Posts tagged Video Games
Nintendo Is Bringing Some Of Their New E3 Games To Best Buy For You To Try
May 30th
With the Wii U struggling and the Xbox One and PS4 slated to dominate the E3 news this year Nintendo has decided to try something new. Instead of holding their usual big E3 press conference and announcing a whole bunch of new games that will come out later this year, Nintendo has teamed up with Best Buy to allow you to try some of the new games right in your local Best Buy store. In the past demoing these new games were limited to only those who could make it out to California for E3, so its great to see Nintendo open this up for more people.
Now as with all good things there are a few caveats to point out. While Nintendo and Best Buy have teamed up to bring the demos to 89 Best Buy stores across the country, they will unfortunately not be available in every Best Buy store. The demo times will also be limited to 4-8 p.m. local time on Wednesday, June 12th, and 1-5 p.m. local time on Saturday, June 15th. Nintendo also hasn’t yet shared which new games will be available to try out though Best Buy says that list will be revealed on June 11th. For the full list of Best Buy locations participating in this event check out Best Buy’s site here.
All in all, if you’re near one of those Best Buy stores and are interested in checking out what Nintendo’s got planned this should be pretty great. And remember, E3 takes place in just under two weeks from June 10th through June 13th.
Here We Go: Microsoft Set To Reveal Next Xbox on May 21
Apr 24th
The wait is almost over fellow Xbox fans. Get ready because in under a month Microsoft is expected to finally unveil the next Xbox, sending out invites today to an event at their Redmond, Washington headquarters on May 21st. The invite sent out today teased a “special unveiling” that will “mark the beginning of a new generation of games, TV, and entertainment.” According to Xbox’s Major Nelson (also known as Larry Hryb, the director for Xbox Live programming), the next Xbox announcement is really a two-part show. The unveiling of the next Xbox and sharing of some of Microsoft’s plans for the console will come on the 21st, while the full lineup of launch games will be announced 19 days later at E3 on June 10th.
In February Sony unveiled their next generation system, the PS4, but they didn’t actually give important details like what the system would look like or how much it will cost. Based on some of the responses to that announcement from Major Nelson and others on the Xbox team, it’s a pretty safe bet we won’t see the same thing happen here (at least when it comes to what the new Xbox will look like).
As for what we can expect, not much is known today but according to some of the more recent rumors expect a much more powerful system that is similar to the PS4 in graphics and specs, as well as updated versions of Kinect and the ability to use your Xbox to control your cable box. As for the name of the next Xbox, it’s still just as up in the air (online it’s been called everything from Xbox 3, to Xbox 720 to its codename ”Durango”).
Like with recent Xbox events Microsoft will be streaming it live for all to watch on Xbox.com and Xbox Live as well as broadcasting it on Spike TV, and we’ll of course have what you need to know covered back here. So stay tuned– the next Xbox is almost here.
Could The Next Xbox Be Announced Next Month?
Apr 11th
Back in February Sony officially announced the PlayStation 4 and showed off its new controller, graphics and social features. And while Sony didn’t show what the PS4 actually looks like or say how much it would cost, it did promise that their new console would be available in time for the holidays of this year. The PS4 and the Nintendo Wii U make two of the three next-gen consoles, and over the last year the anticipation has been building over when Microsoft would announce their next Xbox (also known as the Xbox 3, Xbox 720, and Durango). While it was long believed that Microsoft would wait until E3 in June to announce the new Xbox, according to some of the latest rumors our long wait for the next Xbox may end even sooner.
According to a recent reports by The Verge and Paul Thurrott (someone who follows Microsoft and would know about some of their plans), Microsoft may be planning an event to officially announce the next Xbox as soon as May 21st. E3 starts only a few weeks later on June 11th, and The Verge expects Microsoft to announce the next Xbox in May and then use E3 in June to fully show it off.
As for what can expect in terms of the specs for the new Xbox, think of something that will rival the PS4. The next Xbox is rumored to pack an 8-core AMD processor, 8GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive and a Blu-ray drive for playing games (games can also be downloaded from Xbox Live). By comparison, the Xbox 360– which still is a pretty great system with some impressive graphics– has a three core processor and 512 MB of RAM. If these rumored specs are true then expect the graphics on the next Xbox to pretty much blow your mind.
As with the 360, gaming is just one part of what the Xbox can do and the next Xbox is also expected to come with an updated version of Kinect that will allow for better use in smaller rooms, improved tie-ins with Windows 8 and Windows Phone, and the ability to control your TV and cable box. The next Xbox is expected to be available later this year and pricing is rumored to be in the $300-$500 range (or what the 360 was when it came out eight years ago).
