The ESRB, the group responsible for rating games has made the decision to hire full time raters. This move is in response to the recent controversy and ratings do-overs of recent memory.
Having full-time raters will allow for each one to have greater experience actually reviewing content and recommending ratings, given the increased amount of time each one would spend doing it.
While this will allow the raters to do a full play test before a rating is given, it is very unlikely that they would catch a Hot-Coffee like situation. One that requires modification to access.
via: Gamespot
-Will Bertelsen
According to NPD Nintendo sold 436,000 Wiis in January compared to 299,000 PS2s the second place system. Based on NPD information Rotpod has compiled this table.
| System |
360 |
PS3 |
Wii |
| December |
1,100,000 |
490,700 |
604,000 |
| January |
294,000 |
244,000 |
436,000 |
Although the 360 lead in the heavy spending month of December, this was more likely due to lack of wii supply rather than lack of consumer demand. Additionaly, with the Wiis low pricepoint, it is a more likely purchase outside of the normal spending periods.
Another blip on the horizon is the PS3s UK release. With pre-orders flying in the PSbrand seems to have kept its status in this traditionally Playstation loyal market. This area may be Sony’s best chance at an early success in the console war.
The article also has game sales information.
via: NPD/Reuters
Main Article
-Will Bertelsen
A a study released in Archives of Surgery suggests that their is a link between video game usage and precision surgical skill.
Out of 33 surgeons from Beth Israel Medical Center in New York that participated in the study, the nine doctors who had at some point played video games at least three hours per week made 37 percent fewer errors, performed 27 percent faster, and scored 42 percent better in the test of surgical skills than the 15 surgeons who had never played video games before.
While they may not get you into med school it dose seem that video games are a good way to practice your fine motor skills.
via:
– Will Bertelsen
Crackdown was released today!
Select copies the long awaited 360 “GTA” style shooter set in a comic book style world also feature an invitation to the Halo 3 beta.
The beta will be accessed through the game itself and requires the disk to play it. There are no codes involved as previously speculated. See the scan of the invitation for details on the beta system.
Rotpod will have an in depth review of the game next week.
Scan of actual beta info
-Will Bertelsen
From 5:00 AM – 8:00 AM EST tomorrow morning XBL and My Xbox will be down for server maintenance.
via: Major Nelson
–Will Bertelsen
“The ten year plan of allowing people to download all kinds of digital content to their PlayStation 3 — not just games but movies, music, HD, standard definition TV, you name it.”
In an interview with 1up, SCE Exec Phil Harrison promised that the PSN can, and will go toe to toe with XBL’s media download service. Touting the PS3’s 1:1 hard drive to system ratio and its HD capabilities, Harrison says the PS3 is in the perfect spot to get into the HD content delivery market.
via: 1UP.com
-Will Bertelsen
XM and Sirius, the two constantly dueling satellite radio providers are expected to announce their merger today.
While this move will face heavy government review, esp. relating to the anti-trust aspects of the merger, it would likely make the entire format of satellite radio stronger. Consumers are now forced to choose between the two formats on price and programming selection, the merger would allow the user to get the best satellite radio could offer. However, this would eliminate any competition in the market and there would be nothing to stop the new amalgamation from raising the price of their service.
via: Reuters
-Will Bertelsen
fl0w, the long awaited and much delayed PS3 downloadable game based on the popular flash game, releases on the 22nd! Created by amateur game developers it is the first “indy” game to grace the next-gen marketplaces. Is this a sign of future openness form the traditionally closed consoles?
Flash Version
–Will Bertelsen
Senate Bill S.49 could ban sites like wikipedia and myspace from public schools and libraries.
Like last years DOPA, S.49, intended to protect children from online predators, could ban informational sites like wikipedia that have user accounts with profiles.
The real scary thing here: Its sponsored by Sen. Ted Stevens of tubular fame!
Bill text
In-Depth Ars story
Via: arstechnica.com
-Will Bertelsen
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