Ah, the story that keeps on…irritating. Remember those two kids from VGChartz that pissed me off? Aside from insulting my web site, my story, and me, one of them has started spreading false information. So in addition to making libelous statements, senior editor Nick Pantazis is lying to sites like Southern Fried Gamer where he’s quoted as saying:
The way he obtained his information, as he explained it to me, was that he walked around the show floor and asked people in booths what they knew about it. I’m not privy to all embargoed information nor all information under NDA, but in my experience at the events I’ve gone to (including this one), people you are able to talk to by simply walking up to booths are generally PR reps, and not developers as he claimed.
The funny part is that I never said anything to Pantazis about getting my information from company booths at GDC. For someone that accused me of making up a story, it’s funny that he made one up himself. It’s especially hilarious when you consider that I spent less than an hour on the GDC show floor. Most of my time at the show was spent in private meetings and informal networking chats.
I just rechecked my email exchange with Pantazis. I made it very clear that I got my information from developers. I said nothing about asking people in booths anything. I just don’t get this kid. What’s wrong with him? Is he crazy? Is he slow? Should I call up RPadholic jpkmets and sue VGChartz/Pantazis/Zucker for libel? Or maybe I should just take an Advil.
Nothing like a good legal threat. Possibly you could get him to say he writes purely for entertainment purposes and debunk everything he has ever said.
It seems that they're just threatened by you and trying to discredit you. I wouldn't sue just yet but if they write one more anti-rpad article after you've asked nicely to get their minds and facts right then it's on!
you are a hard to person to get in touch with rpad. As for SFG's article, the staff never meant any harm to you or your website. As stated before, I am a fan.
Take it all down. Do like in Law Abiding Citizen. Its gonna be f'ing biblical.
(okay really don't literally kill them)
I don't know what laws are concerning libel or slander, but you should really start looking into doing something about them/him.
Take the Advil and save yourself some money.
Pay no attention to that nonsense. Trust me, if you fight with Bantha fodder, you're going to end up smelling like Bantha fodder.
Be the bigger man and just walk away.
-M
@Ray
Get some pro bono work.
@N8R you tell em
What N8R said.
@Blasphemous No harm at all man! I was happy to see the article and enjoyed it.
Only Nintendo can resolve this despute. Will they officaly reveal the "DS2" this year or next?
Whats your personal thoughts on this? I say next year, I just don't see Nintendo waiting until 2012.
@Bill The dispute isn't actually about the "DS2". It's about Pantazis writing that I made up the story and telling people not to visit my site.
My personal thoughts on the release are mixed. From what I was told, games will be finished this year. Does that mean they'll be published this year or does Nintendo want to build up a large library for a 2011 launch? I'm not sure.
Other factors include the current DS models continuing to sell so well. That said, the system is six years old and a refresh is due.
Right now I'd guess — and this is a total guess — that the DS successor will be released in Japan before the end of the year, with a North American/European launch in Q1 2011.
Generally speaking, one should know when to admit they were wrong and stop digging.
If its a Japanese only release this year I would guess it will be officialy announced at E3 and then the "DS2" itself and games would be shown at TGS?
I hope "DS2" for it's games uses both physical media and DD.
@Ray
He’s just hating because devs don’t even know his name.
Hope this new DS is a true next-gen successor and not just another 'remodel' of the current DS tech.
It probably is just a matter of time before these kids piss off something bigger than you.
Going to the press saying someone said something that they indeed did not say with the intent to do malicious harm does in fact smell of libel. It really depends on how muddy you want to get massing with the mudslingers.
One thing is for sure, if the DS2 announcement is indeed made at E3, these kids are gonna be quiet with their privates in their hands. They’ll ignore you completely. That’s how shame works.
Raymond with all this "DS2" chatter have any Developers been saying anything about "PSP2" if there is indeed going to be one?
@bsukenyan The details on that are a little hazy. The media is new, but that doesn't mean there won't also be a DS slot, similar to how the DS and DS Lite can play DS and GBA games.
@Ray
That would also make sense, but the impression I have been getting is that it is going to play DS games, that there would be no cartridge change, etc. And that it would be an extremely upgraded DS. I could easily be wrong, but that is what it seems like to me at this point.
@Bill
That sounds DS2 related…where are those patents at online??
@ bsukenyan
http://www.siliconera.com/2010/03/05/nintendo-pat…
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Rumble-Feedback-Co…
@Bsukenyan
If it is cartridge based then the only improvements needed for the cartridge would be the speed of data xfer. Similar to how there are 3 different grades of memory stick or SD card.
