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Mercenaries 2: confirmed coming to many, many consoles
This isn't speculation -- this is official. Mercenaries 2 has long been rumored and, in essence, accepted as a 360 title as well as a PlayStation 3 title. Well, it's on 360, we know. But what we were surprised to learn is that the game is also making its way to the PC... and the PlayStation 2. Why the [expletive deleted] would they do that? We don't care if it goes to the 360, PC, Wii, and IMAX or whatever, but the PS2? Come, here is a free ticket for the logic train.Multiplatform titles are all well and good, but we really think enough is enough: no cross-generation games anymore. We're referring to games being released on a "next-gen" console and a "last-gen" console. Sure, you may get more software sales, but you're hindering the adoption rate of next-gen consoles. "Why should I get a PS3 for this game if it's good enough to work on the PS2, also?" This happened with the first wave of XBox 360 titles, so it's not a new trend. Even so, it's aggravating. Keep the "next-gen" games on the next-gen consoles... don't dumb them down for the previous generation of gaming systems. Bah. Rant end... leave your thoughts, though![via Joystiq]
Sony "very pleased" by record-breaking January sales [Update 1]
According to GameDaily BIZ, January 2007 was a "record month" for the PlayStation business, with $550M in revenue for North America. "PSP sales in January were exceptionally strong with the system quickly closing the gap on the leading competitor." Does this mean sales of the PSP are nearly matching the DS? Sounds like it to me.Without official numbers stated, it'll be hard to truly decipher Sony's cryptic message (for now). However, it appears that Sony's three pillar strategy is working quite well: PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable are all delivering robust sales, regardless of what some fanboys would like you to believe. Isn't it just a good time for everyone in the industry?[Update 1: PSP sold through 211k units, while the DS managed 239k, according to Gamespot. Thanks, Tristan!]
Xploder PS2 HDTV upscaler reviewed
While there's plenty of options for upscaling all those non-HD DVDs you're not ready to give up just yet, there's not a whole lot you can do to improve how your collection of past-gen video games look on your spiffy HDTV, apart from simply using a good component cable. Video game accessorizer Xploder is trying to rectify that situation somewhat, however, releasing its "HDTV Player" for the PS2, which the folks at Reg Hardware recently got a chance to test out. While they seems to have had better results than some of the other earlier reviews, they weren't without their share of problems, with the boot CD that tweaks the PS2's resolution requiring a few tries before it got going, and some games reportedly looking "like they'd been blown up in Photoshop" when they tested 'em on a 32-inch LCD. On the whole, however, they found that most games did "look a little sharper," and they seem to have been particularly taken with the metal tin the whole lot comes in. Whether that's enough to justify the $40 price tag or not, you'll have to decide for yourself.
PS2 Vice City Stories to have exclusive new content
In the DVD industry, this kind of practice is called "double dipping" and it absolutely sucks. It makes people that have purchased the original feel neglected and the real fans are punished because in order to access the new content, you have to repurchase a new copy. While the practice is considered fine when there's some amount of transparency, Rockstar has been handling it all wrong. Don't call a game a PSP-exclusive if it'll head to another system immediately. Don't consider the games equal, when they're not. Shouldn't gamers have a choice to get the best version of GTA possible?According to GTAPortable.com, the Italian Take-Two website refers to Vice City Stories on PS2 as having better graphics and exclusive, unpublished content. Hopefully, it won't make PSP gamers feel like the $50 they spent on the original went wasted.
VCS: Okay, so it's actually coming to PS2
We told you so. But now it's official. March 6th for North America. March 9th for the UK.Press release after the cut.[Via Joystiq]
GameFly's rental charts -- Crackdown dominates
You know, it was fun doing these the other week, so we'll try to keep up on this a little better. Keep in mind, these lists represent requests for games -- both available now and upcoming titles not yet released. Here's what people are renting/requesting from GameFly:Top Overall (also known as XBox 360): Crackdown Lost Planet Battlestations: Midway Nintendo Wii: Wario Ware: Smooth Moves Sonic and the Secret Rings SSX Blur Playstation 3: Sonic Virtua Fighter 5 Grand Theft Auto IV Playstation 2: God of War II Rogue Galaxy Bully There you have it. We're keeping the PS2 listings because, well, it's still very much alive and kicking. Have you guys rented any of these games? What are your thoughts? We'd like to know how Crackdown plays just as much as Rogue Galaxy. Drop a comment!
