"Sony has gained 2.7 percent in today’s trading session on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, outperforming the exchange average gain by 2.4 percent.

Today’s surge has sent Sony’s share price to the highest level in two weeks."

"In the basic mode of operation, the user plays their game in the normal way but with one significant difference. jOG detects when the player takes a step and only allows movement in the game while the player is jogging on the spot. Direction and all the other functions are still controlled by the standard gamepad..."

"Games industry trade body ELSPA (the Entertainment Leisure & Software Publishers Association) today urged parents looking to purchase video and computer games for Christmas to always check the game's packaging for the PEGI (Pan European Game Information) age ratings and content descriptors. PEGI age ratings appear on game packaging and are intended to protect children and help the public make informed choices when buying games for children. ELSPA believes..."

It's not everyday that mistakes such as this happen, but when it happens, you can be sure that the gaming community will be all over it, as is the case here. Whilst trying to advertise Windows Vista, Microsoft have unconsciously (we presume) advertised the PlayStation.

The error of course comes in the form of a leaflet published by Microsoft which tells people about playing games on Windows Vista... only the images they use is off kids playing (and seemingly having fun) playing on a PS2.

"As we look forward to Veteran's Day tomorrow, we're reminded that serving with the military in Iraq or Afghanistan must be very difficult, indeed. Our troops face constant danger and are far removed from their families and the things they enjoyed at home.

But a Philadelphia-area woman, Stefanie Doctor Shea, works hard to bring at least one of the comforts of home to the front lines: video games."

"While McCain has spoken out against harmful media as a whole, Obama has gone as far as to say that the ESRB’s rating system needs improvement, but did not offer details as to how. In a response to the question of keeping media companies from marketing and pushing inappropriate content to children (posed by Kotaku in the heat of the primaries) Obama stated, “I would call upon the video game industry to give parents better information about programs and video games by improving the voluntary ra..."

"The Australian Federal Police arrested and charged two Canadians, both 18, and a New Zealander, 20, at a Surfers Paradise address on Friday.

A police spokesman said Customs officers detected a parcel containing the drugs at Sydney's international mail facility on October 5.

Three packets of tablets were found inside the video game machine and one packet was found in the cover of a game disc. The AFP monitored the consignment to the Queensland address."

Matthew Gallant, of the site gangles, has typed up the history of the famous A and B buttons! Taking a look at Nintendo, Sega, Microsoft and Sony.

It starts from the revolution that was the NES controller with the break away from the joystick fad to the DS where the article's author was shocked to find it A and B instead of B and A. Though the basic functions have been kept the same, designs have changed. Sega and Microsoft consoles have been similar, also using the A and B theme. Yes Sony...

Ben Heck brings us a one handed controller for the PS2, PS3, and PC - with a 360 version on the way. It might be a little unwieldly at first- but it is safe to assume that this controller is pretty bad ass.

Even better- Ben is going to offer up guides on how to hack and mod his controller mod in the upcoming few weeks - stay tuned for that!

"8 The only way you can qualify is if you're at the local radio station sponsored event and compete to rank as the top "SingStar" performer for that market.

• The top performer in each market will not only win the prizing outlined, but get their all- star SingStar performace posted on www.hearsomethingcountry.com for all country music fans, and friends, to vote on!

"

Japan's game and hardware sales from last week have been revealed, with Rhythm Tengoku Gold, a Ninteno DS game, coming first. One of the newest additions to the Japanese market, Afrika, came in second with 38,000 units sold. Rounding out the top five is J-League Winning Eleven 2008 Club Championship for the PS2, PSP Fate/Tiger Colosseum Upper for the PSP, and Wii Fit.

Over on the hardware side, the DS Lite sold the most, reaching over 56,000 units! Second was the PSP with 41k new owners, ...

"Tecmo’s had its share of troubles lately especially with Tomonobu Itagaki, the creator of Dead or Alive series and developer of the Ninja Gaiden remakes, leaving Tecmo. Also Tecmo has not been as profitable as it once were back in the hey-days of it’s rein.

Now with huge publisher/studio Square Enix eating up Tecmo for breakfast we witness yet another case of a well known studio getting merged into a larger studio. Recently we witnessed the Activision Blizzard merger, as well as EA taking ..."

"Reader Schpadoinkle666 works at Walmart (we're sorry) and sends us a picture of the new package, while a guy named Creighton sends word that he found one in his local Fry's Electronics yesterday.

