Kaleem

Sony PSP launch: Demand high, EB Games presells 70%; ATV Offroad Fury for PSP delayed

Kaleem — Wed, 23 Mar 2005 18:05:00 -0500

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 ...

What do women game designers want? The same thing everyone else does

Kaleem — Thu, 14 Oct 2004 23:22:00 -0400

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 ...

Photo ID now required to buy or rent computer & video games in Canada

Kaleem — Thu, 14 Oct 2004 16:11:00 -0400

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...

Nintendo DS @ CEATEC: Wireless software/content downloads

Kaleem — Thu, 07 Oct 2004 21:50:00 -0400

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.

"We are absolutely considering the idea (of going into the movie business)," Iwata said. Although we don't have anything...

PR: Radio Frequency Micro Devices (RFMD) ships Nintendo DS 802.11 Wireless LAN tranceiver to production

Kaleem — Wed, 06 Oct 2004 15:04:00 -0400

I'm not normally one to link to or regurgitate press releases, but this is more for my own reference than anything else.

http://www.corporate-ir.net/ireye/ir_site.zhtml?ticker=RFMD&script=410&layout=-6&item_id=624027

RF Micro Devices Announces Production Shipments of Wireless LAN Transceiver for Handheld Nintendo DS Game System

GREENSBORO, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 6, 2004--RF Micro Devices, Inc. (Nasdaq:RFMD), a leading provider of proprietary radio frequency integrated circuits (RFICs) for wireless communications applications, today announced the Company has begun production shipments of its 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN) transceiver for use in the new Nintendo DS ...