via Xbox 360 Fanboy


Hey, remember back when Haze was a timed exclusive for the Playstation 3? Remember that other time when Ubisoft revealed its release schedule for Holiday 07 and Haze 360 was dated only a week after the PS3 version? We hope you do remember, because it looks like Ubisoft is trying to rewrite history. The release list, revealed only yesterday, has since been revised, removing the 360 and PC versions of Haze altogether. Joystiq points out, and so must we, that this series of events has an eerie symmetry to the initial mystery surrounding the 360 version of Assassin's Creed. Again, Ubisoft refuses to directly answer questions regarding PS3 exclusivity, saying only that the PS3 is "the only confirmed platform."

Will history repeat itself? Is Haze destined to appear as though it were a PS3 exclusive title? Perhaps more interesting, assuming that the game is coming to 360, is maintaining the illusion of exclusivity really important? ...

via PS3 Fanboy


Gamasutra is today reporting that Sony's San Diego studio has stopped developing full-blown PS2 and PS3 games. Instead the studio is concentrating on developing downloadable content for the PlayStation Store.

The thirty-person development team has split into three teams of ten, with each group working on a separate title. Hopefully with a setup like this we can see some good quality downloadable games coming out at a decent pace. Sony seem to be putting a lot more emphasis on first party support for their online service, as opposed to Microsoft's Xbox Live service which is almost exclusively third party. If Sony keep delivering cheap, quality, bite-sized gaming on the PSN with games like Calling All Cars and Blast Factor then it will do a good job placating us while we wait for the major titles to be released.

We are certainly looking forward to seeing what comes out of the San Diego studio in the future ...

via PSP Fanboy


A leaked retail release calendar accidentally revealed Sonic Rivals 2 a little too early. However, Sega has officially announced the title today. This PSP-exclusive sequel will feature a revamped rival "jostling" gameplay system for tighter head-to-head competition. (One of the problems of the first title was how limited conflicts were between the racers.) A brand new Battle mode allows two players to jump into six different multiplayer challenges. With Game Sharing, players will be able to partake in the challenges with just one UMD. Power-ups have been improved for the sequel, giving gamers a fairer chance at competing.

In addition, Miles "Tails" Prower and other new characters have been added to the playable roster. A new single-player Free play mode will allow characters to explore each level at their own pace. Just as before, each character in the game will also have their own unique signature moves.

Finally, card collection returns in Sonic Rivals 2: it now features more than 150 collectable cards, which will enable players to customize characters with new track suits, unlock PSP backgrounds, and unlock Cup Circuits. Sonic Rivals 2 is currently scheduled for a Fall release. Check out the first images of the game in our new gallery.


Screenshots ...

via Eurogamer


Nintendo has spread word that Mario Party 8 won't be out this Friday as planned.

Instead, production issues with the English version have pushed the family-orientated game back to 13th July in the UK.

Mario Party 8 is a game to break out with friends and family. It's based around a virtual board where each square represents a new mini-game challenge. These range from tightrope races to cake-decoration contests, all making use of the wacky motion-sensing charm of the Wii.

If you tire of the relentless dice rolling, you can always just tackle the mini-games in a separate mode, or face the computer in Star Battle Arena. There's an Extras Zone and Fun Bazaar to explore, too.

The most recent Mario Party game to appear was a rather dismal GameCube affair. We've got our fingers crossed that the Wiimote can inject a lively dose of fun into the mix.


Screenshots ...

via Games Industry


Sales of the Xbox 360 in Europe have hit a wall according to a new report from Screen Digest, which suggests Microsoft is struggling to expand the user base for the next-gen console.

The report also observes that the Nintendo Wii is dividing the market, with some publishers happy to ride Nintendo's coat tails to pick up business with poor quality titles, while others are betting the farm on the innovative machine.

"For Xbox 360, European hardware sales seem to have hit a wall. The target market is still too focused on adult males and the brand does not enjoy the same cachet in non-Anglo Saxon markets as it does in the US and, to a lesser extent, the UK," reads the report.

While there are no concerns about appealing to a dedicated gaming audience, "failing to break out of a small number of genres and thereby appealing to groups outside of hardcore gamer," is a bigger problem according to Screen Digest.

Despite these issues the report does highlight that some of the most anticipated titles for the coming Q4 are for the Xbox 360 and Xbox Live is described as a "beacon of hope".

According to the analysts group, the Nintendo Wii is splitting business models across the industry.

"Some publishers are investing much less saying they will leave the platform drivers to Nintendo and ride their coat tails by spending very little on mediocre quality titles which will give some return."

On the other hand, "the combination of lower development costs and fastest growing installed base confers significant economic advantages in publishing games for Wii relative to competitive consoles, and this has lead to some third-party publishers increasing investment levels in developing for the platform."

The report points out that a low return on Wii software may hamper investment by publishers in other formats, as it simply does not generate as much profit at a time when PS3 and Xbox 360 development costs are rising.

And on the PlayStation 3, the report criticises Sony for not educating consumers as to what's in the box and relying too much on the PlayStation brand. Because of this a price drop is inevitable, says Screen Digest.

"A price drop before the end of the year is inevitable and would be in line with previous PlayStation first time price reduction timings."

"Marketing material has tended towards the esoteric and abstract and has seemingly failed to resonate with the consumer."