All in all, between this and the PS4 it looks like the next video game console wars are finally almost upon us. As always, stay tuned.
Sony’s Shows Off The Future Of PlayStation– Meet the PlayStation 4
Feb 21st
As expected Sony has taken some of the wraps off of their long-awaited next generation PlayStation, the PlayStation 4. While Sony showed off the PS4′s new controller and its great graphics capabilities, a lot remains a mystery to be solved at a later date. We still don’t know what the actual console will look like or how much it will cost.
However while we wait for that later day to arrive, let’s get you caught up on what we do know so far.
Could This Be The PlayStation 4′s New Controller?
Feb 15th
Sure there are only 5 days left until Sony’s big PlayStation announcement, but that doesn’t mean the leaks on what Sony might have in store need to end. The PlayStation 4 looks to be all but guaranteed for an unveiling next week, and over the last few weeks there have been a lot of rumors about a new PlayStation 4 controller that looks a lot like older PlayStation controllers but with an added touchpad, similar to what the Vita has on its back. How this would look and work wasn’t really clear, but today we at least have our first idea of what it will look like thanks to a prototype leaked by the site Destructoid.
As you can see in the pic above, at first glance it looks a lot like the DualShock controller of the PS2 and PS3, but if you look closely you’ll notice a nice, large black touchpad above the PS button in the middle of the controller. Oh, and the big silver box the controller is plugged into? Well that is most likely one of the developer consoles for the PS4 (though don’t worry, the real PS4 will be a lot slimmer and better looking than that).
With February 20th so close all will hopefully be officially revealed very soon, but if there are any other big leaks before then we’ll make sure that you know about them. Stay tuned!
For more info on what we are expecting in the PlayStation 4 check out our earlier posts here.
Let The Countdown Begin: Sony Is Announcing the PlayStation 4 On February 20th
Feb 7th
It’s been over six years in the making but the wait looks to finally be over. In just under two weeks Sony will join Nintendo in the next generation video game wars, announcing the long-awaited and highly anticipated PlayStation 4.
Late last week Sony sent out invites to the press for a PlayStation event in New York on February 20th. The invite was fairly vague, with the only text being “see the future” together with the equally vague YouTube video you see above titled #PlayStation2013. Thankfully, major news outlets like the Wall Street Journal (log-in required to view article) and Nikkei (a Japanese newspaper) have since confirmed that this event will indeed be the official unveiling of the PlayStation 4.
Now with an announcement so close, the rumors around what we might expect to find in the PS4 are only growing. The latest ones have the PS4 getting a controller that looks a lot like the PS3′s DualShock 3 controller but with an added touchpad for new types of gameplay (think something like the back of the Vita) and much improved online experience that should help the new system compete with Xbox Live (Sony bought a major online gaming company, Gaikai, last year). Oh, and the biggest rumors of them all– it will be out in time for the holidays of this year and be priced in the $400 range. Now $400 is a lot of money (you can get a PS3 today for around $270), but for everything the PS4 looks to be offering, we’re honestly just hoping that it won’t cost $500-$600 like the PS3 did was when it came out in 2006.
In terms of specs, the PS4 looks to be every inch the beast we’re hoping for. According to Kotaku, the latest PS4 development kits from January (a development kit is a special version of a console that game publishers use to create games to work with the new system) have a super powerful 8-core AMD processor– codenamed “Bulldozer”– with an equally powerful AMD graphics card, 8 GB of RAM (with 2.2 GB of RAM just for video), a Blu-ray drive, and 4 USB 3.0 ports. Basically, this will have all the power of a top of the line gaming PC and make the PS3 and Xbox 360 seem really old and slow.
Now as with all rumors things like the specs, pricing and availability are not confirmed and can change before the announcement. Of course with the announcement just 13 days away if they do we’ll find out soon enough. Get ready PlayStation fans– the PS4 is almost here.
More info: USA Today, The Verge, PlayStation
Temple Run 2 Now Available For iOS, Coming To Android Next Week
Jan 17th
One of the most popular and addicting games for the iPhone and iPad has finally gotten a sequel. Yes, today is the day Temple Run 2 hits the App Store, and like the original, it is free to download.
While the idea and controls behind the game are the same, Temple Run 2 brings some much nicer graphics, a new course with new obstacles as well as new power ups and the ability to ride in a cart and zip-line. Oh, and you now will be chased by a “bigger monkey.”
