The iPhone 5 looks set for launch in September after more rumours of the inevitable device hit the internet.

Sources at component makers told DigiTimes Taiwan-based notebook maker Pegatron Technology has landed orders for 15 million iPhone 5s (iPhone 4S) from Apple, with shipping set for September this year.

Apparently, according to the sources, the iPhone 5 "does not seem to have any major update from iPhone 4".

The DigiTimes report backs up a Bloomberg story from last month that claimed the iPhone 5 "closely resembles" its predecessor and will launch in September.

The iPhone 5 will reportedly sport a speedier A5 processor – the same chip that powers the iPad 2.

It'll also supposedly boast an eight megapixel camera – a significant jump up from the iPhone 4's five megapixel lens.

The phone will run the new iOS 5, which apparently adds improved messaging and photo-sharing features.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...rumours-emerge ...

Darkness 2 project director Sheldon Carter has said he believes that mobile devices, including the Apple iPad, will become a real competitor for gamers' attention in the future.

"I think the home console experience is going to be with us for a long time. Do I think that the iPad will encroach? Absolutely, it has to," said Carter in an interview with CVG. "You think about how many iPads are out there already, iPads and other mobile devices. But I don't think it'll be exclusive, I don't think that just because somebody buys one of those things they wouldn't buy a console."

"I think there's always going to be a market for high-end, for people who just want to play the most cutting edge.I think there's always going to be a market for, I want to flop down on the couch and sit back."

Carter was also open minded about the idea of creating a Darkness game for the Apple tablet.

"As a thought experiment yeah I think it'd be pretty awesome. Swiping with the demon arm and grabbing with the demon arm on an iPad, that'd be pretty cool."

Digital Extremes is based in Canada. As well as developing The Darkness 2, the team has a strong background in assisting other developers with multi-platform releases, including Homefront for PC and Bioshock for PS3.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...oles-territory ...

The German Resistance 3 bundle has led to speculation about the launch of a new online initiative called PSN Pass.

The game and console bundle packaging clearly refers to something called "PSN Pass," along with the disclaimer "PSN Pass Network features only available in countries that have PlayStation Store."

Resistance 3 is set for release on September 9, suggesting that the PSN Pass will either be launched simultaneously or in advance of that date.

The new feature will most likely be similar to those used by EA and THQ, which discourages consumers from buying pre-owned games by locking multiplayer modes and special content to specific codes. Players who buy second hand must then purchase a new code to access that same content.

Sony hasn't yet commented on the discovery, but has previously spoken to GI about online passes. In August last year Andrew House, then president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, said Sony was supportive of the model.

"On the principle of making online portions of the game available or unlocked from the disc-based release for a fee, we’re broadly supportive of that. And we’re exploring actively the same option for our own content."

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...aunch-psn-pass ...

As the free-to-play movement continues to grow on mobile and PC, console formats slow to adapt to freemium are missing out on the increasingly popular - and lucrative - business model.

Another studio embracing the PC space is Hi-Rez Studios, creators of Global Agenda and owners of the popular multiplayer licence Tribes. Tribes: Ascend was original announced as a PC and Xbox Live Arcade game, but co-founder Todd Harris recently told GamesIndustry.biz that all effort is being placed on the more open PC platform.

"Our first initial focus is the PC as far as what we're developing on, testing on, and as far as availability we're focused first on the PC. Because that's where people associate the franchise, that was its home. And because we do want to be able to deliver updates for it… we think that's the strongest platform for it right now," he said in an interview published today.

A platform that lets the developer update the game frequently will continue to win out
Todd Harris, Hi-Rez Studios
Harris isn't completely dismissive of free-to-play on consoles, acknowledging Sony's efforts with Free Realms and DC Universe Online, but in the free-to-play space the business model has clearly evolved and outdated home hardware.

"I think that is possible, and yes we'd like to see [free-to-play] expand. It's not quite as far along as obviously the PC, so we continue to look at the PC as our focus in the short term."

"Until the console allows for faster, more frequent updates and alternate business models then it's less of a sweet spot for us than PC," he added.

Last week, research and analysis firm Games Investor Consulting told the audience at GameHorizon that it didn't expect free-to-play to make any significant impact on home consoles in the short term.

But Harris is still holding out hope, adding: "I do think it's realistic in this generation. There have been rumours of free-to-play on the Xbox - which I don’t know anything more about than you do - but it feels like there’s no reason that faster updates and specifically free-to-play models or alternate pricing models, those should be able to be developed on this generation consoles, and those things would be very interesting to us."

But in the meantime - and after considerable success with Global Agenda as a free-to-play business - Hi-Rez is sticking to the PC.

