Sony has announced that a limited edition Silver PlayStation 2 will be released in North America for $129. The silver version has already been on the market in Japan and Europe for quite a while. It includes a silver PS2 console and a silver controller, same slim size as the familiar black slim PS2 version. No release date was mentioned.
Sony states in the press release that over 111 million PlayStation 2 consoles have been sold worldwide since 2000, and over 1.12 billion pieces of software have been sold as well. Truly impressive figures, it will be interesting to see how the PS3 performs when it launches in under two weeks (in Japan).
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A Nintendo spokesperson has confirmed to GamesIndustry.biz that they will release a Wii console with DVD playback capability in 2007, although only in Japan. From GamesIndustry:
“Speaking to GI.biz, a spokesperson declined to comment on when the new machine will hit the shops, but did confirm, “There are currently plans to release a version of Wii in Japan featuring DVD playback.”
If the DVD Wii version is successful in Japan, there is no reason why Nintendo wouldn’t start selling them in the US and Europe. They will, naturally, come at a higher price.
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Ever wonder how hot the Xbox360 gets? Hot enough to fry eggs, apparently.
Xbox360 bestseller Perfect Dark Zero will be getting two new maps, both remakes of the N64 versions. The two maps are Facility and Ruin, both highly popular multiplayer maps on the original Perfect Dark. Xbox Live users will be able to download the maps for free, while they’ll also be included in the platinum edition of Perfect Dark Zero, scheduled for release mid-November.
In addition, the platinum edition game will include the previously 4 maps released on Xbox Live.
Via PalGN
New screenshots of Medal of Honor: Airborne have arrived. The game is scheduled for release in Q1 2007 on the Xbox360 and PC. More screenshots after the jump. READ ON »
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IGN’s Matt Casamassina gave a walkthrough of the Wii interface a few days ago, detailing all the settings and features. Here’s is the 10 minute video of it all.
Sony’s PlayStation 3 uses a massive 380W of power, more than the average desktop computer, and far more than the 45W power need of the PS2. The PS3 uses more than twice the amount of power as the Xbox360 at 160W. This means that playing your PS3 console two hours a day will cost you an extra $80 a year. Most will probably spend far more than two hours; playing games, watching Blu-ray movies, surfing the net etc. The average PS3 owner can expect to add another $100-$150 extra on their yearly electricity bill.
Via Gizmodo UK
More bad news from Sony: Japan is getting only 80.000 PlayStation 3 consoles at launch, as opposed to the 100,000 Sony promised a few months ago. North America is still getting some 400,000 units, while a lot of Japanese gamers will certainly be disappointed with this. The PS3 launches in Japan in just under two weeks, while all available pre-orders have sold out in minutes.
The PlayStation 2 launched with a million units in 2000 in Japan, and still suffered shortages. It’s gonna be a though time for Japanese gamers; imagine the lines with hundreds of disparate gamers waiting for a PS3?
Read (IGN)
The next Xbox360 dashboard update, scheduled for tomorrow, will include some 80 new updates and features, one of the most important one being 1080p, the ability to play games and watch movies in the highest HD quality setting. Furthermore, the update adds support for WMV files from a Windows PC, and the ability to play movies and video files from a USB drive or data CDs/DVDs.
Full list of additions at FiringSquad
News is spreading around that Nintendo will release a special edition Wii console in Japan supporting DVD playback. Game magazine Edge mentioned that Nintendo will release a Wii console with DVD playback, Nintendo has later said that they have no plans of releasing a DVD-compatible Wii in US or Europe,
“In Europe (and the Americas), we have no plans for a DVD option either internally or as an accessory at this time. DVD players are now sold so cheaply and the penetration rate is so high that we did not think it was worth including [DVD playback] and raising the price of Wii.”
A few months ago Nintendo assured that the Wii will not have DVD playback capability, now it seems that the Japanese will have a choice between the regular Wii (around $210 in Japan) and a DVD version.
Read (CVG)
