Region Free Wii?

Well not really, but what did you expect...

Posted: 18:57 on 26 Jul 2006

By: Chris Leyton

There used to be a time when one or two grey-imports in your collection was the true mark of being a gamer. Waiting months for a game to finally appear, or in many cases never actually making it, paying over the odds and circumventing territory lockouts on the machines themselves, was often the only option available to the more serious gamer - not that TVG condones interfering with hardware, you're always left with one odd bit!

But in this day and age of an increasingly smaller worldwide market and shorter release periods (with the exception of Square-Enix), grey imports aren't necessarily as much of a necessity to gamers as they used to be.

With the PSP and Nintendo DS continuing the handheld tradition of being region-free, Sony's confirmation that the PlayStation3 would follow suit came as a small surprise, given their notoriously hard stance on grey-importers.

IGN recently had the chance to put the question of territory-lockout to Nintendo's Perrin Kaplan, who managed to dodge providing a definite answer with the skilful poise that we've come to expect from Nintendo executives.

"Clearly, the success of Nintendo DS has offered a lot of lessons about what works in the marketplace - and we certainly intend to keep our fans satisfied. For the Wii system, we are finalizing all the relevant details and will be making announcements in the coming months."

The situation is muddled even further as Kaplan appears to backtrack on the slight suggestion and discusses the worldwide nature of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection instead, "We will share a lot of ways people can play globally, regionally, without boundaries. You're right that the region-free approach has proved to be a successful and attractive feature for Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection on Nintendo DS - we have even blown the doors off our own anticipated numbers! Cost, ease-of-use and player privacy are the three things that were a focus for us with Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Those priorities also will apply to the Wii system."

So there you have it, with a Press Release deliberately issued to whip up the fanboys and the continued stance against releasing too many details, surely it can't be too long before Nintendo decides to come out with what the fans want to know.

SIM Animal

Animal-friendly Sims game will expand on PCs, stand alone on consoles, handhelds; content will differ between platforms.

By Tim Surette, GameSpot

Posted Jul 27, 2006 9:03 am PT

One of the things Sims fans have been clamoring for in the Sims 2 are pets--and they're not talking about a decorative fish bowl or a rodent spinning in a hamster wheel. The Sims community has been asking for dogs and cats to be included in the life simulator, and Electronic Arts has finally obliged.

The Sims 2 Pets has been officially announced, after being teased at this year's E3. A promotional clip of the game was shown at EA's booth, but information was spotty at best. There was speculation that the game would be an expansion for The Sims 2 PC edition, a stand-alone console game, a booster pack, or even its own spin-off.

Those questions were answered today. The game is coming to the PC as an expansion pack, and in a somewhat surprising move, the game will also be going for a walk on consoles, namely the PlayStation 2, GameCube, PlayStation Portable, DS, and Game Boy Advance. Currently, there are no plans to release an Xbox edition. All versions will ship on October 17, except for the PSP version, which gets let out in November.

Every edition will include "dogs, cats, caged animals, and more," as well as a create-a-pet feature that gives gamers an opportunity to design their own puppy or kitty. Various color schemes, body types, and markings will be available, as well as personalities.

Owners will also be responsible for training their four-legged friends, or risk having cats claw up furniture and dogs make a mess of the house. As players progress through the game, they'll receive codes for unlockable items, such as accessories, pet markings, or fur types, which can be shared with other Sims 2 Pets players.

Deal with the Devil

By Antone Gonsalves

TechWeb Fri Jul 21, 5:49 PM ET

The Federal Trade Commission has officially approved a deal with "Grand Theft Auto" maker Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., which got into trouble with regulators for hiding sexually explicit material in the popular video game.

The commission unanimously approved the consent order and agreement in which the New York-based company promised not to misrepresent video game ratings or content descriptors on packaging, Take-Two said Friday. In addition, the company had agreed to implement a system to ensure that all game content is disclosed to ratings organizations.

"We are extremely pleased that the FTC has concluded its very thorough investigation, and that the matter has been resolved," Paul Eibeler, president and chief executive of Take-Two, said in a statement. "We look forward to putting this behind us and focusing on what we do best - creating video games."

The FTC launched an investigation of the company last year after secret character nudity and graphic sex scenes were uncovered in "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas." The scenes could be unlocked by installing a small modification, or "mod," file.

