None
The Week in Review news piece summarizes and highlights the most important gaming related news and rumors over the past week. This weekly article will keep you plugged in and in-tune. Nintendo keeps staying in the news with a number of interesting bits of news. For starters, ESPN and Nintendo have partnered up to bring the Nintendo Fan Network to Safeco Field. The service will be free and available to anyone that totes a DS along with them to a Mariners home game. Fans can order concession, check box scores, read up on sporting news through ESPN, and even play baseball-themed mini-games during the stretch. The NPD numbers for March released this week. The data showed Nintendo as the still undisputed champ in the gaming industry. Apparently, Nintendo systems accounted for 58.4% of video gaming hardware sold in March. In fact, if Nintendo’s sales were taken out of the equation, the gaming industry would be down 14% for the year. Nintendo struck pay-dirt with the launch of the DSi, which sold 600,000 units, and Pokémon Platinum, which sold over 800,000 units. Moreover, four first-party Nintendo games were ranked in the top ten of monthly sales. The E74 error that has been plaguing certain Xbox 360s is now covered under the existing free three year warranty put in place in July 2007 due to RROD concerns. Apparently, Microsoft has determined that E74 error messages are related to RROD and should thus be covered as a manufacturer’s defect. If you have experienced this error in the past and were unable to get free repairs through Microsoft, the company will automatically refund the money to customers for charges incurred. Sony stirred the waters a bit when it was announced that well known President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, David Reeves, decided to throw in the towel. After nearly 15 years at SCEE and nearly 5 as the company’s honcho, David Reeves will retire next month. He is being replaced by Sony Corp’s former Chief Marketing Officer, Andrew House. House will take on the titles of President, CEO, and Co-COO of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. Andrew house has been with Sony Corp since 1990 and will take over his new duties beginning May 1, 2009. On the subject of executive management, GameStop CEO, Dan DeMatteo, in a very enlightening interview with CNBC, has called for console price cuts across the board. Of course, at $399, DeMatteo sees the PS3 as in the greatest need of a drop. Also, DeMatteo mentioned that Nintendo has asked GameStop “to reserve [shelf] space,” as Nintendo will ship a “key property coming out by the end of the year.” Speculation pins the mystery IP as the Zelda series. Rumors abounded this week. According to a job posting on the Netflix website, Netflix may be making its way to the PS3 and Wii. They are looking for an “Engineering Leader–Gaming Platforms” to head-up “a small technology team to rapidly prototype and iterate on a variety of platforms.” The fact that the phrase “variety of platforms” was used has gaming industry experts speculating that the service will make its way to the PS3/PSP and possibly the Nintendo Wii. Who knows? The service could get streamed via the OnLive micro-console. There’s been a lot of chatter lately about Assassin’s Creed II since its web teaser and GameInformer reveal. An interesting tidbit that seems to have fallen through the cracks is that the game will likely see a release on the Nintendo Wii. It was mentioned by Ubi that the title would launch across all current generation platforms. That means Wii owners will likely get a taste of the darkest profession. Finally, on February 5, 2009, with ninja-like stealth, Bethesda Softworks LLC registered two trademarks of note. It appears the company is toying with the idea of creating a television series or multiple feature-length films. There is no telling whether the property will ever make its way to either of the mediums, or if Bethesda is simply doing due diligence in reserving the trademark rights. Nevertheless, the following trademark registration entries were filed: “Entertainment services in the nature of an on-going television program” (s/n 77663853) and for “motion picture films about a post-nuclear apocalyptic world” (s/n 77663852). Thanks so much everyone and we will see you next week! |