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Project Natal basis for new Xbox console coming Fall 2010?
We'd be careful about putting too much stock into an admittedly far off rumor, but the gang at 1UP claim they've heard from those in the know that Microsoft's set to release a new Xbox console in Fall 2010, and that current media darling Project Natal is "the cornerstone" of that evolution. Specs-wise, it's suggested we're looking at only a marginal boost analogous to Nintendo's GameCube-to-Wii transition -- place your bets on how long it'll take to "max out" this time -- as well as a rebranding (Xbox Natal, anyone?) aimed at attracting the highly coveted, more mainstream / casual audience, before Mario and the crew catch a second wind with the oft-rumored Wii HD. There's nothing unbelievable about these whispers, but again, Fall 2010 is quite a ways off and anything can happen in the meantime. First unveiling will allegedly be the 2010 Game Developers Conference in early March, so your best bet for now is to hold tight and keep a close eye on who gets a primetime slot among that event's keynote speeches.
Ubisoft preparing for next console generation
During yesterday's financial results conference call, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot mentioned that his company had already begun preparing for the next set of consoles. Does this mean that Ubisoft has been shown the plans of the hardware developers? Probably not! It's preparing with money. "We need to get ready for the future generation of consoles," Guillemot told investors. "In the next few years, there will be new home and handheld consoles, and if you don't invest... you will not be able to cope with both [the existing and new generation consoles]."We can only imagine how difficult it must be for Ubisoft to predict how the next generation will look. Right now, judging by the current generation, the company doesn't know what kind of media games will be stored on, whether there will be any media, or even how many screens its handheld games will occupy. It doesn't know how many years into the PS3's "ten-year plan" Sony will introduce the PS4, and there's basically no predicting what Nintendo's next device will look like, nor whether it will be more appropriate to put Tom Clancy sequels or Petz sequels on it.
First Starfleet ship detailed for Star Trek Online
The Star Trek Online official website has a Christmas day present in the form of the first ship description and details. While there's no actual in-game goodies, it's the first information we've been given on something that will probably end up in the final code of the game. We even a pretty good ship to start with: an iteration of the sexy Sovereign-class ship seen in the last Next Generation movies.If there was ever any doubt that there wouldn't be much combat in the game, the NX-91001 (or as we like to call it, "The Nixy") is armed with 16 heavy-duty phaser arrays and 8 torpedoes. For the sci-fi tech nerds out there, the computer systems use a "Bioneural circuitry" that mimics organic neurons for super-crazy-fast computing. And no Star Trek ship would be complete without regenerative shields. Although this ship also boasts some incredibly thick future-alloy armor, as well.We know Star Trek isn't all about combat, and we hope Star Trek Online will be more than that, but there's no denying that the allure of hopping into the bridge of this ship and kicking some space-butt is strong.
Nintendo actually not resting on its laurels, already working on the Wii's successor
No need to phone in the shock police -- you had to know this was coming. After all, what kind of stockholder-pleasing company would Nintendo be if it wasn't already thinking about how to top the Wii? According to information in a recent Forbes piece surveying the field of gaming consoles, Nintendo is "already working on the Wii's successor." President Satoru Iwata shared that the Big N was "always preparing for the next hardware," though it would be unwise to expect said hardware anytime soon. With Wii consoles still hard (or at least not "easy") to come by in some locales, we'd say Nintendo is in no hurry to move beyond its current cash cow. Still, even Iwata admits that it "will be difficult" to exceed expectations now that the Wii has proven so successful. Not really, though -- throw in high-def support and you've got an entirely more lovable machine.[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
Next-gen.biz to become Edge Magazine Online
GamesIndustry.biz is reporting that Future's news portal Next-Gen.biz will be re-branded as the online version of the prestigious British magazine Edge on Monday, just in time for E3. There's no word on whether the change will affect the site's editorial focus, but Future spokesman Will Guyatt told GI.biz that the newly branded site will "do what Edge has done for year's in print, but online." Great news for those of us who love the magazine's thoughtful content but don't want to shell out the big bucks to import a subscription.Next-Gen has been reprinting selected Edge magazine articles online since last May, and the magazine's previous web address currently redirects to Next-Gen's site. The move represents the re-death of the Next Generation brand, which was originally put out to pasture with the closing of the well-respected American magazine in 2001. On the plus side, when someone says "next-gen" from now on, we won't have to parse whether they mean the adjective or the web site. That was getting confusing!
