consoles

As the popularity of digital games continues to increase, there are some people who might wonder if consoles can survive much longer--just don't count GameStop President Tony Bartel as one of them.

Speaking to IndustryGamers in an interview published yesterday, Bartel acknowledged the importance of digital content in today's gaming industry, but said that over the next several years, it's hard to see a way in which consoles will lose their value in the marketplace.

"We continue to believe that the console is a strong platform and will continue to be the gold standard," Bartel … Read more

Your hairdresser knows everything about you. So does your shrink. Soon it could be your PlayStation. Sony executives are apparently looking to give game consoles abilities that go far beyond tracking your movements.

During a panel discussion on the next 10 years of gaming at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, last week, the executives described the possibility of consoles that track players' emotions. According to a transcript posted on Develop, Sony Worldwide Studios President Shuhei Yoshida said that within 10 years games will be able to offer "almost dangerous kinds of interactivity" with players.

A second participant, Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) Worldwide Studios Europe Vice President Mick Hocking, said cameras are capable of recording a player's biometric data and tracking where the player is looking. He elaborated on how Sony might be able to use this data. According to the transcript:… Read more

As of November 2011, the Nintendo Wii will be 5 years old. That's a long time in game years; in fact, it's nearly a console generation. To no great surprise, then, Nintendo has already announced the Wii's successor, the Wii U, with a likely release date of 2012. Until then, the Wii still survives, but as a lame duck console. That doesn't mean it should be overlooked. Nintendo's latest Wii console bundle--the fourth since the Wii's debut--is the lowest price ever, at $150, although the components in the bundle since last year's $200 have changed.

Gone is Wii Sports, the perennial Wii console pack-in. Gone, too, is Wii Sports Resort. Instead, the new Mario Kart bundle includes a Wii Remote Plus, nunchuck, a copy of Mario Kart Wii, and a Wii Steering Wheel plastic accessory. Mario Kart's a fun casual racer, but Nintendo has taken its most popular motion-control game, Wii Sports, out of the equation, forcing people to buy it separately. It doesn't make much sense, especially considering the game's 5 years old. Those interested in multiplayer games will also have to buy an extra Wii Remote Plus and nunchuck, $40 and $20, respectively.

Europe has announced an even less expensive redesigned Wii bundle, but the $150 Mario Kart version remains the least expensive Wii console in the U.S. We'd love to see this system drop down to $99, but that's just wishful thinking for now. That said, it can be found for under $135 at such major retailers as Wal-Mart and Amazon.

So the question remains: at those prices--about half that of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360--is the Wii worth the investment for first-time buyers?… Read more

Nintendo has announced a slightly reconfigured Wii console.

Nintendo says that its new "streamlined" Wii will come in a bundle with Wii Party and Wii Sports. Consumers will also find a Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk. The company announced the bundle in Europe today, saying it will be made available to customers in October.

In a statement to CNET, a Nintendo of America spokesperson said that the company does not currently plan to release the console in the U.S.

According to a statement from the game company, the Wii's new look is designed to make the … Read more

Microsoft's glossy-black Xbox 360 has been discontinued in favor of a matte finish, the company has confirmed.

"We are actively transitioning all our Xbox 360 S consoles to a matte finish," Larry Hryb, Microsoft's director of programming for Xbox Live, wrote on his blog Friday.

Microsoft unveiled the Xbox 360 S last year at the E3 gaming expo. The company currently sells the glossy 250GB version for $299. The 4GB model, which retails for $199.99, already boasts a black matte finish that, Hryb says, the 250GB offering will also get.

Opinions vary over the value of a glossy device. Some like the sleek look, while others can't stand its tendency to show fingerprints and smudges. Prior to the launch of the Xbox 360 S, Microsoft offered white and black matte finishes on its console.

By transitioning to a matte finish, Microsoft is following a move Sony has already made. That company's first-generation PlayStation 3 featured a glossy finish that attracted fingerprints. However, the company's slim-line version, which it launched a couple of years ago, dropped the glossy finish to avoid that problem.… Read more

At least one game developer is wondering why console makers are even considering releasing next-generation hardware.

Speaking to IndustryGamers in an interview published yesterday, Epic Games President Mike Capps said that Apple's iPhone should be enough to make console makers second-guess their desire to launch follow-up devices.

"If you look at the ridiculous acceleration of iPhone hardware and technology, trying to find a sweet spot for tech to make your mobile game... I mean, what would your mobile game look like in 2015?" Capps pondered in the interview with IndustryGamers. "Who knows how fast that's … Read more

One of the greatest things about the iPhone (or any smartphone) is that it has music listening capabilities so you can bring your tunes with you anywhere. Also, with tons of music apps in the iTunes App Store, you have even more ways to listen to, edit, mix, and organize your music.

There are many apps in the app store for listening to music, like the popular Pandora Radio that's great for music discovery, or Djay for iPhone that lets you mix and scratch with your music. But there are also some music apps that are in a league by themselves--the ones that are admittedly quirky, but still quite useful to music lovers.

This week's collection of apps are all unique music tools. The first lets you stream your music to game consoles; the second auto-matches rhythms for beat synced mixes; and the third offers a gesture-based interface for easy control of your music.… Read more

AirMusic is a unique music app that lets you stream music on your iPhone to popular gaming consoles. Some readers may already use Apple's Airplay feature that streams music to your Apple TV. But with AirMusic, you can stream music to your XBox 360, PS3, or a PC running Vista or Windows 7.

To get started, you'll need to be on a shared Wi-Fi network with the console or computer to which you're going to stream. Then, you simply turn on Air Tunes via a slider within the app and navigate to your music folder on your … Read more

Consumer spending on video game hardware and software is on the rise, according to a new report from research firm Gartner.

Spending on hardware, software, and online play will reach $74.4 billion this year, Gartner said yesterday, up 10.4 percent from the $67 billion consumers spent last year. The market researcher said that consumers around the world will spend nearly $18 billion on game hardware this year and $44.7 billion on game software. Online gaming revenue will reach $11.9 billion in 2011, Gartner predicts.

"This large market size means that many consumers embrace gaming as … Read more