Mobiclip quietly confirmed Monday that it had been bought out by Nintendo. The new subsidiary of the console giant didn't explain details, including the value of the deal or what it would be producing with Nintendo's help. The company has been making primarily video codecs for the console universe, including Microsoft and Sony.
New NPD data has once again given the Xbox 360 the lead in console sales in the US during January, but in grim conditions. At 270,000 systems in the month, it had enough to outpace the Nintendo Wii and Sony PS3, whose sales researchers were keeping secret. However, its performance was noticeably worse than a year ago, where it had moved 381,000 systems.
Sony has released its latest firmware update for the PS3 taking it to version 4.10. The new update is referred to as being minor, but brings with it a change in the Terms of Service following the PlayStation Network (PSN) being folded into Sony’s larger Sony Entertainment Network. The move continues a trend towards Sony developing a more cohesive and integrated online platform that brings together its movie, music, TV and gaming content.
Sony has filed a patent application with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a tablet-like game controller. The Position-Dependent Gaming, 3D Controller, and Handheld as a Remote in many ways conceptually resembles Nintendo's Wii U's tablet-like game controller. Sony actually began the application process for the technology in July 2010, almost a year before Nintendo showed the system.
Sony has teased an update for the PlayStation Vita that should significantly expand its features just a week before the North American launch. The 1.6 firmware patch will add a mapping tool with both driving and walking directions. Likely based on Google Maps, it has the options of satellite and traffic views as well as sending locations out on the Vita's own group messaging for a meetup.
Sony has given notice that the unification of its online entertainment services mentioned during its CES keynote would affect the PlayStation Network on February 7. A terms of service change will see the service renamed as part of the Sony Entertainment Network. Actual functionality should stay the same.
A profile of Sony's soon-to-be CEO Kaz Hirai has revealed that he may have been instrumental to getting a credible iPad rival into the market. The Wall Street Journal look showed that, under Sony's traditional structure of independently operating divisions, four different segments of the company were developing their own tablets. The User Experience group, formed while Hirai was an executive deputy to Sir Howard Stringer, culled all but one project and started focusing on the speed optimizations and PlayStation Suite support that would define the Tablet S.
Nintendo's Friday briefing in the wake of its tough quarterly results has confirmed that it plans to at last go head-to-head with Microsoft and Sony in a persistent online gaming network. Just called Nintendo Network, it will let gamers download chat and play with each other without needing friend codes in addition to getting game add-ons. On the Wii U, gamers will have personal accounts, presumably letting them transport their Mii, downloads, and other preferences across systems.
A new hack demoed on video (below) has shown that the PS Vita can play full PS3 games through Remote Play. A jailbroken and modified version of the PS3's 3.55 firmware, lower than the most recent official build, can pipe through full games such as Battlefield 3 and the Mortal Kombat remake without having to get official support. Sony only allows its current list of PSP-aware Remote Play games to work.
New Media Create data has made clear that the PlayStation Vita isn't yet threatening most other consoles or smartphones. After a blockbuster launch in December, it has tapered off for a second time in a month to just 18,361 systems as of January 15. Every console's sales dropped off sharply in the same period, but it still sat behind Sony's seven-year-old PSP, the PS3, and Nintendo's 3DS.
Online UK movie service Lovefilm has signed a deal with Disney UK to bring a library of TV series from ABC Studios to its subscribers. Branded as ABC TV On Demand, the portal will give members access to full seasons of shows such as Lost, Castle, Desperate Housewives, and more. Shows will air as full seasons soon before the next one airs on UK paid or free TV networks.
Despite expectations from the public that Sony would unveil a PlayStation 4 at the E3 show in June, Sony's Kaz Hirai said the current PS3 system was made with a 10-year lifespan and sells well enough not to warrant a replacement, the Wall Street Journal reported. Usually, game consoles are replaced every five years, but Sony's PS3 -- like the PS3 before it -- has beaten those odds. Sony has never hinted that a PS3 is coming, however.
