Topic: Video Game Systems Manufacturing

Bread and Circuits

At lunch today, I passed by an Au Bon Pain. In the window, there was an advertisement for a new turkey with cranberry chutney on ciabatta bread sandwich--their Thanksgiving special, I assume. What caught my eye was the slogan above ...READ»

Microsoft Bets Big On Halo 3

Microsoft hopes its strategic partnerships sell not only the final installment of its Halo franchise but the Xbox 360 as well.READ»

• Halo 3's Octopus Marketing Strategy

High Definition Headache

With several announcements at the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas this week, the high-definition landscape has become a quagmire. The hi-def war was once a simple battle between Sony's Blu-ray and Toshiba's HD-DVD--each format ...READ»

Sony, For the Win?

Despite the criticism they have faced, the analysts at Datamonitor believe Sony will regain their position as leader in the video game industry, with 75 million units sold worldwide by 2010. As I stated in a previous article, Sony's ...READ»

Netflix Chooses Blu-Ray

Internet video service Netflix announced that it is supporting Blu-ray, since "the industry has stated its clear preference for Blu-ray" -- according to the press release. The company will no longer purchase HD-DVDs and ...READ»

Gaming Console Wars

After first week sales, it appears as if Nintendo's Wii has beat out Sony's Playstation 3. As we reported in our online exclusive, "Sony's Risky Game," earlier this month, Sony faced serious challenges with meeting demand for its ...READ»

Sony's Success and the PlayStation 3 Liability

Sony posted its financials today. And despite a $583 million loss last quarter--the worst in four years--it has a net profit of $1.1 billion for the last year. This profit comes from the strength of their film division and ...READ»

Introducing Guest Blogger Brett Lovelady: Simplify, Simplify, Simplify

It may shock you to hear that I know very little about video gaming. OK, that's actually an overstatement. I know nothing about video gaming. That's not to say I don't have deep admiration, nay, awe for folks who not only understand ...READ»

• Simplicity + Technology = Sweet Success

Old Games

Is there a use-by age limit on those who play computer games? Or will we have computer games for the 40+ age group? According to Sony's PSP team, this age is one of their core markets. I find it understandable for those who were ...READ»

Choose Wisely

Microsoft and Intel chose HD-DVD. This has to be a blow to Sony and their Blu-Ray format. The coming war between HD-DVD and Blu-Ray is a topic I've covered a few times. I hoped it would be settled before either was released, but ...READ»

Tech Watch: Why Is Movie Rental Still So Damn Difficult?

While other technologies advance, renting a movie seems more confusing and expensive than ever.READ»

X May Mark the Spot

Last night was a first for the video game industry. Microsoft unveiled their new console, the Xbox 360, on an MTV special. While the program felt like a cheesy variety show, the few glimpses of the next generation games were ...READ»

Sony Impresses, Nintendo Disappoints at E3

Sony unveiled the PSP Go, a motion controller, and a slew of impressive titles--including a new one from Rockstar, creators of the Grand Theft Auto franchise--during today's E3 video game expo. While Nintendo, maker of the leading ...READ»

• Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)

Beautiful Noise

Make everything sound clearer and cleaner with SRS Labs' Wow Thing.READ»

Sony Announces PS3 Slim

At  a press event at the GamesCom convention in Germany today, Sony announced that the long-rumored slimmer PS3 will be released September 1 for $299, a $100 price drop from its current PlayStation 3. The console will have a 120 ...READ»

Sony, Nintendo Holiday Sales Match

Only 75 shopping days 'til Christmas, folks. If a loved one has Sony's Playstation 3 or the Nintendo Wii on his list, start thinking now of an excuse why Santa couldn't deliver. Both systems, in development for years, are expected ...READ»

Sony Is Not Playing the PR Game

With all the Sony bashing going around lately, it's hard to find a site that isn't criticizing how Sony handled the PlayStation 3 launch. Whether it's the fact that only half the number of systems promised were available for launch ...READ»

Microsoft's First Move

Last night Microsoft announced that they had hired Hironobu Sakaguchi to create two games for their upcoming Xbox Next. Sakaguchi is the creator of the bestselling series Final Fantasy. And so Microsoft makes their first move for ...READ»

Microsoft's Black Friday and the Success of Xbox 360

On Black Friday, Microsoft's Xbox 360 console outsold Sony's PlayStation 3 by three to one. That puts the 360 over 25 million systems sold worldwide, surpassing the sales of the original Xbox -- and in only three years.READ»

• 12 Games of Christmas

Can LittleBigPlanet Save Sony's PS3?

To inject life into the flagging PlayStation 3, Sony is banking on a charmingly weird new game called LittleBigPlanet, from a scrappy UK startup called Media Molecule. LBP -- and its hero, an endlessly customizable little character named Sackboy -- brings social networking and user-generated content to console gaming. Meet the visionary geeks behind it.READ»

• LittleBigPlanet's Little Big Scandal
• Will Wright: The Simemperor
• The Rise of Corporate Games

Marketing: Halo 3 Television Commercials and the Long Tail

With Halo 3, the flagship title for Microsoft's Xbox 360 gaming console, finally released, I would like to consider its success. As my colleague's article about the marketing of the product illustrates, Microsoft invested a lot of ...READ»

Why Grand Theft Auto IV Rocks

How Grand Theft Auto became the most important video game franchise ever.READ»

• Inside Grand Theft Auto IV
• Halo 3's Octopus Marketing Strategy
• What the Success of Grand Theft Auto 4 Means

Microsoft's Xbox Will No Longer Be Supported

Microsoft has announced that service repairs for its original Xbox video game systems with expired warranties will no longer be available. So if yours breaks, what happens now?READ»

Open-Source Product Development

The Boston Globe's Hiawatha Bray reports today on the increasing importance of "modders" to the video game industry. Avid video gamers have been modifying their favorite games to incorporate new weapons, enable character crossover, ...READ»