The FTC later said Take-Two violated the law when it accepted an "M" rating for the game, which means it was acceptable for anyone 17 years old or older. If the company had disclosed the existence of the sex scenes, the game would have earned an "AO," or Adults Only, rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board.

Betting the farm.

By Pete Harrison Fri Jul 21, 4:31 AM ET

LONDON (Reuters) - PartyGaming plans to expand aggressively outside the United States, but sees no risk of being dragged into the U.S. indictment of a rival for racketeering, the world's biggest online gaming firm said.

As PartyGaming reported a 49 percent boost to second quarter revenues on Friday, Chief Executive Mitch Garber said he was not concerned by the U.S. indictment of rival BETonSPORTS on charges of racketeering and tax evasion.

The results beat some analysts forecasts and PartyGaming's volatile stock rose 5 percent before falling back to its opening price of 87-1/4 pence by 0758 GMT.

BETonSPORTS Chief Executive David Carruthers faces his first court hearing later on Friday after being arrested on allegations of taking illegal sports bets in the United States.

Over $1 billion of combined market value has been wiped off the sector this week as investors speculated the arrest could be part of a wider crackdown on Web gaming. Garber said this could provide an opportunity to make cheap acquisitions.

What I've Been Playing:

Chromehounds

Brain Age

Burnout: Revenge

Anime News:

Con Corner:

AFO!!

My Panels:

RPG Panel
5pm Friday
Studio A, Salon F


Chogokin a beeyotch
4:30pm Saturday
Studio B, Salon G

DS Lite Problems

By Tim Surette, GameSpot

Posted Jul 20, 2006 12:21 pm PT

Earlier this week, several owners of Nintendo's new DS Lite voiced concern over a small problem with their handhelds. Reports of a small crack on the left hinge of the dual-screened portable began popping up around the country, indicating that it wasn't just an isolated incident.

Nintendo wasn't immediately available for comment at the time, but today the company released a statement addressing issue.

"In the U.S., the reported number of small cosmetic cracks in the plastic hinge of DS Lite systems represents less than 0.02 percent of the total units sold. This cosmetic issue in no way impacts the gameplay or integrity of the DS Lite. Nintendo stands behind the quality of our products and encourages DS Lite owners to contact our Customer Service Department if they are not happy with the functionality of their systems."

ALIENS!!!

Alien Hominid & Castle Crushers For Xbox Live Arcade

The Behemoth confirm the appearance of the alien on Xbox Live Arcade along with their next title...

Posted: 10:34 on 20 Jul 2006

By: Chris Leyton

The Behemoth have confirmed plans to take Alien Hominid to Xbox Live Arcade, according to a report on Game Informer from The Comic-Con International taking place in San Diego.

Game Informer also suggests that Xbox Live Arcade will also provide the platform for their eagerly awaited next title, Castle Crushers, which was originally planned for the GameCube but will now appear on Microsoft's next-gen format during Q1 2007.

Arrests made for On-Line gambling...

Natali Del Conte - PC Magazine Thu Jul 20, 10:35 AM ET

Has online gambling crapped out?

David Carruthers became the latest poster boy – or scapegoat, depending on one's perspective -- when he was arrested in Dallas on charges of racketeering, conspiracy and an illegal online gambling enterprise. While on a layover to Costa Rica, where his company is based, Carruthers, chief executive officer for BetOnSports was arrested and detained on Sunday, forcing the online gambling community to take note.

Carruthers' arrest seems to have spooked online gaming executives. A major gaming conference, scheduled for next week in Las Vegas, has been cancelled. The Bodog.com Marketing Conference typically attracts gaming professionals from all over the world but as soon as word of Carruthers arrest spread, attendees began canceling.

"No senior executive from a gaming company was going to come after [the arrest] happened," said Calvin Ayre, founder and chief executive officer for Bodog.com.

"Nobody in the industry right now wants to come into the United States," Ayre said. "We're talking business people here. The people who run the online gaming industry are business people. They're not criminals. Nobody wants to be the test case for a prosecutor trying to make a name for themselves."

The conference will likely be held in the UK, Canada, the Bahamas, or Costa Rica in the next few months. Ayre said that this was likely the last year that it would have been held in the U.S. anyway because America is so unfriendly to the gaming industry.

