[Brien]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

Are there any console updates that aren't mandatory?

I don't think so. It's my one gripe about the PS3. Seems like every other week I'm having to spend 10-15 minutes updating it.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by Brien 

I don't think so. It's my one gripe about the PS3. Seems like every other week I'm having to spend 10-15 minutes updating it.

Amazingly, one of the 360's strong points. They seem to make it a point to roll out major updates in one big update in the fall and again the spring. Seems to serve them well as I don't recall any snafus.

[Jawbone54]

Bah. It's much ado about nothing. ...but I am a PS3 apologist.

My only gripe about the PS3 is that they're not packaged with headsets, so you can really hear about 20% of players on MW2. Another 40% don't talk (I'm assuming they don't have mics), and the other 40% sound like crap because they bought cheap mics.

Strangely enough, I can understand nearly everyone on UC2.

On that note, it seems like a quarter of the people who play UC2 multiplayer speak French or Arabic.

[The Final Dakar]

Mics don't accomplish shit. I've been paying BioShock2for a week now, and aside from some retarded 12 year-old, wether there are 2 or 10 mics in the lobby I have heard zero talk.

[Jawbone54]

They don't accomplish anything when playing with strangers, no. Well...rarely.

While playing with friends, they're almost essential. The only real annoyance comes when a pre-pubescent MW2 player starts screaming into the mic, then shifts into the classic, "Hello? HELLOOOooOOOOooO? Anyone talking? Does anyone else have a mic? HELLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOO?"

[The Final Dakar]

It's really startling to be shown so starkly how much of attention whore every 12 year old is. Too many relish the verbal abuse they incite. And the singing.

I wish XBOX Live would explicitly tell them when they've been muted.

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

I wish XBOX Live would explicitly tell them when they've been muted.

Fantastic idea. Seriously.

It's really startling to be shown so starkly how much of attention whore every 12 year old is. Too many relish the verbal abuse they incite. And the singing.

I work with 12 to 18-year-olds, and it's definitely a generational thing, especially among the guys. I remember trying to be funny when I was in Jr. High (usually failing awkwardly), but kids are working on a completely different level today.

It's the 12-year-old white kid rapping on PSN/XBL that really kills me.

[The Final Dakar]

Maybe they wouldn't be such attention whores if their parents would love them. Though I'd probably drop-kick my kid.

[Leonard]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

Mics don't accomplish shit. I've been paying BioShock2for a week now, and aside from some retarded 12 year-old, wether there are 2 or 10 mics in the lobby I have heard zero talk.

The only people in Bioshock that use mics seem to be the booster clubs. I've run into a few in the ADAM GRAB playlist.

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

I wish XBOX Live would explicitly tell them when they've been muted.

#1 on my wish list. Nothing would be sweeter than to have them hear that everyone has muted them.

[Leonard]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

It's the 12-year-old white kid rapping on PSN/XBL that really kills me.

Too many of those. Those and kids trying to impress by using every swear word in the dictionary.

They just sound stupid. In fact I called one out on talking like a black gangster (actually I think I accidentally said mobster), and the guy had no comeback. He shut right up, which is rare. Of course me calling them out is rare too. I just usually mute'em.

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by Leonard 

Too many of those. Those and kids trying to impress by using every swear word in the dictionary.

They just sound stupid. In fact I called one out on talking like a black gangster (actually I think I accidentally said mobster), and the guy had no comeback. He shut right up, which is rare. Of course me calling them out is rare too. I just usually mute'em.

Yeah...

I don't swear myself, but I know others are going to swear, especially online. I'm used to it. But you can tell when a kid is "over-swearing" in an attempt to impress everyone, and that's just annoying.

The rapping seems to be getting more common for some reason.

[boy8cookie]

Pro Tip: Use skype instead of voice chat.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

The rapping seems to be getting more common for some reason.

Bieber.

[The Final Dakar]

Gamasutra - News - Amazon Targets Brick-And-Mortar Stores With 99 Cent Release Day Delivery

Leading online retailer Amazon is trying to give U.S. gamers more incentive to buy physical retail games at its online storefront, as opposed to brick-and-mortar retailers.

