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THE LATEST NEWS BELOW
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May 19th, 2013, 02:11 Posted By: Metareview
Newly announced/released in the USA for the PSP.
Kingmys Hard Zipper Protective travel Pouch Case For PS VITA PSVITA - Blue
by Kingmys
Platform: * *Sony PSP
1 used & new from $5.49
(Visit the Hot New Releases in list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
http://www.amazon.com/Kingmys-Zipper..._vg_11075221_1
More about the PSP:
The PSP was designed to handle all varieties of applications and entertainment -- music, video, communication, wireless networking, and, of course, gaming. Users will enjoy top-notch 3D games with high-quality, full-motion video, and high-fidelity audio. The 4.3-inch wide screen display is bright and beautiful, and works well under many different lighting conditions. If you prefer, you can also connect your PSP to your TV. The PSP utilizes the Universal Media Disc (UMD) for a storage medium, each of which holds 1.8 GB of data.
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May 19th, 2013, 02:01 Posted By: DCemumaniac
Newly released/announced in the UK/Europe for the
Nintendo 3DS, Heres the release details:
Infinity Villains 3 Pack (PS3/Xbox 360/Nintendo Wii/Wii U/3DS)
by Disney Interactive
Platform: * * * *Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo Wii U, PlayStation 3, Nintendo 3DS
Release Date: 23 Aug 2013
Buy new: £28.61
(Visit the Hot Future Releases in Nintendo 3DS list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Infinity-Vil...h__635609031_9
Some info about the 3DS XL:
Measuring at 4.88 inches, the Nintendo 3DS XL's 3D screen is the biggest screen ever featured on a Nintendo handheld console. 90% larger than the screens found on the Nintendo 3DS system, users will be amazed as the large screen delivers amazing 3D graphics without the use of glasses.
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May 19th, 2013, 01:15 Posted By: wraggster
Look out, MadCatz -- Razer's ready to add an Xbox 360 arcade stick to its peripheral lineup. The $200 Atrox should please serious button mashers, thanks to Sanwa-sourced controls and completely customizable parts. A total of 10 buttons sit alongside the joystick, and you'll find storage compartments for an additional stick and the bundled 13-foot detachable USB cable under the lid. Fighting game enthusiasts can pre-order the Atrox beginning on May 21st from Razer's online store, with global availability set for June -- Japan's lucky shores will see it this month. There's no word on variations for other systems, but that may be the price to pay for the integrated Xbox Live headset jack. Catch a render of its internals and a press release after the break.
http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/17/r...tick-xbox-360/
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May 19th, 2013, 01:11 Posted By: wraggster
Project PlayStation Input Output has been trying to load PlayStation 1 game images through the game system's parallel I/O port since 2010, and now it's ready to show off the first prototype. If piracy is your aim, then modchips that let users play burned discs and emulators that have been available through the console's 19-year history should suffice, but this project aims to bypass those methods. The potential benefits include easier homebrew support and playing of ripped discs on the original hardware without worrying about wearing out an aging console's laser. Eventually the team wants to load games and saves from an SD card, but in this demo video it's playing Klonoa: Door to Phantomile from an attached PC. As seen in the nearly ten minute video it does work, albeit slowly. As the video notes, optimizations for the USB controller and CD sectors that should speed things up have not been implemented yet. According to its FAQ, the PSIO team aims to have a final version done this year, you can check out the fruits of their labor after the break.
http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/17/p...x-psio-loader/
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May 19th, 2013, 01:09 Posted By: wraggster
 When Samsung revealed the third iteration of its Galaxy Tab line, it was met with a somewhat underwhelming reception. But the Korean firm's never held back on trying out different shapes and sizes. This makes this latest leak -- of a reported 8-inch Galaxy Tab 3 -- at least plausible, and definitely not surprising. The reported resolution of 1,280 x 800 and that of the 7-inch Tab 3 (1,024 x 600) certainly match the mystery profileswe saw earlier this year. Think it looks just like the Galaxy Note 8.0? You'd mostly be right, barring a few details like a thinner side bezel and the camera / speaker arrangement. SamMobile claims to have the full specification, which includes an all-around boost over the 7-inch version: a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 16GB of on-board storage (expandable up to 64GB) plus 5- and 1.3-megapixel cameras, Bluetooth 4.0 and a 4,450mAh battery. WiFi and 3G versions are mentioned, too, so all your bases should be covered if you really don't want that S pen.
