News written by Matti Robinson (February, 2007)

Microsoft's Peter Moore has revealed in an interview by Game Informer that they are going to reshape their Xbox 360 strategy. The idea behind this is the success of fun-oriented competitor Wii, even Microsoft has noticed and accepted the simple and effective approach of Wii, which appeals to a wide range of customers with its easy and fun to play games.

"From a first-party point of view, it's not just about E-rated games, it's going to be about the experience that, quite frankly, Nintendo has done a tremendous job in capturing, in bringing back fun - if you will - to the gaming platforms," Moore said in the interview.

It's not all Wii, Microsoft has made a few family games such as Viva Pinata before, and Peter Moore said that their "strategy has been laid out for us years in advance." However, he also hints that the solution doesn't necessarily involve games but "more experiential" updates. This is where motion-sensing comes in. Currently Xbox 360 is the only next-gen console not to feature a motion-sensing controller, question remains how long?

Speculations aside, according to Moore, Microsoft is going to rely more in downloadable content in the future, "Digital distribution is coming. All three consoles have some form of it as you know. Xbox Live Arcade is, I think, the premiere way we're looking at digital distribution, which is, if you will, more snack-sized games rather than full downloads of multi-gigabyte gaming experiences."

Sony has announced pricing for European PlayStation 3 first party launch titles. The five disc-based launch titles, including Motorstorm and Resistance: Fall of Man, are priced €59.99 (£39.99, AUD 99.95, NZ 109.95). In addition downloadable PlayStation Network titles, such as BlastFactor, flOw and Super Rub a Dub, range from €2.99 to €9.99 during the introductory period.

PlayStation Network will also host other files for download including game items and premium video content, such as SingStar tracks, and a premium pack for MotorStorm, which would include a new track, additional vehicles, liveries and multiplayer modes. These items are priced on a "sliding scale" from €0.99 and increasing depending on the content.

Also PlayStation Network exclusive Gran Turismo HD Concept, a one-track glimpse to next-gen racing with 1080p HD graphics, will be available for free download from PlayStation Store.

Source:
Sony Press release
Sony press release #2

Germany, holding the presidency of the European Council, is pushing through stricter restrictions with the support of European Commission to the sales of violent video games. This new institution would affect all the EU members states, currently EU doesn't control member states' legislation on the subject.

The legislation would require all games to be revised to fit the target age group. According to vice president of European Commission Franco Frattini, there is a wide mutual understanding in EU about how the sales would be restricted. The current legislation of Germany is considered the most strict in Europe and according to Frattini would be a good base for all the other members as well.

The PEGI system, which allows large publishers like Nintendo and PlayStation to rate their own games, currently in use in 16 countries would be replaced. Next step will include inquiry to member states, which will map the means of punishment and give the base to Germany's final proposal.

Source:
HS.fi (in Finnish)

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) has announced that they will reward the first 500,000 PlayStation 3 owners who have registered on the PLAYSTATION Network with a brand-new Casino Royale Blu-ray.

Casino Royale has already grossed a whopping $560 million at the box office around the globe, and has become the most successful Bond movie of all time. The movie will be handed in a 50GB dual-layer Blu-ray disc encoded in MPEG-4 AVC with 1080p true HD resolution and uncompressed audio.

“The PLAYSTATION®Network unlocks the broad range of interactive entertainment features of PLAYSTATION 3. It’s easy to set up, offers free online gaming, has great tools for staying in touch with friends and family, and includes a wide variety of content for download through the PLAYSTATION®Store," Darren Carter, VP Brand and Consumer Marketing explained the unique offer.

Source:
Press release

Nintendo has been abusing all kinds of online services with Wii, one of the services that was expected was VoIP, the hope was brought to life by rumors claiming an upcoming Wiimote with a microphone.

Now it seems like we could see an actual "Wii Phone". T3 reported that information from the US patent office shows a Wiimote-looking device with gaming keys and dialing keypad. These are only speculations, and at this points, shouldn't be taken too seriously. Keep tuned for more information.

Source:
T3

The first three Wii modchips were proving Wii to be an easy task to mod, until recently Nintendo made a manufacturing modification and added D2B Panasonic chipset to Wiis. Now all the first generation modchips - Wiinja, CycloWiz and WiiKey - fail to bypass the D2B chipset.

While the first-gen modchips work like a charm in the earlier Wiis, if you have bought a Wii in January or February you should make sure what Wii you are running, before buying a useless modchip. The only way to be sure is to open the Wii and search for a chip with a GC2-D2B label.

According to Engadget, Both the CycloWiz and Wiinja teams are working on new version of modchips to get past the D2B Panasonic chipset.

Source:
Edgadget