Sony to launch web-connected movie trivia Blu-ray app in September
Sony announced today that it will launch MovieIQ, a service that delivers up movie trivia and information to Blu-ray movie watchers.
The new service will launch in September on Blu-ray devices that can hook up to the Internet to fetch data associated with the particular… Continue Reading
Free pricing triumphs as Free Realms online game hits 3 million in seven weeks
Sony’s Free Realms has scored 3 million registered users in just seven weeks, making it a true hit for the free online games business model in the U.S.
The “free to play” games, where players start playing for free but can purchase virtual goods with… Continue Reading
Video game sales still in a slump versus a year ago
Video game sales fell for the third straight month in May. Even though the industry can’t beat the extraordinary numbers it turned out a year ago, it’s not quite time to panic. The recession is a drag, but the blockbusters for this year are expected… Continue Reading
The top ten video games of the coming year
At the E3 convention in Los Angeles last week I got to see a lot of what the video game industry has to offer in the coming year. Hands down, the best technology I saw at the show came from Microsoft in the form of… Continue Reading
Roundup: Signs surface of new iPhones, Google releases Page Speed, and more
Here’s the latest action:
More signs of new iPhones coming this summer – European mobile phone retailer Carphone Warehouse has added spots for four new iPhone models to its inventory, according to AppleInsider’s sources.
Google introduces Page Speed – It’s a Firefox add-on that gives… Continue Reading
Dean’s video report on the latest trends and great games of E3
Here’s a video I shot with Alexa Lee of Ooyala at the Microsoft Xbox 360 booth at the E3 trade show in Los Angeles. After three and half days at the 40,000-attendee event, I’ve soaked in some of the interesting trends. In this segment, I… Continue Reading
Sony shows off its own motion-tracking technology for games
Not to be outdone by Microsoft or Nintendo, Sony is showing off its own futuristic motion-tracking technology today.
Richard Marks, creator of the Sony EyeToy, which enables two-dimensional camera-tracking games, showed off a new version of Sony’s motion-tracking technology today. You hold a wireless handheld… Continue Reading
Sony’s PSP Go: boasts wider screen, but still no “touch”
Details of the latest version of Sony’s PlayStation Portable, the PSP Go, keep leaking out.
If the details are correct, this new device will be one of the headline grabbers among all of the new developments at the E3 game show next week.
Engadget reports that Sony will announce the… Continue Reading
Anticipating E3: the video game giants prepare to show their cards
The E3 video game trade show gets under way Monday, and is expected to draw more than 40,000 people with a new grandiose format.
Held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, it will be much more like a Las Vegas extravaganza than the boring, press-focused shows that… Continue Reading
Peeling back another layer of detail on Microsoft’s secret gesture-control system for games
We reported recently that Microsoft was preparing to announce a gesture-control system for the Xbox 360 at the E3 show in Los Angeles starting Monday. Now we’ve peeled back another layer of the secret.
The motion-sensing control system that Microsoft is working on is key… Continue Reading
LED TVs hit the market, but will they sell?
With Samsung leading the charge, several television makers are turning to light-emitting diode technology to build thinner, crisper and more energy efficient products, VentureWire points out today. The catch is that the LEDs take price tags up a few notches — so will consumers go… Continue Reading
Video games slide down the recession slope as April sales fall 17 percent
Hurt by the recession and a tough comparison to a year ago, video game sales fell 17 percent in April compared to a year ago.
That means game sales have fallen for the second month in a row, with sales in March also falling 17… Continue Reading
Sony reports first loss in 14 years, PlayStation 3 price cut hinted
Dashing hopes of a quick economic recovery, Sony reported its first loss in 14 years today, warned of a big loss coming, and dropped a hint it may cut prices on the PlayStation 3.
The strong yen and declining overseas sales are hurting the company’s… Continue Reading
Roundup: Street View blinded, curtain to rise on new PS3 and more
Here’s the latest action:
It’s a pirate’s life for Asia — A new study indicates that software piracy is growing rapidly in Asia where the number of computer owners continues to skyrocket.
Street View’s prying eyes — Google must reshoot footage for its maps Street… Continue Reading
Sony to unveil new PlayStation Portable at E3?
Sony is expected to reveal a new PlayStation Portable game handheld at the upcoming E3 trade show in Los Angeles, according to published reports.
Sony certainly needs to do something. The Nintendo DS consistently outsells the PSP by 2 to 1 on a worldwide basis,… Continue Reading
Will the game industry slow, or is it just getting started?
I’m giving a speech today in Berlin, Germany at the Quo Vadis game conference. I was asked to talk about the state of the game industry and the prospects for game startups. Here’s an abridged version of the speech for those who want an overview… Continue Reading
So much for recession-proof: U.S. video game sales take a 17 percent dip in March
U.S. video game sales have held up in the recession, until now. Sales of console games, hardware and accessories fell 17 percent in March to $1.43 billion from $1.72 billion a year ago, according to market researcher NPD Group.
So much for the talk that… Continue Reading
Marketing whiz tries to juice Sony’s PlayStation business in Europe
Sony has played executive musical chairs in its game division once again. Andrew House, until recently the chief marketing officer for all of Sony, has been appointed president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.
The move is a big one — Europe is a key battleground… Continue Reading
YouTube, Sony partnering for streaming films?
Short-form video site YouTube and Sony Pictures are rumored to be in negotiations for a new content deal. Sources close to the talks have told CNet the agreement could make full-length films like Sony Pictures’ “Spider-Man” and the 1998 remake “Godzilla” available for free on… Continue Reading
Graham Hopper expands Disney’s video game kingdom
Graham Hopper, executive vice president and general manager of Disney Interactive Studios, gets to see a broad swatch of the video game business, since his video game titles range from hardcore titles such as the upcoming racing game Split/Second to the Toy Story game for… Continue Reading