On top of frequent $10- and $20-off deals, the retailer last week told customers via email that it would drop release day delivery rates of certain video games from $5.99 to just 99 cents.

This is huge. Half the games I buy from Amazon were cheaper than retail to begin with.


So How Laggy Is PlayStation Move?

In a FAQ section on the PlayStation Blog, Sony come close to actually putting a number on the thing, stating "The PlayStation Move has similar sensing latency as the DUALSHOCK 3 controller - for many PlayStation Move games, this is about 22ms".

Gamasutra - News - Final Fantasy XIII Xbox 360 Confirmed For Japan

Following a series of leaks in the Japanese gaming press, Square Enix has confirmed Final Fantasy XIII will finally release on the Xbox 360 in Japan this winter. Previously, only the PlayStation 3 version of the game had been available in the territory.

Asked why there had been such a delay in bringing the Xbox 360 version of the game to Japan, producer Yoshinori Kitase said: “We feel that there are…a lot of people in Japan who own nothing but 360s. Thanks to the new [Slim] system and such, the situation’s a lot different than it was in July 2008.”

That is quite a concession.


Gamasutra - News - Analyst: Strong Multiplayer To Drag Down Monthly NPD Results?

But developers may be getting a little too good at keeping players engaged, suggests Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter.

He forecasts a 6 percent software decline and a 7 percent hardware decline (significant contractions in the handheld space are offsetting unit gains in home consoles) when NPD results for August's U.S. retail come out this week.

The analyst says strong multiplayer is "the biggest driver" of the last 18 months' regular declines in packaged software sales.

Jesus Christ, don't let Activision hear.

Also, completely ignore the recession and another lean summer for quality games (No Arkham Asylum or Borderlands, IMO)

[Jawbone54]

I pre-order from Amazon all the time. Love their game service.

Their holiday-time deals are incredible too. Got Batman:AA for $30 when it was only about four or five months old.

[imitchellg5]

Do your Amazon pre-orders show up on your doorstep on the day of release? Or do you have to pay for one-day shipping? Not that one day bothers me, I'm a Prime member, so it's only $3.99.

[The Final Dakar]

They treat pre-orders with the same disdain as free shippers. It's rather weak on their part.

[Jawbone54]

Yeah, it's not the best option if you absolutely must have it a game on the day of release, but avoiding Gamestop and supporting Amazon makes it fine by me.

[The Final Dakar]

I just think it's a little insulting that I guarantee them money weeks in advance and they don't have the decency to release day ship the game.

[imitchellg5]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

They treat pre-orders with the same disdain as free shippers. It's rather weak on their part.

Well I'm guaranteed two-day shipping at the least with Prime, so would I get it the day of release then? Or are they gonna ship on the day of the release so I get the game on Thursday?

[The Final Dakar]

Sony: Price "Perhaps An Issue" With The PSPgo

"Those are some factors. But I'm happy with the results that we've seen on PSPgo, including the invaluable feedback that we've been getting from our consumers. I think it has done well for us."

Denial perhaps an issue with the PSPGo's failure.

[Jawbone54]

The PSP really began failing when software started drying up. Sony is forgetting...

1. If you're going to re-launch a console as downloads-only, you'd better get ALL the software available and ready for download.
2. No one is going to pay that much for a handheld console. Period. Of course price was an issue.
3. The DS is kind of a big deal, and it's hardware is cheaper.
4. The DS is kind of a big deal, and it's software is more plentiful AND cheaper.

The regular PSP is still selling like hotcakes in Japan, but no one in the U.S. cares. I love pulling for all things Playstation, but the PSP is still a sad joke.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

2. No one is going to pay that much for a handheld console. Period. Of course price was an issue.

Ignoring everything else, no one is going to pay more for a handheld with less functionality than its predecessor, period.

[Kevin Bogues]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

Ignoring everything else, no one is going to pay more for a handheld with less functionality than its predecessor, period.

Agreed, I said this a long time ago but Sony needed to flush profit margins down the toilet and try and gain some market share with a download only service for the psp, make the pspgo cheaper and cut the price of games, you took features away, drop the price

[imitchellg5]

I still love the PSP. I had one a while ago, wish I hadn't sold it. The thing has a lot of graphical power. But the iPod touch is plenty to keep me occupied when I must have a portable gaming experience.