Mad Catz has brought out two new products at CES targeting serious gamers. The Major League Gaming (MLG) Pro Circuit Controller is a gaming component designed for Microsoft Xbox 360 or Sony PS3 tournament participants. The F.R.E.Q. 5 Pro Gaming Headset offers an over-the-ear stereo headset for pro gamers.
Netflix confirmed its long-in-the-making plans to expand to Ireland and the UK on Monday. The service works much like its American equivalent but has some accommodation for the local market, such as The Only Way is Essex. Going to the area also brings the full Facebook integration that's currently off-limits to Americans.
Quickly coming on the heels of talk of a full Wii U app store is a rumor late Monday of Nintendo actively courting iOS developers. The gaming giant was said by a developer talking to Forget the Box to be offering "assistance" porting apps for Apple's platform to the Wii U. The titles would by necessity played on the controller's 6.2-inch touchscreen.
The British Ministry of Defense is turning to technology in order to train its soldiers. One such example is the virtual trainer called Virtual Battlespace 2, which is a modified version of a popular commercial video game. The need stems from hopeful soldiers who are used to popular and appealing video games for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 gaming consoles.
A discovery earlier in the week has found that Sony's Content Manager app for the PS Vita may be overzealous in trying to curb the perceived piracy threat. Wololo found that the Windows app for sideloading apps and media wouldn't load if a Vita attached to the PC wasn't using the latest firmware. It also wouldn't run if the PC was offline.
Nintendo's Wii U may have a full-fledged app store similar to the iPad or Android by the time it ships, according to a rumor early on Thursday. The portal as portrayed by The Daily would give non-gaming apps such as MLB.tv the option of running on the regular TV interface, but it would also allow for more tablet-like apps that run just on the gamepad's 6.2-inch touchscreen. There would be a "wider variety" of apps than what DSiWare and WiiWare offer now, the source said.
The NPD Group in a rare step began tracking some of the contributions of non-traditional gaming to the industry for the first time. It estimated that about $1.64 billion came from "other content," which includes mobile games as well as direct downloads and social network games, generated $1.64 billion in revenue. The growth made it larger than the traditional software side of the business, which dropped to $1.3 billion
The PlayStation Blog has conducted an interview with Sony Computer Entertainment VP and President of Worldwide Studios, Shuhei Yoshida, revealing some insight about the development of the PS Vita handheld console. During the interview, Yoshida admitted that the company shifted focus away from the PSP, the Vita's predecessor, and concentrated on developing games for the PS3. Instead, the company will plan ahead for "constant supply of excellent games" for the PS Vita.
Sony has given its Tablet S a software update in Japan that brings with it support for the PS3 game controller. One of the key product differentiators in the Sony tablet product line is that they are the only Android devices that are currently PlayStation-certified. Presently, only 32-bit titles from the days of the original PlayStation console are available, but previously could only be played using the somewhat awkward virtual gamepad control scheme.
Streaming and video-on-demand on game consoles has seen a sharp increase over the past year, media researcher Nielsen revealed after performing a study in October. Users now spend 14 percent of their time on the Xbox 360, 15 percent on the PS3, and 33 percent on the Wii watching videos from services such as Netflix, Hulu, MLB Network, and ESPN3.
Judge Richard Seeborg is now known to have completely dismissed the PlayStation 3 Other OS lawsuit late last week. A ruling made public on Tuesday (below) eliminated the one remaining complaint of violation surrounding the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. While sympathetic to the gamers for losing the ability to boot Linux on the PS3, Judge Seeborg determined that Anthony Ventura and other plaintiffs hadn't persuaded the court that Sony was legally responsible.
Sony has released a new PS3 System Software Update taking the device to version 4.00. The release introduces new functionality for the impending release of the PS Vita handheld console in the Japanese market, in the first instance. Another tweak is a new tab that highlights the PlayStation Plus service and offers users a direct portal to PlayStation Plus content.
