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by Published on June 14th, 2012 23:22- Categories:
- Wii U News
Satoru Iwata admits that Nintendo almost did away with the touchscreen controller for Wii U
Nintendo
www.nintendo-europe.com
Nintendo almost dropped the touchscreen GamePad for the upcoming Wii U console due to cost issues. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata told the UK Telegraphthat Nintendo struggled with the touchscreen to keep the system's overall price down to a manageable level.
"Sometime during that final discussion we almost gave up on the idea of the additional screen," Iwata said. "This was due to our concern over the expected high cost, it may not have been feasible to create this and sell it at a reasonable price point for the consumers."
He noted that Nintendo's competitors have already begun putting forth similar tablet concepts with Sony PlayStation Vita integration and Microsoft's Xbox SmartGlass.
"It's quicker than before. After our showing of motion control, it took three years for other companies to follow suit. But this time it's just one year after our proposal, even before we've released the actual product. I think that proves the great potential of what we showed last year," he said.
"However, I have to point out that there are essential differences between what we are doing and what other companies are doing. The main difference is that anyone who has a Wii U will be able to enjoy the two screen experience, while the other companies are saying its optional, but only if you have this device or that device."
Iwata also remarked to the Telegraph that he's not worried about the Wii being outclassed by the rumored Microsoft Durango or Sony PlayStation Orbis consoles.
"My impression is that the things that happened with Wii v 360 or Wii v PS3 won't happen again," he said. "If they decide to increase the spec numbers, will the consumers be able to realise the difference enough so that they can understand it's much superior to today's machine?"
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...blet-over-cost
...by Published on June 14th, 2012 23:16- Categories:
- PS3 News
Advertising regulator the ASA has rejected complaints claiming that EA mis-sold Mass Effect 3 by deceiving players about the extent to which they could alter the game’s ending.
EA’s ad for the trilogy-ending RPG stated that “the decisions you make completely shape your experience and outcome”.
However, the game’s release was followed by an online outcry by some fans. They were unhappy that the ending, ultimately, was not determined by the player’s actions across the three titles and was instead dictated by the EMS (Effective Military Strength) amassed in the final game alone.
The ASA received three official complaints claiming that EA “misleadingly exaggerated the variety of outcomes available in the game and the differences between the outcomes”.
EA said in a statement defending the game that “they did not consider the "ending" experience of Mass Effect 3 (ME3) was limited to what appeared in the final cut scene, and that the consequences and implications of player's choices were actually presented during the last three to five hours of the game”.
It added that “almost every decision a player made in the game would impact the EMS score in some way, and they therefore considered that each decision would impact the player's experience during the last hours of the game”.
In a statement explaining its rejection of the three complaints, the ASA concluded: “We considered that the three choices at the end of the game were thematically quite different, and that the availability and effectiveness of those choices would be directly determined by a player's EMS score, which was calculated with reference to previous performance in the game(s).
“We also acknowledged that there appeared to be a large number of minor variations in the end stages of ME3, and that those were directly impacted by choices made by players earlier in the game(s).
“Whilst we acknowledged that the advertiser had placed particular emphasis on the role that player choices would play in determining the outcome of the game, we considered that most consumers would realise there would be a finite number of possible outcomes within the game and, because we considered that the advertiser had shown that players' previous choices and performance would impact on the ending of the game, we concluded that the ad was not misleading.”
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/asa-r...plaints/097922 ...by Published on June 14th, 2012 23:15- Categories:
- Playstation Vita News
Those who are already writing Vita’s obituary are significantly jumping the gun, publisher Ubisoft has stated.
Ubisoft was a key supporter of the handheld with three launch titles and at E3 showed off a Vita version of Assassin’s Creed III.
“It’s a really good platform and we’ve always liked it,” Ubisoft’s senior vice president of sales and marketing Tony Key told IGN.
“The way it’s designed, it’s a beautiful piece of hardware. It’s got cool features that you can’t get anywhere else. And Assassin’s Creed, we believe, is the right type of game for that system.
“It’s definitely too early to say that Vita’s not going to be a success.”
Key also claimed to be pleased that other big IP – most notably Call of Duty: Black Ops II – has been confirmed for the system.
“Assassin’s Creed III is not the only big Vita game coming this holiday, and I think that’s a good thing,” Key added.
