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EA, Ubisoft execs applaud PS3 price cut, also like things that are good

by Donald Melanson posted Aug 20th 2009 at 4:33PM

Well, this one doesn't exactly come out of left field, but it looks like gaming industry execs are starting to sing a decidedly different tune now that Sony has finally cut the price of the PS3. Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz, Ubisoft bigwig Yves Guillemot said that "it's exceptional news, actually," adding that "I think the machine is a great machine, with the Blu-ray." EA Games president Frank Gibeau was also apparently more than happy to back up that praise, saying that, "I think it's awesome," and that "it's an old line, but it still rings true for us: 'We make the ammunition for the hardware wars.' So the lowest priced hardware possible is a good thing for us." Still noticeably mum on the matter, however, is Activision's CEO, who once threatened to pick up his ball and go home if Sony didn't drop its prices.

[Via Joystiq]

EA announces latest NERF Wii game with new and improved blaster

by Donald Melanson posted Jul 9th 2009 at 12:41AM

Thought all your dreams of an all-in-one NERF gun / Wii controller were fulfilled with the original NERF Blaster Controller? Think again. 'Cause EA has now announced its follow-up NERF 2: N-Strike Elite game, which will of course also come bundled with a new and improved NERF Switch Shot EX-3 blaster. As before, this one will house the Wiimote inside to let you use it with the game or let you ditch it to take things outside (or to the office), and it adds a new attachable "NERF decoder scope" that'll let you detect enemy weak spots, decode secret messages, and uncover other hidden gameplay elements. And, well, it's a NERF gun and a Wii controller. Is there anything else you really need to know? No word on a price just yet, but you can look for the bundle to launch sometime this fall.

[Thanks, Vincent]

EA VP says the Xbox 360 is "maxed out"

by Nilay Patel posted Jun 9th 2009 at 1:26AM

Microsoft might be busy extending and building on the Xbox 360's capabilities with Project Natal and all manner of NXE and Live updates, but it sounds like some of their third-party devs think they're running out of headroom -- in an interview with the Official Xbox Magazine, EA senior VP Patrick Soderlund said that "we've maxed out the 360 but we haven't maxed out the PS3." That's an interesting parallel to what Miyamoto was just saying about the Wii, of course, but it doesn't seem like the situation is entirely dire: Soderlund also said that he's "truly impressed" with the 360 and that he "would have a headache" if he were running Sony. Still, that doesn't bode well for Microsoft's planned 10-year 360 lifecycle if it's true -- we'll see if Redmond has something new for us before 2015 after all.

EA's Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 with Wii MotionPlus now shipping

by Donald Melanson posted Jun 8th 2009 at 7:04PM

It may not seem quite as impressive now that Microsoft and Sony have shown off their visions of a motion-controlled future, but Nintendo's Wii MotionPlus is still as good as it gets when it comes to consoles today and, as promised, it's now finally shipping alongside the latest Tiger Woods game. That may not be exactly what Nintendo had in mind when it first unveiled MotionPlus way back at last year's E3, but the first-party wares won't be too far behind, with its own Wii Sports Resort title (and requisite bundle) still on track for a launch late next month. If you're up for a little golf in the meantime, however, you can pick up the Tiger Woods game bundled with Wii MotionPlus for $59.99, or the standalone game (still playable with the standard Wiimote) for $49.99.

Video: Beatles Rock Band books surprise gig at Xbox 360 meetup

by Ross Miller posted Jun 2nd 2009 at 7:10AM

Last night Microsoft held an E3 2009 post-press conference event, and while Natal wasn't anywhere within our reach, we did happen upon Harmonix's Beatles Rock Band stage, an appropriately cliché setup on the rooftop of The Standard Hotel. We'll be getting more thorough hands-on time with the instruments later in the week, but for now, enjoy a glimpse at the concert ensemble, blasting forth with (confirmed!) three-part harmony.

Video: Beatles Rock Band trailer, screenshots, Ludwig drums unveiled at E3

by Laura June posted Jun 1st 2009 at 1:40PM

Today at E3 some seriously awesome Beatles Rock Band awesomeness was unloaded upon the world. In addition to getting a look at the full band set-up, confirming that you will, in fact be able to perform multiple vocals (read: harmonies), Harmonix also showed off the general in-game madness we can expect. We're filled with glee to see that no corners were cut here, and we agree with Ringo's estimation: the game is good. The Beatles: Rock Band will be released simultaneously for XBox 360, PS3 and Wii in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and other territories. Check out the totally rad trailer, our first shot of the Ludwig drums and another screenshot after the break and in the gallery below.