Conan grandly thieves Europe from Niko Bellic
In charts reporting the latest game sales numbers in Europe, Age of Conan landed the #1 spot in both Sweden and Germany, surpassing even Grand Theft Auto IV.Take that with a grain of salt, though, as the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of GTA4 were counted separately, and each appeared in high spots in both countries' charts. It seems likely that in Sweden, at least (where GTA4 occupied second and third place), GTA4 still outsold AoC when all platforms are added up. In Spain, AoC placed fourth.Funcom has already launched additional servers to accommodate an impressive player base. AoC might get even bigger when it goes cross-platform.
Ed Colligan speaks about Palm OS 2.0
While Palm's CFO Andy Brown wasn't exactly forthcoming with details about its elusive next-gen OS, a recent interview with top dog Ed Colligan revealed quite a bit about codename Nova. As if it wasn't official enough already, we're told that Palm OS 2.0 (which is also not the final moniker) will indeed be Linux-based, and Ed continued to say that it would be "driven around the internet and web-based applications." Of course, a Palm interview wouldn't be a Palm interview without at least some mention of the now-defunct Foleo, and the bigwig left a crack in the rumor drawer by stating that he "still believed the idea would be vindicated some day." Trust us, there's way more where this came from, so head on down to the read link if your interest is piqued.
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Not a single MMO in the top 100 games sold
We had to look through the list created by Next Generation a few times before coming to the conclusion that not one MMO made the list. We all do enjoy a damn fine game of Cooking Mama for the Wii, but where is World of Warcraft? Where is Lord of the Rings Online? Where are the MMOs? What sort of lunacy is this? Luckily, some explanation can be gathered through a nice little link that provides some analysis of the results and the selection criteria: Numbers take into account only titles released and sold between March 1, 2007 and March 1, 2008 Each game only had to be released in one western territory to be included Numbers take into account North America and Western Europe only Numbers represent retail sales only Turbine's creation, LotRO, neatly fits into qualifying requirements for the list compiled by Next Generation. Running on over to the LotRO website, one doesn't have to search too hard to find, "THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE IS THE #1 SELLING PC GAME ACROSS NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE." The number that fueled that claim is that over 600,000 copies of the game were on pre-order as the game was set for release. Estimates of actual subscribers vary, but, that should make the cut since they are tallying games sold. However, the rules explain that game sales are from retail outlets only, which discounts the online sales LotRO made.MMOs have made a mark on the video game industry since their inception into the gaming world. They have sold hundreds of thousands of copies through download and retail venues through the original client and the expansions that follow. Refinement is needed in order to accurately portray the real numbers that are floating around out there.[via Joystiq]
Analyst: Next-next-gen coming in 2010
Remember when the term "next generation" meant systems like the N64 and original PlayStation? Those were the days. Now the term next generation can only be legally applied to the post-PSWii60 systems that are no doubt being planned as we speak. While no one knows anything for sure about these units yet, that hasn't stopped Pacific Crest Securities analyst Evan Wilson from predicting a 2010 start date for the next console cycle.Talking about EA's bullish revenue projections, Wilson let slip to Gamespot that he believes Nintendo will launch first, followed by Microsoft later in the year (no word on when the assumed PS4 will come). On the portable side, Wilson also predicts the next round of Nintendo DS and Sony PSP hardware will appear sometime in 2010, though it's not clear whether he's calling for a new chipset or just another redesign.If these predictions pan out, that means you only have 687 to 1051 days to save up for a very expensive year.
500,000 have signed up for Age of Conan
Funcom and Eidos spun Age of Conan's high level of anticipation in the community by announcing that more than half a million people have signed up for either the game's beta test or its fan club.That's a fairly impressive number, although it doesn't necessarily predict sales. After all, beta testing is free; who knows how many people will actually drop $50 (or €40, or £30, or whatever other currency) for the box and then 15 bucks a month thereafter?Hopes must be high at Funcom, though, given the financial pressure the game's development has put on the company. Next Generation reported that Funcom's Q4 2007 losses were over three times those of Q4 2006 ($3.1 million vs. $1 million respectively) due in part to the cost of AoC's development. Don't let that add to your fears about the development status, though; the company still has $52.4 million to spare.