"I think a platform that lets the developer update the game frequently will continue to win out. The PC and the mobile platforms are very strong in that regard and we’d like to see the consoles move in that direction also."

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...to-play-growth ...

Ubisoft's Yves Jacquier believes that improved graphics will not be a "strong feature" of the next generation of consoles.

Jacquier, executive director of production services at Ubisoft Montreal, has been working with students at Montreal University following the creation of the Industrial Chair on Learning Representations for Immersive Video Games earlier this year.

Ubisoft is investing $200,000 a year for the next five years with the aim of developing "other ways of thinking" about game production. Jacquier demonstrated the group's work in the field of procedural AI, telling GamesIndustry.biz that innovation in this area is vital to the future development of videogames.

"AI has always been the real battleground. The challenge is that, if you see an AI coming, you've failed. And that's a problem we have to overcome as we create the impression of flawless, seamless worlds."

What's the value of making something more realistic and better animated if you have poor AI?
Yves Jacquier, Ubisoft
In the past, consoles have been marketed principally on the strength of their graphical capabilities. The Wii broke this trend, and Jacquier believes that the next generation of consoles will all follow suit.

"In general the industry expects that graphics will not be a strong feature any more... Obviously, graphics are better for marketing purposes because you can show things. AI you can't show."

"Our challenge with the PlayStation 3 and Xbox [360] is that we're extremely limited in what we can do. It's a challenge for the engineers to provide nice graphics and nice AI and nice sound with a very small amount of memory and computation time."

"We think that the next generation of consoles won't have these limits any more. Games might have more realistic graphics and more on-screen, but what's the value of making something more realistic and better animated if you have poor AI?"

Jacquier's comments chime with those made by id Software's John Carmack in a recent interview with Eurogamer.

"The better games get the harder you have to go to give a delta people care about," Carmack said. "That's going to be a challenge for the next-generation of consoles, to show that the pack-in title is going to look more awesome than what you get on the current ones that people will want to go spend $300 on a new console."

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...t-gen-consoles ...

Before stumbling back to work this morning, you might wanna take a minute to give your neurons a well-deserved massage with this new teaser for Sony's S1 and S2 tablets. Much like last month's spellbinding ad, this sequel features plenty of balls, levers and bizarre figurines moving together in serpentine synergy. If you look closely, you might even spot one of Sony's Honeycomb slates. This is only the second installation in what could very well be a never-ending series -- but we'd be OK with that, because these clips make our brains happy. Click play to get the ball rolling and let the symphony begin.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/05/s...e-first-video/ ...

We're still waiting on that globe-like PS9 (aren't you?), but seeing as how wireless head-to-console gaming isn't yet available or ethical, we'll make do with PS4 rumors. Based on nothing more than a game of component-maker telephone, sources out of Taiwan are telling Digitimes to expect a brand new PlayStation 4 for launch sometime in early 2012. Reportedly on board for this latest iteration are baked-in motion controls à la Kinect and a holographic David Lynch virtual pet. We kid, but we do hope he helms those new ads. According to these anonymous insiders, Sony has a planned production run of 20 million consoles for launch -- all headed straight to eBay, we imagine. It should go without saying that news of this kind should be taken with a mouthful of salt, but with the PS3 turning five this November, it's a safe bet that there's a successor to the "It Only Does Everything" throne on the way.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/05/p...ter-this-year/ ...

Try as you might to maintain your nonchalant demeanor, we know you're fired up about the potential of the Wii U. Well, we won't spill your secrets, but we thought you might like to know that Reggie Fils-Aime, the president of Nintendo of America, recently sat down with David M. Ewalt at Forbes to talk about the company's upcoming console. You'll find the full interview at the source but here are a few of the more interesting tidbits. As you may have guessed, the original Wii won't be disappearing immediately. The two will be sold side by side in stores for at least a little while. Interestingly, while we already knew that games will be playable entirely on the controller, turns out there is nothing technically stopping the console from streaming other media to the portable screen -- including content from your Netflix account. Sadly, you'll be waiting till at least Q2 of 2012 to pick one up -- as Fils-Aime revealed, the next-gen gaming device won't launch until "after April 1st."

http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/05/w...o-to-controll/ ...

Sony's S1 and S2 Honeycomb tablets have been very coy in front of the cameras since their initial unveiling. Aside from two visually pleasing short films and a tease of a hands-on, we haven't seen much of them since -- or any specific release details, for that matter. The former's changed at least, however, thanks to Notebook Italia. The site managed to handle the duo long enough in front of a lens to capture a bevy of snapshots, along with a short video of the S1 running PlayStation Suite. If you've been anxious to get a better look you'll find the S1 clip past the break, and all of the photos by hitting the source link below.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/06/s...n-show-off-mo/ ...