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You could be eating this controller contest winner [update 1]
We asked you for limericks on the topic of the next-gen console war and the responses astounded us. All manner of limerick were fashioned, many of them clever, some of them just awful. It's as if some of you were channelling Edward Lear. That makes choosing one best limerick difficult, so we're going to shirk the responsibility and ask you to choose from among our 20 favorites. You can vote once per day and you can select multiple limericks per vote. We'll end voting on Tuesday at 11:59 PM EDT. [Update 1: Existonfile has won. He has been contacted.]
Wiimote controller or Xbox Live? Which is the bigger innovation?
Business Week's running an interview with Microsoft Corporate VP Peter Moore in which Moore was asked to opine on innovation. In particular, he was asked to comment on the innovation the TV remote-style controller that will come bundled with Nintendo's newest console. Moore's response: "If the controller is different and innovative; fine. But I would say that Xbox Live is the bigger innovation. It depends on your definition of innovative. If having a DVD style controller defines innovation; great. I would argue that talking millions of gamers and connecting them with friends and strangers around the world... I'd call that pretty innovative." There are a few ways to settle this debate. Which one took more engineering brawn to develop? Which one will drive more sales? Which one will change the face of gaming more? Will either innovation be remembered years from now as a flop? Which of the two is actually more fun to use? Which of the two provides gamers with the most value?
65% of women, 35% of men aged 25-34 play games
According to the New York Times' interpretation of this study, 65% of women between the ages of 25 and 34 play video games while only 35% of men in that same age bracket play video games. The big difference is that women choose to play so-called "casual games" that are commonly found on portals such as Pogo.com, MSN.com, and Yahoo.com (and Xbox Live Arcade, too) while men favor games that are sold at places like GameStop. There's no hard data on why the sexes have such different gaming preferences, but many believe it's because women favor less competitive games that lack the violence and complicated control schemes so prevalent in "hardcore" games enjoyed by men. While there are plenty of companies serving either the "hardcore" segment or the "casual" segment, only a few companies are serving both well. EA's one such company. Through their Pogo.com subsidiary, EA snagged one million gamers willing to pay a monthly rate of $2.49 to $4.99 per month. Three fourths of these customers are female. Microsoft also chases both hardcore and casual gamers via software that runs on the Xbox, PC, MSN and mobile phone platforms. Nintendo's recent strategic shifts towards simpler control schemes and mass-appeal subject matter (Nintendogs, for instance) indicate that there's more than one company in Redmond chasing after the casual gamer.
Hot deets on Burger King's Xbox 360 promo
Facts and speculation about the Xbox 360-Burger King promotion that's rumored to be in the works have been popping up hither and thither on the internet, thanks to loose lips and inadequate secrecy measures. In the latest gaffe, an entire FAQ on the program appears to have been left open to public access. Looks like someone needs to hire themselves a capable web administrator. Then again, maybe this is another of those "leaks" that was done on purpose as a viral campaign ahead of the big push. If that makes us unwitting pawns in some grand marketing scheme, we're ok with it for once, because there's a ton of interesting information here (but not here).