“We’re actually very happy that there’s another big Vita game coming for Christmas from a competitor because we think that will raise all boats. It’s going to generate a lot of interest in the Vita this holiday season. Sony’s going to be spending a lot of money and resources to make sure that the Vita is there and it’s relevant and it’s doing well.”
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/ubiso...ysayers/097929
...by Published on June 14th, 2012 23:10- Categories:
- Playstation Vita News
Finnish mobile phone company Nokia has announced a fresh round of redundancies with some 10,000 workers facing the sack.
The move brings the total amount of staff laid off by the company since the appointment of current chief executive Stephen Elop in September 2010 to 40,000.
"These planned reductions are a difficult consequence of the intended actions we believe we must take to ensure Nokia's long-term competitive strength," Elop stated.
“We do not make plans that may impact our employees lightly, and as a company we will work tirelessly to ensure that those at risk are offered the support, options and advice necessary to find new opportunities."
The company is also closing the last of its Finnish production plants, although it will continue to operate an R&D facility in its home country. R&D sites in Germany and Canada will close their doors, however.
Also closing is Nokia’s luxury handset maker Vertu, which produces flashy jewel-clad handsets costing as much as $300,000.
The net result of these moves – which are expected to be completed by the end of 2013 – is a core operating cost saving of around $3.8bn per year.
Nokia’s share price has tumbled by over 70 per cent since February 2011.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/nokia...00-jobs/097934 ...by Published on June 14th, 2012 23:07- Categories:
- Xbox 360 News
The vast German consumer and trade video game show Gamescom has not been shaken by Microsoft's decision to miss the 2012 event.
In a statement issued to MCV, organiser Koelnmesse says the event is still 'on track, demonstrating stability and growth despite the difficult market situation'.
Instead, the organisers say an increasingly diverse set of exhibitors, with less of the 'traditional' games industry on hand, is down to "a transitional year" in the industry.
Microsoft earlier today confirmed it would not be exhibiting at Gamescom, which is put together in association with German trade body BIU. Fellow BIU members Sega, THQ and Nintendo have also opted out of the show this year, but Microsoft is also missing Tokyo Game Show 2012.
But any cancellations from bigger companies have been offset by new attendance promised from 60 new exhibitors.
And that includes the backing of Samsung, which will exhibit at Gamescom this year. Samsung, in case you need reminding, is the biggest electronics manufacturer in the world.
Koelnmesse's statement said: "The games industry is evidently in a transitional year prior to the forthcoming next generation of consoles. Several companies have therefore opted to implement individual marketing measures this year. This is compounded by the publication of revenue figure of other companies as well as other firms with new products that are only scheduled to come into the shops after the 2012 Christmas trade.
"This correspondingly affects the participation in the trade show of individual companies in Cologne as well as in other places where games shows are held, such as Los Angeles or Tokyo."
Gamescom's organisers have, since the show's inception, strived to make its offering - which includes a business lounge for the trade and hugely popular halls for consumers - varied and representative of the total games market. That means PC and console games, online games and browser games, plus new spaces for social and mobile gaming added this year.
"This is having a favourable effect on the event," says Koelnmesse, and it has stats to prove it:
- The number of exhibitors so far is up 20 per cent year on year.
- 370 companies from more than 30 nations have confirmed their participation.
- There are 13 country-specific shared stands – including Hungary and Austria for the first time this year.
- The event floor space is up 15 per cent to 140,000 square metres
Gamescom has a dedicated press event on June 28th that will be livestreamed online, and which the organisers say will name even more new exhibitors.
And anyway, Koelnmesse added: "Even if Microsoft does not have a stand of its own this year, the gaming community can nevertheless look forward to Xbox 360 games and games developed by countless Microsoft partners at Gamescom."
Gamescom takes place from August 15th to 19th. The first day is for trade visitors and the show is open to consumers from August 16th.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/games...teps-in/097936 ...by Published on June 14th, 2012 23:03- Categories:
- DCEmu
UK retailer Game Retail has warned of additional store closures in the near future, while also suggesting that a number a new stores could be opened.
“We are currently in negotiations with all of our landlords over leases,” a Game Retail spokesperson explained. “In the vast majority of cases we are reaching satisfactory agreements.
“In a very few cases this may not be possible and a handful of stores may close. Conversely, where we have positive negotiations we may well have the opportunity to open new stores.”
