Do I really need to say anything? Sony just re-revealed their PlayStation motion device, now officially called the PlayStation Move. The device is in every way a clone of the Wii, and what that system did three and a half years ago, sans class, innovation, and aesthetic appeal.
Sony plans to underwhelm audiences this holiday season with Wii rip-offs like Sports Champions (you can probably guess what that title apes). Expect a package including a PS Eye (needed for this new device), PlayStation Move, and a game to retail for under $100. Bits and pieces of that package will also be available for lesser amounts.
The nunchuck attachment, which you can see alongside the Move pictured above, will be sold separately, and is called the PlayStation Move Subcontroller. Not kidding. Does Sony genuinely believe the casual audience which has embraced the Wii is in any way interested, or even capable of pronouncing, the “PlayStation Move Subcontroller”?
Following his pronouncement earlier this year that “those games they call ‘PlayStation’ are poison… some games teach you to kill,” Venezuela’s socialist president has returned for another round of game-hating.
Last Wednesday, a new law came into effect in his country called the “Prohibition of Violent Video Games and Toys,” and it pretty much precludes anyone from having any fun in Venezuela. Here are some of the new law’s highlights:
1. Violent video games: Video games or programs that can be use on personal computers, arcade systems, video game consoles, portable devices or mobile telephones, or any other electronic or telephonic device, that contain information or images that promote or incite violence and the use of weapons.
2. Violent toys: Objects or instruments that in form mimic any kind of weapon used by the National Bolivarian Armed Forces, weapons of war used by any other nation, citizen or state security forces, as well as those that, though not promoting war, establish the kind of game that stimulates aggressiveness or violence.
Article 13. Those who in any way promote the purchase or use of violent toys or video games as defined by this law will be punished with a fine of between 2,000 and 4,000 tax units.
Article 14. Those who import, manufacture, sell, rent, or distribute violent toys or video games will be punished with 3 to 5 years in prison.
This law seems rather broad. In addition to violent video games, it sounds like kids won’t have access to any kind of toy guns or toys with guns. Mr. Hugo Chavez must not have had a childhood.
The King of Kong is a film I find myself recalling often, being amused and entertained by it all the time, even without re-watching it. It turns out I’m not the only one who was moved by the movie, so was 35-year-old plastic surgeon Hank Chien. He started playing Donkey Kong after seeing the movie, and now he’s the new world champion.
Before the movie, Chien had played Kong once, and dismissed it, thinking “this game stinks.” After seeing the film, though, Chien decided to have another go, and began playing seriously in November 2008. By September of 2009 he had managed to score over a million points, and by February of 2010 he was feeling confident about breaking the record.
Chien’s record setting score stands at 1 061 700, a mere 11 500 points beyond famed mullet-man Billy Mitchell’s infamous record.
Chien’s great taste doesn’t end with film and classic games, it also extends to modern games. He’s a big fan of Super Mario Galaxy.
Michael Atkinson is a well known public figure in Australia. He’s the South Australian Attorney General, as well as the country’s biggest hater of video games. The man is actually at the centre of an ongoing government crusade to keep any form of an “adult” games rating out of Australia. That means that games that would be rated for adults only end up never coming to the country.
As you can imagine, being a controversial public figure like that can make you some enemies. In particular, last year Atkinson garnered the ire of Dean McQuillan, a poster on an Adelaide-based website. McQuillan’s fury took him to such a hateful place that he dared called Atkinson a “crook.”
Well, Atkinson isn’t taking the accusation lying down. He feels the lashing was undeserved and demanding of retribution. He’s suing McQuillan for $20 000 in damages. Apparently, Atkinson regards the fairly mundane term as “highly defamatory.”
Good thing I don’t live in Australia, I called the man “king of crazy” not long ago.
Following the recent news that Activision fired Vince Zampella and Jason West, Modern Warfare lead developers at Infinity Ward, comes word that the pair (hereafter referred to as Z&W) have fired back with a massive lawsuit alleging some pretty astounding things.
According to the suit, Activision promised Z&W control over Infinity Ward, creative control over post-Vietnam and Modern WarfareCall of Duty games, and royalties for Modern Warfare 2, then found ludicrous excuses to fire the pair in order to get out of making those payments. They say CEO of Activision Bobby Kotick and his evil minions launched an investigation of Z&W shortly after the release of the game, refused to explain the point of the investigation to the men, and gave about six hours for them to respond to the allegations.
Additionally, the plaintiffs allege they were threatened with insubordination if they were to console other employees brought to tears by investigators. Particularly startling is this excerpt from the suit, which alleges Activision interrogated Z&W for six hours in a windowless room:
Amazing, Activision, just amazing. The plaintiffs are seeking $36 million in damages, money for unpaid royalties and bonuses, control of the Modern Warfare franchise, and for Activision to be prevented from making further Call of Duty games set post-Vietnam.
The Worldwide Leader in News, CNN, has just broken the story that blind gamer Jordan Verner has been able to beat the second greatest game ever, Ocarina of Time, with help from some internet friends. CNN, apparently aware of the transcendent experience that is OoT, correctly decided the story was worthy of publishing in the most prominent portion of their site.
The story begins with one of Verner’s internet assistants, Roy Williams, demonstrating what it’s like to play the N64 classic without sight. He then quickly admits that such a task may seem “ultra nerdy,” but it is quickly revealed that his efforts are for a truly grand cause. Williams, along with two others, spent two years writing explicit instructions for every move required to beat Ocarina without being able to see. Verner took their instructions, and had his computer read them out to him, so that he might experience the glory of what Huffington Post affectionately refers to as “the Zelda.”
Not satisfied with the rape and subsequent death of their Tony Hawk and Guitar Hero brands, games publisher and evil empire Activision has unleashed a plan that will see their Call of Duty series destroyed in a similar fashion.
Yesterday, the company fired Jason West and Vince Zampella, the two lead developers at Call of Duty’s main development house, Infinity Ward. Apparently, the two disappeared early in the day, and Activision sent “bouncer-types” to police their former studio. The bouncers were probably there to keep the pair out, but then again, maybe they were sent to intimidate everyone who was left.
Activision’s official reasoning: “The Company is concluding an internal human resources inquiry into breaches of contract and insubordination by two senior employees at Infinity Ward.” My best guess is that West and Zampella were focused on the long term health and creative growth of the franchise, a direct contradiction to Activision’s entire business strategy.
Following the firing, Activision immediately announced their plans for destroying their own cash cow. Another CoD game will come out in 2011 from an unnamed developer, and yet another game, this one being of the action-adventure genre, will also be released at some point. Activision also hopes to bring CoD to Asia.
If you have any doubts about the company’s level of evil, have a look at the piercing eyes and devious grin of Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, pictured above.
One of the games spotlighted at Nintendo’s recent press conference was Metroid: Other M. There were playable demos, and a new trailer was shown to the press. For whatever strange, Nintendo-logic reasons, none of this new footage was made available to the public. Well, a quick trailer, what I would describe as a “character teaser” has finally been released, here it is:
That’s not terribly exciting, but the leaked conference trailer is a little more interesting, despite being shaky-cam. Hit the jump to check out Samus’ well-formed new ass.
March 10th, 2010 by 
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