Next Generation Remote Control Extender review
When it comes to remotes, some of us here at EngadgetHD are partial to Logitech's Harmony models. The concept of "activity based" remote configuration and automation is a good one; even though we criticize Harmony, it's because we see potential, not because we're haters. Here's a criticism we have: issuing a laundry list of commands to switch activities is slow, and one thing users don't enjoy is maintaining a line of sight between the remote and the equipment rack while it issues all those commands. RF is a solution, but it's only available at the top of the Harmony lineup. Enter the Next Generation Remote Control Extender. It's a bit of kit that will "RF-ize" your standard IR remote (not just Harmony remotes); and we're big fans of "izing!"%Gallery-15265%
Boeing working to provide tracking abilities sans GPS signals
No sooner than the Joint Forces Command announces an initiative to utilize hybrid GPS technology to get geo-tracking information to soldiers whilst inside buildings or otherwise obstructed from GPS range, DARPA has went and hired Boeing to do almost the same thing. The Robust Surface Navigation (RSN) program seeks to "exploit signals of opportunity to deliver precise location information to the US warfighter in GPS-denied environments," which could theoretically overcome any GPS jamming techniques that our enemies may try. Essentially, Boeing is looking to companies such as ROSUM to figure out how to provide tracking data via terrestrial broadcast signals and augmented broadcast signals instead of GPS. The 15-month Phase 1 concept development contract is just getting underway, and while no commercial plans have been cooked up just yet, we can't imagine this staying out of civilian hands for too awfully long.[Via Gizmag]
How did various media outlets report the FTC gaming report?
Here's some light weekend reading about politics, the media and gaming. Earlier this week the U.S. Federal Trade Commission released a report about the gaming industry. The real fun for industry folk was seeing how all the various media outlets would report the news and what their headlines would be. Below is the list, shamelessly ripped-off from Dennis McCauley over at GamePolitics, of various media outlets and their take on the report: FTC says content curbs fall short - L.A. Times Report says the young buy violent games and movies - NY Times FTC: self-regulation of violent content working - Beta News Children still see ads for violent content - Advertising Age FTC scolds marketers about violent content - AdWeek FTC: violence still marketed to youths - Hollywood Reporter Report: Violence still aimed at kids - Variety FTC violence marketing report show general compliance - Broadcasting & Cable FTC Report: Violence Still a Problem in Marketing - TV Week FTC: game industry self-policing improving - GameSpot FTC: M-rated games still marketed to minors - Next Generation FTC: games are better regulated than music, movies - Ars Technica FTC report: mixed reviews on industry's ability to self-regulate - Joystiq FTC: game industry stricter than movies, music - Kotaku FTC report praises, spanks video game industry - GamePolitics As McCauley asks in his headline accompanying the list above, "Were these media outlets reading the same report?" The various headlines make us think of the classic question: If a tree falls in the woods and nobody is around to see it, does it make a sound? Some say yes, some say no, some say it explodes into various pieces, some say the Earth Mother picked it back up, some say there is no tree. The various headlines and the stores with them is a good read on the diversity of voice in the media -- especially when it comes to gaming.
id Software poised for a comeback, says id Software
It's been a long time since id Software defined the first-person shooter with Wolfenstein 3D, and later took it to a new level of insanity with Doom. The company got rich not only off their own revolutionary games, but also by farming out their powerful engines to other developers.In recent years, id has fallen from prominence. Doom 3 and Quake 4 were mere shadows of their predecessors. id began to lose FPS market share as other people's engines got more play. Even id founder/visionary John Carmack seemed to be losing interest in the genre he created, and spent his time building rockets and cell phone games.But in a new interview with Next Generation, id CEO Todd Hollenshead makes it clear that his company has a few tricks up its sleeve, the most exciting of which is Carmack's "brand new shooter that is not based on any previous IP." While Hollenshead refuses to reveal much about this mysterious new game, he does say that "[Carmack's] approach allows us to do some things visually that we haven't ever been able to do before. He is really unfettering the ability of artists to go absolutely nuts."Do you hear that, video game artists? Are you tired of those fetters on your ability to go absolutely nuts? Get a job at id.