Affected staff have been informed, and the retail group expects to maintain its current 333-store footprint once the closures and openings have been completed. Presumably, there will be opportunities for staff from closing stores to move to new ones.
The group is currently in a dispute with the landlord of Game's flagship store on London's Oxford Street over unpaid advance rent.
In addition to the store reshuffle, Game Retail also hinted at a scaling down of its support centres in-line with its smaller retail representation.
“We are proposing some changes to our support centre structure to reshape Game Retail for success in our evolving markets,” the spokesperson added.
“We are proposing a reshaping exercise where we will invest in areas such as community, digital, pre-owned, CRM and brand, and we will make this possible by removing costs in some other areas.”
Game Group entered administration in March, closing 277 stores at the cost of 2,100 jobs.
http://www.edge-online.com/news/game...s-new-openings ...by Published on June 14th, 2012 23:00- Categories:
- DCEmu
"If you think playing endless hours of Dungeons & Dragons will create a desire to get into the information technology, think again. A new study by CompTIA of teens and young adults shows that only 17% want to pursue a technology career despite the fact that 97% say they 'love' technology."This can't be any more surprising than that most concert-goers don't intend to be professional musicians, can it? 17% actually sounds like a pretty high figure to me. The article goes on to soften even that number, though: "[I]nterest levels jump when teens and young adults are presented with options for specific jobs. Nearly half of the respondents can see themselves potentially designing video games; 41 percent envision creating applications for mobile devices; 39 percent, designing web pages; and 34 percent, applying technology in fields such as healthcare or education."
http://it.slashdot.org/story/12/06/1...-crave-it-jobs
...by Published on June 14th, 2012 22:57- Categories:
- PC News
An anonymous reader writes with this snippet from PC Tech Talk, which features screenshots of what is said to be something very close to what users will see in Windows 8:"One of the biggest changes Microsoft announced for Windows 8 was the change from the 'Aero Glass' interface we had in Windows Vista and Windows 7 to a new Metro UI. Until today these changes had not been fully seen as the weren't included in the recent Release Preview. A number of changes have been made to the UI since the Release Preview 2 weeks ago. Microsoft have said the new Metro UI will appear crisper following the removal of shadows and transparency. Gradients have been removed from buttons. The task bar is no longer has the glass, transparent look or blur effect. The new design brings with it some heartache for those that loved the Aero Glass effect as it has now been completely removed from Windows 8."Maybe it's more exciting in motion than are these static shots.
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/06...etro-ui-leaked ...by Published on June 14th, 2012 22:53- Categories:
- Wii U News
But console giant would work with developers 'in an unprecedented way' if they offer unique Wii U titles
Nintendo will not look to acquire third party developers to expand its portfolio of exclusive games, CEO Saturo Iwata has said.
As reported by Gamasutra, Iwata said that whilst Nintendo was looking to work with third-party developers to help reduce their development risks, it would not compete with Microsoft and Sony to do so.
He added that the console giant likely would partner with a studio or publisher in “an unprecedented way” if they came up with a unique use for Wii U functionality.
"While Nintendo is not entirely opposed to exploring that option, I don't think it would be an appropriate course of action for Nintendo to get into a battle with a company like Microsoft over the cost or the expense of trying to go head to head in a situation to try to obtain exclusive rights," said Iwata.
"If a third-party developer or publisher has come up with an idea of a potentially very unique use of the Wii U functionality with such a device, there is a high possibility that Nintendo will be a partner with that third-party in an unprecedented manner."
http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...games-says-CEO
...by Published on June 14th, 2012 22:24- Categories:
- Xbox 360 News
Computing giant joins Sega and Nintendo in missing this year's event
Microsoft is to skip Gamescom this year and focus on smaller, more localised shows, it has announced.
It said however that whilst it would not be attending to show off its first-party titles, selected Xbox 360 games would still be presented at the event.
“In the lead up to the launch of Halo 4, Gears of War: Judgement, Forza Horizon, Fable: The Journey and Dance Central 3, among other titles and entertainment experiences, Xbox is focusing on smaller, more-localised experiences for customers, partners, retailers and press around the world.
"As a result, Xbox will not be exhibiting directly at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany in August this year. Selected Xbox titles will still be showcased by our publishing partners at the event, and we wish the BIU well for the show.”
The news also follows Nintendo and Sega’s decisions to skip Europe’s biggest consumer games event.
http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...-skip-Gamescom
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