Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Steelers win Madden 11 Super Bowl simulation]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/steelers-win-madden-11-super-bowl-simulation/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/steelers-win-madden-11-super-bowl-simulation/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/steelers-win-madden-11-super-bowl-simulation/#comments Computers can be used to calculate all sorts of truly helpful data ... or they can be used to simulate the Super Bowl. If you're going to use processing power to predict the outcome of a sporting event, then you'd better be pretty darned accurate if you hope to maintain any semblance of a reasonable use of life (it still takes human people to run, recap and even report on -- hi there! -- the simulation). EA Sports' Madden games have at least been that, accurately calling the winner of six of the last seven Super Bowls.

This year, Madden 11 sees the Pittsburgh Steelers defeating the Green Bay Packers 24-20 in Super Bowl XLV, which sounds like a good enough guess. But now, do you put money on that? (After the break, delve into the video highlights and box score ... of the simulated game.)

Also vying for "reasonability" will be this Thursday's Madden Bowl XVII (wait -- there have already been sixteen of these?). The annual tournament of NFL players gamers whose seasons have been reduced to playing as themselves will be broadcast live on ESPN3 (on your Xbox Dashboard) at 9PM ET, February 3. Hey Niners fans, did you know Alex Smith* has won a record two Madden Bowls? That's the same number of Super Bowl rings that Roethlisberger has -- well, until Sunday's victory, according to Madden. [*Update: Oops! Sorry to get your hopes up San Francisco faithful -- it's Alex Smith the tight end (currently playing for the Cleveland Browns) who holds the Madden Bowl record. Alex Smith the quarterback has never participated in the event.]

Gallery: Madden NFL 11 (Super Bowl XLV Simulation)

Continue reading Steelers win Madden 11 Super Bowl simulation

JoystiqSteelers win Madden 11 Super Bowl simulation originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>espn3madden-bowl-xviimadden-nfl-11microsoftpackersplaystationpredictionps3simulationsonysteelerssuper-bowlsuper-bowl-xlvxboxTue, 01 Feb 2011 12:50:00 EST<![CDATA[EEDAR expects PS3 to be top selling console in Sept.]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/08/eedar-predicts-ps3-is-top-selling-console-in-september-for-fi/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/08/eedar-predicts-ps3-is-top-selling-console-in-september-for-fi/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/08/eedar-predicts-ps3-is-top-selling-console-in-september-for-fi/#comments
Three years and $300 worth of price cuts later, PS3 may finally hit the top of the hardware sales charts in America. EEDAR's analyst Jesse Divnich predicts 400,000 PS3s were sold in September, edging out both Wii and Xbox 360 sales (375k and 370k units respectively).

It's far from a landslide victory for Sony, but it may be the start of a turnaround for the long-beleaguered platform. If the hardware maintains momentum, the next issue Sony will have to tackle is software. While EEDAR's hardware numbers peg PS3 at the top, its software charts only show one PS3 game in the top 10: Batman: Arkham Asylum. With the remainder of the chart dominated by 360 and Wii games, it's clear Sony still has a long way to go in the console wars.

JoystiqEEDAR expects PS3 to be top selling console in Sept. originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analysteedarhardwarejesse-divnichpredictionsalesThu, 08 Oct 2009 11:29:00 EST<![CDATA[EEDAR: PS3's $299 price to become 'new standard' for next year]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/18/eedar-predicts-299-will-become-ps3-360-new-standard-for-next/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/18/eedar-predicts-299-will-become-ps3-360-new-standard-for-next/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/18/eedar-predicts-299-will-become-ps3-360-new-standard-for-next/#comments Microsoft isn't likely to take today's unsurprising (but welcomed!) PS3 price drop to $299 lying down. EEDAR analyst Jesse Divnich believes Microsoft will follow suit with their own announcement next week, officially killing the $299 Pro SKU and replacing it with a price-dropped $299 Elite model.

Divnich says Sony's price cut "will close the sales gap between the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360," but doesn't offer a clear "winner" this holiday season. While he says the PS3 is a "superior hardware product," he also draws attention to Xbox 360's "deeper software library and superior online services." Without a disparity in pricing, it should prove interesting to see what mainstream consumers choose this holiday: hardware or software?

