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Nintendo might be considering hybrid HD/SD console

by JC Fletcher { Nov 5th 2009 at 4:27PM }

In a voluminous response to an investor question about moving to support high-definition output, Nintendo executives laid out their current thoughts on how and when to make such a move in their consoles. Of course, these thoughts shouldn't be taken as a definite indicator of Nintendo's plans, but they might suggest where the company could be headed in the next generation. And if these statements do reflect future events, Nintendo's next console will be HD-capable, but won't require that standard for every game.

Genyo Takeda, GM of Nintendo's Integrated Research & Development Division, said that "moving to HD appears to me a natural flow" given the adoption of HD by television programming. "If we can find out the most appropriate medium, between SD and HD, and flexibly move around them depending on the game's contents, it will be good, I think," he suggested. Shigeru Miyamoto agreed, noting that HD wasn't the most important consideration for something like Wii Fit. "Won't HD be better for the games like Pikmin? The developers should choose the most appropriate graphical format depending on the software they make."

GameStop: PS3 sales remain 'very strong' post price cut

by Alexander Sliwinski { Nov 3rd 2009 at 6:30PM }

For a moment, let's ignore the billions Sony has lost on the PS3 so far and focus on optimism for the future. GameStop executive vice president Tony Bartel notes that momentum for the console has maintained a solid sales pace following Sony's most recent price drop and hardware remodeling.

Bartel tells IndustryGamers that there was a natural surge after the initial announcement of the price drop months ago and that the retailer has seen "very strong" PS3 sales through October. He didn't reveal specific data, though, and we'll have to wait and see if his claims are reflected in the overall October hardware sales figures released by the NPD later this month.

Nintendo half-year results show profits down in '09; still making boffo bucks

by Alexander Sliwinski { Oct 29th 2009 at 1:40PM }

Nintendo's profits took a 52 percent dive in the first-half of 2009 compared to the same period last year, which sounds horrible -- until the realization hits that the company still brought in $766 million in pure profit. Yes, Nintendo is still doing all right, even as it cut its profit forecast for the fiscal year ending March 2010 from $3.3 billion to merely $2.53 billion. Tragic, we know.

The Wii has now sold 56.14 million units globally, while the DS has reached 113.48 million in unit sales. There's been a general slowdown of software sales, however, as the House of Mario has had fewer high-profile releases so far this year -- we count only: Wii Sports Resort. Although investors may see the profit decline as a bad thing, it's not like Nintendo's plump plumber is going to be forced to cut back on those hearty meals any time soon.

Source -- Nintendo financial report [PDF]
Source -- Nintendo profits slide (MCV)

Nintendo officially announces large-screen DSi LL, hits Japan Nov. 21

by Randy Nelson { Oct 29th 2009 at 4:01AM }

It's huuuuge: Nintendo DSi LL (red) versus Nintendo DSi (white)

Well, that didn't take long. Just two days after Japan's Nikkei newspaper reported that Nintendo was planning a new variant of the DSi sporting larger 4" screens (which it called "speculation"), the Big N has gone and announced it -- for Japan, at least. Called the Nintendo DSi LL, the hefty handheld will be released in Japan on November 21 for a price of ¥20,000 ($221).

The device has so far been shown only in a burnt red finish and features a full pen-sized stylus. The whole kit's big -- just look at the above comparison image from Nintendo's site -- and really does appear well-suited for an older audience. We'll have more on the DSi LL soon.

[Thanks, Dr. NOGAMES!]

Insomniac says PS3 won't be maxed for at least another two years

by Xav de Matos { Oct 27th 2009 at 5:01PM }

According to Insomniac's James Stevenson, the developer might not begin maxing out the PlayStation 3's power for at least two or three years. The senior community manager's comments (via CVG) are directed towards how efficient developers have become at using Sony's platform to develop its titles. Since it launched, the PlayStation 3 has been notoriously -- and perhaps erroneously -- described as difficult to develop for, but Stevenson applauds Sony for creating hardware with "really long life spans."

"We're using all of the PS3 right now," Stevenson says. "But you can always be more efficient in the way you use it." Insomniac's latest, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time arrives in stores Stateside today and will no doubt include some of the wackiest weaponry gamers have ever been privy to, regardless of how much of the Cell processor is needed to render 'em.

