I just got back to the office after attending the Sony PSP launch event earlier today.

A minute after midnight (March 24) Sony will officially make its debut into the North American handheld videogame market when major retailers throw open their doors to let hardcore gamers get their own PlayStation Portable (PSP).

High demand
Demand appears to be as strong as it was for the Nintendo DS portable game system which launched last November, if not stronger.

Videogame specialty retailer EB Games is one of Sony's launch partners along with Wal-Mart, Blockbuster, Rogers Video (in Canada), Toys R Us and ...   more »

The New York Times published a feature about women in the computer and video games industry, including programmers, game designers, and producers. Among the women interviewed for the article are Ion Storm's Denise Fulton, executive producer of the next Deus Ex sequel; Nicky Robinson, a veteran programmer with 21 years in the games industry; Sheri Graner Ray, a senior game designer at Sony Online Entertainment; and Laura Fryer, Director of the Advanced Technology Group and an executive producer with Microsoft's Xbox division.

Unfortunately the article is incredibly shallow and therefore all-too-typical of many of Katie Hafner's reports.

Beyond the usual platitudes about ...   more »

The Toronto edition of Metro International newspapers/Toronto Star explains why Canadian gamers now need photo identification to buy or rent computer and video games. The new restriction is part of the Retail Council of Canada's (RCC) Commitment to Parents initiative, which "requires retailers across Canada to support and enforce the ESRB ratings for computer and video games." The Entertainment Software Association of Canada (ESAC) and the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) are also partners in the program.

The RCC says that it has the support of 90% of game retailers in the voluntary program. Retailers that support the program include...   more »

CNET News.com / GameSpot's Hirokiko Noiizumi reports from the Nintendo press conference at the CEATEC technology conference in Tokyo that Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said the dual-screen Nintendo DS handheld gaming console will feature downloadable software and content via its wireless networking function.

This isn't really surprising but it immediately opens the Nintendo DS to the possibility of malware, viruses and other security vulnerabilities.

I wonder how long it will be before the first DS virus or worm is discovered and propagated.