Yet another game console had an anniversary in the past week as the Nintendo Wii turned five years old on Sunday, just as its creator launched a long-delayed game, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. The company's most successful console by sales launched November 19, 2006 and was an immediate return to form for Nintendo. Most of its first few years were spent in near perpetual shortages, even lasting into early 2010, and led to a total of 88.3 million shipping as of October.
Sony offered a partial answer to the Xbox 360's group Netflix viewing this weekend by upgrading PlayStation Home to support group viewing through Crackle. Gamers can gather friends in personal and public spaces to watch "hundreds" of movies and TV shows for free. The movies are the same as on the web page and include big-name, if older, movies like Resident Evil and Snatch.
Apple virtually controls what kids want for Christmas this holiday, Nielsen found on Thursday. Among US children aged six to 12, 44 percent wanted an iPad. The company also swept the top three, with the iPod touch at 30 percent and the usually unobtainable iPhone at 27 percent.
Sony on Thursday will mark the fifth anniversary of the PlayStation 3. The system was launched on November 17, 2006, within days of the Nintendo Wii. As of the end of this September, Sony had shipped 55.5 million of the console and will likely have passed 56 million by the anniversary.
Microsoft kicked off the tenth anniversary of the Xbox with a celebration page and bonuses. Everyone gets access to a free avatar prop for Xbox Live that provides a gift box that opens to reveal fireworks. Some downloadable games will also be on sale as part of the anniversary.
Sony brought out a late PlayStation 3 holiday bundle on Tuesday to catch Black Friday buyers next week. The new bundle ties a 160GB PS3 to both 2D and 3D versions of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 on Blu-ray. A coupon in the box gives access to downloadable versions of the two earliest movies in the series, Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets.
Convergence Technologies is hoping to build a universal remote intended for networked media hubs, not just traditional home theater hardware. The Bridge uses a gamepad-like shape that holds both a joystick to replace the mouse, a full QWERTY keyboard, and buttons for common remote control tasks. The device talks over IR and RF (using RF4CE) and should support Apple TV, the Boxee Box, Google TV, and Roku players, as well as most Macs, Linux, and Windows PCs.
Sony is introducing two new Move-related PlayStation bundles for the holidays. The first combo packages the motion controller with Sports Champions and Medieval Moves: Deadmund’s Quest. The second package bundles a PS3 console with accessories and Everybody Dance.
Valve Software co-founder Gabe Newell warned in a message to users that a forum hack found on November 6 had also touched on vital account information. After an investigation, the Portal 2 developer found that the unnamed intruders had gotten into a database that also had account names, e-mail, encrypted credit card numbers and passwords, and purchase records. While Valve had no reason to think the account information itself had been compromised, Newell advised gamers to watch their credit card activity "closely."
Sony has teamed up with Capital One to offer a rewards card for PlayStation enthusiasts. The PlayStation Card will offer ten times the reward points for every purchase made on the PlayStation Network. This includes game-related PSN purchases as well as PSN movie or TV show purchases and rentals.
Sony has announced that its Music Unlimited service has been overhauled with a number of tweaks and improvements. Users can now customize their own channels, constructed using favorite artists. The custom channel is then filled with songs from the favorite artists and content from related artists.
Sony on Friday outlined a plan to curb the number of devices that can use a game. Any PlayStation Store game for the PS3 or PSP bought after November 18 will be limited to two activations at a time for each device type, down from the current five. Gamers will have to turn activations on or off either on the devices themselves or on the web.
Microsoft at the Nokia World 2011 show demonstrated its Xbox Companion remote app for Windows Phone 7. During the video demo, the screen of the handset showed off an orange tile with the Vudu Movies label. This functionality hasn't been detailed before, and Vudu is currently exclusive to Sony's PS3.
