gaming
Microsoft Could Be Saving Xbox One’s Best for E3
Microsoft’s new Xbox One video game console, announced with fanfare on Tuesday, is certainly a step forward — but the early reaction has been mixed at best. Much of the massive attention it caught from Twitter users, for example, seems to be anything but positive. There’s a perception that Microsoft focused too much on living room entertainment and too little on gaming.
Microsoft Packs Xbox One With Home Entertainment Power
Microsoft has officially unveiled the Xbox One, promising it will usher in a new generation of games, TV and entertainment. The One comes a dozen years after the original Xbox video game console debuted, and eight years after its best-selling Xbox 360 proved that Microsoft was a serious contender in the gaming arena. The reveal took place at an event at its Redmond, Wash., campus on Tuesday.
Nintendo Scoops E3 With Previews of Upcoming Titles
Nintendo has once again gone straight to gamers with its latest Nintendo Direct video to generate hype for its latest offerings. The video game console maker and game publisher announced Friday that popular characters will arrive for the Nintendo Wii U and Nintendo 3DS handheld system. The latest Nintendo Direct primarily focused on games coming out this summer.
Nvidia Raises Its Shield
Nvidia will begin taking preorders for its $349 Shield handheld gaming device on May 20, and it will begin shipping at the end of June. Formerly known as "Project Shield," the portable gaming system features a 5-inch pop-up screen that is connected to a handheld game controller.
The Shield can display images in 720p, or 1280×720, resolution.
BlueStacks Horns In on Ouya’s Gaming Turf
The war for gamers is heating up with BlueStacks’ introduction of GamePop, a system that will allow users to play thousands of mobile gaming apps on a TV screen. The GamePop custom console and game controller are being offered free through the end of May to subscribers who sign up for the $6.99 per month service. Gamers can preorder the system now, with the console expected to ship in the winter.
Microsoft’s IllumiRoom Blends Gaming, Real-World Environments
While Microsoft isn’t taking the wraps off its upcoming next-generation video game console until next month, it did cast a little more illumination on its IllumiRoom projection system on Monday. The system has been described as a proof-of-concept technology that augments the area surrounding a television to enhance the gaming experience.
Real-World Marauders Infest Online Games
A scenario involving cybercriminals using techniques developed by state-sponsored cyberespionage groups sounds like a plot point in a video game, but the Winnti crew aren’t the villains in some new release. These Chinese hackers are very real, and online games are their target. The group has been conducting a long-running cybercrime campaign targeting online gaming companies worldwide, Kaspersky Lab reported this week.
Ridge Racer Makes Daring Free-Style Move
There are several notable standout series in the world of car-racing games, including Electronic Arts’ Need for Speed and Sony’s Gran Turismo. However, Namco Bandai’s Ridge Racer could surge past the competition with a new free-to-play model. Namco Bandai is far from the first company to embrace this model. The way it works is that the game typically is provided for free but there are fees for premium content and extras.
Next Xbox May Mark the Spot for Home Entertainment
All may be revealed on May 21, when Microsoft officially unveils its next-generation video game console and follow-up to its popular Xbox 360. In the meantime, the rumor mill is churning. Xbox executive Adam Orth reportedly departed Microsoft this week after engaging in a controversial Twitter exchange related to the console’s rumored "always on" requirement.
Gamers Get Hardcore on Razer’s Edge
Razer’s Edge is now shipping, preinstalled with Steam software, Valve’s online gaming delivery and management service, which offers access to more than 2,000 titles.
"It is certainly an impressive device, one that is really an all-in-one computer with a touchscreen," said Lewis Ward, IDC research manager for gaming.
The Video Game Circle Game: What’s Old Must Be New Again
The video game industry has been suffering one of its most notable slumps in recent years. Sales in February were down compared with the same period a year ago. March’s numbers have yet to be released, but they will likely reflect some improvement, as a handful of high-profile titles have arrived. These potential blockbusters don’t seem all that different but they could offer enough of a twist to get gamers interested.
The Video Game Circle Game: What’s Old Must Be New Again
The video game industry has been suffering one of its most notable slumps in recent years. Sales in February were down compared with the same period a year ago. March’s numbers have yet to be released, but they will likely reflect some improvement, as a handful of high-profile titles have arrived. These potential blockbusters don’t seem all that different but they could offer enough of a twist to get gamers interested.