[exca1ibur]

I love my PSP as well. The DS has no games that appeal to me, so I gave it a shot a few years back. The coop gaming can be a blast as well as online 16 player SOCOM battles.

[The Final Dakar]

Friday News: NPD Edition

August NPD: It's another mad, mad, Madden year | Joystiq
360: 357K, down 83K (-19.7%)
DS: 343K, down 55.3K (-13.9%)
Wii: 244K, down 9.7K (-3.8%)
PS3: 226K, up 11K (5.1%)
PSP: 79K, down 4.6K (-5.5%)

Looks like the slim 360 sales have already tanked. (Or are on hold until holiday shopping begins)

Madden NFL 11 – Xbox 360 – EA – 920.8K
Madden NFL 11 – PS3 – EA – 893.6K
Super Mario Galaxy 2 – Wii – Nintendo – 124.6K
Mafia 2 – Xbox 360 – Take-Two – 121.6K
New Super Mario Bros. – DS – Nintendo – 110.4K
New Super Mario Bros. – Wii – Nintendo
Mafia 2 – PS3 – Take-Two
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 – Xbox 360 – Activision-Blizzard
NCAA Football 11 – Xbox 360 – EA
Wii Fit Plus – Wii – Activision

*yaw- Modern Warfare 2?!


Medal of Honor must sell 'at least three million copies' for sequel consideration | Joystiq
Doesn't specify but I assume this across both systems. I don't expect great sales (How much did BC2 sell?) but 1.5 mil per system for a modern FPS shooter seems like a pretty low bar.


'MAG 2' listed by Walmart | Joystiq
Oh, hi Jawbone.

A listing for "MAG 2" has popped up on Walmart's site, brandishing a $60 price tag and a tentative release date of January 25, 2011. This is the first we've heard of a sequel to this year's 256-player online shooter MAG, but the very fact that it's listed leads us to believe something is in the works.

Could it be a re-released version of MAG packing in all of the DLC? Perhaps a repackaging with PlayStation Move support? Only time will tell. Or Sony, who we've reached out to for comment. Whichever comes first.

Update: Sony told us, "Any information posted on Walmart.com in regards to MAG 2 is pure speculation." We've yet to hear back from Walmart representatives.

[jokell82]

In other words, 40% of Playstation gamers are virgins.

[The Final Dakar]

I'm still wondering how you "introduce" someone to a PS3.

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

I'm still wondering how you "introduce" someone to a PS3.

With an excessive amount of love.

[Rumor]

I was going to say against their will.

[The Final Dakar]

Winner.

[Jawbone54]

EEEEE!!!

*clickity click*

[KCrosbie]

Ico was an awesome game! Never played Shadow of the Colossus, but I heard lots of great things about it. If I had a PS3 I'd buy it.

[downinflames68]

OMFG. Totally getting that. Although... maybe not. I played Ico the other day on my 32" HD LCD, and honestly... it didn't look bad at all.

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by KCrosbie 

Ico was an awesome game! Never played Shadow of the Colossus, but I heard lots of great things about it. If I had a PS3 I'd buy it.

Ico was incredible, and SotC even more so. I never finished SotC, as I got rid of my PS2 to get a 360 when I was halfway through, but I've been hoping for a rerelease. If it's in HD...oh, buddy...

Originally Posted by downinflames68 

OMFG. Totally getting that. Although... maybe not. I played Ico the other day on my 32" HD LCD, and honestly... it didn't look bad at all.

I'll believe it when I finally see you log on and it not say "GTA IV" under your tag.

Although I'm already expecting you to buy GT5.

[Brien]

Hopefully this PS3 release means that The Last Guardian is on its way. I can't wait.

[Jawbone54]

Ahhh, much like the God of War remakes! Yes, yes...

[The Final Dakar]

God of War, Ico, SoC... wow, when did Sony become the new Nintendo?