Mad Catz has struck a deal with Namco Bandai to produce an arcade game stick targeting players of Namco's upcoming Soul Caliber V. The Soul Calibur V Arcade FightStick Soul Edition is another in Mad Catz's Tournament Edition series of fighting game controllers. The stick is designed for use with both Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles.
Nintendo has posted a huge loss for the first six months of the fiscal year and expects the first annual loss in more than 30 years. While better than feared, the video game maker netted a loss of ¥70.27 billion ($923 million) in the six-month period ending on September 30, which compares to a loss of ¥2.01 billion yen just a year earlier. This is due to a mixture of factors, including slowing sales of the Wii, a weak global economy, and a comparatively strong yen that is bad for export profits.
Sony said Wednesdaythat the PlayStation Store is now available to access from the company's Tablet S. It's also launching on other Android-based and PlayStation Certified devices in nine countries, including the US and Canada. Tablet S owners can now pick from one of ten PS1 games, each priced at $6.
Sony is ramping up production of new PS3 bundles for the holiday season. SlickDeals has leaked shots of outer boxes taken by a Sony worker of several of the new console and gaming packages. They are expected on store shelves in time for Black Friday promotions the day after Thanksgiving.
The Microsoft Xbox 360 was the best selling gaming console during the month of September in the US, market research company NPD Group revealed. The company outsold the Wii and PS3, moving 438,000 units, though what the others sold isn't available, as neither Nintendo nor Sony has made the data public. Other than December of last year, Microsoft sold the most consoles for the last 15 of 16 months.
Comcast will bring its Xfinity video-on-demand service to consoles other than just the Xbox 360 as well as other TVs and set-tops. These include Nintendo's Wii and Sony's PS3, as well as LG and Samsung TVs along with the Roku media hub. Comcast Converged Products president Sam Schwartz revealed these plans at a panel on Thursday.
In a runaround way, Sony Japan revealed it will allow the PS3 to display 4K resolution photos thanks to an upcoming firmware update. The introduction of the company's VPL-VW1000ES 4K projector at CEATEC in Japan also contained mention of the PS3 update due at the start of 2012. It will allow the games console to natively output 4096x2160-resolution still images.
Sony's DADC Digital Services group has unveiled a virtual camera that "captures" scenes from the PS3's PlayStation Home virtual environment and then share them on YouTube. The LOOT Active Camera works in conjunction with Sony's CrossMediaBar (XMB) Video Editor & Uploader to "record," edit virtual scenes, and then upload them to social networking sites.
Gaming gear maker Fanatec has announced that its new CSR Elite driving wheel, for use with Turn 10 Studios' Forza Motorsport 4 driving game and other racers, is now available for pre-order. The racing wheel emulates the look and feel of being behind the wheel of a real race car. The CSR Elite is uncommon in being compatible with PCs as well as PS3s and Xbox 360 gaming consoles.
A post on the PlayStation Network blog describes a new application called "Video Unlimited - preview." The app will be available from the Media section of the PlayStation store. The app provides previews for over 40,000 items in the PSN library. It gives users an extremely flexible search tool, allowing searches by title, actor, director, category, studio, and more. When an item is selected, the app gives the usual synopsis in the middle of the screen, and suggestions for other viewing in a sidebar on the right side.
The latest 3.1 alpha build of uTorrent brings support for a number of new platforms, including the iPhone, iPad, PS3, Xbox 360, and Android. Users can simply sync content they've downloaded to the hardware by dragging and dropping the files. Files can also be converted into the respective formats, though this will be reportedly removed in the next update as it was a mistake.
Sony is planning to launch a special version of its PlayStation 3 console packaged with a copy of Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception game. The bundle will include a 320GB black PS3, a copy of Uncharted 3, one controller, and one month's PlayStation Plus membership. The combo will ship on November 1, the same day as the game becomes available.
Sony will begin offering a white PlayStation 3 gaming console in Europe and Australia starting in November. It includes two controllers and a 320GB hard drive. Japan received a white slim PS3 last fall, though with only one white controller included.
