16/09/2008 by swordfish.

Microsoft has cut the price of the Xbox 360 as it tries to reposition the console as a mass-market competitor to the Wii.

The £30 price cut means the standard 60 GB model will sell for £169.99, the same price as Nintendo’s machine.

The lower spec Arcade console without a hard drive will sell for £129 while the Xbox 360 Elite, aimed at hardcore gamers, will cost £229.99.

Microsoft has targeted traditional male gamers with the XBox 360 console and its range of first-person shooter titles like Halo 3. But it has been overtaken by Nintendo and the runaway success of the Wii, which is designed to appeal to a more family friendly audience.

Source: ‘BBC Newsbeat’

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Posted in Wii, Xbox, PC Games | Print | No Comments »

18/08/2008 by swordfish.

Playing video games improves manual dexterity among surgeons, making them faster and less likely to make mistakes, US researchers have said.

The findings were contained in a raft of research about how video games effect the people who play them, discussed Sunday at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association in Boston.

“The big picture is that there are several dimensions in which games have effects,” including their content, how they are played, and how much, said psychologist Douglas Gentile of Iowa State University.

Studies involving high school and college students confirmed previous findings about the social effects of playing violent video games, the Iowa State researchers said. Students who played violent games were more hostile, less forgiving, and more apt to view violence as normal, than peers who played non-violent games.

Source: ‘Yahoo Technology News‘

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Posted in PS3, Nintendo, PlayStation, Wii, PC Games, Xbox, Software | Print | 1 Comment »

22/07/2008 by swordfish.

A new survey by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has shown that women now make up 40 per cent of computer gamers.

Gaming has traditionally been seen as the preserve of young males, but the study of 1,200 American households found that the number of female players is growing fast and that the average age of computer gamers is 35.

“This new data underscores the fundamental principle that computer and video games are a mainstream entertainment form which captures the imagination of every segment of our society,” said Michael D. Gallagher, chief executive of the ESA. “No longer is there a stereotypical gamer. With deeper market penetration and the broadening of our audience base, video games have incorporated themselves into America’s cultural and social fabric.”

Overall, nearly double the number of women aged 18 or older played computer games (33 per cent) than boys aged 17 or younger (18 per cent).

Source: Yahoo Technology

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Posted in PS3, Nintendo, PlayStation, Wii, Xbox, PC Games | Print | 1 Comment »

17/07/2008 by swordfish.

It’s nearly 40 years old but one leading research company says the days of the computer mouse are numbered.

A Gartner analyst predicts the demise of the computer mouse in the next three to five years. Taking over will be so called gestural computer mechanisms like touch screens and facial recognition devices.

“The mouse works fine in the desktop environment but for home entertainment or working on a notebook it’s over,” declared analyst Steve Prentice.

He told BBC News that his prediction is driven by the efforts of consumer electronics firm which are making products with new interactive interfaces inspired by the world of gaming.

Naturally enough those in the business of making mice are not wholly in agreement that the end is nigh!

Source: BBC Technology

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Posted in Wii, PC Games, Technology News | Print | 1 Comment »

16/07/2008 by swordfish.

Nintendo unveiled a highly-sensitive motion controller add-on for its Wii system as it seeks to capitalise on its position as the global console leader.

At the E3 games conference in Los Angeles, the firm showed off its Wii MotionPlus, which it promised would add more realism and depth to games.

The company has sold more than 10 million Wii consoles and 70 million DS handheld machines worldwide.

Rival Sony has announced a larger capacity version of its PlayStation 3. At a later press conference, Sony unveiled a film download service and an 80-gigabyte hard drive version of PS3 for gamers in North America.

Source: BBC Technology

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Posted in PlayStation, Wii, PC Games, Software, Technology News | Print | 1 Comment »

14/07/2008 by swordfish.

The giants of the video games industry gather in Los Angeles this week for the E3 conference, and all sights are set on the mass market.

Microsoft and Sony are both expected to follow the Nintendo Wii’s lead and push into social gaming. Observers say the recent cut for the Xbox 360 is Microsoft’s bid to make the console more appealing.

“There is a strong move to pull in women, young girls and older people,” said analyst Piers Harding-Rolls. “It’s not just about the traditional gamer anymore. More casual, lifestyle and family-orientated products are going to appeal to a wider demographic,” said the Screen Digest analyst.

Source: BBC Technology

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Posted in Wii, PC Games, Software, Microsoft, Technology News | Print | 1 Comment »