[Jawbone54]

Halo, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo ODST, Halo Wars, Halo Reach
Gears of War, Gears of War 2, Gears of War 3
Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3

(I would mention more, but that's pretty much 360's only worthwhile exclusives, and ME is coming to PS3)

Meanwhile, Team ICO's games are a completely difference experience with different characters. Your point loses.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

Halo, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo ODST, Halo Wars, Halo Reach
Gears of War, Gears of War 2, Gears of War 3
Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3

(I would mention more, but that's pretty much 360's only worthwhile exclusives, and ME is coming to PS3)

Meanwhile, Team ICO's games are a completely difference experience with different characters. Your point loses.

None of those are remakes, hotshot.

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

None of those are remakes, hotshot.

But they're all sucking a brand dry, which is the real point.
"That's what she said" joke in 5...4...3......

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

But they're all sucking a brand dry, which is the real point.

I think I know what my point was, champ. Sony's doing a lot of remakes, much like another gaming company we all know and love. To me it underscores how bereft the PS3 has been of 1st party must-haves this gen, when they're rereleasing/remaking games that are 5 years old (Seriously, SoC came out only a year before the PS3).

[Jawbone54]

Yeah, I know what your point is, but it would only be a problem to me if it came at the expense of current franchises. As long as they keep pumping out Infamous 2, GT5, Last Guardian, Uncharted 3, Fallout: New Vegas, Forza 4, an so forth, I don't have an issue with it.

Actually, I'm the type to get really excited about updated HD graphics for games I knew and loved. I'm still holding out hope for MGS re-makes so I can finally play Snake-Eater.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

Yeah, I know what your point is, but it would only be a problem to me if it came at the expense of current franchises.

It seems to be a result of not having many current franchises (or ideas for new ones).

We're not exactly knee-deep in first party exclusives over here on the 360, but we do seem to have the benefit of the an already established player base and those few exclusives being wild sellers. I think it's telling the PS3 is falling back on nostalgia (The real reason they killed PS2 support?).

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

It seems to be a result of not having many current franchises (or ideas for new ones).

Eh, I'm not sure about that one. The aforementioned Uncharted, Infamous, and Team ICO games, along with franchises like LittleBigPlanet, Heavy Rain, Motorstorm, Resistance, and Killzone join other established Playstation brands like Gran Turismo, Ratchet and Clank, and Metal Gear Solid. That's a pretty strong lineup, and that's just the exclusives.

I would say that some of the best ideas seem to be coming out on XBLA/PSN: Braid, Limbo, Castle Crashers, Shadow Complex, Joe Danger, Flower, Shatter, etc.

We're not exactly knee-deep in first party exclusives over here on the 360, but we do seem to have the benefit of the an already established player base and those few exclusives being wild sellers. I think it's telling the PS3 is falling back on nostalgia (The real reason they killed PS2 support?).

I'm pretty sure cutting PS2 support really did come down to attempting to save every last penny to drive PS3 costs down. I'm not sure why software emulation and PSN sales of PS2 games hasn't happened yet, but whatever. That definitely irritates me.

I didn't realize at the time just how important it was for the 360 to get a one-year head start. The install base seems to have be a major reason for so many people picking it up over a PS3; people want to play with their friends. If so many people I know didn't have a 360, I certainly wouldn't have bought (another) one.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

Eh, I'm not sure about that one. The aforementioned Uncharted, Infamous, and Team ICO games, along with franchises like LittleBigPlanet, Heavy Rain, Motorstorm, Resistance, and Killzone join other established Playstation brands like Gran Turismo, Ratchet and Clank, and Metal Gear Solid. That's a pretty strong lineup, and that's just the exclusives.

There's more there than I realized. However Ico & GT haven't come out on the system yet (InFamous in the last year), and I don't think LBP, Heavy Rain, & Motorstorm are system movers (nor Resistance & Killzone, but I feel less confident in that declaration). What did I leave then? Uncharted, Ratchet & Clank, and Metal Gear Solid, which I believe is full-on 3rd Party.

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

I'm pretty sure cutting PS2 support really did come down to attempting to save every last penny to drive PS3 costs down. I'm not sure why software emulation and PSN sales of PS2 games hasn't happened yet, but whatever. That definitely irritates me.

But hey, at least you have LINUX. Oh wait.