http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/17/s...-inch-variety/
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May 19th, 2013, 01:08 Posted By: wraggster
<header style="font: 300 13px/20.79px Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; width: 620px; height: auto; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; overflow: hidden; clear: both; text-decoration: none; word-spacing: 0px; display: block; white-space: normal; position: relative; background-color: rgb(242, 242, 242); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;" class="post-header"> </header>NVIDIA newsletter subscribers have been able to pre-order the Shield handheld consolefor several days now, but the rest of us were due to wait until after the weekend. Considering that $349 price tag, we're not entirely sure we want to commit without having a chance to take the final hardware for a spin, but the option now exists nonetheless. Beginning today (instead of the previously announced date of May 20th), early adopters can hand over their cash at Gamestop, Newegg and Canada Computer, along with NVIDIA's own pre-order site, which we've linked for your convenience just below.
NVIDIA, Newegg
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May 19th, 2013, 01:07 Posted By: wraggster
The Defense Department has officially given the thumbs up to Apple devices running iOS 6 -- paving the way for iPhones and iPads to become standard issue around the Pentagon. The move was hardly shocking. In fact, the Wall Street Journal had it on good authority weeks ago that the DoD was planning to give iOS its seal of approval. With Samsung devices running the Knox security suite and BlackBerry 10 already trickling into the hands of Pentagon employees, the decision sets the stage for a three-way bout for military market supremacy. And we're sure the government drones can't pick sides fast enough. After all, who wants to live under the tyranny of BlackBerry 7any longer than necessary?
http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/17/i...tary-networks/
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May 19th, 2013, 01:06 Posted By: wraggster
 In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.
Now that Google Glass and Oculus Rift have entered the zeitgeist, might we start to see VR and AR products popping up on every street corner? Perhaps, but Meta has just launched an interesting take on the concept by marrying see-through, stereoscopic, display glasses with a Kinect-style depth sensor. That opens up the possibility of putting virtual objects into the real world, letting you "pick up" a computer-generated 3D architectural model and spin it around in your hand, for instance, or gesture to control a virtual display appearing on an actual wall. To make it work, you connect a Windows PC to the device, which consists of a pair of 960 x 540 Epson displays embedded in the transparent glasses (with a detachable shade, as shown in the prototype above), and a depth sensor attached to the top. That lets the Meta 1 track your gestures, individual fingers and walls or other physical surfaces, all of which are processed in the PC with motion tracking tech to give the illusion of virtual objects anchored to the real world.
Apps can be created via Unity3D and an included SDK on Windows computers (other platforms will arrive later, according to the team), with developers able to publish their apps on the upcoming Meta Store. The group has launched the project on Kickstarter with the goal of raising $100,000 to get developer kits into the hands of app coders, and though it's no Google, Meta is a Y Combinator startup and has several high-profile researchers on the team. As such, it's asking for exactly half of Glass' Explorer Editionprice as a minimum pledge to get in on the ground floor: $750. Once developers have had their turn, the company will turn its attention toward consumers and more sophisticated designs -- so if you like the ideas peddled in the video, hit the source to give them your money.
http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/17/insert-coin-meta-1/
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May 19th, 2013, 01:02 Posted By: wraggster
Amazon confirmed as early as last September that the Kindle Keyboard would besticking around, but much like your favorite dessert, nothing is forever. The Kindle Keyboard 3G is now showing as unavailable or out of stock at Amazon's site, as well as at Best Buy and Target. Of course, the last of those has had this here device on sale for what feels like forever, but it's still somewhat sad to see it come to the end of its road. It's entirely possible that the company's Lab126 is cooking up a replacement alongside those mythical smartphones, but it's unclear if such a conceptual piece is on the immediate horizon. We've reached out to Amazon regarding the disappearance, and we'll be sure to update this post as we learn more.