As big fans of the original Temple Run we’ve already downloaded the game on our iPhone 5 and we gotta say, it’s a pretty great update. We really love the new graphics and the new course keeps things challenging. It’s the same great Temple Run we all know and love, just now even better. This should be a great time waster for the spring semester.
Oh, and don’t worry Android users, video game site Polygon talked with Imangi– the creators of the Temple Run games– and Temple Run 2 should be in the Google Play Store and Amazon Appstore next week.
So what are you waiting for? Go download Temple Run 2 from the iTunes App Store and let us know what you think.
More info: Temple Run 2 (link opens iTunes)
Sony Exec Teases A Big PlayStation Announcement Coming In The Next Few Months– Could It Be The PlayStation 4?
Jan 16th
One of the many mock ups of what people think the PlayStation 4 may look like
It has long been rumored that 2013 would be the year that Sony and Microsoft announce the next generation of the PlayStation and Xbox. As we all know, last year Nintendo released their latest game console, the Wii U, and it has been over seven years since the Xbox 360 launched and six years since the PS3 came out so this time was inevitable. And today we got our first real hint that this new generation was on its way.
CNET reports on an interview a Sony Vice President of Home Entertainment, Hiroshi Sakamoto, gave to a Chilean website Emol, about a big PlayStation announcement planned for E3 (the annual June video game conference where the Xbox 360, the Wii U and the PS3 were first announced), or even May at a special event. Here’s the answer he gave when asked about the next PlayStation:
“That’s still a big secret, but our friends are preparing Sony PlayStation. I can only say that we are focused on the E3 gaming event, scheduled for June. [An] announcement may be [made] in that minute or even earlier in May.”
Now for those who have followed the rumors, the PS4 and Xbox 720 (or Xbox 3, Xbox Surface or whatever the next Xbox will be called) have been rumored for years. But hearing a Sony VP of Home Entertainment– someone who you think would know about things like a new PlayStation– talk about it like that makes us think that we finally could see the PS4 very soon.
Now in terms of what to expect in the PS4, not much is known about it today. Kotaku and other sites say the PS4 will be able to play games at 4K resolution (four times today’s 1080p HDTVs) which would mean that its much more powerful and has much better graphics than today’s PS3 (the next Xbox is also rumored to have similar graphics specs). In terms of price and release, other rumors say the PS4 and next Xbox will be available by the holidays of this year for around $400 each.
E3 runs from June 11th-13th and if the next Xbox and PlayStation are coming this year we’re sure we’ll hear a lot more before then. As always, stay tuned.
Black Friday 2012: Here Are Some Of The Best Tech Deals
Nov 23rd
With Thanksgiving winding to a close, it’s time for the next big holiday, Black Friday. Whether or not you camp out tonight there are a lot of great deals to be had at a whole bunch of stores. We’ve got a few of the tech best deals we could find listed below.
Nintendo Wants You To Try Out The Wii U Before It Goes On Sale
Nov 14th
The Wii U and the next generation of video gaming is almost upon us. With the Wii U going on sale in just a few days, Nintendo wants to give everyone in the US a chance to experience it before the big launch day. To do this, they have launched over 5,000 kiosks all over the country in stores like Target, Best Buy, GameStop, Walmart and Toys ‘R’ Us. At these stores you’ll actually be able to learn more about the Wii U, and in some stores even play some of the launch games like Nintendo Land, New Super Mario Bros. U and SiNG PARTY, along with ZombiU and Rayman Legends.
You can check out to see where your nearest kiosk is by heading to Nintendo’s site here and entering your zip code.
For those who don’t know, the Wii U is the first of the next generation of video game consoles (with the long rumored next Xbox/Xbox 720 and PlayStation 4 said to be coming sometime next year). The Wii U, builds on the uniqueness of the original Wii with some all new ways to play games. And like the Wii, the Wii U comes with a brand new controller– this time though it’s a buttoned controller with a 6.2 inch touchscreen in the middle of it. With this new controller you can not only play games in all new ways, but you can also do things like stream games right from the TV to the controller so you can play even if the TV itself is off. There is also a camera on the controller (for games and things like video chat), and a full array of buttons on the right and left (including triggers on the back) for the full controller experience. There will also be more traditional Xbox/PS3 like controllers available, and you can also use all your old Wiimote. And of course, the Wii U also now supports full online and HD gaming, areas Nintendo has been lacking in over the years.
The Wii U will be available this Sunday, November 18th in either a $300 basic bundle or a $350 deluxe bundle. For more info on the bundles, see our earlier post here.
So, anyone try out the Wii U yet, and if so, how do you like it?