Gamasutra breaks down console sales in light of price cuts

by Griffin McElroy { Oct 27th 2009 at 10:00AM }

Source: NPD Group; via Gamasutra

If you're like us -- and, we figure after all these years we've been secretly brainwashing you, you are -- then the recent console price cuts were met with your curiosity over how these discounts would affect the vast gaming sales landscape. Fortunately, Gamasutra has posted a chart (using NPD figures) that measures how the price cuts altered two factors: each console's average sale price during the month of September and its year-to-date sales (through September).

This first figure proves the most telling about how the market reacted to the slashed prices. For instance, the average price at which PS3s were purchased in September was a flat $300; meaning an overwhelming majority of buyers responded favorably to the discount. Though the price of the Wii didn't get cut until the last week of September, the console's average price dropped to $218 -- also indicative of a reactionary market surge. The average Xbox 360 purchased price, however, actually increased by a buck to $261. By Gamasutra's calculations, folks purchased three Elites ($300) for every Arcade model ($200) sold during the month.

The PS3 was the top-selling console in September, which is the first time it's ever managed a first-place sales finish. It's still in last place in the 2009 year-to-date totals, though, and Sony's system would need to outsell Xbox 360 by about 35,000 units every week until the end of the year to break even with its competitor. Passing up the Wii, however, would require an act of divine intervention -- Nintendo's console is currently sitting on YTD sales of 4 million, which is more than twice the total of PS3 sales.

The Force Unleashed PC requirements prompt trip to Tosche station

by Griffin McElroy { Oct 23rd 2009 at 1:30PM }

Remember when Star Wars: The Force Unleashed failed to make an appearance on the PC platform last year, and LucasArts claimed it would only be able to run on gaming rigs equipped with futuristic cybertechnology mankind had yet to invent? Somehow, Aspyr Media has found a way to bring the Sith Edition of the game to your personal computer without requiring you to install tachyon holophase relays or warpsteel heat dissipators.

However, the game's minimum requirements, which are posted after the jump, do suggest you need something called a "3D Hardware Accelerator Card." Yeah, sure. Let us just hop in our time machine and we'll pick one up at the Future Best Buy.

Continued →

New Sony controller patent is rich with opportunities

by Griffin McElroy { Oct 21st 2009 at 3:15PM }

Sure, Sony's orb-tipped PlayStation Motion Controller has yet to land in our laps, but that doesn't mean the company's not allowed to test the waters of other peripheral designs. Siliconera recently uncovered a series of patent illustrations for a new Sony-developed remote. There's little info about the controller in the patent filing, but based on its shape and the manner in which the dotted hand is holding it, we've come up with a few titles which might implement the device.

Buzz: Extreme Buzzer Trivia Challenge
Champagne Shake N' Spray
Box Cutter: Deluxe Edition
Imagine: Pipe Bombz
Scene It?!: The Game Where You Pretend to Masturbate
Arthur Fonzarelli's Thumbs-Up Training Program
Stranglin' Ostriches

Sony: PS3 Slim is top dingo in Australian console war

by Griffin McElroy { Oct 21st 2009 at 1:45PM }

Shortly after forcing two pieces of their technology to violently collide at high speeds, Sony Australia released some surprising sales figures from the Land Down Under. According to the company's calculations, the PS3 Slim has sold "in excess of 60,000 units" since its September 3 launch, outselling both the Xbox 360 and Wii during the same time period. Sure, in overall sales, the PS3 still trails in the region -- but it seems Aussies have been temporarily mesmerized by the system's slightly sleeker frame.

Rumor: Nvidia Tegra chip going into next-generation DS

by JC Fletcher { Oct 14th 2009 at 9:46AM }

According to Bright Side of News' secret ~~sauces~~ sources, Nvidia is in talks with Nintendo about the hardware for the successor to the Nintendo DS. Nintendo is reportedly interested in Nvidia's Tegra line of chips for mobile devices, like the one in the Zune HD. Considering that the Zune HD can do things like play HD video, it sounds like a power boost over the existing DS hardware. The lower-end Tegra APX has a clock speed of 600 MHz, compared to the current DS cores, which run at 67MHz and 33MHz.

However, BSN believes that the potential timing of the announcement (late next year) suggests that Nintendo could use the next generation of Tegra chips, which, the site says, use "GeForce 9 based hardware." And if they're cheap enough, Nintendo might consider it! The only question (well, the only other question, besides "is any of this true") is whether the capability to play ported console games is really a good thing for the DS.

