo III and World of Warcraft: Cataclysm.

Electronic Arts receives around the same percentage of votes as last year, as it gets off to a busy first quarter with Army of Two: The 40th Day, Mass Effect 2 and Battlefield Bad Company 2.

Nintendo sees a significant drop off again, down from the support of over 20.7 per cent of those surveyed for 2009 to just 9.4 per cent for 2010.

The GamesIndustry.biz Network consists of over 10,200 members working in all areas of the games business, from publishing and development to retail and education. Readers interested in signing up can do so here.

The full results follow:

Platform expected to be the most successful in 2010

• PlayStation 3: 34%
• Xbox 360: 29.9%
• iPhone: 10.2%
• Wii: 9.3%
• Others: 16.6%

Publishers expected to be the most successful in

• 2010
• Activision Blizzard: 43.7%
• Electronic Arts: 18.8%
• Nintendo: 9.4%
• Sony: 6.2%
• Square Enix: 5.6%
• Others: 16.3%

...

via Eurogamer


Sony Europe has said that Gran Turismo 5's latest delay is "only applicable for the Japanese market", although the platform holder also declined to estimate when the game will be released.

"This information on the GT release is only applicable for the Japanese market," the company said in a statement to Eurogamer. "SCEE will announce the launch date for this game in the PAL territories in due course."

Sony Japan had announced a March 2010 release date for Gran Turismo 5 at the Tokyo Game Show last year, while SCEE had been a little more cautious, declining to confirm a date for the much-anticipated Polyphony Digital racer. ...