No Vice City Stories for PS2? Sure ...
You may remember that a few days ago, the ESRB let slip that Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories was heading to the PS2. Looks like PlayStation.com also had a listing for the potential port. However, it looks like the ESRB listing has disappeared, as well as the PlayStation.com listing. Was the original posting just a mistake? Rockstar neither confirms nor denies a PS2 version, simply telling IGN: "as a company, Rockstar does not comment on rumors or speculation."While it may be true that Rockstar isn't working on a PS2 version of Vice City Stories, this listing had to have come from some place. For now, we'll say it's not in the works, but we'll be unsurprised if it ever materializes.[Thanks, Joe! Via Joystiq]
Vice City Stories no longer a PSP exclusive
Vice City Stories to be PSP exclusive? Many doubted Rockstar, considering how Liberty City Stories made the jump to PlayStation 2. Well, looks like the doubters were right: A look at the ESRB website reveals a listing for a PS2 version of Vice City Stories. If it follows the footsteps of its Liberty City brethren, it will launch on PS2 for a measly $20, sans multiplayer.Considering the relatively low sales of the latest GTA, it makes sense. Now, a whole new audience will be able to play with Phil Collins.[Via IGN]See also:PSP Fanboy review: GTA Vice City Stories
Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice heads to PSP & PS2
I thoroughly enjoyed the first Pursuit Force (pictured above), a high-octane racer-shooter that has you jumping and gunning from car to car. It perfectly emulated the experience of being in a Hollywood action movie, and although the game was short (and somewhat shallow), it met moderate success on the PSP.Now, a sequel is heading to both the PSP and PlayStation 2 platforms. Extreme Justice will have players fighting warring gangs once again. Four new recruits to the Pursuit Force will provide support for the player throughout the game. As with the original, the player will commandeer a number of vehicles, including jet skis, helicopters and more. A nice addition to the sequel is multiple difficulty levels: a great addition for those that found the first too hard for their tastes.The PSP version will feature 4-player ad-hoc multiplayer, and the PS2 version will feature 2-player split-screen. The game is scheduled for a summer 2007 release.[Via Gamespot]
Official Holiday 2006 console sales figures don't surprise
Well despite the fact that CNBC recently reported some erroneous figures regarding console sales for this holiday season, it looks like the official numbers still show a resounding Xbox 360 victory among next-gen systems during the month of December. Official stats being published by The NPD group show that Microsoft sold 1.1 million of its boxes last month, followed by Nintendo with 604,000 Wiis, and PS3 bringing up the rear with 491,000 consoles sold. It's not all bad news for Sony, however: when we add in all systems sold during this time period (not just the three that everyone has been fussin' and fightin' over), the overall king of Holiday Season 2006 was actually the PS2, with 1.4 million systems pushed out the door. Sure these last-gen boxes can be found for much cheaper than their newer counterparts, but at least Sony is making a profit off of them, unlike the $300+ it's losing on each 20GB PS3. We'll leave the analysis of these numbers to the experts (a.k.a. fanboy commenters), and simply note that we were way ahead of the curve on this one -- we picked up Holiday 2006's most popular console way back in October 2000.
Best-Selling games for December 2006 [update 1]
Don't get your hopes up, fellow Sony defenders. No PS3 title made the top ten for the month of December, but a few PS2 games did and we're the closest thing to PS2Fanboy, so we might as well talk about it. Let's toss up the list first thing and the game at #1 shouldn't surprise anyone: Gears of War (360) Guitar Hero II (PS2) Madden '07 (PS2) Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (GCN) Same... but for Wii WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2007 (PS2) ... Seriously? I never saw the appeal. New Super Mario Bros. (DS) Call of Duty 3 (360) Yoshi's Island 2 (DS) [updated/corrected list] Call of Duty 3 (PS2) As far as hardware goes, we'll just cover the Sony end because it's sort of surprising. The PS2 was in second place for December (because it's a race, so we have to have places and not just numbers) with 1.4 million units sold, behind the DS. Next was the 360, but closely following it was, *gasp* the PSP! Fourth place with 953.2 thousand units. The PS3, due to limited supply, sold 490.7 thousand units, which is still respectable, since I've only ever seen one -- the one in my living room.I don't know if this was just for Japan or worldwide, but the source claims the PS2 has sold 37.1 million units in its life -- wasn't it closer to 90 million? Perhaps that was a dream I had. Either way, this is pretty delicious news for all gamers. We all get a taste of victory. Enjoy your medal.