I was browsing the local Fry's Electronics on Monday and saw that they had the 90000 series PS2s in stock for $129. The box was slightly smaller than the slims (reduced to $124); the definitive clue to me was that the description of the box contents mentioned an ac cord but omitted mention of ..."

"With two successful years of pomp and glitzy bluster under its belt, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts has announced that its British Academy Video Games Awards are set to return in March 2009, following a leave of absence this year.

With its videogames award ceremony scheduled for March 10 at the London Hilton, Park Lane, the Academy aims to "support, develop and promote the art forms of the moving image by identifying and rewarding excellence, inspiring practitioners and be..."

"We already know that Rock Band 2 is going to make its debut on the Xbox 360 before any other console. However, we’ve gotten no word on just how long we’ll have to wait before it is released on the PS3 and Wii. However, thanks to a few snapshots from a retailer, we may have a better idea.

According to the screens, we can expect the Xbox 360 version to hit stores on September 14th. The PS3 owners will have to wait just over a month for their October 19th release, while Wii owners won’t see i..."

"SCE India will also be launching the playstation network for their playstation-3 in India, which will allow gamers to download free games and also buy them online. This portal is already available in the US and Europe.

“The playstation network is ready for India. It is only the integration of the payment gateway that needs to be done.” said Mr Bose. We shall launch it by the end of this fiscal, he added.

“PS-2 is an entry-level console, which helps first timers to enter the gaming zone,..."

"In the second grade, James Silva didn't just play "Mario" and "Zelda" on his Nintendo but drew pictures of new levels and cooked up ideas for future games.

While other kids dreamed of becoming an astronaut or president, he felt destined to be a video game designer.

Conquering space or politics might have been easier.

Besides a good idea, game developers have needed a distribution deal to get their work on consoles like the Xbox or PlayStation.

And over the years, the industry has ..."

"HW
PlayStation 3 208.7K
PlayStation Portable 182.3K
Xbox 360 186.6K
Wii 675.1K
Nintendo DS 452.6K

SW Top 10
Top 10 SKU's May 2008 Rank # Units
(includes CE, GOTY editions, bundles, etc.)
360 GRAND THEFT AUTO IV TAKE 2 INTERACTIVE (CORP) APR 2008 1 871.3K
WII MARIO KART W/ WHEEL NINTENDO OF AMERICA APR 2008 2 787.4K
WII FIT W/ BALANCE BOARD NINTENDO OF AMERICA MAY 2008 3 687.7K
PS3 GRAND THEFT AUTO IV TAKE 2 INTERACTIVE (CORP) APR 2008 4 442.9K
WII PLAY W/ REMOTE NINTENDO OF AME..."

"The games industry is always on the look-out for new, talented engineers and programmers who understand how the hardware works under the hood. However, it isn’t possible to buy a PlayStation development kit at your local computer store and development for the PlayStation has remained a mystery, even to very interested individuals. It gives me great pleasure to unveil the mystery and announce the PlayStation-edu program! We expect this program to be a great tool to teach students about the Pla..."

"-Hot Shots Golf(R): Open Tee 2 — PSP (Available June 3, 2008 / E for "Everyone")
-Secret Agent Clank(TM) — PSP (Available June 17, 2008 / E10+ for "Everyone 10+")
-wipEout(R) HD — PSN (Available Summer 2008 / Rated E10+)
-Elefunk(TM) — PSN (Available Summer 2008 / E for "Everyone")
-PixelJunk(TM) Eden — PSN (Available Summer 2008 / Not Yet Rated)
-SIREN: Blood Curse — PSN (Available Summer 2008 / Not Yet Rated)
-SOCOM: US Navy SEALs Confrontation — PS3 (Available September 16, 2008 / No..."

"U.S. Video Games Industry - April 2008

April 2007 April 2008 YTD Apr 07 YTD Apr 08
Video Games $839 million $1.23 billion 47.0% $4.18 billion $5.47 billion 31.0%
Video Games Hardware $339.2 million $426.2 million 26.0% $1.62 billion $1.84 billion 13.0%
Video Games Software $389.4 million $654.7 million 68.0% $1.97 billion $2.88 billion 46.0%
Video Game Accessories $110.4 million $154 million 39.0% $584.4 million $750.6 million 29.0%

Hardware
PlayStation 2 124.4K
PlayStation 3 1..."

""There's definitely the possibility of [Boom Blox] going to other consoles," said EA producer Amir Rahimi, speaking to Video Gamer on Tuesday. Currently, the Jenga-like explosive puzzle game directed by Steven Spielberg is Wii exclusive.

Rahimi went on to praise the game's physics, a feature that was lauded by critics at Nintendo's media summit two weeks ago.