Looking forward, Divnich notes that $299 is likely to remain the "new standard" price for the two consoles for the next year. One or both may drop down to $249, but he believes that's the lowest prices can go in the next two years. Instead of continued price drops, Divnich believes both Microsoft and Sony may pursue including Natal and the PlayStation Motion Controller as standard attachments in the future. Is it just us, or does the "console war" seem like it's only just beginning?

[Image Source]

JoystiqEEDAR: PS3's $299 price to become 'new standard' for next year originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analysteedarjesse-divnichMicrosoftpredictionprice-cutXbox-360Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Analyst expects just about every E3 rumor to come true]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/27/analyst-expects-just-about-every-e3-rumor-to-come-true/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/27/analyst-expects-just-about-every-e3-rumor-to-come-true/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/27/analyst-expects-just-about-every-e3-rumor-to-come-true/#comments
If Macquarie Research analyst David Gibson's soothsaying proves accurate, then our E3 prediction Bingo cards are going to be huge winners -- if, you know, they were actually worth prizes or anything. See, Gibson recently put his keen analytical skills to work in order to foresee the revelations that will drop during the Big Three's conferences at E3 next week. We think there are a few crowd pleasers in his divination.

Gibson expects Microsoft's conference to focus mostly on the heavily rumored Xbox 360 motion controller, and the software that will launch in conjunction with the new peripheral. Sony's conference will supposedly also be hardware-centric, revealing a $399, slim PS3 model and the UMD-less, touch screen-equipped PSP Go!. His Nintendo predictions are the most shocking of all -- in addition to a large focus on Wii Fit Plus, Gibson expects the reveal of new Zelda and Mario titles. We'll believe it when we see it -- and we'll see it in like, six days.

JoystiqAnalyst expects just about every E3 rumor to come true originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 May 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>david-gibsone3-2009mariomotionpredictionps3-slimPSP-gowii-fit-pluszeldaWed, 27 May 2009 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[CNET sees PS3 beating Wii ... in 2012]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/cnet-sees-ps3-beating-wii-in-2012/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/cnet-sees-ps3-beating-wii-in-2012/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/cnet-sees-ps3-beating-wii-in-2012/#commentsFiled under:


You see that chart right there? That's the predicted outcome of the console war this generation, courtesy of CNET. Aside from the hate in your heart caused by those black bars cruising past those lovely blue ones around the year 2012, what else do you see? Grim future for that Xbox 360? According to CNET, it will be.

What do you all think about this projected outcome? Do you think the Wii's popularity will sustain at such a high level for the next 4 years (it does have a lot going for it)? Do you see the demand dying down a bit soon? Also, what are all those people of the future buying PS3s for? Is it a prediction of the future for some kind of alternate universe where the PS3 has games worth playing?

[Via NeoGAF]

JoystiqCNET sees PS3 beating Wii ... in 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 May 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analystbusinesscnetconsole-warmicrosoftpredictionps3salesfiguressonyxboxxbox360Thu, 22 May 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft's Greenberg claims victory in battle for 'core user' over Sony]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/microsofts-greenberg-claims-victory-in-battle-for-core-user-o/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/microsofts-greenberg-claims-victory-in-battle-for-core-user-o/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/microsofts-greenberg-claims-victory-in-battle-for-core-user-o/#commentsFiled under: ,

Less than two years into what some see as a ten-year battle might seem like an odd time to declare victory, but not to Microsoft's Xbox 360 Group Product Manager Aaron Greenberg. In an interview with Next-Gen, Greenberg stated that, in his opinion, "the battle for the core user is sort of over, if you will. ... I feel we've secured that core buyer, and that gives us quite a bit of an advantage versus PS3, which is late to the game and still at a price disadvantage relative to the Xbox."

Greenberg did offer one slight caveat to his claim, acknowledging that Sony is "a very formidable competitor in Europe," (indeed) but overall he scoffed at the idea that upcoming PS3 exclusives would make a dent in the Xbox 360's lead in installed base and mindshare. "They're trying to go after a consumer that has already bought an Xbox 360," Greenberg said. "You could say that they showed up with too little, too late." Or you could say that Microsoft is declaring too much too early. We report ... you decide.