Amazon, Best Buy, Target
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May 19th, 2013, 01:00 Posted By: wraggster
 Sony gifted its flagship Xperia Z smartphone with an Android Open Source Project(AOSP) build just last month, and now the stock operating system has made its way to the device's tablet counterpart, too. AOSP is now available for the Xperia Tablet Z -- it'll live on GitHub, along with instructions and other resources. Community Manager Marcus Hansson dropped by YouTube to demo AOSP. You'll find that Jelly Bean (4.2.2) walkthrough posted after the break, along with a warning to non devs: "The software is not intended for everyday use, and therefore does not include all apps and services usually expected in ordinary software." That could always change in the future, but if you're expecting a seamless stock experience for personal use, you probably won't find it here.
http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/17/s...eria-tablet-z/
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May 19th, 2013, 00:58 Posted By: wraggster
Though Mozilla has long been a proponent of WebRTC for plugin-free video and voice chat, it hasn't been ready to enable the full protocol in Firefox as a matter of course. It's more confident as of this week: the newly available Firefox 22 beta turns on complete WebRTC use by default, allowing for both live web conversations and peer-to-peer file swaps. There's more to the release as well, depending on the platform. Windows users receive support for HiDPI displays, like that of the Kirabook; every desktop user also gets gaming-friendly OdinMonkey JavaScript tuning, a web notification API and a font inspector. Android users won't have WebRTC and other upgrades for now, but everyone can experiment with the latest Firefox beta at the source links.
http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/17/firefox-22-beta/
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May 19th, 2013, 00:55 Posted By: wraggster
Google I/O is always full of surprises, and we came across yet another elusive bit of hardware on the show floor today: Google Glass "prescription edition". No, it's not actually called that (we made up the name), but what you're looking at is definitely Glass that's been neatly integrated with a pair of prescription glasses -- in fact, it looks a lot like the version of Glass that Google recently mentioned on its blog. We don't really know anything else about this device, but we've reached out to Google for comment. Is this a custom design built by combining Google Glass Explorer Edition with off-the shelf eyewear? Is this a Glass prototype that's designed specifically for people who wear prescription spectacles? Share your thoughts in the comments and don't forget to check out the gallery below.
http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/17/g...at-google-i-o/
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May 19th, 2013, 00:54 Posted By: wraggster
 Even though we don't yet know what the PlayStation 4 looks like or how much it will cost, one of the many details revealed at Sony's February event was that games will be playable even as they download. Now it turns out we won't have to wait for the new hardware to experience that feature on a console -- Steam, for example, does this on PCs with some games -- as The Last of Us leaders Bruce Straley and Neil Druckman told Game Informer the PS3 game will be available as a download the same day it arrives on discs, and is playable once the transfer is 50 percent complete. There's no word whether other developers will have access to the "magic" Naughty Dog worked out with Sony to make it happen, but as least there will be as little delay as possible before you begin exploring its post-apocalyptic landscape June 14th.
http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/18/t...wnloading-ps3/
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May 19th, 2013, 00:52 Posted By: wraggster
Hardware sales continue to go down, but Microsoft is maintaining its streak of outselling the other consoles in the US
[h=3]Microsoft[/h]microsoft.com
Microsoft sent word that its Xbox 360 console has sold 130,000 units in April, a month in which hardware sales were down 42 percent, marking the 28th consecutive month as the best-selling console in the US.
The Xbox 360 held 42 percent share of the current-gen console market, and total retail spend on the Xbox 360 platform in April (hardware, software and accessories) reached $208 million, the most for any console in the US.
