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Pokemon Diamond And Pearl, Nintendo DS Top Japanese Sales Charts
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Culture, Hardware, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360,
The guys at the NeoGAF forums have translated Media Create’s sales numbers for the week ending 10/1. As expected, Pokemon Diamond and Pearl dominated the software chart. Diamond sold slightly better than Pearl. The two combined to sell 1,588,734 units over four days. Three PS2 titles made the top ten, including the latest in the .hack series, and Minna no Tennis. The rest were pretty much the standard stock list of DS titles gamers are used to seeing on the list.
On the hardware side, Nintendo moved 274,389 DS Lite consoles, trouncing the rest of the pack. The Playstation 2 came in second with 31,992 units sold, and the Xbox 360 nearly doubled sales to 2,195; The release of Dead Rising probably contributed to this.
Read More 
| NeoGAF
Gallery: Pokemon Diamond And Pearl, Nintendo DS Top Japanese Sales Charts
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Famistu Shows Off Detailed Playstation 3 Images
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Hardware, PlayStation 3,
Famitsu released a bunch of detailed images from the Playstation 3 20GB and 60GB model, including some comparisons with the original Playstation 2. The 20GB and 60GB models look very similar, of course, with a different bezel color across the front. The 60GB model also adds the various flash media slots under the front flap. A long string of logos adorns the console, with all the multimedia options it supports, including Blu-Ray, DVD-ROM, Super Audio CD, and Dolby TRUEHD. The new SIXAXIS controller is also compared with the old Dual Shock, and some other changes have been made beyond wireless support and the lack of rumble. Famitsu highlights changes to the L2 and R2 triggers; it looks like these are shaped slightly differently and have a larger range of motion than the Dual Shock.
Read More | Famitsu
Gallery: Famistu Shows Off Detailed Playstation 3 Images
Sony Europe Issues Overheating Denial
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Hardware, PlayStation 3,
Speaking with Gamesindustry.biz, Sony of Europe has issued a complete denial of any overheating problems with the Playstation 3. Now, one could understand if Sony stated that gamers won’t have problems with the PS3 once they get their console home, but the statement includes this:
As could be seen on the TGS floor by the tens of thousands of media and public attendees, both the hardware and software worked flawlessly
This statement would seem to be categorically untrue, unless the images of the Tokyo Game Show worker attempting to cool off an overheating Playstation 3 with a clip-on fan have some other explanation. Many people have reported that the facility for the Tokyo Game Show was unbearably hot, due to the large amounts of hardware present, lack of any real air conditioning, and the massive swarms of bodies. So one could expect that ambient temperatures would be higher than a normal operating environment, and this would cause issues with the hardware. But to claim that there were no issues, when problems were reported by Kotaku and others seems laughable.
Read More | GamesIndustry.biz
Gallery: Sony Europe Issues Overheating Denial
Kaz: PS3 Motion Sensing + Rumble “Possible”, But Would be Expensive
Posted by Michael Cardiff Categories: Accessories, Hardware, PlayStation 3,
Oh Kaz, will your quotes ever cease to amaze? This week, Kaz Hirai of Sony talks to Kikizo about a combo motion-sensing / rumble remote, and while he says it’s “possible”, he says it would just make those PS3 controllers (which are currently going to cost you $39.99) too darn expensive.
“The issue is trying to isolate the vibration feature from the motion sensors,” he said. “Is it technically feasible? Absolutely. But the balancing act that you need to do, is to be able to present the controller to the consumer at an affordable price. We have one controller in the box, but many consumers will want to go out and get an extra controller. To isolate the vibration from the sensing, if that means that the controllers are going to be so expensive, then we’re doing the consumer a huge disservice.”
That’s quite the choice quote, given that Nintendo has managed to offer the package Kaz is talking about, a wireless controller with motion sensing and rumble (need we mention the speaker too?), for the very same price of $39.99. And Nintendo is notorious for not taking losses on their on hardware!
Read More | Kikizo
Gallery: Kaz: PS3 Motion Sensing + Rumble “Possible”, But Would be Expensive
Xbox 360 HD DVD Pre-Order Available on GameStop.com
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Accessories, Hardware, Xbox 360,
GameStop.com now has the Xbox 360 HD-DVD Drive available for pre-order online. Pricing, as previously mentioned, is $199.99 and currently includes the King Kong HD-DVD Movie pack-in. According to GameStop, the drive will be available on 11/30, a couple of weeks after the Playstation 3 and the Wii release. With the Playstation 3, Wii, Zune, and the HD-DVD shipping this holiday season, it looks like there’s going to be a ton of hardware competing for consumer dollars in November and December.
Read More | GameStop
Gallery: Xbox 360 HD DVD Pre-Order Available on GameStop.com
Sony Announces Japanese PS3 Accessory Prices
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Accessories, Hardware, PlayStation 3,
Sony Computer Entertainment of Japan announced today the pricing and availability of some of the accessories for the PS3 in that territory. On launch day, November 11th, gamers will be able to purchase additional wireless SIXAXIS controllers for 5000 Yen, roughly $42 US. Gamers looking to play their old Playstation 2 games on their new console will also want to pick up a memory card adapter, listed at 1500 Yen ($13 US), also available on launch day. The memory card adapter is a USB device that allows users to copy their PS1 and PS2 saves to the internal hard drive of the Playstation 3. Finally, the BD-ROM remote will ship on December 7th, for 3600 Yen ($31 US). Since the PS3 controllers are wireless, there is less of a pressing demand for a fully functioning BD-ROM remote, but it would have been nice to see the device on launch day.