It also points out that Sony could drop a "bombshell" by the end of the year with a combined price drop and the launch of the Home virtual networking and online game service. ...

via Games Industry


Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has said he believes Sony got the price of PlayStation 3 right at launch - but warned a cut will be necessary if the company wants to attract more consumers.

Speaking in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz Guillemot said, "Everybody has to remember that volumes are very dependent on price. I know the platform holders all know that, so now we have to wait for them to see when they want to achieve those numbers."

He went on to observe that PS3 enjoyed "a great launch", stating, "[Sony has] sold a machine that is actually expensive to build at the right price for consumers. It's just that if we want more consumers, we'll have to have a price that will make more people come in."

Last month, Guillemot hit the headlines for calling on Sony to drop the price of PS3 "quite significantly".

He explained to GI.biz, "I was just saying that in the last generation, we had machines that were at a lower price and they were selling more.

"It's just something to consider for all the manufacturers, that the price of the machine has a huge impact on the number of machines sold."

For more from Guillemot, including his thoughts on supporting the Wii, the decline of E3 and why it's a good time to be a third-party publisher, read the full interview. ...

via Games Industry


Sony technical officers Izumi Kawanishi and Kanehide believe there's room for 30 to 40 per cent more improvement in the PS3 as an audio-visual piece of kit via future firmware updates.

The pair also remained confident that this wouldn't have an adverse effect on fan noise, even hinting at the possibility of a fan-less model somewhere down the line - similar to the PS2.

"So far, we are not worried too much since we have plenty of processing power left even at peak usage," AV development boss Kanehide told AV Watch.

Platform development boss Kawanishi agreed: "Nothing yet comes close to the load that Folding@Home applies. And I can see the possibility of a fan-less PS3 in the future, just like there was for the PS2."

The most recent firmware update for PS3 was version 1.8, which added support for PS1 and PS2 games to be upscaled to full 1080p. DVD playback at the same resolution was also featured, but only with an HDMI-compatible television.

It also introduced remote-play, allowing users to control the PS3 with the PSP.

And according to Kawanishi, the technology to control games using a PSP is already available - it's just a case of if the developer wants to include it. He also mused that turning a PS3 on using a PSP remotely could be on the horizon.

But the pair concluded that the future of firmware updates would depend on what consumers wanted, as listening to the community is a key area for them.

"The scary thing about the PS3 is that we can continue to add updates as long as there is space on the HDD," concluded Kawanishi. "We won't stop though, since adding new functionality is a lot of fun. We really enjoy getting feedback from the customers, and finding things we really hadn't thought of." ...

via PS3 Fanboy


It's that time again. Time to look over the coming week's offerings and either laugh or cry. Or both. The releases for this week are as follows.

US Games

• No new releases

EU Games

• Armoured Core 4

Asian Games

• FolksSoul
• Def Jam Icon

Interesting stuff. The Japanese have had two potentially excellent games released in the last two weeks. While we know that Ninja Gaiden Sigma includes English text and voices, we're not yet certain about FolksSoul. We have our suspicions and will keep you informed as soon as we find out.

Don't forget, your PS3 just loves playing games from any country. Seriously. Loves it. So if there's something on the list you fancy, then don't be put off by its region. Release dates are in a constant flux, so be sure to call ahead before wasting a trip to the shops. ...

via Games Industry


Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter has told GamesIndustry.biz that he believes a higher spec, HD-enabled "Wii 2" could be on the shelves "in a couple of years".

Pachter's comments came in response to those made by SEGA executive Scott Steinberg, who expressed concern about the long term future of Nintendo's console.

"I think that a lot of people consider the Wii a "fad", and attribute that conclusion to the type of people who have been attracted to the Wii so far," Pachter said, observing that many publishers "don't know what to do with" the new demographics of female and older gamers.

"Sega, of course, has games like Sonic that resonate well with this audience, so I'm not singling them out as having an issue, but it appears to me that these non-traditional consumers baffle most of the publishers," he continued.

"As they are unaccustomed to dealing with them this early in the cycle, they have to justify their oversight in not anticipating the strength of the Wii with this group by labelling the group as having no staying power, resulting in the labelling of the Wii as a fad."

With regard to Steinberg's suggestion that developers are reaching the limits of creative possibility when it comes to the Wii's remote control, Pachter said, "I can't begin to imagine what is on the drawing board for the Wii, but I can say that most developers I've spoken with are extemely excited about the potential for the console... I believe that we've only just scratched the surface.

"Also, Scott's analysis presupposes that we have seen the last in hardware innovation from Nintendo," he went on.

"I disagree. It's easy to envision a Wii 2 in a couple of years that runs at full HD, and has both a Wii-mote and an analog controller, so that all games can be ported to it.

"If Nintendo were to introduce such a device, it would be fully comparable to the Xbox 360 - perhaps it wouldn't have Blu-ray, so a comparison to the PS3 may be unfair - and would likely have most of the same third party content as the other two devices."

But Pachter did agree with Steinberg that the PS3 "will ultimately come out on top". Victory, he predicted, will be the result of a console price cut to USD 199 and the success of Blu-ray.

Price point is key, said Pachter - observing that 80 per cent of all Xboxes sold in the US were purchased for USD 199 or less, with the figure approximately the same for PlayStation 2.

"Sony is around 6 million units behind Microsoft, and should be able to make up the gap - barely - by 2009 if they price the console correctly. They will likely be 9 million units behind the Wii by the end of this year, so it may take a bit longer to catch Nintendo, likely 2011 or so," Pachter concluded. ...