But BetOnSports is not a typical online gaming company. They deal in sports betting, which is clearly outlawed by the Federal Wire Act of 1961, and they once operated in the United States. Most Bodog attendees are in the card gaming business and operate overseas, which makes them a bit more untouchable by the U.S. government. But they're not willing to gamble with the prospect of prosecution.

PS3s being shipped?

News from China begins to emerge that the first batch of PS3 consoles have left manufacturing...

Posted: 14:27 on 19 Jul 2006

By: Jon Wilcox

Two Chinese publications are reporting that the first batch of PlayStation3 units have already left their manufacturing plants.

The reports, in the Apple Daily and the Commercial Times (by way of English-language Chinese tech site, DigiTimes Systems), claim that component manufacturer Asus Tek began to ship PlayStation3 units at the start of July.

Neither Asus Tek or Sony are commenting on the reports, but what is interesting is that DigiTimes note that the first launch consignment could be four million - double the amount estimated by Sony earlier in the year.

What I've been playing:

Condemned: Criminal Origins...FINISHED! VERY creepy game!

Brain Age--NDS

UNO!

Smash TV

Anime News:

Anime Explosion!!

Even with AFO7 just one week away, we didnt want leave you out in the cold for your monthly midnight anime fix! This month's movie is:

Hyper Speed GranDoll

Hikaru has always believed herself to be just a normal high school girl ... well, as normal as a teenager with a genius mad scientist for a father. She spends her time with her best friend, day dreaming about the boy she loves and watching her favoite super hero show. One day, the past that she has knows nothing about comes back to haunt her. She is shocked to learn that she is the last surviving member of royal line from a far away planet. Even more, she finds out that she has been protecting the ultimate armour and that it can decide the fate of the entire galaxy.

Running Time: approx. 90 minutes

When: Midnight, Friday, July 21

Where: The AMC Universal Cineplex at Universal City Walk Orlando

We will begin wristbanding at 10:30 pm at the table just inside the lobby.

Cya at the movies!

Con Corner:

AFO 7

5pm on Friday, RPG panel with me, Gary Holmes. Plus next week, free tickets to AFO!!! Only on VGN.

Big thank you to Orlando Fashion Square Mall for Pirates last week! Thanks to all involved! More events coming soon?

Retro Raggy,

Walaika K. Haskins, newsfactor.com Thu Jul 13, 12:20 PM ET

Microsoft has launched an

Xbox Live program that promises to take nostalgia hounds back to the days when big hair and bigger shoulder pads were de rigueur and video arcades were the hangout of choice for countless teenagers.

On Wednesday, the Xbox-maker began offering Xbox 360 gamers a chance to open the equivalent of a video game time capsule and play one of the all-time favorite video games: Frogger.

The new Arcade Wednesdays program promises to bring updated versions of popular 1980s-era games, such as Pac-Man, Galaga, and Street Fighter II, to the Xbox 360 platform every week.

Extreme Makeover

Currently, Microsoft offers 20 arcade games for sale to Xbox 360 owners through Xbox Live Arcade. According to Greg Canessa, group program manager for Xbox Live Arcade, Microsoft plans to have at least 50 titles in the program by the end of the year. The games will sell for between $5 and $10 each.

"A good game never dies," Canessa said. "Our strategy is to pick the best games, just the cream of the crop, ones with evergreen game mechanics that never got old."

To increase the games' appeal for today's gamers, Microsoft has given the retro titles a makeover. Frogger, for instance, has been "upgraded and reinvigorated" for the Xbox 360.

The game's audio, including sound effects and music ditties, has been modernized for a crisper and clearer sound that will play better on high-performance sound systems. Other upgrades include new split-screen multiplayer modes.

EA to work on Wii

Wii to get customised versions of The Godfather, Harry Potter, and Tiger Woods...

Posted: 17:55 on 13 Jul 2006

By: Jon Wilcox

Electronic Arts has today confirmed that six titles are currently in development for Nintendo's Wii console. Two of the titles, Need for Speed and Madden, had already been confirmed by the publisher, but joining them will be The Godfather, Harry Potter, Tiger Woods PGA Tour, and SSX.

EA announced that all six of the titles will take advantage of the Wii-mote, and other functionalities of the console, and that there are other games for the platform are already in development.