JoystiqMicrosoft's Greenberg claims victory in battle for 'core user' over Sony originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battleconsole-wargreenbergpredictionPS3salesvictoryXbox-360Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Famitsu publisher backtracks on E3 DS prediction]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/famitsu-publisher-backtracks-on-e3-ds-prediction/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/famitsu-publisher-backtracks-on-e3-ds-prediction/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/famitsu-publisher-backtracks-on-e3-ds-prediction/#commentsFiled under:

We weren't that surprised when Nintendo denied any knowledge of the existence of a new DS model hinted at by Famitsu publisher Hirokazu Hamamura last week. We were a little more surprised when Hamamura himself denied ever making the prediction.

IGN is reporting on a statement released by Enterbrain (Famitsu's parent company) explaining that reports of the original prediction were inaccurate and that Hamamura actually "believes it unlikely that Nintendo would release a new form factor or a successor model" for the DS. So was it simply a mistaken quote/translation, or did the powers-that-be at Nintendo put the screws to Enterbrain in order to tone back the speculation? We may never know the truth, but that won't stop us from wildly speculating ourselves ...

JoystiqFamitsu publisher backtracks on E3 DS prediction originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DSE3enterbrainfamitsuHamamurapredictionspeculationThu, 17 Apr 2008 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Analyst: Wii, GTA IV, game industry all winners in '08]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/04/analyst-wii-gta-iv-game-industry-all-winners-in-08/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/04/analyst-wii-gta-iv-game-industry-all-winners-in-08/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/04/analyst-wii-gta-iv-game-industry-all-winners-in-08/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Hudson Square Research analyst, Daniel Ernst, dropped a big ol' report today with huge guesses thoughtful analysis about what will happen in the game industry during 2008. First up, he claims the industry as a whole is ready to challenge the film industry for dominance. Next, he believes the Wii will outsell the Xbox 360 and PS3 combined this year and, finally, that Grand Theft Auto IV will become the top selling game in '08 with 13 million copies sold (not too far off from Pachter's prediction).

GameDaily has three separate stories on Ernst's epic predictions on the game industry's near future. The report makes other claims about Wii Fit selling around 10 million units and features interesting tidbits about DS games costing less than a million dollars to develop. Peer through Hudson Square Research's crystal ball by following the links below.

Read -- Analyst: GTA IV to Lead All Game Sales in '08 with 13M Sold
Read -- Wii to Outsell PS3 and Xbox 360 Combined in '08, says analyst
Read -- Video Games Explode: Global Revenues Now on Par with Box Office

JoystiqAnalyst: Wii, GTA IV, game industry all winners in '08 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Apr 2008 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analysternstgta-ivgtaivhudson-square-researchpredictionPS3WiiXbox-360Fri, 04 Apr 2008 06:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Departing Midway CEO bullish on company outlook]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/21/departing-midway-ceo-bullish-on-company-outlook/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/21/departing-midway-ceo-bullish-on-company-outlook/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/21/departing-midway-ceo-bullish-on-company-outlook/#commentsFiled under:

Having to fire a CEO is never a good sign for a company, especially when that company has recently seen massive losses and a board restructuring. But there's still one person willing to defend Midway's business strategy, and that person is, surprisingly enough, departing CEO David Zucker.

To be fair, Zucker was interviewed before his replacement by an interim CEO yesterday, but if he saw the writing on the wall he didn't let it show. "We expect to significantly grow our revenues in 2008," Zucker told GamesIndustry.biz last week, adding that naysayers have been predicting the company's demise for "for five years or so." Zucker emphasized that a combination of investment in new technology and established franchises like Mortal Kombat and NFL Blitz will provide the company's saving grace. That might well be true, but any turnaround will unfortunately come too late to be the saving grace for Mr. Zucker.

JoystiqDeparting Midway CEO bullish on company outlook originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 Mar 2008 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>firedfutureMidwayoutlookpredictionRedstoneViacomZuckerFri, 21 Mar 2008 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Mexican game industry worth $1B by 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/14/report-mexican-game-industry-worth-1b-by-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/14/report-mexican-game-industry-worth-1b-by-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/14/report-mexican-game-industry-worth-1b-by-2010/#commentsFiled under: ,

Mexico is often treated as the neglected stepchild of the North American video game market, trying its best to garner the attention of publishers while the U.S. and Canada get showered with releases just for existing. That situation might not last for long, though, as the analysts at Research and Markets say the Mexican video game business could be worth over $1 billion by the end of the decade.

