Sony Computer Entertainment is set to announce details on PlayStation Vita, previously codenamed the Sony NGP. The company also has some hot games in the works for its PlayStation 3 console. How much time do you think Sony will spend addressing the recent PlayStation Network hack? Any predictions on the Vita’s price? Join me for his Sony press live blog and learn all sorts of exciting details!
Category: Console Wars
E3 2011 Microsoft Press Conference Live Blog
It’s time for Microsoft’s E3 2011 press conference! Microsoft is the only one of the “Big Three” that hasn’t confirmed new hardware for the show. Will the company counter with some hot games? How will it take Kinect to the next level? You think there’s a chance that there will be a hardware surprise? Follow this live blog and find out!
RPad.tv E3 2011 Live Blog Schedule
Howdy boys and girls! I’m going to try live blogging the major press conference on my iPad 2 tethering off of a Verizon LTE connection. I’ve done dry runs and it should work, but I won’t really know if it will work under real-world conditions until I do it. If everything goes as planned, I’ll be live blogging the Microsoft, Electronic Arts, Sony, and Nintendo pressers. Please, please join me if you can, because your comments are what makes these live blogs awesome!
Here’s the schedule.
Monday June 6
Microsoft: 9:30AM PT
Electronic Arts: 12:30PM PT
Sony: 5PM PT
Tuesday June 7
Nintendo: 9AM PT
Coffee Talk #359: E3 Press Conference Battle Royal!!!
Before the E3 show floor opens, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony crank their hype machines to 11 and set the tone with their press conference. What I really want to know is which E3 2011 press…
Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, rumors of Blake Lively posing nude, bamboo combs, or your favorite mustard, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
One of the most fascinating (and expensive) parts of E3 is its press conference. A handful of large publishers hold pressers, but the ones that matter most are held by the console manufacturers. Before the show floor opens, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony crank their hype machines to 11 and set the tone for E3. This year will surely be the same. What I really want to know is (Lenny Kravitz) which E3 2011 press conference are you looking forward to the most and why?
Nintendo and Sony will definitely be showing off new hardware. What will Microsoft do to compete with that? Which console will have the most exclusives? How about the best ones? How many times will Sony say, “I’m sorry.”? These are all things to consider when making your choice. So kindly pick one in the poll and expand on your choice in the comments section.
[poll id=”119″]
Today’s Poll: PSN Outage vs. Xbox 360 RROD
Today’s poll is going to require some deep thought (Jack Handy). I want to know which “situation” did more damage, the PlayStation Network outage or the Xbox 360 red ring of death? It’s easy to go with the PSN outage since it’s fresh, but I’d love for you to take a step back and give it some thought. Is a hardware issue for some worse than a service outage for all? Which situation did more damage to the reputation of the respective console manufacturer? Kindly vote and discuss!
[poll id=”115″]
Coffee Talk #347: Your Least Favorite Console Launch
I’m late to the party on the Nintendo 3DS…and I’m trying to figure out where the party is. As a frequent flyer and huge portable gamer, the 3DS is off to a disappointing start. What was your…
Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, whether Derek Jeter is washed up, the brilliance of Hall & Oates, or your favorite Thundercat, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
I’m late to the party on the Nintendo 3DS…and I’m trying to figure out where the party is. I loved the potential of Nintendo’s latest portable gaming system at E3 2010 and the handful of times I got to play it between then and launch. After a few weeks with the system, I’m completely underwhelmed.
I have five 3DS launch titles and the only one I’m regularly enjoying is Nintendogs + Cats. That game hardly pushes the 3DS’ capabilities and the charm is largely the same as the original’s. I know that the 3DS will have great games in the future and I’m sure I’ll eventually love the system. As a frequent flyer and huge portable gamer, I’m really disappointed in the 3DS’ weak start. Next time I fly, I’ll probably leave my 3DS at home and play games on my iPad 2.
I don’t remember the last time I was this underwhelmed by a console launch. A new system usually brings something new and exciting to the table. The 3DS only does half of that. Where there any console launches that left you feeling flat? Kindly name the console launch (or launches) that disappointed you the most.
Wii Hits $149.99: Are You Buying?
Nintendo of America has announced a new Wii bundle that will be available on May 15, 2010 for a price of $149.99. The bundle includes the Wii console (black or white), Mario Kart, and the Wii Wheel accessory. The company is also launching its Nintendo Selects line of games; these are older titles with a new price of $19.99. The first four Nintendo Selects games are The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Animal Crossing: City Folk, Mario Super Sluggers, and Wii Sports.