Read More | Playstation.com
Gallery: Sony Announces Japanese PS3 Accessory Prices
Is This the Wii Remote Box?
Posted by Michael Cardiff Categories: Accessories, Hardware, Rumors, Wii,
Joystiq and Kotaku are running with the story that the above image could be the final packaging for add-on Wiimotes. Given Nintendo’s recent proclivity to try to emulate all things Apple, the box makes a lot of sense (just look at how much it resembles the packaging for the new iPod nano. Still, we’re going to keep being our skeptical little selves and guess that this isn’t really the final box. For starters, Nintendo seems to be basing everything around a white motif, so having extra Wiimotes come in black boxes doesn’t really fit with their packaging design for the Wii itself. Also, as some forum posters noted over at Joystiq, this looks a lot like the boxes for the promo Wiimotes that were given out at the Wii press event in Japan.
Read More | Kotaku.com
Gallery: Is This the Wii Remote Box?
Details Surface on Wii / Wavebird Functionality
Posted by Michael Cardiff Categories: Corporate News, Hardware, Rumors, Wii,
A while back, rumors started circulating that the Wii may be able to connect to the Gamecube’s wireless wavebird controllers without their receivers. Turns out that’s not the case, and we have some answers about how the GC-controller-connected-to-Wii setup will work in general. Games site Nintendojo asked a Nintendo rep and got the following responses:
- WaveBirds and GameCube controllers can be used with all GameCube games and select Wii Disc games.
- WaveBirds are used as Nintendo GameCube controllers, so they need to use the receivers.
- The WaveBird receiver does indeed fit into the top of Wii.
- WaveBird and GameCube controller compatibility with Virtual Console games has not been announced. Nintendo will release more details about Virtual Console games and controls closer to launch.
So, unfortunately, you’ll need to keep your Wavebird dongle and plug it into the top of the Wii. Item one on that list isn’t all that surprising, either, given that it was earlier suggested that Super Smash Bros. Brawl would use the Gamecube controllers. What is interesting is the last item - why would Nintendo be unwilling to comment on whether or not the Wii could use the Gamecube controllers for virtual console games? Does this mean that all virtual console games will have to be played with the Wii’s Classic Controller attachment for the Wiimote?
Frankly, the whole setup is getting a little confusing. Gamecube games will use the gamecube controllers but probably won’t be controllable with the wiimote or its classic controller attachment. Most Wii games will use the wiimote (possibly with other attachments like the nunchuk and classic controller). But now SOME Wii games will use the Gamecube controller as well?? And virtual console games might require the classic controller attachment, not giving you the option to use your GC controller? Help us out here Nintendo… it’s getting to be too much to remember.
Read More | NintenDojo
Gallery: Details Surface on Wii / Wavebird Functionality
Latest Japanese Software Sales Charts
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Culture, Hardware, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2,
The latest Media Create Japanese software sales for the week ending 9/25 have been released, and basically, the DS continues to dominate the charts. Sony’s Minna No Tennis held on to the top spot, though, continuing the popularity of the series. Final Fantasy III and New Super Mario Bros. took second and third, with essentially 500 sales separating the two. The Nintendo Tingle RPG is still hanging around the top ten. Hopefully, the game will be a surprising success and will encourage a US release.
There was no big shake up in hardware sales this week, either, with Nintendo moving 139,835 DS consoles to take the top spot. The PS2 pulled in second at 32,673, followed by the PSP at 23,118. The Xbox 360 managed to rebound from its sub-1000 showing last week to sell 1,109 units. Hopefully this will see a significant bump come November and December as the new bundles hit the market.
Next week, expect Pokemon Diamond and Pearl sales to hit the charts, and DS sales to jump as special edition consoles hit the market.
Read More | NeoGAF Forums
Gallery: Latest Japanese Software Sales Charts
According to a report from Dean Takahashi at Mercury News, Hewlett-Packard will be acquiring high-end gaming PC manufacturer VoodooPC for an undisclosed sum. This move clearly seeks to counter Dell’s recent acquisition of enthusiast-PC maker Alienware, but it looks like the integration for Voodoo will be deeper for HP.
The VoodooPC brand will still live on, but it remains to be seen how much of the core company survives integration. The co-founders, Rahul and Ravi Sood will take high profile positions in the company’s new gaming division in the personal technology group, so hopefully a lot of the esthetic of the company will live on. The Voodoo brand will benefit from access to Hewlett-Packard’s leverage in the supply chain, and HP clearly expects this acquisition to give them credibility in the gaming arena for some of their lower-end offerings.
The acquisitions by both Dell and HP seem to be driven by a couple of factors. First, it recognizes the hard-core PC gaming market as a segment with growth potential, but the focus on gaming also seems to be rooted in the need for both companies to differentiate their PC offerings on things other than price. The commoditization of the PC has made profit margins in the low-end PC market almost unsustainable and embracing the high-end may be one way to get away from cost pressures.
Read More | Mercury News
Gallery: HP Buys VoodooPC
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