The Games News

“The first five million people are going to buy it, whatever it is, even if it didn’t have games.” These interesting words were spoken by Sony Euro CEO David Reeves during a recent interview. The question, though, seems fit to ask: Would you still buy the PS3 even if it didn’t have games to go with it? I find it a hard question to answer.

Looming in the shadows, the PS3 could lure in some of those 5 million initial buyers with its (somewhat) cheap price considering it has the new Blu-Ray technology. Considering what Blu-Ray could do for the next generation of video games could be another way to grab systems off the shelf. Without games, though, what else is left to imagine for the PS3? If Sony is looking to manufacture for the “social” gamer, then they may lose more than they will gain. If they take the “hardcore” gamers out of the equation, then they are ignoring over 50% of gamers. Gamers don’t buy games because it’s “the cool thing to do,” or because it will increase the appraised value of your home. Gamers buy games because they love video games and the sensation they get when they play video games, whether it is to relieve stress from everyday work, playing together with friends, or just playing in your free time. This, oddly enough, seems to be a fact that some companies seem to be forgetting.

After losing a 90 million dollar suit against Immersion Corporation over the illegal use of their force-feedback and “haptic” technologies, Sony has taken a step in the wrong direction and has removed the vibration feature in their controllers for their upcoming PS3 console. Citing the illegal use of their vibration technology, Immersion President Victor Viegas also had the jury slap an injunction on Sony that would stop them from producing, manufacturing, or even selling anything relating to Immersion’s technology.

This couldn’t come at a worse time for Sony as the battle for video game supremacy continues to grow. With each of the 3 competitors (Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo) introducing bigger and better products for each of their systems, Sony has taken a huge blow with the loss of this lawsuit. Sony’s innovations have saved them in the past and hopefully they will save them in their darkest of times.

Recently, Sony released the price for its premium PS3 in the United Kingdom. At the current time, the price for the PS3 is at ₤425. Seems like a reasonable price when you look at it, right? Well, once you figure in currency exchange to US dollars, the price stands at a whopping $802, a little over $200 more than the premium US PS3. No matter what the price difference is when you compare US and UK currency exchange, Sony has no intention of lowering its prices in the United Kingdom to match the prices set for other countries around the world. Sony seems to believe that no matter what the price difference is, the Blu-Ray technology that accompanies the PS3 seems to be worth every penny.

I don’t think it’s an expensive machine; I think actually, it’s probably a cheap machine. If you think a Blu-Ray player by itself might be GBP 600-700, and we’re coming in at just GBP 425 - it’s a bargain.” It may be a deal, it may be a rip-off. In November, everything will be settled when the PS3 is released and the sales will tell the story.
- said a Sony Marketing Representative -

While every company in the upcoming generation of video game consoles are trying to make their individual systems and accessories backwards compatible, it seems that Sony is trying to give the PS3 controller a downgrade for use with the PS2 and PC, leaving it forwards compatible with the PS3.

The new PC, PS2, and PS3-compatible controller, named the eDimentional G-Pad Pro Gyroscopic Gamepad (quite a mouthful), will feature a 12-button analog configuration along with a motion sensor detection system allowing for third-dimensional movements using the controller. Along with all other controller options, you will be able to set custom settings, control sensitivity, and will be able to use the controller as a mouse, keyboard, and joystick all in one. PS3’s motion-sensor fight with Nintendo seems to be underway, with this controller being the first step. The PS3 controller downgrade will be available in July.

The days of 32, 64, and 128-bit digital earthworms are now behind us. With the introductions of recent systems such as the PSP, Xbox 360, and future systems such as the PS3 and the Wii, reintroductions of former major hit video games seem in order as well. While Atari, former video game heavyweight and original developer of Earthworm Jim, is in the middle of a hefty sell-out, they have released names of current games in development; one of those names is our old friend Earthworm Jim.

While it seems that Earthworm Jim is officially making a comeback, rumors are still roaming around to which system the game will be on. With some advertisements claiming the PSP and others claiming the Xbox 360, the possibilities that the game will be released on both systems is a possibility as well.

I completely redesigned Earthworm Jim and all of the other characters and the game play is coming out amazing. We are aiming for the original feel of the first Jim game only it would be on a 3D platform.
- Doug TenNapel, father of Earthworm Jim, said of the new game -