For those of you that don’t have a Wii, please let me know if the new price point tempts you. For Wii owners and prospective Wii owners, please let me know if any of the Nintendo Selects games catch your eye.
Coffee Talk #345: PSN Outage Further Killing Sony’s Brand?
Gamasutra’s Colin Campbell wrote this excellent article on how the PlayStation Network outage has further devalued the PlayStation brand. I don’t think he went far enough. The PSN outage has damaged the (already declining) Sony brand.
Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, those pesky Memphis Grizzlies, the Bin Laden attack being described on Twitter hours before the U.S. government acknowledged it, or wanting to hug awesome apps, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
Gamasutra’s Colin Campbell wrote this excellent article on how the PlayStation Network outage has further devalued the PlayStation brand. Colin is awesome and his article is great, but I don’t think he went far enough. There’s no question that the PSN attack has damaged the PlayStation brand. It’s more than that though. The PSN outage has damaged the (already declining) Sony brand.
Remember when Sony was the premiere name in consumer electronics? There was a long stretch when the consumer electronics market was Sony, followed by everyone else. From televisions to audio components to laptops, Sony products were almost always best in class. A lot has changed since then. The company absolutely bombed in the modern portable audio space (which is funny because it basically created the market with the Walkman). PC manufacturers were able to offer computers that were almost as nice, but much cheaper. The television market got a lot more competitive, with Korean companies like LG and Samsung outdoing Sony in both price and performance.
For two console generations, Sony dominated the field. Its third go-round didn’t go nearly as well, for numerous reasons. Although the PlayStation 3 was starting to pick up steam globally, the PSN outage will definitely impact performance and perception. Rightly or wrongly, people will use the PSN outage to illustrate that Sony has lost its grip on yet another market.
What do you think? Will the damage be confined to to the PlayStation brand or is the Sony brand in jeopardy too? Or is all of this being overblown? Perhaps the PlayStation and Sony brands will be just fine by the end of the year. Kindly share your thoughts on the nebulous value of branding!
Will the PSN Outage Lead to More Xbox 360 Gamers?
Sony’s PlayStation Network security breach is arguably the biggest story this console generation. While writers and gamers alike are talking up the PSN outage, I have to question whether all this talk will lead to action. (I studied philosophy. I question everything.) According to a survey conducted by CouponCodes4U, more than 20 percent of people that are PS3 gamers are considering leaving for Xbox 360 due to the security breach. Here’s a clip from GamePolitics:
The survey found that 21 percent of PlayStation 3 owners said they were “considering selling their console in order to switch to rival console, the Microsoft Xbox 360.”
The majority of respondents — 89 percent — admitted that they were concerned for their personal data, with names, email addresses and assumed stolen by hackers. More than three fifths ( 65 percent) of video gamers said their trust in Sony and the PlayStation Network had been ‘greatly affected’, while just fewer than 9 percent said that it “hadn’t affected their trust at all.”
Keep in mind that the sample size of 2,132 people is relatively small. I’m inclined to dismiss the numbers because of the sample size. Still, the findings are fascinating. Sony has been picking up steam globally, with the PS3 recently overtaking the Xbox 360 in worldwide sales (depending on whose numbers you believe). Will the PSN security breach halt that momentum? Will gamers with PS3s only defect to the Xbox 360? What do you think the longterm damage of the “external intrusion” will be?
Nintendo Wii Successor Coming in 2012: Do You Care?
Nintendo has confirmed that its next home videogame console will arrive in 2012. The mystery console, with the purportedly ridiculous controller, will be shown at E3 2011. Here’s a clip from Nintendo of Japan’s investor relations page:
Nintendo Co., Ltd. has decided to launch in 2012 a system to succeed Wii, which the company has sold 86.01 million units on a consolidated shipment basis between its launch in 2006 and the end of March 2011.
We will show a playable model of the new system and announce more specifications at the E3 Expo, which will be held June 7-9, 2011, in Los Angeles.
I know that a lot of you are down on the Wii, DS, and 3DS (which makes me sad…for the first two anyway), but I wanted to check if you’re curious about Nintendo’s upcoming console? Will HD capabilities, Nintendo’s first-party lineup, and a unique take on games be enough to bring you back into Mario’s world? Or have you outgrown Nintendo? Do you guys care about Nintendo’s next move? Or has the company burned you out with motion and 3D?