Gallery: Beatles Rock Band trailer, screenshots, Ludwig drums unveiled at E3

Continue reading Video: Beatles Rock Band trailer, screenshots, Ludwig drums unveiled at E3

EA SPORTS Active for Wii in stores now, taunting us with its toned abs

by Joseph L. Flatley posted May 19th 2009 at 9:57AM

Well, we have to admit a certain principled aversion to any console game that involves jumping, the flailing of the arms, cardio-whatever... anything, really, that Richard Simmons might approve of. It's bad enough that we're being asked to turn in our traditional controllers in for a balance board, but are we really supposed to believe that Electronic Arts -- the company that single-handedly ruined our health during the 1980s as we stayed up for weeks at a time on the quest to save Skara Brae -- could, or should, present the world with a "personal trainer in a box?" Well, if you're one of those people, you'll be happy to know that EA SPORTS Active for Wii is now available in retail stores Stateside, with worldwide release slated for May 22. Video after the break.

Continue reading EA SPORTS Active for Wii in stores now, taunting us with its toned abs

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 10 lands in June, comes with MotionPlus

by Darren Murph posted Apr 21st 2009 at 3:26PM

Say it with us now: "Phew!" When Nintendo announced that its Wii MotionPlus dongle would be hitting US shelves on June 8th, we all wondered why Wii Sports Resort (Nintendo's first MotionPlus-enabled title) was set to ship over a month later. Now, EA Sports has relieved worries that early adopters would have no software to use with their new toy by announcing that Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 10 will hit North America on June 15th. Better still, the Wii version will be available with a MotionPlus add-on bundled in for just $10 more than the standalone title (which will run $49.99). As great as all this is, Europeans still come out better, as they'll also see Grand Slam Tennis ship in June with a MotionPlus packed in. Ah well -- it's just a peccadillo, we'll let it slide this time.

The Beatles: Rock Band limited edition bundle priced, detailed

by Darren Murph posted Apr 16th 2009 at 12:03PM

Finally, a few whispers straight from the horse's mouth. While we've heard rumor after rumor regarding the actual hardware to be bundled in with the sure-to-be-hot The Beatles: Rock Band, MTV Games, Harmonix and EA have come forward today with a few succulent tidbits to keep you interested until the 09.09.09 launch. We're told that the Limited Edition Premium Bundle will include the game itself, a Höfner Bass (which will undoubtedly do Sir Paul McCartney and southpaws the world over no favors by being right handed), a microphone, a microphone stand, undisclosed "additional special content" and the real kicker -- a Beatles-inspired and Ludwig-branded Rock Band 2 drums, complete with a classic pearl finish and vintage replica Beatles kick drum head.

The whole kit is slated to launch worldwide this September, with USers having to pay $249, Europeans paying €199 and Britons paying £179. Finally, we're told that North American and European fans who pre-order any version of the game will be eligible to join the The Beatles: Rock Band Pre-Order Club and "receive breaking news and access to exclusive game elements including art and behind-the-scenes footage directly from MTV Games and Harmonix." Oh, goody!

Gallery: The Beatles: Rock Band limited edition bundle priced, detailed

Beatles Rock Band features multi-mic support, harmonious performances?

by Ross Miller posted Apr 16th 2009 at 7:28AM

Wouldn't it be great if you and your mop top-clad friends could all sing together in the upcoming The Beatles: Rock Band? According to a rumor found in the latest issue of Game Informer, Harmonix is doing just that: including multiple-microphone support for players to harmonize on the tracks. Not much else is given, but a NeoGAF forum poster who last week claimed to have played an early version adds that three mics were being used -- one for each instrument -- and there was also a new harmony trainer mode to ensure your vocal talents were up to snuff. We'd advise a good bit of skepticism, no matter how much sense it seems to make or how many of you dreams would come true if this turned out legit. In the meantime, you can go back to deciding which of the Fab Four you're gonna pretend to be first when the game launches on September 9.

[Via Joystiq]

Read - Multi-mic support
Read - Harmony trainer

Wii MotionPlus can be oversensitive to your needs, say EA devs

by Ross Miller posted Apr 3rd 2009 at 3:59PM

The jury's still out on whether or not Nintendo follows our logic and is gonna release the Wii MotionPlus attachment before June 18th, the day Electronic Arts debuts the first compatible game Grand Slam Tennis. Regardless, the developers of that game want you to know that they had to actually to tone down the touted 1:1 responsiveness to make the game playable. We can't say that we blame them -- after all, the air resistance of a Wii remote is slightly different than that of a full tennis racket -- but we'd love to have the option to crank up that sensitivity and see just how unstable it really is. So when do we a chance to find out for ourselves, eh Nintendo?

