Hook –
The console war is brewing up to be one of the worst in terms of the raw fight itself. It’s no secret that Sony likes to win, but then again who doesn’t? There are currently three consoles in the market as of now, each with their own uniqueness which makes the consoles what they are. The profit a console makes isn’t really what matters, but the ones who are leading the sales chart since it’s each others ego the competitors are trying to hurt, that and the winner gets bragging rights. Sony is the least fit to win this generation in my opinion. There are currently only two consoles I can think of that are best competitors to the number one spot, but one more than the other and I will explain in a bit.

A Recap on the Previous Wars –
For some reason many people seem to have forgotten the previous console wars and how they panned out. The last 2 wars went rather calm with the PS2 (Playstation 2), Xbox, GameCube, and Dreamcast & then again with the PS1, N64, and the Sega Saturn. The first war started in May 1995 with the Sega Saturn in followed by the PS1 in September, and the Nintendo 64 in September 1996. Sega though releasing their console in the states early was a big mistake on their behalf since they excluded a couple of stores from the early release date. This enraged stores such as Wal*Mart and KB Toys ending in a result of many stores shunning the Sega Saturn; they refused to put it on shelves ultimately hurting the sales of the console. On top of that, Sega kept the early release date a secret from third party developers so upon release date, the Saturn only had 1st party support for a few months. Sony rocketed to the lead when releasing the PS1 since it had all kinds of support and they also had the upper hand in watching the mistakes from the Saturn and learning from them, Sony launched the PS1 with a price tag $100 lower than the Saturn working as their helping hand. Nintendo came in late with the N64 a year after both other consoles had released but had an incredible line up of video games giving them the lead over Sega but unfortunately not Sony. Sony trumped the competition in the 32-Bit Era (also known as the 5th Generation). The following war was simply known as the 6th Generation Era in which a new console had entered the battle which would only hurt one of these consoles bad; that console was the Xbox in the works from Microsoft. Sega’s Dreamcast was first to launch once again and they would need all they could to stay alive since their image had been tarnished by the previous war when they played a snake like move that angered Saturn owners and 3rd Party Developers. Unfortunately they wouldn’t be able to stay alive for too long since Microsoft had entered the race retracting from the much needed sales of the Dreamcast. The console was discontinued in the states in 2001 only lasting a mere two years. The PS2 which was released on October 2000 was able to move on and directly compete with another console which would later be known as the Xbox on November 15, 2001. Nintendo followed a close release date to Microsoft’s console releasing their GameCube three days after on November 18, 2001. During this time there were more gamers looking for the best overall experience in games which they could only find on Xbox and PS2, though GameCube had a handful of great games for the hardcore gamer, many of them were also on the other platforms. Nintendo around this time seemed to be moving to a more casual gaming genre which gamers weren’t to hyped about. This made Microsoft’s gaming division and Sony Computer Entertainment direct competition for one another. Fortunately for Sony the PS2 had the upper hand for having major 3rd party support mainly for having a great rep from the previous console generation. The war ended with PS2 in the lead followed far behind by Xbox and then GameCube.

Have these Wars Only Gotten Worse? –
The wars have gotten worse with time. For instance the PS2 had a serious amount of support from both 1st party and 3rd party developers and yet there was no one really comparing games to one another causing all sorts of mayhem. Besides that, it had many games that are still better than the games seen on Wii, PS3, and Xbox, but there was never really people lined up day one trying to buy these games. They would however go about a regular day in the store and when they noticed a game they would usually pick it up. Now a day, everyone’s comparing every exclusive game from all factions to one another and many times multiplatform’s as well. They will feed you such ridiculous lines such as “Bioshock is better on the 360 then on the PS3” or “Gears of Wars 2 is better than Killzone 2”. These lines are not relevant since Bioshock includes many more features on the PS3 but runs a tad smoother on the 360 & Gears 2 to Killzone 2 is just the worst since the games are completely different. Fans of all factions are always talking about sales which is the most idiotic thing in my opinion because in the end, the only ones who benefit are the manufactures of those specific consoles. Yes sales do mean a sequel to a product but it should only concern you if a game or console isn’t making enough to continue or if they did make enough to keep going but not to compare each product to one another. The truth is Gears of War 2 and Killzone 2 are the best but with limits in which I mean they’re the best in the line of exclusivity to their console.

Who I think is best fitted to win this Generation –
In my opinion Nintendo is best fitted to win this console generation for the simple fact that they already lost 2 wars prior. If they would lose another they would most likely throw in the towel. I’m not the biggest Wii fan but gamers do enjoy variety and that’s exactly what Nintendo gives us with the Wii, variety. You wouldn’t want to see 10 Gears or Killzone 2 rips now would you? Microsoft would be good to win as well though they are best fitted right now in their current position which stands as second. Microsoft however isn’t looking to compete with Nintendo; they are in direct competition with Sony’s PS3. If that’s Microsoft’s true intent then they are indeed in the lead. Second is not so bad at least not in a 3 or more console war. As long as they remain profitable then they can keep their doors open and their AAA titles flooding into our TVs.

