Benjamin Nied - SlashGear

Author Archive for Benjamin Nied

Epic VP Goes Bananas at Sony

Benjamin Nied, Oct 4th 2006 Discuss [0]

It's always refreshing to see a shining example of grace under pressure, isn't it? Saying out loud what most of us were thinking the whole time, Epic Games' vice-president, Mark Rein, called Sony's claim that "the next-generation of gaming starts with us" complete and utter...um...malarkey. Well, he didn't use terms that were quite that nice or controlled, but you get the idea. Rein decided to give Sony a piece of his mind at the Game Developers' Conference in London. Read The Full Story

…And “SIXAXIS” Shalt Be Thy Name

Benjamin Nied, Oct 4th 2006 Discuss [0]

I don't think too many people were really waiting with baited breath over this news, but I could be wrong. Sony has announced that their new, motion-sensitive, rumbleless controller will no longer carry the Dual Shock name...ya know, due to the lack of "Shock." The wireless gamepad will, from this day forth, be officially dubbed "SIXAXIS". The controller itself will run on either a rechargeable battery (which Sony claims will last up to 30 hours on one charge) or off an included USB cable. Total cost: around 5,000 yen ($40 USD), though I wouldn't be surprised to see the price jump a little bit for us American buyers (I mean, we WILL be paying almost $70 more than the Japanese PS3 buyers will be once the PS3 hits). So, goodbye Dual Shock, hello SIXAXIS. I can't wait to see what name they give their next accessory! [via IGN]

GameStop Gets Exclusive Wii Kiosk Rights

Benjamin Nied, Oct 3rd 2006 Discuss [1]

Well, if you're still unsure about Nintendo's upcoming Wii console, and you want to head to your local gaming store to check one out, make sure it's a GameStop. You'll have trouble finding one otherwise, as GameStop has announced that they have exclusive rights to all official Wii kiosks, playable and otherwise, meaning that all other stores will have to resort to "unofficial" (read: self-made) kiosk in order to show off Nintendo's new toy. Oh well; those of us that are already getting one don't need to worry. [via GamePro]

Ageia Making a PCI-E PhysX Card

Benjamin Nied, Oct 3rd 2006 Discuss [0]

Ageia has announced that they're working on a PCI-Express version of their highly-lauded PhysX physics card. Freely admitting that they haven't yet reached the limits of the current PCI version of their PhysX card, Ageia nonetheless had PCI-E x1 samples back in March, bringing about the obvious question of "why did it take so long to announce?" Ageia further revealed that the new cards will be out on October 12th, though it's likely that the PCI version will still be available after that date. (considering that PCI ports are still more common on PCs than PCI-E x1 ports) Read The Full Story

PS3 Loose in the Wild!

Benjamin Nied, Oct 3rd 2006 Discuss [1]

At long last, we have our first proof that completed, operation PlayStation 3 game consoles really do exist, and we now have our first shots of one of these "premium" consoles out in the wild. Thanks to the guys over at PSM (the lucky recipients of this completed console), we also have our first impressions as to how one of these $500, good-luck-in-finding-one consoles works and operates. So what did they find? Read on after the jump! Read The Full Story

Sony’s Kutaragi: “What Competition?”

Benjamin Nied, Oct 2nd 2006 Discuss [3]

OK, so he didn't make a statement quite that dumb, but you have to hand it to the guy running Computer Entertainment division; he sure knows how to make Sony look like a group of stuck-up morons. When asked if Sony's competitors - you know, the one with the year-long head start and the one with the $250 console - might manage to outpace Sony for the first time, Kutaragi replied, "We don't care." Apparently, in Sony's mind, if you ignore you competition, they disappear. Logical...if you're twelve. Read The Full Story

PS3s Go On Display, People Gawk

Benjamin Nied, Oct 2nd 2006 Discuss [4]

Showing the world that they might be as on-schedule as they claim to be, Sony has begun shipping out display kiosks to various Japanese retail outlets, with at least one putting it out for customers to stare at. Akiba Keizan Shimbun (shown below) has their kiosk - hands-off, of course, so that no customers can get excited and steal the kiosk - with the PS3 situated behind what appears to be a large plastic sheet, with an HD monitor displaying a variety of demos including Afrika, Genji, Heavenly Sword and The Eye of Judgment. What, no MGS4 demo? Read The Full Story

Apple Releases OS X 10.4.8 Update

Benjamin Nied, Sep 29th 2006 Discuss [6]

Apple has just taken the wraps off the latest update for OS X, version 10.4.8. Available via Software Update or website download, this marks the eighth (duh) major update for Apple's Tiger operating system According to the Software Update blurb, this 211 MB (for the Intel-only, non-combo version) update fixes a number of features, which you can see for yourself after the jump! Read The Full Story

DOOM Comes to Xbox Live!

Benjamin Nied, Sep 29th 2006 Discuss [0]

If you're an gamer like me that enjoys playing a lot of older games, few games bring as many warm memories back as the original DOOM. Launched in 1993, it certainly turned first-person shooting on its head and redefined the genre, but no one is going to argue that vanilla DOOM today looks a little....well, dated. That's not going to stop the Xbox developers over at Microsoft, who are now offering this classic piece of PC history on Xbox Live!, with a few modifications. More after the jump. Read The Full Story

Oblivion Coming to PSP, PS3

Benjamin Nied, Sep 29th 2006 Discuss [0]

All Elder Scrolls lovers around the world rejoice; the hugely-popular RPG will soon be coming to a Sony console near you. If you're one of the resourceful chaps capable of acquiring a PlayStation 3, you can rest assured knowing that Oblivion will be shipping alongside the console at launch time. If you're the proud owner of a PlayStation Portable, you'll also be getting a version of Oblivion, but not until Springtime. Read The Full Story

Xbox 360s to Get CPU Upgrade Next Year

Benjamin Nied, Sep 28th 2006 Discuss [1]

I know, I know; there's entirely too much Xbox news today. Moving right along, it appears that the 360 will be the recipient of a processor upgrade sometime next year. Before all your current Xbox owners light your torches and grab your pitchforks, this won't be a performance enhancement; rather, the company that makes the Xbox's CPu is switching to 65nm technology from the current-generation's 90nm, meaning that the chips should run far cooler and consume less power (theoretically). So, if you're planning on buying an Xbox 360 this holiday season, you might want to wait a few months so that you aren't the victim of an exploding Xbox when you try to play Dead Rising. [via Gizmodo]

Microsoft Unveils Halo-Based RTS Game

Benjamin Nied, Sep 28th 2006 Discuss [2]

In even more Xbox 360 news, not only is Peter Jackson starting up a game studio to make more Halo-based games (yes, you read that correctly), but Microsoft has decided that the upcoming Halo 3 simply isn't enough Halo for its legions of fans. Enter Halo Wars, a real-time strategy (RTS) game coming out exclusively for the Xbox 360 (duh) taking place before the first Halo game. For obvious reasons, Microsoft is keeping most of the details tightly under wraps, but to see what we DO know, hit the jump. Read The Full Story