"I haven't really seen another game that uses physics as well and as much as Boom Blox," he said, including Xbox 360 and PS3. "..."

"The phenomenon of the BYOC (bring-your-own-computer) LAN party continues to grow and grow, and this fact is reinforced by the news that one of Europe’s largest regular LAN parties, the i-Series, has sold out its latest event in record time.

What started out as a small group of enthusiasts meeting in a village hall has grown to the point where 2000 seats have been sold in 1 month for the 34th i-Series. This is a relief for the organizers, Multiplay.co.uk, who have taken a big gamble for thi..."

"Soon to be top 10 NFL draft pick and former Boston College QB Matt Ryan has been selected for the PS3 cover of NCAA Football 09. He joins Darren McFadden (360) and Sparty (Wii) as representing the cover of the console specific versions of the game. The PS2 and PSP covers are still to be announced in the future.

quote

Former college football standout Matt Ryan will join former Arkansas All-American Darren McFadden as a spokesman and cover athlete for NCAA Football 09. Ryan will be featured o...

"

"In honor of the glorious holiday upon us today, the holiday of 4-20, I give you the Top 7 Characters who have a serious case of the munchies."

"

Xbox 360

North America:

1. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision)
2. Rock Band Special Edition (MTV Games)
3. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (Ubisoft)
4. Halo 3 (Microsoft)
5. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Activision).

Japan:

1. Turok (Touchstone)
2. The Idolm@ster: Live for You! (Namco)
3. Armored Core: For Answer (From Software)
4. Skate (EA Games)
5. Dark Sector (D3 Publisher).

Europe:

1. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (Ubisoft)
2. Halo 3 (Microsoft)
3. Assassin’s Creed (Ubisoft)
4. Devil May Cry 4 (Capcom)
5. Viking: Bat...

"

"Harmonix's Rob Kay has responded to criticisms over the European price point for Rock Band, telling Eurogamer: "We're not trying to rip anybody off."

As announced earlier today, Rock Band will launch in Europe on May 23rd for Xbox 360, with PS2, PS3 and Wii versions to follow in the summer. The total cost for the game, drum kit, microphone and guitar will come to GBP 180 / EUR 240 - compared to USD 169 (GBP 85 / EUR 107) in the States.

Speaking to Eurogamer today Kay, who is lead desig..."

"THQ executive Jack Sorenson has branded the hardware battle between Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo as "totally irrelevant", arguing that the rewards offered by each represent a "win" for games publishers.

Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz last week at THQ's product showcase in San Francisco, the US publisher's head of worldwide studios said there was "too much of an emphasis on the sports aspect of who's winning and losing", and that his company was focusing on opportunities rather than installe..."

"When you get into the specifics, though, is where things get particularly interesting; for instance, check this out:

quote

Among those who use a video game system for online gaming, Xbox 360 is the top system used, with 50 percent stating they play games online via that system. On average, Xbox 360 owners spend the most time per week using their 360s to play games online, followed by PC and PS3 owners using these respective systems for online game play.

Not satisfied with that small nugget, ..."

"Hardware Chart
Sony’s PSP has topped the Japanese hardware chart for the week ending the 30th of March. It was predicted that the PSP hardware sales would increase due to the release of the hugely popular Monster Hunter Portable 2G on the 27th of March, which topped the software chart with 880 000 units sold in its opening week. However, the latest Media Create figures show that the PSP sold an impressive 129 986 units, roughly 70 000 units more than last week’s 59 833 units."

"Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit on June 6 with Legendary set for Q3 2008.

Atari UK has issued an updated release schedule confirming release dates for DBZ: Burst Limit amongst others.

Burst Limit, the first DBZ title for Xbox 360 and PS3, is set for release across Europe on June 6, followed later that month by Alone in the Dark (Xbox 360, PC, Wii, PS2).

Atari's next big release will arrive in Q3 2008 in the shape of Legendary on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, with the PS3 version of Alone in the ..."

"That will, according to the estimates, be particularly true in Europe, where EA expects the PlayStation 3 to sell between 5 and 6 million units across the year, compared to just 1.5-2.5 million for the Xbox 360.

That means that while the company thinks the two will tie in North America on 4.5 to 5.5 million unit sales, the two sets of numbers combined give Sony's flagship console a compelling 3.5 million lead.

The report predicts the Nintendo Wii will win the year, with a combined total..."

""

"We like to hear people scream at us. Unfortunately, it has been a long while since anyone's actually done it. To compensate, the editors of all three IGN Editorial offices (US, UK, and Australia) got together and decided that it was time to revisit one of the most controversial topics in our business...

