Gary's Blog

Just a place to find out what's on my mind, or what's occupying my time whilst I avoid actual "work."

 

VGN for April 1st, 2005

Video Game News:

Xbox off Shelves?

SPOnG has received emails that indicate a complete withdrawal of Xbox hardware in the coming months, with claims surfacing today of a total end to generation one Xbox production.

According to senior sources within publishing, retailers are being instructed not to list Xbox hardware in their next catalogue publications.

No, the Xbox has NOT been pulled from retailers
Posted by Major Nelson on March 30, 2005 @ 3:09 pm (PT)
There are a few stories floating around this vast thing we call the Internet today that say the Xbox has been pulled from retailers. Furthermore, people are saying that we have “reached our targets and want to get ready for the next console.” Let me be perfectly clear: We are NOT pulling the Xbox from stores. Xbox consoles being in short supply since they are popular and stopping production are two VERY different issues. Don’t believe the mis-information that is filling your browser/inbox/rss feed.

Hillary Clinton slams GTA
 by GamesIndustry.biz 
 

New York senator and former first lady Hillary Clinton has launched an attack on violent videogames, singling out Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto titles as a "major threat" to morality.

Clinton, who is reportedly planning to seek the Democratic presidential nomination for the 2008 election, has aligned herself with hardline right-wing Republican senators in order to pressure Congress into researching the impact of electronic media on children.

Sony cancels PlayStation 3 briefing

Report: Sony scraps premiere event for its next-generation console previously scheduled for March.
TOKYO--Several months ago, Sony Computer Entertainment announced plans to hold a premiere event in Japan prior to the Electronic Entertainment Expo, where it would unveil its next-generation console, most commonly called the PlayStation 3. Reportedly, the event was scheduled for March, but the month passed by without any invitations going out to members of the Japanese game industry. Today, Reuters Japan is reporting that SCE has officially canceled the event, ending speculation that there would be a surprise announcement tomorrow, the last day of the month

Sony's PSP Selling Well But Not Sold Out - Analyst

Thu Mar 31,11:45 AM ET   Technology - Reuters
 LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Sony Corp (SNE.N).'s new handheld video game unit, the PlayStation Portable, is selling well but is far from sold out at stores nationwide, an analyst said on Thursday.

Nintendo DS News: Nintendo DS Hits Europe With Over 500,000 Units Sold

Following the launch of Nintendo DS in Europe on 11th March 2005, the new hand-held console is proving to be a phenomenal success with European gamers having snapped up over 500,000 units by Easter Saturday - that's 77 percent of the consoles that were in stores across Europe for launch. Many stores have reported they are out of stock however more deliveries are being made to replenish stocks

Dual Shocked: Sony Immersed in $90.7 million fine, injunction

US District Court favors San Jose tech company Immersion; Sony injunction to halt American sales of PS2s and affected materials.
Three years ago, Northern California technology company Immersion Corporation brought a suit against Sony Computer Entertainment and Microsoft Corporation claiming patent infringement of its proprietary technology used in the controllers for the companies' home consoles: the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and Xbox.
Microsoft settled out of court with Immersion in 2003, avoiding messy legal proceedings for $26 million, which also got Microsoft a 10 percent stake in Immersion.

Sony, on the other hand, left the decision up to the courts, a move that appears to have cost the company a serious chunk of change.

Silent stuff:

EA Under Legal Attack

31/03/2005
By: Chris Leyton

Recent profit warning was unfair according to a leading US law firm...

Schiffrin & Barroway, a leading US law firm specialising in major class-action lawsuits, today heaped further misery on a beleaguered Electronic Arts, by filing a lawsuit against it on behalf of all share purchasers between January 25th 2005 and March 21st 2005.

Coming on top of EA’s recent profit warning, the firm alleges that a number of factors leading to the slump in sales were not disclosed to shareholders and led to previous financial expectations without any foundation.

Bling'd out PSP

What I've been playing:

Zone of the Enders 2

Oddworld: Strangers

Prince of Persia 2--Thanks Cybertron!

Anime News:

AniWho?

Convention Corner:

Jacon

This Japanese Anime convention will host a full schedule of events and activities dealing with anime, manga, and other Japanese sub-culture, such as video games. JACON 2005 will be held April 15-17 in Orlando, Florida at the Sheraton World Resort.

posted by: Gary1059 at 08:22 | link | comments |