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Nintendo working on Wii/DS connectivity
In speaking with UK news site MCV, Nintendo's very own DS Product Manager James Honeywell confirmed that the company is working on software to further bring the DS and Wii together, beyond the only title we've seen with the feature so far in Pokemon Battle Revolution. James also speaks on Nintendo's exact focus for this, claiming that Nintendo's competitors "might offer connectivity between formats, but it concentrates on media capabilities, rather than the fun and interaction you'll get when you bring our two consoles together."James, obviously, didn't drop any names that the company plans on utilizing this feature with in the future. He did, however, further emphasize that DS/Wii connectivity is going to be something entirely different than Nintendo's rivals, where the Xbox 360 and PC connect for streaming video and other media-related goodies. James says the "link-up between Wii and DS will be much more about offering new forms of gameplay, fun and interaction." Sounds good, but give us game names already!
Nintendo working on software for DS/Wii connectivity
In speaking with UK news site MCV, Nintendo's very own DS Product Manager James Honeywell confirmed that the company is working on software to further bring the DS and Wii together, beyond the only title we've seen with the feature so far in Pokemon Battle Revolution. James also speaks on Nintendo's exact focus for this, claiming that Nintendo's competitors "might offer connectivity between formats, but it concentrates on media capabilities, rather than the fun and interaction you'll get when you bring our two consoles together."James, obviously, didn't drop any names that the company plans on utilizing this feature with in the future. He did, however, further emphasize that DS/Wii connectivity is going to be something entirely different than Nintendo's rivals, where the Xbox 360 and PC connect for streaming video and other media-related goodies. James says the "link-up between Wii and DS will be much more about offering new forms of gameplay, fun and interaction." Sounds good, but give us game names already!
PSP second best selling console in UK
The media loves to paint a bleak future for the PSP, calling it a system destined to die. We call those people misinformed. The PSP looks to sell a million units in the UK alone this year, making it the second best-selling console of the year, right behind the Nintendo DS. "People mention us in the same breath as DS because we're both handheld products, but we're actually going after very different markets," Sony UK's commercial director Kevin Jowett told MCV. "We've put in just under £300 million of turnover at retail with PSP because we're such a boys console and we've hit the mark with older gamers."While the PSP may not be number one, it's certainly not going away any time soon. One has to admit, beating out other consoles, like the Xbox 360, is truly a noteworthy accomplishment.
Publishers are "getting it wrong"
Mark Cale from third party publisher Play It recently went on record with MCV, saying that publishers on the PSP are simply "getting it wrong.""The reason so many games have failed on PSP is that big publishers are prioritising lavish, full 3D productions ahead of gameplay," said Cale. "But this type of game will never be as big as it is on home console, because handheld users are seeking a more addictive, distracting experience."He calls Capcom's Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins to be one of the few games developed with the system in mind, by keeping classic gameplay and updating it with new, modern graphics. While I agree with Mr. Cale's opinions, I find it difficult to support him fully-- what games has his publisher made? I can't think of any off the top of my head.[Thanks, steve!]
Fun = DS, not PSP, says EA exec
"Disgruntled" EA executive VP David Gardner recently went on record with MCV, worried about the current performance of the PlayStation Portable. "I don't think Sony can afford to sit back," Gardner told MCV. "I think they still have things they can do with the price and performance of the machine – things that they need to address."Sure, EA's made a lot of money off of the PSP, and their support remains strong. However, it looks like things will change, as the company refocuses its efforts on the DS: "There's no doubt that EA has historically bet more on PSP. I think we were excited by the technology, but the consumers have proven that actually what they want is fun. We must never forget that what we need to focus on is fun and so EA is putting more effort behind DS games – and creative ones that really take advantage of the hardware."[Via Joystiq]
Xbox exec sez "surprises" in store for Q4
For the purposes of this post, we've going to ignore Microsoft exec Richard Teversham's recent dismissals of the Wii as a glorified GameCube and the PS3 as overpriced, and instead concentrate on his area of expertise: future plans for the Xbox 360. In an interview with entertainment site MCV, Teversham revealed that Redmond has "a number of surprises up our sleeve" in regards to the Xbox division's Q4 strategies, and that they involve "having a variety of pricing on games [and] a variety of pricing on console offers." Since the marketing manager reiterated previous denials of an impending 360 price cut, we have to wonder what exactly he was referring to by that statement on console pricing. The one possibility that springs immediately to mind? Why, bundled HD DVD drives, of course. If Redmond is in fact able to offer 360 bundles with HD optical drives at the same or slightly higher prices than current packages go for, it would certainly take some of the focus off Nintendo and Sony during their respective console launches. On the other hand, he could simply mean that the current bundles will receive an extra game or accessory or something -- which, combined with his slams on the competition, wouldn't really make for an effective marketing strategy at all.[Via Joystiq]
UK sales charts, April 3-8: Lara on top
Tomb Raider: Legend marks its UK release by soaring straight to the top of the charts; the other much-touted arrival on European shores, Guitar Hero, has a slightly less impressive debut at 28, just one place ahead of Crazy Frog Racer. The video game adaptation of Narnia is also a new member of the top ten, going straight in at number nine.The ten bestselling games in the UK for the week ending April 8:1. Tomb Raider: Legend2. The Godfather3. Fifa Street 24. Ice Age 2: The Meltdown5. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter6. Animal Crossing: Wild World7. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion8. Buzz! The Big Quiz9. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe10. Championship Manager 2006
Tomb Raider Legend coming to DS
Chief Executive Jane Cavanagh of SCi, the company that acquisitioned Eidos in early 2005, recently spoke with MCV about the company's plans going on into the future, attempting to recover from a multi-million-dollar loss last year. One of the company's goals is that the next Tomb Raider and Hitman games see a lot of success, and with the Tomb Raider title, this means releasing on as many consoles as they can. So the upcoming Tomb Raider Legends, slated for release on the PS2, Xbox, PSP, and Xbox 360, will now see an incarnation on the GameCube, GBA, and more importantly, the DS. Sadly, however, nothing was said in regards to how the game will interact on the handheld in regards toward the touch screen or when it will release.[Via Nintendo Gal]