"Once we started to experiment with Madden on Wii, there was an explosion of innovation. Everyone in the studio is energized by the creative opportunity afforded by both the hardware and controller. By reaching into our catalogue, we are able to bring a fresh and distinctive experience to some of EA's most popular franchises. Creatively, the game play possibilities are staggering and endless," said John Schappert, Senior Vice President and General Manager, EA.

"Nintendo is excited to see the broad array of signature franchises that EA's talented development teams are designing for Wii," says Reggie Fils-Aime, president and COO, Nintendo of America Inc. "The combination of sensational games with Wii's unique play control will thrill players and breathe new life into video games."

Gears of War hitting theaters before the game?

Trailer for Gears of War to be shown before five R-rated theatrical releases beginning this month; Cliffy B. won't rule out film version, Rein says game on track.

By Tim Surette, GameSpot

Posted Jul 13, 2006 12:00 pm PT

In the old days, half the fun of seeing a movie in the theaters was sitting through the 10 minutes of previews before the main event. More recently, advertisers have been using the captive audience to peddle soda, cars, and whatever else they can, making getting an early seat much less appealing.

Times are changing, for gamers at least, as more publishers are blurring the line between films and games by promoting upcoming games before movies, as was the case with Halo 2 and Advent Rising.

The latest to join the ranks is Epic Games' Gears of War. On the game's official forums, Epic prez Mike Capps posted a note saying the trailer for Cliffy B's sci-fi shooter will be shown before Miami Vice, Pulse, A Scanner Darkly, Clerks 2, and Little Miss Sunshine. All the movies are rated R for Restricted--the film equivalent of Gears of War's all but assured M-for-Mature rating.

Though Capps says gamers will likely have already seen the trailer, the new promotion will give them a chance to "see it on a massive theater screen and hear it in badass 5.1."

As for Gears making it to the big screen proper, famed game maker Cliff Bleszinski didn't rule out the possibility. In an interview with Xbox.com, he said, "The only way we'd ever consider doing a film of our property would be if the absolute right people were attached who understood not only the game and its universe but also the (hopefully!) rabid fanbase that we'd like to acquire."

*RUMOR*

PS3 to be delayed?

Not confirmed in the slightest, another rumor stemming from a foreign site popped up this week proclaiming Blu-Ray difficulty is holding up the PS3. Fanboys everywhere chimed in, nothing was resolved.

Sony rethinks PSP ad

Wed Jul 12, 7:30 PM ET

TOKYO - Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. has removed billboards for the new white version of its PlayStation Portable video game player following complaints of racism, the company said. Sony also apologized.

The billboards, which went up in the first week of June only in the Netherlands, showed a white woman dressed in white threateningly grabbing the face of a frightened-looking black girl, with an attached catch copy saying, "PlayStation Portable White is coming."

The provocative image was one of several versions showing the two women in different poses, company spokesman Nanako Kato said Wednesday. They appeared exclusively in Amsterdam and several other major cities in that country.

Sony said the ads were intended only to emphasize the color contrast between the existing black PSP and the new ceramic white PSP.

Gary: But will the models still get paid?

On-line gambling in trouble

By Peter Kaplan Tue Jul 11, 5:44 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House on Tuesday approved a Republican-written bill to crack down on Internet gambling, in what critics said was an election-year appeal to the party's conservative base.

The House voted 317-93 to impose a ban on most forms of Internet gambling by making it illegal for banks and credit card companies to make payments to online gambling sites. Internet gambling generates some $12 billion annually worldwide, half from American gamblers.

The bill exempted horse racing and lotteries from the ban.

"This is a scourge on our society. It causes innumerable problems," Republican Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, one of the bill's sponsors, said on the House floor before the vote.

The House bill, which was also sponsored by Jim Leach of Iowa, is part of the Republican party's emphasis on moral values as congressional elections approach this fall.

It won support from majorities of both Republicans and Democrats.

Gary: Scary, because they don't really go into the "innumerable problems" and you can bet that mental health, a long standing problem here in Florida so far as the government actually providing help for, is one of those problems. Plus, this sets another precedent for the "moral values" clause BOTH parties level against video games. Also, we warned you that both parties would use video games as a platform in the elections, this just goes to show they will not be daunted by a few failures.

Guitar Rip-off!

After success in Japan with its Guitar Freaks franchise, Konami may be preparing to launch a new series in North America...