Sprint to demo WiMAX at CES
We think the CES floor is going be crowded next week, especially if you venture over by Sprint's booth. The carrier, in conjunction with Motorola and Samsung, will be demonstrating their next-generation WiMAX network in all its glory in beautiful Las Vegas. The demo will include a variety of their current MobiTV offerings, video conferencing, and VOD all via Sprint's 4G network . Now if we could only guess what handsets they plan to use, anyone?
Nokia added as WiMAX supplier for Sprint
Motorola and Samsung won't be the only providers for Sprint's WiMAX network as reports surface that a deal with Nokia is close at hand. Earlier this year, Sprint chose Motorola and Samsung to be the initial suppliers of their next generation high speed WiMAX network in the $3 Billion dollar deal. Any chance we could get in on some of that demo equipment you've got chilling in Chicago and New York, folks?[Via CNET]
More details surface for Verizon's AirCard 595
Just as Verizon Wireless is in the thick of denying the launch that their Rev. A network is officially launching today, more details emerge for one of its supporting players in the role, the Sierra Wireless AirCard 595. The Roc was able to squeeze out some documents for the launch which according to the marketing sheet, is set for Friday, December 15th (hey, that's today!). It looks like the device is supposed to launch with an EV-DO Rev. 0 radio, will support Microsoft Vista, and is going to be upgradeable to Rev. A in a download via VZ Access Manager down the road, suggesting that folks may not be able to get their ultra-fast upstream on today after all. The device is going to cost you speed junkies $270 with no commitment, $150 on a one year, and $100 on a two year contract.Update: The 595 has just popped on Verizon's retail site -- click through to check it out!
T-Mobile chooses Nokia and Ericsson to provide US 3G network
It's going to be sometime mid 2007 when T-Mobile gets their much anticipated 3G network off the ground; thankfully, it looks like they're moving right along, having announced both Nokia and Ericsson to be the providers of their UMTS network. Now even though the parent company of T-Mobile USA, Deutsche Telekom isn't releasing any financial details of the contracts, first estimates are $2.66 billion to be spent over the next two or three years on its next-generation network. Having dropped a load of fat cash on thier precious towers, T-Mobile hopes to reach around 20% of the US market and grow its customer base upwards to 35 million by 2015. [Thanks, TJ]
DS, Wii set to dominate the holidays
Japanese media giant Enterbrain recently surveyed retailers, as reported by Gamefront.de, about their expectations for game system sales this holiday season. We know you're not surprised, but right now? The show is all Nintendo. Retailers were asked, "Which next generation console do you think will sell better this Christmas?" The results lean heavily toward Nintendo -- 88% thought the Wii would boast better sales, and 11% settled on the PS3. We're not sure if it's worse that Microsoft wasn't even listed (perhaps because the Xbox 360 was released last year) or that Sony only garnered 11% in the poll.The Wii loses, however, when it comes to all systems ... because 60% of retailers queried thought the Nintendo DS would be the top dog of all holiday console sales. Only 32.8% chose the Wii ... and a shocking 3.3% picked the PS3.
Analysts promise they're not just making it all up
Ever had the fleeting thought that maybe those video game analysts just don't quite know what they're about? Don't worry, it's not just you -- even they admit that the ever-changing market can be a challenge to ride.Next-Gen's Krist Graft sat down with Michael Pachter of Wedbush Morgan Securities to discuss the challenges of predicting the business of video games. How does he do it? The same as any 'armchair' analyst, Pachter keeps up with the news. Some firms (like WMS) change their predictions as often as there are new developments, and this tumultuous week has brought about some major updates. What else? Analysts look for comparisons in gauging what's hot in the console war. He pointed to the success of the DS, particularly games that employ the stylus, as evidence that Nintendo is on the cutting edge of the interactivity that consumers want. Trend-spotting like that forms the basis of so much analysis in video games. What's the final verdict for us? "The Wii's going to crush," Pachter says. Well, we don't understand all this fancy-schmancy business jargon he's using there, but we have to agree.