Those little cartridges have to be cheap to make. Just like the camera cards or a flash stick. The only cheaper option is internal memory and digital distribution. I don't hold much faith in the DD model for big N though. They have notoriously underwhelmed in internal memory delivery.
i would like to send the brass at vgchartz an email, but i dont want to dignify that site with traffic…
It will be released this year with Nintendo games being the headliners for their digi store for the next iteration of their handheld money machine.
@Bill That sounds logical. The original DS was announced at E3 and released in the fall, if I remember correctly.
But then again after reading storys about Nintendo wanting the current DS to be used in Japanese Schools and used in Mcdonalds for training dosen’t bold well for a DS2 release this year. will see.
@Smartguy
Yeah the amount of information you can get into a small microSD card is amazing, but if Nintendo increased the amount of information then they would most likely need to increase the transfer rate, especially to be able to keep up with the tegra chip that is supposed to be put in the DS2.
I think that the digital distribution situation will be greatly improved with the DS2. Nintendo will have a chance to improve their online store and bring a lot of great downloadable games to people who are in the "casual 'living room' market" with the DS2. I think that the improvements that we saw with each iteration of the DS so far indicate that the online applications will be greatly be improved with this new version of the DS.
@Bill I disagree with you on that point. If the DS successor pushes down the price of the DS/DSi then it would be easier to place millions of them in schools, training centers, etc.
@Ray
With what you said in #13, a refresh does seem to be due, but that is a little bit what the DS lite, DSi, and DS XL are- and those have all been (and will be released) even with stellar sales numbers backing up the previous version of the DS. I don’t think that Nintendo will let that be any different when they release the DS2, whenever that happens. Also, on the topic of when it will be released, I tend to think that Nintendo will stick with the Japanese audience first and then release in North America shortly after (fall/holiday season of Japan, Q1 in North America theory)
Concerning the VGChartz situation, I just took a media law class last semester, and I wish I still had the book just to re-check some of the stuff out. Having said that it definitely reminds me of some libel suits that have taken place. I agree with everyone else up above me who has advised you to save your money on a lawsuit, but researching some similar libel suits and disseminating that information to Nick Pantazis and friends along with explanations and quotations about how they have twisted what you have said seems to be the most cost effective counter measure, and could be quite effective as well. Then when the DS2 is announced, a friendly email with the press release directly from Nintendo attached would be a nice “Finish Him” move.
@bsukenyan Those are minor updates to the same platform. They’re all capable of playing the same cartridges.
@Bill From what developers have told me, this is an entirely new platform. Also, I haven’t heard anything about a “PSP2”, but I would be surprised if there wasn’t one being worked on. The PSP hasn’t put up DS numbers, but it’s a successful system in its own right and I expect Sony to learn from its mistakes.
@Ray
I’m curious then, will the DS2 really be introducing a new cartridge style then? I would be a little shocked if the DS2 did not play DS cartridges.
Despite any of this though, I still think that a DS2 would be released amidst stellar DS (and all variations) sales.
@bsukenyan From what my contacts have told me, I believe your impression is incorrect. The media is entirely new, but that doesn’t mean that the system *could* have one slot that played both types.
@Ray
Well then this makes it even more interesting to me, I still think that the original DS cartridges could be used, but maybe not. Perhaps those cartridges are not capable of handling everything new and improved that the DS2 will offer.
I must say I am skeptical of an accelerometer on the DS2, I’m not the biggest fan of that on my itouch, so I was not too excited to hear about that on the DS2.
Have you seen thoses two Nintendo Patents on the net, one is for (what seems to be) a touch screen that rumbles and the other Patent looks like a modified DS cart. wonder if their DS2 related?
Raymond according to this Nintendo of Japan has just officialy announced "DS2" or DS3D.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3909…
@Smartguy
I was thinking along those a lines a little bit, but also about how much memory they can hold as well as the rate of transfer. Both of those things seem like they would be necessary in order to make a better game in the same cartridge size. I am sure those cartridges are cheap to make, they are pretty basic. And Nintendo does not seem to be the leader in digital distribution, but with the DSiware and Wiiware stores being open, the DS2 would be the perfect place to really upgrade those stores and make them interesting and accessible. The DS2, I think, would be the logical platform for a digital distribution store upgrade.
@Bsukenyan
You can get a 16gig microSD the size of a pinky fingernail. That would be more than enough space for a handheld game…unless Nintendo plans on changing the culture of handheld games.
Brings up an interesting path though….could Nintendo decide that the casual “living room” market is good enough on that front and focus on hardcore games for their handheld as well as their traditional fare? Quite plausible.
Update: VGChartz has denied my request to post a formal apology. What to do next?!?
sue those bastards