Posted: 12:32 on 11 Jul 2006

By: Jon Wilcox

Following the massive success of RedOctane's Guitar Hero in North America, it seems that Konami may be in the development stages of launching a rival called 'Guitar Revolution'.

Searching through some of the latest trademarks to be filed at the United States Patents & Trademarks Office has revealed that the developer/publisher trademarked the name on June 29th 2006. Covering both home consoles and arcade machines, the patent is the latest nugget to emerge from the depths of the USPTO.

Konami are yet to confirm the development of such a title, but it wouldn't be the first time that the company has created a guitar-based franchise. Released in Japan, the Guitar Freaks series were in the country's arcades with replica guitar controllers (sound familiar?), butPSOne and PlayStation2 versions failed after a short number of instalments. The series never made it out of the Far East, but with the recently acquired RedOctane taking the States by storm with the Guitar Hero series, it seems that Konami may be re-evaluating the situation.

XBOX 360 is ecstasy?

Underground bulletin boards indicate illicit pills stamped with logo for Microsoft's next-gen console are making the rounds in British clubs.

By Tor Thorsen, GameSpot

Posted Jul 13, 2006 11:39 am PT

A selection of logo-stamped ecstasy pills.

Ever since it became popular in the early 1990s, ecstasy--the street name for Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)--has typically appeared in pill form. Often drug suppliers would stamp their pills with symbols, and sometimes even logos of corporations, to differentiate them from the competition. One of the more famous examples of logo-theft were the "Mitsubishis" that were popular among West Coast clubs during the mid and late 1990s.

Now, it appears the latest corporate brand that has been appropriated by drug dealers is one well known to gamers. A series of postings by club-goers on a forum uncovered by Kotaku reveal that "Xbox 360 pills" are making the rounds at underground events around the central British city of Northampton.

The quality--and precise chemical content--of the Xbox 360 pills was the subject of some heated debate on the forum. However, one entity that won't be joining the debate is the Xbox 360 brand's legitimate owner. "In regards to the ecstasy pills, we don't have any comment on this," said a Microsoft rep. "But we're obviously aware of the rumors."

What I've been playing:

Prey!

Uno

Frogger

Condemned: Criminal Origins

Brain Age

Convention Corner:

AFO is a mere two weeks!

There's a weekend long Murder Mystery going on there.

RPG panel.

First and foremost, VGN will be out for the premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean at the Orlando Fashion Square Mall. Win by listening to VGN yesterday?!

Dish, girlfriend!

Execs in Japan dish on upcoming console wars

Square's Wada, Bandai's Unozawa speak candidly on future of online gaming, upcoming shootout between Nintendo Wii and Sony's PlayStation 3.

By Walt Wyman, GameSpot

Posted Jul 6, 2006 1:07 pm PT

The Computer Entertainment Suppliers' Association (CESA), the group that owns and produces the Tokyo Game Show, held a press conference today regarding online gaming and the industry's future. Famitsu.com covered the meeting, which was presided over by top officials from a number of companies, including Square Enix president Youichi Wada and Bandai Namco VP Shin Unozawa.

Wada began the discussion by frankly acknowledging "in individual interviews, we tend to give opinions in line with our companies' interests, making it difficult to give objective observations." He hoped that the roundtable interview would allow the participants to be more open and provide a fresh perspective to the talks.

Wada then shared his insights into online-gaming payment structures. He proposed a scenario for "volume-controlled charges," in which online games would be divided into chapters. The first chapter could be offered free for evaluation, with subsequent chapters requiring payments to continue playing. He also thinks that with the growth in "always-on" Internet connections, the "huge cost of debugging" to developers will decrease, as regular software updates will become possible. Wada also pointed out that the software updates would make it "easy to insert advertisements into games".

Unozawa then weighed in with his take on the impending battle between Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii. His opinion is that this purported clash of titans will actually be anti-climatic. "There will be no power struggle," he said.

Although praising the Wii's family-friendliness and synergy with the Nintendo DS, he added, "I'm unsure about its appeal to the main users, namely middle- and high-school students."

On the other hand, he was bullish on the PSP and PS3, which in his view fill "the demand for game hardware that can be enjoyed by individuals." Despite concerns that the PS3's price would make it prohibitively expensive, Unozawa has no fears. He asserted "the PlayStation 3 will sell, without question."

Like Wada, he too sees potential in shifting the billing structure of online games. For example, the game itself could be offered free, and users would be charged for items purchased.