Of course they have good reason to talk up the Mexican sector, as they're trying to sell a new, expensive report about it. But they make a good argument that an aging population of Mexican "young, unmarried gamers, or YUGS" could drive growth. In short, Mexican youths are getting married older and older on average, meaning they live with their parents longer and have more disposable income to use on games -- what the report calls "a decade of cash-flush YUGGIES of prime gaming age." Just what we need ... another country full of socially reclusive gamers living in their parents' basements.

JoystiqReport: Mexican game industry worth $1B by 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Mar 2008 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analystbusinessfuturemexicopredictionreportFri, 14 Mar 2008 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WSJ: Strong PS3 projections makes Sony stock a "bargain"]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/12/wsj-strong-ps3-projections-makes-sony-stock-a-bargain/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/12/wsj-strong-ps3-projections-makes-sony-stock-a-bargain/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/12/wsj-strong-ps3-projections-makes-sony-stock-a-bargain/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Just as every cloud has a silver lining, every drop in stock value hides within it an opportunity for profit. At least that's what the Wall Street Journal seems to be saying with an article that argues the precipitous 26% drop in Sony stock this year could actually be an opportunity for bargain hunters.

The Journal was heartened by the Sony video game unit's quarterly profit over the holidays -- its first in two years -- and sees increasing demand for the PS3 as a good reason to buy low in anticipation of selling high. Sony itself predicts sales of 9.5 million PS3s this year, and the Journal cites analysts predicting a whopping 14 million systems sold in '09. Pretty optimistic, considering the company only moved 3.6 million units in 2007, but with things looking up for the troubled system, it could happen.

JoystiqWSJ: Strong PS3 projections makes Sony stock a "bargain" originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analystpredictionpricePS2PS3PSPsalessonystockstock-marketWed, 12 Mar 2008 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Analyst: Next-next-gen coming in 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/14/analyst-next-next-gen-coming-in-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/14/analyst-next-next-gen-coming-in-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/14/analyst-next-next-gen-coming-in-2010/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Remember when the term "next generation" meant systems like the N64 and original PlayStation? Those were the days. Now the term next generation can only be legally applied to the post-PSWii60 systems that are no doubt being planned as we speak. While no one knows anything for sure about these units yet, that hasn't stopped Pacific Crest Securities analyst Evan Wilson from predicting a 2010 start date for the next console cycle.

Talking about EA's bullish revenue projections, Wilson let slip to Gamespot that he believes Nintendo will launch first, followed by Microsoft later in the year (no word on when the assumed PS4 will come). On the portable side, Wilson also predicts the next round of Nintendo DS and Sony PSP hardware will appear sometime in 2010, though it's not clear whether he's calling for a new chipset or just another redesign.

If these predictions pan out, that means you only have 687 to 1051 days to save up for a very expensive year.

JoystiqAnalyst: Next-next-gen coming in 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2010analystmicrosoftnext generationnext-genNextGenerationnintendopredictionPS3sonyWiiXbox-360Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Analyst agrees with EA: 2008 is 'exceedingly strong' for PS3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/05/analyst-agrees-with-ea-2008-is-exceedingly-strong-for-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/05/analyst-agrees-with-ea-2008-is-exceedingly-strong-for-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/05/analyst-agrees-with-ea-2008-is-exceedingly-strong-for-ps3/#commentsFiled under:

It's taking Sony's latest some time to build momentum. However, it's clear that 2008 will be a strong year for the PS3. Major publisher EA predicted not too long ago that Sony's system would actually outsell Xbox 360 this year, due to its popularity worldwide. Analyst Mike Hickey agrees. "We expect PS3 unit sales will perform exceedingly strong in CY08, due to a recently reduced price point, killer content coming into the channel (GTA), and Blu-ray currently having a decided edge in the high definition format war," he said. He predicts the system will sell 5 million systems this year, which is within the range of EA's estimate.

