Gaming News Archive
April 2006

10/4/06

PSP Firmware Updates
The planned firmware updates are as follows:
In the "spring":- Macromedia Support, the ability to download podcasts, a Chinese font set, software support for GPS and the PSP Camera to allow developers time to include them in games - the GPS and Camera peripherals aren't due out until September and October respectively.
In the "summer":- video podcast support and "expand the video profile for the UMD", whatever that means.
In the "winter":- the ability to boot downloaded games from memory sticks and VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol)
Talkman Arrives In The UK
Talkman, the electronic translator tool for the Playstation Portable (PSP), will be released in the UK in May, according to Sony. It's loaded with 6 languages, 3000 pre-set phrases and a microphone for your PSP.
PSP Flops
Universal and Paramount are dropping movie support for UMD's, for the Playstation Portable, after poor sales. As if that wasn't bad enough, Wal-Mart are going to stop selling them altogether.
Nintendo DS Crushes PSP
Media Create Co. stated last Thursday that from 27th March to April 2nd the Nintendo DS Lite sold 149,371 units, the Nintendo DS sold 59,903 units and Sony's Playstation Portable (PSP) only sold 36,943 units in Japan.
The Nintendo DS has been the best-selling hardware in Japan for several weeks, though a dip in sales (due to high demand and not enough stock) earlier in the year may have ruined a longer reign at the top.
Worldwide DS sales now total 14.4 million with it's online service, via Wi-Fi, now having over 1 million unique users.
White PSP
Sony is to launch a white version of the Playstation Portable in Japan on 15th April 2006. Will this help the PSP's poor sales?
No More Katamari
The official Japanese website for Katamari Damacy has confirmed (since 21st March) that there will be no more sequels and that the development team behind the game has been dispanded.
Keita Takahashi, who wasn't involved in the Playstation Portable (PSP) version (Me & My Katamari), is busy working on a new game.
EA Absorbs Another Company
Electronic Arts (EA) has bought Swedish company Digital Illusions CE (aka DICE), the creator of the Battlefield series of games, aswell as several classic Amiga titles.
Dice's shareholders refused EA's first offer, but decided to accept a more sizeable offer.
Halo Comic
Marvel Comics has signed up Halo for a special 128 page comic, which is due out in July. Bungie, developer of the Halo series, will provide poster images for the comic. Artists currently signed up for the project include Moebius, Phil Hale, Tsutomo Nikei and Andrew Robinson.
It is unknown what the story will be about or who is writing it.
MegaDrive And TurboGrafx Games For Revolution
Nintendo's "virtual console" download service for the Revolution will have support from Sega and Hudson. This means that PC Engine (aka TurboGrafx) and MegaDrive (aka Genesis) games will be available for downloading aswell as Nintendo's back-catalogue of games from its own past consoles.
All-new original games will also be available online!
Revolution Harddrive?
In an interview with CNN/Money Nintendo Japan President, Satoru Iwata, hinted that the Revolution will have an optional harddrive, which will be connected via one of the USB ports, for use with games that can't be stored on the 512MB of internal Flash memory.
X360 Launched Down Under
The XBox 360 was finally launched in Australia on Thursday 23rd March. Due to having such a long time to wait pre-orders built up and broke all previous launch records for Australia. 30,000 units were sold in the first 4 days - 3,000 more than the previous record holder, the Playstation Portable (PSP).
News In Brief
Sony has said at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) that the Playstation 3 will officially be region free - however, developers have the ability to add in a regional lockout.
The US list for XBox backward compatibility games for the XBox 360 has been updated:
Black
Star Wars: Battlefront II
World Soccer Winning Eleven 9
IGN has stated that Halo 3 will be out March 2007.
US magazine EGM (Electronic Gaming Monthly) states that Final Fantasy XIII is a Playstation 3 exclusive and expects a trailer of the game to be shown at E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) in May.

4/4/06

Micro Machines Returns
Codemasters have revealed that Supersonic Software are making Micro Machines V4 for the PC, Playstation 2, Playstation Portable (PSP) and the Nintendo DS. Supersonic Software are responsible for all the Micro Machines games after Micro Machines 1 (from 1992).
Zombie MMORPG!
New developer Thinking Man Studios has announced that it is working on a zombie themed massively-multiplayer-online-role-playing-game (MMORPG) for the PC, with console versions possibly appearing later. Known as Exanimus (latin for "without life"), you will be able to play as either a zombie or a human. This game will have an 18 rating certificate.
Playstation 3 News
The Playstation 3 (PS3) will be launched worldwide (or atleast Sony are going to attempt to launch it worldwide) in November 2006. It will also have a 60GB harddrive with Linux pre-installed (though whether the drive is sold separately or built-in to the PS3 is yet to be decided) and an XBox Live-like service called Playstation Network Platform.
Rumours on the internet are suggesting that the PS3 will have a "virtual console" download system, like the Nintendo Revolution, which will allow you to download Playstation 1 and 2 games.
Playstation Portable News
The Playstation Portable is to get a price-cut in the US shortly. Sony's handheld will also get a webcam for video conferencing and a PSone emulatorso you can download and play PSone games via an online connection.
Sales Still Down
Like-for-like sales in the US for February were down 13% on last year. The top selling games were:
1) Madden NFL '06 (Playstation 2)
2) Fight Night: Round 3 (XBox 360)
3) Fight Night: Round 3 (Playstation 2)
4) Call Of Duty 2 (XBox 360)
5) Animal Crossing (Nintendo DS)
Sony Lost Court Battle
Sony has lost it's court battle against Immersion Software and may have to pay them atleast #52 million GBP. Immersion Software claimed that Sony stole their vibration technology to use in Dualshock joypads.
News In Brief
Sony has revealed that God Of War 2: Divine Retribution will be out on the Playstation 2 this year.
More than 1,000 people queued up at 6:30am outside one of Tokyo's biggest stores when the 2 new DS coloured units (Enamel Navy and Ice Blue) were released on 11th March.
Bioware (Knights Of The Old Republic and Jade Empire) have recently merged with Pandemic (Star Wars: Battlefront) and have created a new studio based in Austin, Texas.

2/4/06

PSP Charger Recalled
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) said it had issued a recall notice on the Pelican Power Brick battery charger, warning it could overheat and cause the plastic cover to melt.
The Pelican Power Brick is sold as an external recharger battery pack accessory Sony's Playstation Portable (PSP). The battery charger is imported into the US by Electro Source LLC and sold between April 2005 to March 2006 through various outlets.
Electro Source had 143 reports of the battery charger overheating, including one report of fire damage. People are being advised to stop using the unit straight away.
Customers who have these units should go to the Power Brick recall site:
http://www.powerbrickrecall.net

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Gaming News ArchiveApril 2006

10/4/06

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Gaming News Archive
April 2006