[Via Develop]

EEDAR expects PS3 to be top selling console in Sept.

by Andrew Yoon { Oct 8th 2009 at 11:29AM }

Three years and $300 worth of price cuts later, PS3 may finally hit the top of the hardware sales charts in America. EEDAR's analyst Jesse Divnich predicts 400,000 PS3s were sold in September, edging out both Wii and Xbox 360 sales (375k and 370k units respectively).

It's far from a landslide victory for Sony, but it may be the start of a turnaround for the long-beleaguered platform. If the hardware maintains momentum, the next issue Sony will have to tackle is software. While EEDAR's hardware numbers peg PS3 at the top, its software charts only show one PS3 game in the top 10: Batman: Arkham Asylum. With the remainder of the chart dominated by 360 and Wii games, it's clear Sony still has a long way to go in the console wars.

PS3 outsells Wii in Japan for September; thanks Slim!

by Christopher Grant { Oct 2nd 2009 at 11:44AM }

What do we know about Japan? Even after those weird commercials, the PlayStation 3 has managed to outsell the Wii in Japan following the (what you might call) successful launch of the newly "encheapened" PS3 Slim. Japanese market research firm Enterbrain estimates that from August 31 through September 27 309,939 PS3s were sold; a new monthly record for the console.

If you've been following our weekly Japanese Hardware Sales updates, this is no surprise to you. The usually dominant DSi and DS Lite combo sold a combined 297,060 units, which came alarmingly close to the Sony record, considering the 7,350 percent boost the PS3 saw post-Slim. It's notable that this Bloomberg report doesn't even list the Wii's monthly sales; however, with Nintendo's Wii at ¥20,000 (down from ¥25,000) starting this month, we imagine next month's chart will look a little different.

Wii System Update 4.2 bricking unmodded consoles

by Griffin McElroy { Oct 1st 2009 at 3:57PM }

We've received a ton of tips from readers reporting that the recently released Wii Menu Update 4.2 has killed their console. The patch was designed to remove homebrew applications from modded consoles, providing users with the following warning: "Because unauthorized modifications to save data or program files may impair game play or the Wii console, updating to Wii Menu version 4.2 will also check for and automatically remove such save data or program files." However, a number of Nintendo forumites are complaining the update has bricked their completely unmodified Wiis.

This problem can be attributed to the fact that the update makes changes to the Wii's all-important bootloader. If any problems arise during installation, the bootloader becomes corrupt, and the Wii becomes incapable of loading any software. A Nintendo technician has responded to the reports, saying anyone who's experienced these problems on their totally legit hardware can send it in for free repairs.

In the mean time, you should probably shy away from installing Update 4.2. Unless, of course, you're using a modded console. In that case, you totally deserve your comeuppance.

[Via Escapist]

Japanese gaming market continues to decline

by Griffin McElroy { Oct 1st 2009 at 2:00PM }

We got our first indication that the Japanese gaming industry wasn't doing too hot in July, when gaming hardware and software sales from the first half of 2009 had dropped 24 percent from the same period last year. The recently released sales figures from the first half of fiscal 2009 (which runs from March 31 through September 28) are equally downtrodden: According to the industry analysts at Enterbrain, the Japanese games market fell 10.5 percent during this six-month period. That figure represents a 15.1 percent drop in hardware sales and a 7.5 percent decline in software sales.

The various models of the Nintendo DS were the biggest sellers during this period, moving nearly 1.7 million units combined. Appropriately, the top two selling titles during the half-year were Dragon Quest IX, which sold nearly 4 million copies, and the recently released Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver editions, which sold a little over 2 million combined. Not faring quite as well are the PSP (813k units sold), Wii (594k units sold), PS3 (581k units sold) and Xbox 360, which moved a paltry 137k units in the first half of the fiscal year.

No use crying over spilled milk, we suppose. Things can only go up from here! Unless, of course, they continue to go down. That's also an option.

[Via Kotaku]

PlayStation & Xbox hardware gets the Body Worlds treatment at Japanese museum

by Ben Gilbert { Sep 29th 2009 at 1:15AM }

For some people, the sight of a gaming console broken open, exposing its parts to the world, can be something of utter agony. Not for the Museum of Game Science in Tokyo, where you can find the entire line of PlayStation and Xbox consoles disassembled and dissected for all to see.

Seen in Engadget's video above, one thin layer of glass is all that prevents the intrepid cameraman from reaching into the displays and pulling bits from here, bobs from there to assemble the world's first supermega-gen console: XStation 720. Knowing better, he chooses instead to give us a piece-by-piece visual rundown of what the museum offered for display at this year's Tokyo Game Show. We appreciate your self-control, kind sir.