Why Sony shouldn’t win this Generation –
Sony already won two previous generations and it didn’t do well for their ego when releasing the PS3. The PS3 was met with terrible ports and mediocre titles and only a few good 1st party games within the first 13 Months. Sony however has begun to pick it up and make amazing games though some may say it’s a bit too late. Sony has lost much of its 3rd Party support mainly for making a hard to develop for cell in which many developers have openly expressed their hatred or dislikes of it. Some however have whispered here and there that it’s not so hard to develop though just a new element to work with. Sony has recently become profitable with the PS3 but I’d still rather see them take a big blow to their ego by taking the loss. I say this because we all remember how arrogant Sony entered this generation with such blatant remarks such as them stating they are winning the console generation when Microsoft and Nintendo were clearly ahead. With a damaged ego, Sony would sure enter the next console generation with a better attitude instead of just relying sales straight off the name brand. They would also know that gamers mean business and we don’t want to wait a year and a half to see games start reeling in.

The Recap –
This generation has been brutal with gamers arguing about what games are better then what and what console is better than the other. Aside from gamers supporting their console of games, the race card has been pulled into play many times when people feel they need to take their console support to the next level they well lash out with racist remarks to try and shut somebody up but it usually never works and only fuels the fights. Nintendo is best fitted to win this generation mainly because they just can’t take another loss since they lost two generations before hand already. Sony needs to work on their ego and the loss of this war would work in their favor as well as ours, the gamers.

OMFingG I try to grab up every collector’s edition I can and I must say I have been very disappointing lately. Besides Street Fighter 4’s collector’s edition there has been a drought of goodies that have came with the last few Collectors Edition’s. Now if you’re seeing what I’m seeing you can’t help but purchase this one I mean the Batarang come on plus the case looks real sweet to.

Batman Arkham Asylum CE Contents

14″ Batarang with stand (Matches the Batarang’s in-game design)

Arkham Doctor’s Journal (48 pages of notes on Arkham’s inmates / Embossed leather dust jacket)

2 Sleeve Digi-pack, including Game disc & Behind-the-scenes DVD

Code for downloadable Challenge Map (Exclusive “Crime Alley” map, available immediately)

Full-color Manual

According to darkzero Bizarre Creations are working on a new racing game called Blur. Blur has the same similarity as Full Auto you will be racing while firing gadgets and weapons at your other opponents which is great; I also know that the weapons will include the likes of mines and shields just like in Wipeout, there is much more but hasn’t yet been confirmed.

The game will also allow cars to get much more damaged than other racers on the market, with multiple crush zones on all the cars that counter differently to each impact. Races in the game will take place is various real life cities, including San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, London, Tokyo and more.

The game will be a multiplatform game heading to the 360 and the PS3, The game is set to be released on Xbox 360 and PS3 by the end of 2009.

Darkzero

XBOXLIVE: a2raya

PSN ID: assyria89

Written by:

With Final Fantasy XIII coming out this year in Japan and next year in the US, expect a lot of information on that title to be revealed over the next couple of months.  While XIII looks to be a great hit, the other game in the Fabula Nova Crystallis compilation, Final Fantasy Versus XIII, looks to be another hit from Square Enix.

The game was originally revealed at E3 2006 along with Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Agito XIII. Since then only a handful of trailers have been released to the public, but so far the trailers seem to be very exciting for fans of Final Fantasy.  The trailers focus around the main character of the game, Noctis. In the trailers Noctis shows off his intense combat skills including teleportation and the ability to use multiple swords as a shield and combo. Other characters featured in the trailer include Stella, an enemy of Nocits, but not because they wish to be. They are forced to fight each other due to some type of reason that has not be revealed to the public yet. Also shown in the trailer are three friends of Nocits, who will appear along side Nocits throughout the game.

Tetsuya Nomura, creator of Kingdom Hearts and character designer for the Final Fantasies, is heading the project. He has stated in the past that the combat system will be a more mature and realistic version of Kingdom Hearts combat system along with some third person shooter elements like seen in Dirge of Cerebus. At the moment no official combat videos have been released to the public, but expect to see something later this year (maybe TGS).

Nomura has also stated in the past that the world the game is trying to create is a much more darker and realistic world. Unlike the fantasy seen in previous Final Fantasies, Nomura wants the game  to be “believable” and venture off the beaten path seen in Final Fantasies.

While only tidbits of the story have been revealed to the public, some info has been revealed. Noctis is the last heir to an isolated nation, which holds the last Crystal protected by kings. Its isolation is due to the city’s resistance to protect itself against invading heretics. This is the basic plot point revealed so far to the public. Obviously Noctis is trying to protect his kingdom, and that “the last crystal” is obviously of some major importance. The team is taking inspiration from Shakespeare plays such as Hamlet and Romeo & Juliet. The struggle between Noctis and Stella is supposed to reflect Romeo & Juliet, while Noctis and his story is supposed to be loosely based off of Hamlet.

