Ha.
Major Nelson Speaks on Banning Pirates From Xbox Live
Microsoft’s Major Nelson addressed the issue of banning software pirates from Xbox Live in a recent blog post. The man also known as Larry the Marketing Guy said:
The health of the video game business depends on customers paying for the genuine products and services they receive from manufacturers, retailers, and the third parties that support them. This would also be a good time to remind you that the warranty on an Xbox 360 console is not transferrable and if you purchase a used console that has been previously banned, you will not be able to connect to Xbox Live.
While I have no problem with what Microsoft is doing and I agree with most of that Larry said, it still bugs me that console games in third-world countries have Western prices. Having lived in a third-world country for most of 2006, I was surprised to see that most games cost the equivalent of $50 to $60 while people were making $150 a month. For a lot of people, piracy was the only reasonable way to go.
My little rant aside, what do you think of Microsoft banning pirates from Xbox Live?
Gamers Defecting From Xbox 360 to PlayStation 3 for Sequels?
According to research firm OTX, a lot of gamers are planning to buy sequels (Assassin’s Creed 2
New data provided to Gamasutra by OTX’s GamePlan Insights finds that many sequel-buyers might be switching platforms, defecting from Xbox 360 to PlayStation 3 for more than one major release.
“The PS3 seems poised to shift the ratio of Xbox 360 to PS3 sales for most major multi-platform releases in its favor among dual owners,” [analyst Nick] Williams tells us.
This is an interesting trend that I’ve been noticing with some friends. A lot of my gamer pals that are new to the PS3 — mostly players that purchased a PS3 Slim
Coffee Talk #18: Do You Believe in Miyamoto Magic?
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, if the Yankees will be Pedro’s daddy tonight, the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time movie trailer, or Josh Duhamel allegedly cheating on Fergie with an Atlanta stripper, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
The other day, I wrote about the next Legend of Zelda game using Wii MotionPlus for swordplay and targeting. The reactions weren’t surprising. You’ve told me why you’re down on the Wii in the past, so I was expecting some of you to roll your eyes at the news. Yes, a lot of Wii games use motion controls in ways that are…less than entertaining, but aren’t you forgetting something in this case? Shigeru Miyamoto is working on this game!
Nintendo’s legendary game designer is responsible for some of the greatest videogame series of all time. His left pinky has more creativity in it than most game developers have in their entire body. Miyamoto has been written off as out of touch and behind the times before, but he’s always managed to come back and prove his doubters wrong.
So what’s different this time? Don’t you think Miyamoto will find a way to make Wii MotionPlus in The Legend of Zelda fun and unique? Don’t you believe in Miyamoto magic?
Manny Pacquiao Sings “Sometimes When We Touch”
As a Filipino-American that loves boxing and karaoke, I felt obligated to post this clip of Manny Pacquiao singing “Sometimes When We Touch” on Jimmy Kimmel Live. And yes, that song is the same one from the ringtone in Tropic Thunder.
PSA: Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures — Free Download!
Here’s a nice goody for you on Wednesday — a free Wallace & Gromit game download! Amazon is offering Wallace and Gromit’s Grand Adventures: Episode 3
Remastered Beatles Tracks Available Digitally for $279.99
The Beatles Store is taking pre-orders for a @279.99 USB apple containing the entire remastered works of the band. According to the site:
This unique, apple-shaped USB drive is loaded with the re-mastered audio for The Bealtes’ 14 stereo titles, as well as all of the re-mastered CDs’ visual elements, including 13 mini-documentary films about the studio albums, replicated original UK art, rare photos and expanded liner notes. A specially designed Flash interface has been installed, and the 16GB USB’s audio and visual contents will be provided in FLAC 44.1 Khz 24 bit and MP3 320 Kbps formats, fully compatible with PC and Mac.
On one hand, this is a really expensive item. On the other, it’s still the frickin’ Beatles! For those of you with three hands, keep in mind that this is a pretty cool collector’s item. I’m happy that both FLAC and MP3 versions are included.
Anyone going to bite the apple bullet and pick this baby up?
Super Street Fighter IV Juri Could Have Been a Chubby Ice Skater
Super Street Fighter IV’s Juri is a sexy tae kwon do vixen, but she could have been a chubby ice skater according Capcom art director Toshiyuki Kamei. Andriasang translated the official Super Street Fighter IV blog and learned:
The character’s design originally started with orders from producer Yoshinori Ono to make a female Korean character. Not necessarily an erotic female Korean character, though. According to Kamei, taking all hair and clothing variations into account, there were originally some 400 or 500 ideas for the character. Some ideas included an old woman and an ice skater.
The character was originally cuter and chubbier. They gradually thinned her out, with Kamei admitting that they at one point went too far and had to revert a bit.
Having had numerous dating experiences with Korean women, I assure you that chubby-ice-skater Juri would have been as terrifying as sexy Juri. Check out Juri in action against T. Hawk in the video below.
Continue reading “Super Street Fighter IV Juri Could Have Been a Chubby Ice Skater”
AT&T Sues Verizon Over “There’s a Map for That” Commercials
Verizon has been kicking out some pretty clever television commercials that poke fun at rival AT&T’s deficiencies. Between the “iDon’t” and “There’s a Maps for That” (seen below) spots, Verizon has attacked the iPhone’s shortcomings and the AT&T network’s inferior coverage. AT&T has had enough and is doing the American thing by suing its rival. According to GigaOm:
AT&T today filed suit against Verizon for its “There’s a Map for That” advertising campaign. The AT&T complaint alleges that the Verizon ads use misleading maps that show wide areas of the country where AT&T doesn’t have 3G coverage, and implies that in those areas AT&T has no coverage at all. The two companies had been back and forth since Oct. 7 on the ads, with Verizon apparently tweaking them a bit, and adding some fine print, but AT&T isn’t satisfied. So it wants them taken off the air and Verizon to pay for any losses incurred by AT&T as a result of the ad being successful.
Can’t we all just get along?
Recent Study Links Videogames to Decreased Income
Economics student Ryan MacLeod (no relation to the Highlander) did some research and found that people that videogames have a negative effect on men’s income. Yeah, I’m not going to take the work of a fourth-year hack at a third-rate school too seriously, but the Telegraph Journal did:
The results of a study by the fourth-year economics student from Mount Allison University have found that playing video games can have a negative effect on income.
The effect is so notable that for every minute a video game is played, MacLeod’s research suggests gamers can expect a 0.4 per cent decrease in income.
MacLeod found two results that were surprising: There is a significant negative effect on income for those playing video games, and second, the effect is seen in men but not in women.
I’d love to see the full study. What is he using for a comparison? People with no hobbies? Anyone that’s enthusiastic about their hobbies will spend money on them. Whether you’re into games, cars, home theater, books, etc., hobbies cost money. For example, I have a friend that loves fixing and tweaking out his cars. I guarantee you that he spends more money on his hobby than I do, but I get way more hours of entertainment per dollar spent.
While I don’t think much of this “study”, I’m sure it’s going to get some play. I’m know some mainstream reporters are going to say gamers are prone to violence and have lower incomes. *sigh*