Obviously, a high price point, confusing HD format war, and small software library were all contributing factors to a sluggish start for PS3. However, now that all of these hurdles have been overcome, things are looking in Sony's favor, particularly due to the success of their last console. "Considering Sony has sold in excess of 120 million PS2 units globally, we anticipate the PS3 adoption rate could accelerate meaningfully in the coming years as the aforementioned issues are addressed and legacy PS2 players' accelerate their transition to current gen." Even if only a small fraction of PS2 owners make the transition to PS3, Sony will be rolling in the dough. We're confident that a lot of these casual PS2 owners will jump on the PS3 bandwagon over the long-haul.

[Via Joystiq]

JoystiqAnalyst agrees with EA: 2008 is 'exceedingly strong' for PS3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Feb 2008 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analystpredictionsalesTue, 05 Feb 2008 18:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Pachter: Take out Wii Sports, sell Wii for $199]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/30/pachter-take-out-wii-sports-sell-wii-for-199/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/30/pachter-take-out-wii-sports-sell-wii-for-199/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/30/pachter-take-out-wii-sports-sell-wii-for-199/#commentsFiled under:

Michael Pachter, the man who makes a living predicting sales trends and corporate decisions in the gaming industry, is saying that Nintendo should cut Wii Sports out of the package and sell the Wii for a cool $199. "I think that if Nintendo were to do so and cut the price to $199, it would still sell a piece of Nintendo software to 80% of new Wii purchasers, and would end up effectively lowering revenues per console by only around $10," he explained in an interview with Gamasutra. You see, Pachter thinks this is not going to be that great of a year for the Wii.

Pachter further explains that the high-definition features of the other consoles make them "more likely to end up in the living room, which could relegate the Wii to the playroom." He says this could be bad for the Wii, as if it "is not at the center of the home entertainment system, software sales could suffer as a result."

We can't say we particularly agree with Pachter. We're not sure we'd see Nintendo cut the price on the Wii anytime soon, and if they did, we would hope it didn't involve losing one of the best experiences one can have on the console, let alone the best Wiimote trainer we've ever had time with. What do you folks think?

JoystiqPachter: Take out Wii Sports, sell Wii for $199 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Jan 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>michael-pachtermicrosoftpachterpredictionps3sonyxbox360Wed, 30 Jan 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Trade group: Game industry growth to slow in '08]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/07/trade-group-game-industry-growth-to-slow-in-08/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/07/trade-group-game-industry-growth-to-slow-in-08/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/07/trade-group-game-industry-growth-to-slow-in-08/#commentsFiled under:

Game industry business stories in 2007 were a pretty one note affair -- record-breaking this, unprecedented sales that, blah blah blah. But the boom times might be ending soon, as the Consumer Entertainment Association is predicting that games industry growth will begin to slow in 2008.

To be clear, this doesn't mean the industry is going to get smaller, by any means. The CEA is still predicting that the industry will grow 13 percent, to $17.9 billion, in the coming year. What's getting smaller is the rate of growth, which was a ridiculously high 22 percent from 2006 to 2007.

This isn't all that distressing, considering economic analysts are pointing to recession across the economic board. In fact, plenty of industries would be positively giddy with 13 percent growth these days. Then again, declining growth is the first step to actual industry shrinkage, which is the first step to the total evaporation of the industry. Then again again, given that we're entering the middle of the current console generation, this is probably just a sign that the chronically cyclical game industry is going through yet another one of its regular cycles. Amid all the uncertainty, one thing is for sure ... economic analysis makes our heads hurt.

JoystiqTrade group: Game industry growth to slow in '08 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Jan 2008 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2008analystbusinessgrowthindustrypredictionsalessizeMon, 07 Jan 2008 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Intel predicts camera-powered, controller-free game system]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/18/intel-predicts-camera-powered-controller-free-game-system/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/18/intel-predicts-camera-powered-controller-free-game-system/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/18/intel-predicts-camera-powered-controller-free-game-system/#commentsFiled under: , ,

While waggling your Wii remote around provides a decent approximation of natural motion, Intel predicts a future where cameras will provide highly accurate motion data to a game system. "We imagine some future generation of [Nintendo's] Wii won't have hand controllers," Intel Chief Technology Officer Justin Rattner, told Business Week. "You just set up the cameras around the room and wave your hand like you're playing tennis."