Of course, all eyes are on Microsoft right now as the company prepares to lift the curtain on its next-gen Xbox system. The event will take place on May 21 at 10 AM Pacific time on the Redmond campus. GamesIndustry International will bring you full coverage.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...h-130-000-sold
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May 19th, 2013, 00:52 Posted By: wraggster
Warner Bros' Injustice: Gods Among Us takes the top spot on the charts in a dismal month for retail games
The NPD Group has released its report for the month of April, and partially thanks to a lack of compelling new software, total industry sales slumped 25 percent, reaching only $495.2 million. Software sales (including PC) for the month fell 17 percent to $267.8 million while hardware sales plummeted 42 percent to $109.5 million, likely due to more and more people hearing about next-gen platforms coming out later this year and deciding to wait. Sales of accessories were down as well, falling 19 percent to $131.4 million.
Another factor in April's numbers was that Easter fell in March this year but April last year. “Easter typically accounts for a 10 percent boost in the month in which it occurs," NPD analyst Liam Callahan noted.
The software charts were led by Warner Bros' new release, Injustice: Gods Among Us - the first time since April 2011 that a fighting game (Mortal Kombat) ranked in the top spot - and Deep Silver's new title, Dead Island: Riptide. Trion Worlds' transmedia-focused Defiance, which ties into the SyFy TV show, also managed to make a dent, placing fifth overall. While sales have been down, on the bright side, games that topped the charts did perform better than during the same period a year ago.
“Despite overall declines, April title launches in 2013 fared better than games that launched in April 2012, up 118 percent in unit sales and 130 percent in dollar sales. This increase was driven by games like Injustice: Gods Among Us, Dead Island: Riptide, and Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins,” said Callahan.
He added, "Overall declines are stemming from the performance of games launched prior to April; for example, the decrease in sales performance of March launches. Specifically, when looking at video games launching in March 2012, month 2 sales represented 25 percent of the total first two months of sales, which contracted to 17 percent for March 2013 launches. One reason for this might be the decrease in the number of new titles, which can cause sales of a title to be 'front loaded' with a greater amount of sales happening in the first month of its release.”
Here's the top 10 list, according to NPD:
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http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...etail-in-april
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May 19th, 2013, 00:51 Posted By: wraggster
"Effectively, Nintendo needs to relaunch the Wii U and make sure the audience understands what it is"
[h=3]Nintendo of America[/h]
Is there really such a thing as 'winning' E3? There is the external victory of being the thing most talked about in the mass media, in the game media, and on social media. Those are really three different audiences: The broadest possible audience of anyone who sees, hears or reads news; the audience of gamers who are always interested in game news, and hardcore Nintendo fans. Then there's victory internally for Nintendo, by whatever standards it chooses to set. Ultimately, it's the votes cast by consumers in the form of spending that counts.
Nintendo is heading into this E3 in a difficult position. Sales of hardware and software have not been meeting the company's projections. CEO Satoru Iwata has gone on record that he intends to deliver a billion yen in profits for Nintendo this fiscal year, and implied that he may step down if that's not achieved. This puts Nintendo in a difficult position for marketing strategy, since any marketing spending has to return a profit within the fiscal year. No long-term brand-building here; Nintendo will be looking for marketing efforts that can produce solid short-term results.
This may be the reasoning behind Nintendo's decision to forego the usual massive E3 press event, instead having a smaller media event and a separate event for trade partners and analysts. Nintendo also announced it will step up its production of Nintendo Direct videos, a cost-effective way of directly reaching Nintendo fans.
Nintendo has not shared any more about its marketing strategy, but we can make some guesses. Nintendo put out a flyer at PAX East that compared the Wii U to the Wii, clearly indicating Nintendo feels gamers aren't really sure of what the Wii U is or why they should own one. Worse, if gamers are confused, the mass market must be completely baffled. Effectively, Nintendo needs to relaunch the Wii U and make sure the audience understands what it is. Unfortunately, Nintendo will have to do this in the face of what is sure to be a major push from Sony and Microsoft for their next-gen consoles. Nintendo will need to have clear, focused television ads hitting the key demographics, and those ads will need to be memorable to overcome the barrage of ads hitting the same audience.