Pachter gets one right; GameStop stock worth buying
When video game analysts are mentioned, most of us who closely follow game news think of Michael Pachter. Like any analyst, their predictions aren't perfect. In fact, many abide by the 51% rule; if you get at least 51% of your predictions right, you're a good analyst. Back in November, Pachter predicted GameStop (GME) to ride a wave of consumer spending on video games. GameStop has released some information proving that buy a good one. GameStop has increased its already strong revenue outlook by $50 million and its Q4 earnings per share from $1.53-$1.59 to $1.58-$1.60. On top of other interesting sales promotions, GameStop certainly enjoyed the console launches and top-selling games like Gears of War immensely. GameStop is still looking like a strong buy with the strong Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii lineups for 2007 along with continuing PS2 support (though not everyone is in consensus on this). Since we're going to make some money off this one, we're going to forgive Pachter for some of his missed predictions.
Control your PlayStation 3 with IR
Ok, so the PS3 certainly has its strengths (like the built in Blu-ray player, for instance), but there's definitely a few gripes following it around as well. A (very understandable) complaint from AV freaks has been how the home-theater-centric console strangely lacks an IR receiver, and instead, Sony opted to offer up its proprietary Bluetooth remote to control the BD movie action from afar. Those looking to dictate your PS3 with that (presumably costly) universal IR remote, take heart, as the clever folks at Remote Central have whipped up a way to add infrared functionality to your IR-less machine. Aside from a PlayStation 3 and a desire to further integrate it into your home theater setup, you'll need a PSX/PS2 Controller-to-USB adapter as well as an original Sony DVD remote for the PS2 (model SCPH-10172) with external IR receiver (model SCPH-10160). Of course, the aforementioned remote should prove trickiest to find, as the current models lack that crucial external receiver to account for the built-in version found in the slim PS2 units. By connecting the external IR receiver to the adapter box, and then plugging the resulting combination into a USB port, you've created an unsightly way to talk to your PS3 via infrared. So if you've got integration on the brain, or just don't feel like shelling out the funds for that newfangled Bluetooth remote, be sure to hit the read link for the full skinny, and give yourself something productive to do over the relaxing holiday vacation.[Via CEPro]
Team Xtender's XFPS 360 in action
While product announcements are certainly thrilling at times, there's really nothing better than getting some live action video to spy before you buy. We've seen Wowwee's FlyTech Dragonfly buzzing around T3's headquarters, and we've witnessed Doom being played on an OLPC XO, but now we've got several videos showing Team Xtender's XFPS 360 doing its thang. The handy converter box allows gamers who dig the Xbox 360's high definition visuals -- but prefer to input commands via Sony's dual-shock controller or the tried and true keyboard / mouse tandem -- to have their wildest wishes granted. Moreover, it reportedly plays nice with the PS2 light gun, racing wheel, dance mat, and guitar (huzzah!). So if you're still fence-bound trying to decide whether or not this thing's worth your $79.99 come the first week of January, be sure to click on for a YouTube demonstration, and hit the read link for some more in-depth coverage.
