"Time for a little maintenance"
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Written on 2010-05-24
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Friday September 3, 2010, 9:00 pm
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Microsoft Confident Xbox 360 Will Outsell PS3
PlayStation 3 will see a jump due to price cut, but won't win this generation.
The videogame console race is a marathon, not a sprint, according to Microsoft.
Aaron Greenberg, director of product management for Xbox 360, told GameInformer the company acknowledges the PlayStation 3 will outsell the Xbox 360 for the month of September, but isn't concerned in the long run.
"It is not a real concern to us – in fact, I can tell you to that when NPD releases September sales later today, we fully expect PlayStation 3 will come in as the console with the most units sold for the month," Greenburg said.
"This is frankly not a real surprise to us or the analysts that follow this industry, as it is typical to see a short term bump following the introduction of new hardware and pricing into the marketplace. What I can tell you is we remain confident that Xbox 360 will not only outsell PS3 for the full calendar year, but for this entire generation."
"It is similar to a game of baseball, it is not about just winning one inning, but instead being able to win the game by consistently delivering across all nine innings," he added.
September's NPD results were delayed until Monday afternoon, so we'll have to wait a little longer to see what effect the price cut had for the PlayStation 3.
Provided by by Jim Reilly , IGN.com
Written on 2009-10-18
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Nintendo slashes Wii price by 20%
'World's most popular home video game system' will sell for $199.99 starting September 27th, 2009.
Nintendo said it is cutting the price of its popular Wii video-game console by $50 to $199.99.
The 20% price drop on the Wii, which features a motion-sensor remote, will take effect Sunday, according to a Nintendo statement released early Thursday.
The new price is the first reduction since the console launched in November 2006.
The interactive Wii immediately proved wildly popular across demographics -- including rehabilitation centers, to aid patients' recovery -- and demand for the console outstripped supply more than a year after its initial release in November 2006.
Earlier this year, Nintendo Chief Executive Satoru Iwata said the company had sold 50 million Wii units.
The company said in a statement Thursday that it hoped the new price would attract consumers who were on the cusp of becoming gamers. According to its own research, Nintendo said there are about 50 million Americans who fall into that category.
Nintendo's price cut mirrors recent moves by two rivals. In August, Microsoft (MSFT, Fortune 500) slashed the price of its high-end Xbox 360 "Elite" model by $100 -- just days after Sony (SNE) cut its console PlayStation 3 by the same amount.
'It's-a me, Mario'
In its statement, Nintendo also confirmed the release date of "the first truly multiplayer" game in its ever-popular "Mario Brothers" series.
The "New Super Mario Bros." for Wii will hit stores Nov. 15. It's the first title in the classic series that allows four users to play the game at the same time.
Customers can try this and other games at a "sampling tour" coming to three cities in October.
"Differentiating between thousands of [game] alternatives is nearly impossible," said Nintendo in a statement, adding that the ideal solution is allowing consumers to test drive the games before they plunk down cash for a game or system.
Users will be able to try out one of several Wii games, including "Sports Resort" and "Wii Fit Plus," as well as DS titles like "The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks."
Provided by By Julianne Pepitone, CNNMoney.com staff reporter
Written on 2009-09-24
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Aion to Launch with Oceanic Server!
The key to launching an MMORPG of Aion's magnitude is communication. We been keeping everyone following the game aware of what our plans are and listened to your feedback, creating a dialog with you. We've also kept an eye on the various Aion communities, talked to Aion community members, and compared what they have said and requested with our beta test data. Based on all this input, we have decided to launch Aion with an Oceanic server set to GMT+10.
Our Oceanic communities have already masterfully executed unofficial polls indicating their server desires. To honor these community efforts, the North American server Nezekan will be adjusted to an Oceanic time zone and event schedule immediately. The server will however not be labeled as an Oceanic server right away, but we plan on changing that in a patch within the first two weeks after launch. We are doing everything we can until then to let everyone know about the plans for Nezekan's future time zone schedule to allow players to make informed decisions.
We experienced some frustrating technical difficulties with the surveys we launched early this week meant to help roleplayers and language-specific communities choose their unofficial game servers. Many Aion communities saw a need to coordinate their members and were much quicker than we were to organize surveys. We have decided to honor their hard work by permanently taking our own survey down, since we have no desire to interfere with what our great communities accomplish or cause confusion. We will continue to work with the fansites in our Fansite Program to promote their community survey results.
Written on 2009-09-17
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Dates Announced for Aion's Open Beta, Pre-Select and Headstart Programs
Players are now one step closer to the release of the year's biggest massively multiplayer online (MMO) game, Aion.
Within the next four weeks, NCsoft will treat North American and European gamers to two opportunities to jump into the world of Aion and explore Atreia as Asmodian or Elyos characters ahead of its release in North America on September 22 and Europe September 25. Aion’s Open Beta Test featuring version 1.5 will take place September 6 – 13 and will include numerous Western enhancements, including improvements to Aion’s innovative character customization with a host of Western styles, as well as new zones, instances, skills, quests and continued game balancing and improvements. Open Beta will retain a level cap for both Elyos and Asmodians characters at 30 allowing players to focus on getting to the same level so they can explore the lands of Atreia together, as well as the Abyss.
Players who have preordered Aion will be treated to a Pre-Select and a two-day Headstart period giving them the opportunity to explore, organize and progress through the game prior to the official launch. Pre-Select will take place on September 18, while Aion’s Headstart will begin September 20. Players can still participate in the Aion’s Pre-Select and Headstart programs by preordering the game through several participating online and brick-and-mortar retailers, including Aiononline.com, Amazon, Best Buy, EB Games Canada, Fry’s Electronics, GameStop, Steam and Target.
Unlike any MMO before it, Aion is a uniquely crafted online experience where flight offers much more than just a way to explore the landscape – it is a strategic and integral part of combat, quests, and exploration. Players will dive into battle and plunge through thousands of unique, story-driven quests, all while trying to save a world literally shattered in half from centuries of brutal conflict. Using one of the most flexible and in-depth character customization systems ever featured in an MMO, players will be able to create genuinely distinct characters and explore a visually stunning world of ethereal beauty brimming with otherworldly inhabitants, mysterious enemies, and ancient secrets.
Written on 2009-08-28
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