One of the biggest weapons Nintendo could use in this battle is a price cut for the Wii U, but that is unlikely. Nintendo's already losing money on each one sold, and dropping the price $50 would just mean an additional $50 loss on each unit. That might get made up in software sales eventually, but it would have to be at least three or four titles during a time when Nintendo doesn't have all that many compelling titles for the Wii U. Hopefully we'll see some strong Wii U software for the holiday season, more than just Pikmin 3.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...ndo-can-win-e3
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May 19th, 2013, 00:47 Posted By: wraggster
Publisher confident that "Nintendo will take steps to ensure that the Wii U is successful in the market”
[h=3]Nintendo[/h]nintendo-europe.com
[h=3]Ubisoft[/h]ubisoft.com
The proverbial shit hit the fan this week when Electronic Arts confirmed that it no longer has any Wii U games in development and that it's essentially backing away completely from the Nintendo console. The move, which provoked much discussion on the web (including from our European editor Matt Martin), is certainly a bad omen for the Wii U business, but French publisher Ubisoft is sticking by Nintendo.
As one of the strongest supporters of Wii U from the beginning, Ubisoft would still appear to be 100 percent committed to the platform with a host of different titles, despite the fact that Nintendo hasn't been able to build up a solid installed base.
When approached by GamesIndustry International about whether the company may reevaluate its stance on devoting resources to a struggling platform, a spokesperson told us, "As with any new console, it takes some time to grow an established base. Ubisoft has a varied and high-quality line-up for Wii U, with more big titles on the way including Rayman Legends, Watch Dogs, Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag and Splinter Cell Blacklist. We're confident that this will help in continuing to attract gamers to the Wii U system and that Nintendo will take steps to ensure that the Wii U is successful in the market."
Nintendo has a hard road ahead of itself with the Wii U, but the company has to be happy that it has a friend in Ubisoft.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...th-in-nintendo
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May 19th, 2013, 00:45 Posted By: wraggster
With no support from Electronic Arts, the Wii U just experienced its Dreamcast moment. Will other publishers now follow suit?
[h=3]Nintendo[/h]nintendo-europe.com
The Wii U just had its Dreamcast moment. With Electronic Arts confirming it doesn't have any games in development for the machine, one of the console industry's biggest players has walked away from the system counting its losses. So that's none of the market-leading sports games for the Wii U in the near term and none of those tantalising new Star Wars games in the mid-term. We weren't looking at a long term solution for the Wii U, but now it seems it won't even get a semi-decent sales pick up at the end of the year. Christmas is cancelled for Nintendo.
"When you can get to number one in the Wii U charts by selling less than 1000 units it's no longer a tragedy, it's an actual farce"
EA doesn't exactly have money to spend anywhere other than on its safest bets at the moment. It's cutting costs, from CEO wages togun licensing, but the sports games will get it out of the hole its in, or at least keep it afloat in the console market until the installed base of the PS4 and next Xbox allow for some decent sales.
And I'm not saying Electronic Arts has the same pull it did in the console market during the year 2000. It's market share has beenovertaken by Activision and is being threatened by a hungry Ubisoft. And if it insists on supporting games like Fuse - a title no one asked for and no one is interested in - it's going to continue to throw money in the direction of the nearest bin.
But EA has pulled out of the Wii U because sales of both hardware and software are dreadful. We're not officially allowed to report sales numbers from Chart Track in the UK but everyone in the publishing business can see them quite clearly. There's no need for pretence. When you can get to number one in the Wii U charts by selling less than 1000 units it's no longer a tragedy, it's an actual farce.
It's not much better in the all-formats chart. Staying at number one in the charts for a second week isn't so much a sign of success, as a sign you're not selling as poorly as everyone else in the top ten. The top ten isn't relevant any more, last year it was only really the top five that counted. And this year it's likely to be only the top three best-selling games that have any impact - and they are going to be multiformat titles like Call of Duty, Assassin's Creed and FIFA. Everything else is fighting for scraps.
The Wii U has been defeated by the most humbling of challengers - consumer apathy. When the inevitable "Nintendo halts Wii U production" stories hit, the majority of those that bought the original Wii won't even notice. The mainstream bought the Wii because it was a fun novelty, they didn't buy it for a new Zelda game. What's the Wii U's novelty? That it does everything a current-gen console does but a little bit slower and with a Fisher Price tablet attached?