SplitFish's EdgeFX controller brings PC-style input to the console
The evolution of input devices for gaming consoles has certainly been interesting to follow: from Atari's paddles and joysticks to Nintendo's classic NES controller to the modern million-button joypads which delight children and confuse adults, developers are forever seeking ways to increase both the functionality and ergonomics of these peripherals. Well even though today's DualShock and Xbox gamepads are widely praised for their comfort and control, PC gamers still seem to prefer the old keyboard and mouse combo for maximum versatility and fragability (is that even a word?). Fully aware that there will always be folks who enjoy aiming their weapons with a mouse instead of an analog stick, SplitFish -- of MotionFX and DualFX fame -- has just released a new product that attempts to bring PC-style input to Sony's PlayStation 2. The EdgeFX is a two-part system composed of a rumble mouse sporting the standard geometrical buttons and a nunchuck-like wired attachment that contains a D-pad and single thumbstick. Probably the main appeal of this innovative controller is a dedicated "focus" button which adjusts mouse sensitivity on the fly so that you can aim with precision and still swing around wildly when you're surveying the field of play. Available immediately from GameStop for $70, the EdgeFX only supports PS2 for the time being, but SplitFish claims that a PS3 version is in the works and even 360 may "get in the game" if there's adequate interest.[Via PS3 Fanboy]
Sony's Phil Harrison congratulates Nintendo
There's no doubt that the PSP hasn't done as stellar as everyone has hoped. But that doesn't mean it's done poorly, either. MTV News spoke with Sony's Phil Harrison about the performance of the PSP so far. He notes that the PSP is doing a "very good job," distinct from the "great job" that Sony did on PS1 and PS2. He thinks that "most people use their PSP at home," an oddity that he'd like to change. Finally, he praised Nintendo and the DS, stating: "Nintendo should be congratulated... [DS owners] are our customers of tomorrow." Certainly, as Nintendo DS owners get older, they'll most likely look towards products that satisfy a more mature taste. It happened with the transition from Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64 to Playstation and PlayStation 2, and it may happen again.
Chiklis gets cheeky in The Shield video game
Everyone's favorite renegade cop, Vic Mackey (played by Michael Chiklis, without his more recent orange rock outer layer), will be appearing on the PlayStation 2 and PC in early 2007, giving gamers a chance to intimidate witnesses and beat the crap out of criminals while wearing a badge. Well, beat them up (sometimes) and intimidate them verbally (a lot).Firing Squad has an interview with game creators Kraig Horigan and Rob Sandberg up, and they talk about the ins and outs of turning The Shield into a game. Apparently the hardest part was in figuring out how to tone Mackey down so that the player has an alternative to applying brute force to every situation. But hey, that's what he does on the TV show, and that's also the version of the game we want to play.Sadly, this great FX TV show looks like it'll be getting the "let's turn this property into a crummy video game" treatment, based on the screenshots alone. At least Kenny Johnson came in to do some voice recording. He may be off the show, but he'll live on in the game. Lemonhead, FTW!
Criterion talks about Burnout Dominator
EA recently revealed that the upcoming Burnout Dominator will be a PSP and PS2 exclusive, a strange decision in the light of a new generation of platforms. Nick Channon from Criterion Games spoke to Gamespot in a recent interview, and shared a few more details about the upcoming racer: The game will feature shorter "skill-based" levels, which is "perfect on PSP." The PSP and PS2 versions will not feature any connectivity with each other. All multiplayer will be available via ad-hoc (no Infrastructure? Boo!). Not too revealing, but at least it's something. Expect more updates as this game gets closer.
New Burnout is a PS2 and PSP exclusive
When Burnout 5 was announced for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, current-gen system owners felt somewhat neglected. Well, it appears that Electronic Arts is giving the Sony current-gen platforms some love through an all new Burnout game called Burnout Dominator. "The series was born on the PlayStation 2, and Burnout Dominator is about celebrating the essence of Burnout," said Nick Channon, Senior Producer of Burnout Dominator."Celebrating the essence" of the franchise makes this upcoming game sound a lot like PSP's Burnout Legends, which was an amalgamation of various games from the acclaimed series. Considering how excellent Legends was, PSP gamers have a lot to look forward to.(Of course, a DS version wasn't announced. Probably because the first DS Burnout was a horrible idea.)[Via Gamasutra]
Crooks tie up victims with power cord whilst stealing PlayStation
While this one came oh-so-close to being filed under the ongoing PS3 crime spree chronicles, the inability to pinpoint the PlayStation unit crooks nabbed as one of the highly-coveted "3" models forced us to clump this in with the smorgasbord of other (general) utterly dumb criminal acts. While it wouldn't surprise us to find that the armed burglars who ransacked a Cincinnati home were indeed after the mighty lucrative PS3, their bafflingly high level of stupidity leaves us to wonder if it wasn't a PlayStation 2 (or worse, a PSOne). The robbers reportedly bum rushed the house with their eyes on the prize, tied up the victims with a "PlayStation power cord," bolted out while laughing evilly, and then realized they needed the very cable they left behind. Similar to the crook who jacked a TV but returned for the remote, these guys apparently forgot the keys to pulling off an even marginally successful heist, but thankfully didn't harm the poor family they intruded upon. The wonders of humanity will never cease.[Thanks, Matt M.]