It should be noted that there's nothing in the article to indicate that Rattner has any insider info on Nintendo's plans -- more than likely he was just theorizing about what he'd like to see in a future system. Still, the idea of a camera-based 3D motion-sensing setup has incredible potential for gaming. More than the simple video transposition of the Xbox Live Vision Camera or the PlayStation Eye, a multi-camera system could model your three-dimensional movements in real time, in effect placing a digital version of you in the game. The result could revolutionize the way we play games and even how they're made -- after all, why should developers use motion captured performances when the players can provide them for themselves?

Such a theoretical system would take quite a bit of processing power, though, which might explain why Intel is talking it up -- after all, they already have a chip that can perform one trillion calculations a second. The future's so bright, we're using our Wii remotes as makeshift shades.

JoystiqIntel predicts camera-powered, controller-free game system originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>camerafutureintellive vision cameraLiveVisionCameraplaystation eyePlaystationEyepredictionvisionwiiTue, 18 Dec 2007 15:15:00 EST<![CDATA[That fence comfy, Konami?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/13/that-fence-comfy-konami/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/13/that-fence-comfy-konami/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/13/that-fence-comfy-konami/#commentsFiled under:

We only ask because the company has revealed its thoughts on the current hardware cycle, and come to the overly diplomatic conclusion that ... they're all winners! Every one of them! Hurray!

"Previously, a single home gaming platform [PS2] was the market leader worldwide, but that pattern has changed," the company said in a statement. "Whichever platform best caters to users' preferences in a particular country or region, in terms of the games available to be played on it, is now the one that will dominate the local market."

Being the well-informed readers that you are, you'll be well aware that the Wii snagged first place from the Xbox 360 back in September, and apparently continues to be hugely desirable to consumers. And although Konami is correct to point out that the race is more finely balanced than in the last generation, there's still a distance to go yet. If anything, we'd bank on Nintendo to stretch its lead.

JoystiqThat fence comfy, Konami? originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>konamiMicrosoftplaystation3predictionps3salesSonyxbox-360xbox360Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Wii Warm Up: Your E3 predictions]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/10/wii-warm-up-your-e3-predictions/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/10/wii-warm-up-your-e3-predictions/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/10/wii-warm-up-your-e3-predictions/#commentsFiled under:

We've been laying down some predictions -- albeit ridiculous, silly predictions -- for quite a while now, and while we may just get serious later ('cause E3 is serious business), we thought it might be a good time to take a break and ask you what you think will happen at the new show. Tragic game delays? Hot new announcements? New channels? C'mon, share!

JoystiqWii Warm Up: Your E3 predictions originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3e307predictionrumorwwuTue, 10 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Analyst takes Wii to win by 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/02/analyst-takes-wii-to-win-by-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/02/analyst-takes-wii-to-win-by-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/02/analyst-takes-wii-to-win-by-2010/#commentsFiled under:

UBS Investment Research analyst Benjamin Schachter recently spoke with GameDaily.BIZ about his firm's 92-page report on the video game industry (that's a lotta reading!) and, more importantly, his view on the current state of the console wars. Gathering all of his mental powers, Schachter made the very tough call of predicting who will win the fight this generation and determined that by 2010, the Wii would be in the lead, with the PS3 trailing behind. Of course, they aren't the first to try and predict this generation's console war.

With Nintendo doing so well in both the handheld and console market with their hardware (let's not forget their software), month after month, it's easy for anyone to see that the company is doing well. Will their business model hold up for the next 3+ years, however, as UBS is stating? Personally, we'd like to think so, but the future is a dark and choppy ocean. We just hope Nintendo has enough deck hands to ensure a safe and prosperous voyage.

JoystiqAnalyst takes Wii to win by 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 May 2007 14:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analystnintendonintendowiipredictionubswiiWed, 02 May 2007 14:25:00 EST<![CDATA[PSPredictions for 2007, as seen by PSP Fanboy]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/02/pspredictions-for-2007-as-seen-by-psp-fanboy/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/02/pspredictions-for-2007-as-seen-by-psp-fanboy/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/02/pspredictions-for-2007-as-seen-by-psp-fanboy/#commentsFiled under: ,

I'm seeing...PSP Fanboy has dusted off the crystal ball for another round of yearly predictions. The team was surprisingly accurate last time around; but then again, we all saw the UMD movie market collapse coming. This year the gang took a few more risks, anticipating a new PlayStation-branded portable device (not a PSP redesign) and a Microsoft franchise's appearance on PSP.