Retailers have given up on the Wii U. It's not discounted at the supermarketsbecause they want to sell more, it's been cut in price so they can get rid of it quickly. Software drives hardware sales. But there are no credible software sales because there are no games being released. Retail is desperate to sell anything, that's why GAME is now selling sci-fi and fantasy books and HMV has cans of Coke and sweets at the till - anything to squeeze a penny out. They aren't going to sit around and make space for a handful of Wii U games near the end of the year. They'll be pushing the Wii U to one side to make more space for the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3 and hopefully the PS4 and next Xbox.
Is there still hope for the Wii U? Well, there are first-party games on the horizon but with no actual surprises. Nintendo will spend a lot of money in the autumn on ads and marketing for first-party games to try and save face, but the rot set in too quickly. I don't know what this says for the next generation of consoles but they are at least coming out the gate with real noise and hype. That's not enough to sell them of course, but they are having a big impact before they come to market which is exactly as it should be.
"The Wii U isn't discounted at the supermarkets because they want to sell more, it's been cut in price so they can get rid of it quickly"
Nintendo can't compete with Microsoft and Sony, that's why they've pulled out of the E3 pissing contest. That's almost a dignified admission of defeat. If Nintendo shows off new Starfox, Zelda, Mario and Blast Corps titles next month in L.A. it's only going to be preaching to the converted. They will be drowned out by the bombast and great swinging balls of their rivals. What will the LA Times, Reuters, the BBC, Tech Crunch, Joystiq, VentureBeat, GamesIndustry International, Gamasutra and the rest of the media be prioritising during E3? Anything that can lift the console business up off its knees and give it an adrenaline shot. That's the real story here, and the Wii U is a boxout of what went wrong.
There's also today's announcement that Sega is handing publishing duties of Sonic the Hedgehog over to Nintendo, like Sonic the Hedgehog still means something to the games player. It doesn't, it's a tired old mascot who jumped the shark when Sega painted him black and gave him a gun. This deal is Sega begrudgingly admitting it can no longer market and sell kids games, and its last hope in a world of Moshi Monsters and Angry Birds is Nintendo. And if Nintendo can't sell another company's mascot, well, Sega is now prioritising PC gaming anyway.
The new GameCube or the new Dreamcast, it doesn't matter how we hang it. The console market is brutal and Microsoft and Sony may have also left it too late with their own machines, only time will tell. But when Nintendo isn't playing the console wars game, the consumers don't care and the retailer is pushing new hardware to the curb, what are publishers meant to do? There's no EA support now, will Ubisoft be next? Tellingly, Activision hasn't mentioned "Call of Duty: Ghosts" in the same sentence as "Wii U", and as that game is going to be a centrepiece of the next Xbox reveal it's not likely to associate it with a device that isn't generating any excitement. Will these publishers bother with exclusive titles, or even porting existing games with a little touchpad tweak when they're not seeing support anywhere else?
The only sensible move is for Nintendo to take its brands to other formats, but that's an argument we've had so many times. As Rob Fahey argued a few weeks ago, Nintendo can afford to have a failed console around its neck, but it can't afford to damage its most valuable assets, its IP.
The brands will live on. But the Wii U is a dead man walking.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...eath-by-apathy
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May 19th, 2013, 00:43 Posted By: wraggster
In an effort to coax developers to begin taking Atom seriously as an Android platform, Intel has just released a complete suite of tools that should help ease them into things — especially since it can be used for ARM development as well. It's called Beacon Mountain, named after the highest peak outside of Beacon, New York. As you'd expect, Beacon Mountain supports Jelly Bean (4.2) development, and with this suite, you're provided with a collection of important Intel tools: Hardware Accelerated Execution Manager, Integrated Performance Primitives, Graphics and System Performance Analyzers, Threaded Building Blocks and Software Manager. In addition, Android SDK and NDK, Eclipse and Cygwin third-party tools are included to complete the package
http://developers.slashdot.org/story...tform-for-atom
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