Yoko Shimomura, the composer in the Kingdom Hearts games, is currently the composer on the game. Her compositions can been seen in the trailers that have been released to the public. The game takes advantage of the Crystal Tool’s Engine, like Final Fantasy XIII. The game also takes advantages of the PS3’s six-axis controls, but to what level is still unknown.

With Final Fantasy XIII coming out in 2010 in the West, don’t expect Versus until at least 2011 in the West, but expect more information in the near future. This title looks to have a lot of potential.

Written By MattG

Broken Steel, the third downloadable content for Fallout 3, will be coming out on May 5th for both the PC and the 360. The DLC will increase the game’s level cap to 30 and remove the game’s ending. Broken Steel will set back 360 owners 800 points and take place on Andrew’s Air Force Base. The game includes new weapons, perks, and the ability to bring back your dog once it dies. The DLC has no ending according to Pete Hines.

Written by MattG

blog.us.playstation.com

The official Playstation blog has just revealed more info on Killzone 2’s upcoming “Steel & Titanium” map pack. The price of the two maps will be $5.99 and they will be released on April 30th, on top of that a new trailer showcasing the maps has been released and it’s looking well worth the price. If you ask me $5.99 is a great price considering its only two maps and I hope Guerilla Games continues to support Killzone 2 with more great content like this.

In February this year the Xbox 360 outsold the Wii and PS3 in Japan for the week of February 16 to 22 when Xbox 360-exclusive RPG title Star Ocean: The Last Hope launched. Even with occasional sales spikes, Japan is hardly the poster child for Xbox console 360 sales globally.

At a media conference held in Japan today, Microsoft announced it had finally surpassed the one million unit hardware sale mark in the land of the rising sun, and will celebrate the occasion by giving away one million Microsoft Points and a dashboard theme locally as part of a ‘Thank You’ campaign.

The announcement was made by Microsoft Japan president Takashi Sensui alongside announcements about upcoming retail and downloadable games for its Xbox Live Arcade service from various local industry luminaries.

Among these, Namco Bandai’s Yoshihisa Kanesaka announced the company will be bringing SoftMax-developed fantasy role-playing game Magna Carta 2 to the console with a slated Japanese release date of August 6.

Via video message, Capcom producer Jun Takeuchi again confirmed Lost Planet 2 will feature four-player co-op support, while Dead Rising 2 producer Keiji Inafune discussed foreign developers handling the game’s progress. He also aired a trailer for the game showing the protagonist attacking zombies in a casino setting using various objects as weapons.

Tri-Ace’s Takayuki Suguro Sega took the stage to discuss new RPG title End of Eternity, which is scheduled for release in winter 2009. A CG and short gameplay trailer was also shown detailing the game’s combat.

Microsoft Xbox marketing spokesman Joji Sakaguchi used the latter part of the briefing to detail and date upcoming Xbox 360 and XBLA titles including: 2D fighting title BlazBlu: Calamity Trigger which is due out June 26, and a new 3D Samurai Shodown title. Lode Runner is due to land on the service tomorrow, April 22, while Banjo-Kazooie sequel Banjo-Tooie and Virtual On will both be available from April 29. Mega Man 9 is due out in June for 800 Microsoft Points and will include a new boss.

Space Invaders Extreme and four-player puzzle game OD Beat Drop were also teased, though neither had release schedules outlined save a promise they would arrive in “spring.” Bubble Bobble Neo! and SNK Playmore’s Gorou: Mark of the Wolves were name-checked for an estimated spring/summer launch window, while The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match is due in 2010.

Microsoft finished the presentation by announcing that Square Enix titles Project Cube, Yosumin Live, and 0 Day Attack on Earth were all destined for release sometime in 2009.

Courtesy of Gamespot.com

Recently, on David Jaffe’s youtube vblog, the outspoken developer discusses why he chooses to develop on Sony’s platforms.

www.tu4ar.com

This site just recently went live this morning and speculation is that it’s the teaser site for Capcom’s highly rumored Marvel vs. Capcom 2 HD remake. Now you may be wondering, how could this site relate to the game? Well first off the giant number “2″ on the site definetly looks like the one from the Marvel vs. Capcom 2 logo, also the countdown on the websites is at 6 days right now and Capcom is holding their annual Captivate game expo next week so it seems very likely that an announcement will be made at that time. The last clue is the name of the site, which is tu4ar.com. This could of mean “Take You For A Ride,” which I’m sure most of you know was the song that was played in the game when you were selecting characters.

Capcom has really been on a role lately with the quality of their games, I mean Street Fighter 4 and Resident Evil 5 are both awesome games and Capcom would greatly benefit by doing an HD remake of possibly one of the greatest fighting games ever.

What do you guys think? Will Capcom announce Marvel vs. Capcom 2 next week?