[Via Joystiq]

EA bundling Wii MotionPlus add-on with tennis game in Europe?

by Donald Melanson posted Mar 24th 2009 at 3:47PM

We'd already heard that Nintendo's Wii MotionPlus controller add-on was at least loosely tied to the launch of EA's Grand Slam Tennis game, but it now looks like the two may be even more closely linked than previously thought. According to a listing on Amazon.de, the add-on will actually be available in a bundle with the game (in Europe, at least), which will set you back €53.99, or just over $70, when it launches on July 2nd. As Joystiq speculates, however, this move could also be just the excuse Nintendo has been looking for to delay its own Wii Sports Resort game, which itself was supposed to come bundled with MotionPlus add-on but has been largely missing in action since its debut at E3 last year.

[Via Joystiq]

The Beatles come to 'Rock Band,' instruments and all (update)

by Joshua Topolsky posted Mar 5th 2009 at 10:13AM

Do you love the Beatles? Do you love Rock Band? Are you ready to totally lose it? If you said yes, that's good -- because MTV Games and Harmonix have just announced a partnership with Apple Corps, Ltd. to bring the band's music and instruments to the Rock Band universe. According to the PR, the game (which apparently lets you do all kinds of awesome Beatles-related rocking) will also premiere with a set of new hardware "modeled after instruments used by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr throughout their career." Right now they've just got a holder page up with a launch date of September 9th, but as soon as we get our eyes on the gear, we'll let you know.

Update: Here's some more information to cleanse your pallet. The game, known henceforth as The Beatles: Rock Band, will be sold software-only for $60 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii (note the extra Hamilton over the usual Nintendo pricing). The standalone guitars will be sold separately for $100, and if you're opting for the Limited Edition Premium Bundle, featuring the game and all instruments, it'll set you back $250. No word on pricing outside of US just yet. Despite the Rock Band branding, it's considered a standalone title and no one is talking right now about any connectivity, downloadable content or transferring of songs between Beatles and other RB games. According to Joystiq, you'll be able to rock out to 45 songs from the band's 1962 to 1969 EMI catalog. Full press release after the break.

Continue reading The Beatles come to 'Rock Band,' instruments and all (update)

Apple: "the iPhone is a gaming console"

by Joshua Topolsky posted Dec 12th 2008 at 4:43PM

According to extremely reliable and embarrassingly handsome Engadget sources, at an iPhone event held today, John Geleynse (AKA Director of Technology Evangelism at Apple) made some statements regarding the iPhone platform that should seriously raise a few eyebrows. During an ADC "iPhone Tech Talk" in San Jose, Geleynse apparently waxed excited about the potential for the handheld as a viable threat to the DS (and the PSP by proxy), calling the iPhone a "gaming console" and claiming that "it's not a phone, it's a console experience." Pretty bold talk about a device that has yet to really prove its gaming mettle, but nothing new from the Apple camp as far as we're concerned. Considering these comments alongside those from a recent interview in which Greg Joswiak compared the touch to the DS, it seems clear that the company is making a noticeable effort to push this angle. Adding some fuel to that fire is PR that just went out announcing a series of EA "sneak peek" events at Apple Stores around the US. In their words:

Throughout the month of December Apple Stores in New York, LA, San Francisco and Chicago will host special "EA Games Sneak Peek" events where Electronic Arts will discuss why the iPod touch and iPhone are amazing platforms for mobile gaming...

While there's no question the iPhone and touch have made inroads when it comes to gaming, it still isn't clear that there's going to be anything beyond a casual interest for these devices. Then again, if the Wii's success has proven anything, it's that there's plenty of cash in casual if you can make it appealing enough. And you know how Apple feels about appealing products and money.

EA SPORTS Active is hardly the Wii Fit slayer we were hoping for

by Paul Miller posted Nov 13th 2008 at 1:21PM

Our exercise-averse bones were certainly shaking at rumors of EA's supposed onslaught on the Wii Fit-dominated "video games don't have to be fun, they can also make you sore and grumpy" market, but we must admit we're a little disappointed in the end product. EA SPORTS Active for the Wii eschews Nintendo's Wii Fit peripheral entirely, instead opting for a leg strap to hold a nunchuck controller and track the movements of your rippling thigh, while an electronics-free resistance band is there to make everything harder. The good news is that Bob Greene, Oprah's personal trainer, was involved in Active's creation and the wide assortment exercises it will subject you to, so you know it's going to turn you into an eternally beautiful and endlessly influential TV talk show host in a few short weeks. Speaking of, did everybody see that 30 Rock episode with Oprah in it? Can we just give Tina Fey all the Emmys right now, or do we have to wait until next year? Video of EA's Active is after the break.

Continue reading EA SPORTS Active is hardly the Wii Fit slayer we were hoping for