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

I didn't realize at the time just how important it was for the 360 to get a one-year head start. The install base seems to have be a major reason for so many people picking it up over a PS3; people want to play with their friends. If so many people I know didn't have a 360, I certainly wouldn't have bought (another) one.

You're ignoring the fact that you had to sell your first-born to afford a PS3. As soon as I knew GTA IV was dual-console (with simultaneous release) my decision was made.

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

There's more there than I realized. However Ico & GT haven't come out on the system yet (InFamous in the last year), and I don't think LBP, Heavy Rain, & Motorstorm are system movers (nor Resistance & Killzone, but I feel less confident in that declaration). What did I leave then? Uncharted, Ratchet & Clank, and Metal Gear Solid, which I believe is full-on 3rd Party.

Last Guardian and GT5 may not be out yet, but they have some serious hype behind them, and Last Guardian still hasn't even really been shown off yet. I'm predicting a lot of PS3 sales will come with GT5's release in particular.

Heavy Rain sold 1.5 million copies. LBP has sold over 4.5 million. Even MotorStorm sold over 3.3 million. Maybe none of those are "system-sellers," and they pale in comparison to Halo 3's 8.1 million sold, but they're still strong.

The #3 and #4 games on 360's best-seller list are Gears of War and Gears of War 2, respectively, which confirms something I believe about the 360 audience: they're so convinced they're "hardcore" and "mature" that they'll play mediocre games just because they feature multiplayer and dismemberment.

But hey, at least you have LINUX. Oh wait.

I never installed it, and I never cared.

You're ignoring the fact that you had to sell your first-born to afford a PS3. As soon as I knew GTA IV was dual-console (with simultaneous release) my decision was made.

Nahhhh....I bought it when it first dropped to $400. All I had to sell was my second 360 (good god, I've been ridiculous about game consoles).

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

Last Guardian and GT5 may not be out yet, but they have some serious hype behind them, and Last Guardian still hasn't even really been shown off yet. I'm predicting a lot of PS3 sales will come with GT5's release in particular.

No shit. The over-priced demo is somehow second on the PS3 all-time seller list. But its worth pointing out that if it had been a regular console cycle, they'd be barely getting these must-haves out before it was over.

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

Heavy Rain sold 1.5 million copies. LBP has sold over 4.5 million. Even MotorStorm sold over 3.3 million. Maybe none of those are "system-sellers," and they pale in comparison to Halo 3's 8.1 million sold, but they're still strong.

I'm not going to compare raw numbers because I think it's apples-to-oranges. I definitely underestimated Motorstorm's impact (apparently PS3ers want anything with wheels; Also, God of War III sold less than Heavy Rain?!).

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

The #3 and #4 games on 360's best-seller list are Gears of War and Gears of War 2, respectively, which confirms something I believe about the 360 audience: they're so convinced they're "hardcore" and "mature" that they'll play mediocre games just because they feature multiplayer and dismemberment.

XBOX Live disproves that theory (Gears dropped like a rock in the face of better games).

I recently got back to Gears of War. It's clunky and inelegant, but the gratuitousness and scale are hard to find matched anywhere. I don't think enjoying the novelty of such a game (Bulletstorm seems like the next thing in that vein, unsurprisingly coming from EPIC) makes somebody a hardcore/mature "try-hard".

Look at this forum; Virtually everyone on the 360 (who's semi-active on the boards) picked GoW2 up. Would you classify any of us like you're trying to paint the 360 audience?

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

Nahhhh....I bought it when it first dropped to $400. All I had to sell was my second 360 (good god, I've been ridiculous about game consoles).

You owned a 360 twice before affording a PS3? Doesn't that all but confirm my point?

[The Final Dakar]

Monday News, before I forget.

Will The Nintendo 3DS Be Out This November In Japan? [Update]

Takahiro Amano, who is apparently an employee at peripheral company KeysFactory, has tweeted:

"On November 20, eleven 3DS products that we designed will go on sale all at once. People who are buying the 3DS, buy it at the same time! There will be more details on our home page." He then provided a link.

See The Xbox 360's New Dashboard In Action


Happy 25th Birthday, Super Mario Bros.