Our criteria for creating this list of our picks for the Top 100 Games of All Time are as follows:

-Eligible games had to have been released no later than December 31, 2006 (perspective ..."

"Today in Japan, Sony Computer Entertainment confirmed rumors by officially unveiling a new version the PlayStation 2. The latest iteration of the hardware--which has sold over 120 million units internationally in its seven-plus years on the market--will be available in three colors (black, white, and silver) and have a built-in AC adaptor. Officially announced for Japan, the PS2, model #SCPH-90000, has also been confirmed for release in the EU by Sony Europe. In Japan, it will retail for ¥16,..."

""Look at the PS2; they've gone long-time and seem to have pretty good legs on what they are doing," Mount told a BMO Capital Markets conference on interactive entertainment."

"Sony will release a redesigned PlayStation 2 in Japan later this month featuring an integrated power supply and cosmetic changes. A Deep Red PSP will also launch in December.

Released on November 22, SCEJ says the new model, while the same size as the current PS2, will be lighter due to a design overhaul, and will feature an in-built AC adaptator.

It will be available in Charcoal Black, Ceramic White and Satin Silver for 16,000 yen, the same price as the existing model, meaning a PS2 pr..."

"Sony reports revenues up

But games division losses double, dragging down overall figures

Sony Corporation has announced its financial results for the second fiscal quarter of 2007, showing an overall revenue growth year-on-year of 12.3 per cent.

However, while the Corporation made an operating profit of JPY 90.5 billion (USD 787 million) during the quarter, up from a loss of JPY 20.8 billion (USD 182 million) last year, the games division's losses doubled in the same period.

Altho..."

It's been out for MANY years now, and even it's replacement has now launched. I am obviously talking about the Playstation 2. With the console being so old, and with such a huge range of games on the console, it's very easy to find amazing games at cheap prices. Well here's a quick guide to the games you should find most of which are less than $10 (visit the source for indepth details on games and where to buy them):

1. Jak & Daxter, Jak II, Jak 3 (Around $6 Each)
2. Ratchet & Clank, R&K Going Comma...

My Playstation 2 can write on Paper, can yours? Well if you recycle it, it may very well write on Paper. It turns out that people in China that are leaving their Playstation 2's for the Playstation 3 (or the XBOX360/Wii), and having their console recycled are in effect turning their PS2's into Ballpoint Pens as the image below shows.

Most definitely an Environmentally friendly of recycling the console, that's for sure.

DISCLAIMER: I'VE NOT ACTUALLY RECYCLED MY PS2, AND AS SUCH IT DOES...

Consoles in this day and age, seem to follow a "Console Cycle"... well atleast Sony did with the Playstation trilogy... The cylce sees the introduction of a new generation machine every 5 to 6 years, however the production life of each machine is around 10 years.

Take for example the (original) Playstation which was released in Dec 1994. This was followed in Mar 2000 by the PS2, however it remained in production till Mar 2006 when Sony finally stopped making the machines. Which meant that...

"Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony - Titans of the videogame industry and sworn enemies on the console battlefield. But which of gaming's Big Three is winning the war in 2007 so far? Well, using the monthly US hardware sales figures released by market researchers NPD Group, we've tallied up the past six months worth of numbers (Jan-June) to find out how consoles and handhelds have fared in the States during the first half of 2007. Here are the results:

Total US hardware sales January-June 2007
..."

We all want to know the names of the games that Sony are planning on releasing for the various Playstation consoles currently out there (PS2, PS3, PSP). Well we've got with us, a list of these First Party games that were shown during E3 and will be getting more information about as the days go on....

PLAYSTATION®3
THE EYE OF JUDGMENT™
Heavenly Sword™
Infamous
NBA ‘08
Lair
LittleBigPlanet™
Folklore™
Ratchet & Clank® Future: Tools of Destruction™
SingStar™
SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Co...

""Despite its penetration pace being slower than that of the PS2 (3,267,000 units sold as of its 30th week mark) or the GBA (3,306,000 units sold as of its 30th week mark) the Wii's total software sales have been far in excess of these other systems' in terms of volume –thanks to its outstanding software-hardware tie ratio, which ranks it the highest among all the gaming devices released since 1996," said [Famitsu's) report."

"Console manufacturers never get it right the first time around. Whether it's too big, too ugly, too dim or devoid of memory, you can count on a redesign to right a system's wrongs. In honor of the Xbox 360 Elite, we've picked the ten best console redesigns ever."