Gary's Notes: Basically, we can't say since we're in both pockets.

Wii, sooner than later?

Nintendo responds to Wii release rumors

Flurry of prognostications doesn't deter Wii-maker from its course; company says big announcement now coming in September.

By Tim Surette, GameSpot

Posted Jul 6, 2006 11:47 am PT

An avalanche of Wii news hit the Web yesterday, sending Nintendophiles into a frenzy. The topic was one of the most highly guarded secrets in the industry--the release date of the Wii.

Early in the morning, an article in (no joke) Sports Illustrated for Kids showed the release date of the console as November 6. Nintendo claimed the date was purely speculation by the magazine.

A few hours later, CNN/Money's Chris Morris revealed some info that he received while talking to analysts and industry insiders. Among the insights were that the Wii may already be in production, and that the console could launch as early as late September.

Nintendo's PR people were hard at work again today, and gave few clues as to whether any of the rumors are true. A spokesperson for the news service Bloomberg said, "There's no change in our plan to release the console in the last quarter of this year. We are planning an announcement in September and it may be causing some confusion."

Nintendo's reassurance that the console would launch in the fourth quarter does dispel the thought that the Wii could launch in late September, as the fourth quarter begins in October.

The choice of the words "in September" vary slightly from a previous statement from Nintendo, which said that the release date and price would be available by September. Nintendo fans, it sounds like the newswires may be a little quiet until then.

You got some 'splainin to do, Sony.

Sony Disputes Unpaid Tax Claims

PlayStation's parent company registers a complaint over claims of an unpaid ¥27.9bn tax bill...

Posted: 16:53 on 03 Jul 2006

By: Jon Wilcox

Sony Corporation has registered a complaint over the Japanese tax authority's claims that the electronics giant has an outstanding tax bill of ¥27.9 billion (£132 million) dating back to 1999. The claims are directly linked to the game console section of the company's North American subsidiary.

SCEI has countered the claims, stating that the tax had already been paid in the US under the US-Japan bilateral tax treaties, so for now it seems like it's a stalemate situation.

LOTR RTS What?

When America wrote out its birthday wish list, it apparently had things other than games on its mind. While the country celebrated its 230th birthday, gamers browsed bare shelves as this week's game release list wasn't nearly as meaty as the millions of BBQ grills lit up on Tuesday.

Leading the pack is the Xbox 360's first real-time strategy game, Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II. Based on both the films and books of Tolkien's fantasy world, the game lets players command armies of elves, dwarves, orcs, and other beasties. LOTR: Middle-earth II was previously released on the PC and was published by Electronic Arts.

Assassin's Creed...really exclusive or just sort of?

The IDEF is held in Europe. One of the sites covering it said this:

Toujours à l'occasion de l'IDEF 2006, Ubisoft a confirmé qu'Assassin’s Creed était actuellement en développement sur Xbox 360 et PC, en plus d’une version PlayStation 3 déjà annoncée depuis de nombreux mois. Les possesseurs de la console de Microsoft pourront donc eux aussi donner vie à un certain Altair, en pleine troisième Croisade. Plus d'informations prochainement, surtout concernant une éventuelle exclusivité temporaire pour la future machine de Sony.

Um, yeah.

Then we have this:

Gamer.no, who contacted Ubisoft yesterday about the recent rumors reports that Assassin's Creed is still a PS3 exlusive. Talking to the Norwegian game site Product Manager of Ubisoft Nordic Harald Horsberg says that the game is announced exclusively for the PS3 after he had been in contact with the French HQ.

PR Manager Fredrik Moberg adds "there are no indications that this game is headed for other formats besides the PS3"

Another report is also coming from the official Ubisoft forums. A Community Manager from Ubisoft under the name of 'UbiRazz posted this statement.

"Ubisoft have confirmed no such thing. Assassin's Creed will come on PlayStation 3 and at this time, no other platform has been confirmed." said UbiRazz.

Gary says:

Ubisoft is sticking to their story, but they fail to say exclusive and given that this game was already seen on 360 hardware, well, timed exclusive at best is what I'm thinking.

Sony being Racist?

What I've been playing:

Uno!

Condemned: Criminal Origins

Top Spin 2

Prey

Convention Corner:

AFO.

Panels!! I'll be running the RPG East Vs. West panel...look for it!