The whole PlayStation vs Xbox thing took on a surreal tinge today as two senior Xbox execs slammed Sony for dumping new, unproven technology onto consumers in the form of the Blu-ray-based PlayStation 3 console.

Neil Thompson, head of Xbox UK, in an interview with Eurogamer TV likened Blu-ray to Sony's unsuccessful Betamax video players, saying people were being pushed into purchasing an emerging technology that may not be the next generation video standard. Xbox Europe supremo, Chris Lewis, meanwhile felt that Sony was "forcing" punters into making purchasing decisions, thanks to PS3's high cost, which is expected to be more than NZ$1,000 for the basic model.

To be honest, we don't really have a lot to say about that - frankly we're too flabbergasted. But just to clarify, Xbox executives are attacking Sony for forcing new, unproven technology on consumers. Xbox is made by Microsoft. Oh, the irony...

Laugh at the Chris Lewis, Neil Thompson interview here (video)

Posted by at 10:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Can it really be true? Sony is launching its next-generation console, the PlayStation 3, in New Zealand on the same day as it's released in Europe - 17 November. So it's official, we are no more or less third world than Latvia. No, good on you Sony for recognising that Kiwis play console games too.

The PS3, which will use high definition Blu-ray discs, will be released in two forms: one has a 20GB hard drive and the other a 60GB hard drive. Pricing was only offered in Euros, but with the current exchange rate translated to about NZ$1,000 and NZ$1,200. Not cheap then, but it was never likely to be.

Roll on November, we say.

Posted by at 9:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Fans of the classic real-time strategy game Total Annihilation will be pleased to know that original designer Chris Taylor (who left developer Cavedog to set up Gas Powered Games and do the Dungeon Siege games) has returned to the genre that made him famous.

Taylor and Gas Powered are developing Supreme Commander, due for release in early 2007. While it doesn't use the TA name, a quick look at the game's features and screenshots reveals it could almost be called TA 2 -- the game fans wanted but never got after Cavedog instead developed the dire TA Kingdoms following Taylor’s departure.

Supreme Commander features many ideas TA fans will recognise, including a vast array of futuristic units covering land, sea and air, and ranging from small, cheap units to mega-units that take time and resources to complete. But perhaps the game's most notable feature appears to be the scale of its maps, and Gas Powered Games’ attempt to bring a true strategic level of gameplay to an RTS through the scale of the terrain.

Check out the official site for more info.

Posted by Bruce Buckman at 11:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If further evidence were needed that digital music files of one form or another are taking over the world, we just received a review CD called Acoustic Love Songs. Inside the CD cover was an insert providing instructions on how to download the songs as mobile ringtones from Vodafone Live. Clever cross-selling, I guess. What's not so clever is that you'll pay Vodafone's standard $3.50 (polyphonic ringtone) or $4.50 (real tone) for the privilege of hearing James Blunt's lupine howl every time someone calls you. Great.

Posted by at 2:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)