News

Everything in the gaming world has to be delayed by at least a few months, and more is better, right? After discussing it since the summer of 2003, Final Fantasy Gurus has launched their updated site today.

FFG 3.0 features streamlined graphics and navigation as well as updated and expanded information about the games it covers.

Source: Final Fantasy Gurus

PSPWorld, crediting a so-called "anonymous source", has reported that an upgraded type of PlayStation Portable might currently be in the works, likely as a means to better rival the dominating Nintendo DS and its approaching little sibling, the DS Lite, in the handheld market.

According to the article, the "PSP 2" (an unofficial title) should mitigate previous storage frustrations by including 4GB of standard space and, like the DS Lite, will be designed as a leaner system with black, white and silver models available. The rumored EyeToy may allegedly be another addition; besides granting "PSP 2" owners the use of a digital camera, the device is said to be key in potentially streaming video from the handheld directly to the PlayStation 3 with help from the contemplated "HUB" service.

While skepticism may run amok, Sony does have a reputation for modifying its current consoles, such as it did with both the PlayStation and PlayStation 2. Although limited as the info is, it's perhaps probable, if not ordained, that the company would strive to make improvements on its handheld. However, Sony's recent problems associated with the PlayStation 3 - not to mention the unwritten rule of caution dealing with anonymous sources - almost makes the possibility of a souped-up PSP launch nary a step above speculation.

Source: Total Video Games

Is it just me, or does this happen to everything I'm waiting for?

Though Sony claims that they're still aiming for a spring release of their new console, their interpretation of 'spring' is quickly stretching to include months like June, July, August, and even next December, according to some speculations.

The release date is said to be reliant upon decisions about hardware specifications for the Blu-Ray DVD technology. These decisions are made by industry consortiums, and are not within Sony's direct control.

This news does not bode well for game developers, either. Without firm specifications, they can only guess at exactly how to build their games. The final result is not likely to take full advantage of the PS3's abilities.

With soaring predicted costs and no firm release date in sight, how will Sony continue to compete in the console market? No one wants to see a repeat of the Dreamcast fiasco--but, more importantly, no one wants to own it. If Sony fans are too scared of a bust to invest in the PS3, the console is in real trouble.

Source: cnn.com

The DS Lite, boasting a sleek white casing 2/3 the size of the original, was announced on Nintendo of Japan's website four days ago*. The new DS also possesses slightly different button placement (check out the link for a comparison) and four adjustable levels of screen brightness in addition to the 20%-lighter body.

This is hardly a surprise, as Nintendo has already released four versions of the Game Boy Advance over its somewhat short lifespan (counting the orignal and backlit reissues of the SP as two seperate versions), and most Nintendo fans had correctly assumed that it was only a matter of time before some new incarnation of Nintendo's strong-selling handheld was released. The DS Lite boasts a different look and some new features, and while it certainly isn't as drastic a new design as the Game Boy Advance SP was, it will probably bolster the sales of the already massively popular DS (Japanese retailers have resorted to importing American DS hardware to meet demand) to new heights.

As a person who really wants a DS but does not yet own one, if this means that any incarnation of the DS gets cheaper, I'm going for it. The new DS might look like an iPod, but it sure looks nice.

*I was intending to post this information as early as four days ago, but CoN's server troubles prevented me from doing so. Sure, this story is a smidgeon late, but I felt like it was interesting enough to post anyhow.

Source: Revolution Report

I wince just writing this, but there has been some heavy speculation that Sony will soar to new heights with a $499 pricetag on its Playstation 3.

Sony has been pretty quiet on the topic, stating only that "it will be expensive" and not even directing that comment to the general public, but given what we know about the technology Sony intends to include and how much that technology costs, the previous assumption of something around the 360's $399 seems naive. For instance, Sony has been widely touting BluRay DVD technology, and will obviously be using it to read discs. A recently debuted BluRay DVD player was priced at $1,800.

Are they doing us just to scare us, so the $399 that they've been intending all along seems like a real bargain compared to the numbers we've been imagining? I guess they'll have to tell us sooner or later.

Source: cnn.com

Yesterday, the 2006 International Cosumer Electronics Show began its weekend-long run of exhibits of all of the latest and upcoming consumer electronics that will make noise in 2006. As all of the show-goers expected, Sony had a fairly extensive PS3 presentation, including both black and silver console designs and blu-ray technology demonstrations.

However, noticeably missing in the display was the PS3's controller (shown here). The absence of what was originally thought to be a finished product of the controller strongly suggests that Sony took it back to the drawing board. The PS3's controller was widely criticized for a probable lack of comfort and its bizarre shape (often mockingly referred to as a "batarang"), particularly when the PS2's DualShock 2 controllers were so widely popular and successful.

This move is surprising for anyone that made the reasonable assumption of thinking that the batarang was the final build of the PS3 controller. All of the negative criticism of said batarang and the widespread praise of the XBox 360 controller (shown here) appeared to cause Sony to panic somewhat and begin work anew on the controller for the enigmatic PS3.

The PS3 is scheduled for a 2006 release, but the second-quarter release date seems even more unlikely now, with rumors of buggy development kits and this new supposed redesigning of the controller.

Sources
Punch Jump, via digg.com