The reckless forecasting is highlighted by one call in particular: "Expect tons of established franchises & far less original IPs." Yeah right, like that could ever happen! Those guys need to check their crystal ball for cracks ... Anyone else wanna play fortune-teller?

JoystiqPSPredictions for 2007, as seen by PSP Fanboy originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Jan 2007 19:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>PredictionPSPTue, 02 Jan 2007 19:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Analyst: PS3 will win with 75 million units by 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/02/analyst-ps3-will-win-with-75-million-units-by-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/02/analyst-ps3-will-win-with-75-million-units-by-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/02/analyst-ps3-will-win-with-75-million-units-by-2010/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Another day, another analyst throwing out their predictions for the console wars. This time it's a Datamonitor report predicting Sony will "win the console war in the long term with an install base of around 75 million globally by 2010." That may sound impressive, but considering the PS2 has already sold in excess of 111 million systems worldwide, this would still represent a sizable hit for Sony. Indeed, Datamonitor predicts that the PS3 won't "dominate as much as its predecessor" because of delays in Europe and early inroads by the Xbox 360.

Oh analysts, can't you make up your mind? Is Sony going to win big in the long run or fall into last place? Are they going to lead the market or is the system dragging the whole company down? We know you're basically just taking shots in the dark but, well, we were just hoping for some more consistent grouping, is all.

[Via Pro-G]

JoystiqAnalyst: PS3 will win with 75 million units by 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Jan 2007 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analystconsole warConsoleWarpredictionPS3reportwinnerXbox-360Tue, 02 Jan 2007 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Merc reporter on 2007: PCs bounce back]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/31/merc-reporter-on-2007-pcs-bounce-back/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/31/merc-reporter-on-2007-pcs-bounce-back/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/31/merc-reporter-on-2007-pcs-bounce-back/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Dean Takahashi posts about what he anticipates for 2007; the San Jose Mercury News reporter writes mostly an overview without wild predictions of the year. Instead, Takahashi includes lots of release numbers, cites scheduled games, and gives a bulletin of what to expect.

Mentioning that the most significant, recent PC game releases were in 2004 and 2005 -- Half-Life 2 and F.E.A.R. -- Takahashi thinks that 2007 will bring a resurgence to PC gaming; he cites Windows Vista and DirectX 10, new video cards, and a handful of important game releases to back up the claim.

We hope that PC gaming bounces back, but we're more skeptical. Is Vista going to improve gaming, or just create another upgrade hurdle for consumers? Will PCs always be relegated to first-person shooters, MMOs, and casual titles?

JoystiqMerc reporter on 2007: PCs bounce back originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 31 Dec 2006 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2007Dean TakahashiDeanTakahashiPCpredictionSun, 31 Dec 2006 16:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Analysts discuss 2006, console futures]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/19/analysts-discuss-2006-console-futures/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/19/analysts-discuss-2006-console-futures/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/19/analysts-discuss-2006-console-futures/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Gamasutra asks several industry analysts about this year and what they expect to happen in the next several years. The open-mic blurbs offer a few opinions, but many share the theme that Xbox 360 sales have been weaker-than-expected and PS2 sales are still significant; put together, these trends suggest that most gamers are still waiting for 360/PS3/Wii-only games before upgrading their consoles.

We also wonder how the HD-expectations of the PS3 and Xbox 360 impact the market; gamers with standard TVs will see little difference in graphic quality over the previous system. Are gamers slow to upgrade because they're waiting for the killer apps, or do they plan to first get an HDTV? At least 2007's anticipated exclusives -- especially for the oldest of the three, the Xbox 360 -- will ease one of those issues.

JoystiqAnalysts discuss 2006, console futures originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Dec 2006 21:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analystlaunch06predictionPS3WiiXbox-360Tue, 19 Dec 2006 21:25:00 EST