TechRadar: Gaming news

Xbox 360 tops US sales chart

Jools Whitehorn — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:03:00 GMT

Research firm NPD Group has released the US games console hardware and software sales chart for January 2012, showing that the Xbox 360 is top of the pile.

Overall there was a decline in software, hardware and accessory sales compared to January 2011.

Commenting on the results, NPD analyst Liam Callahan said: "January retail performance experienced steep declines with a lack of software launches, and poor Hardware and Accessory performance."

He also noted that by comparison, January 2011 was an unusually busy month for games releases, which included LittleBigPlanet 2, Dead Space 2 and DC Universe Online.

Microsoft needs no consoling

The Xbox 360's sales victory comes after Microsoft sold a staggering 270,000 of the consoles in January 2012. Microsoft claims that last month's success makes it 13 months in a row that the Xbox 360 has been top of the US sales chart.

Overall, the top ten best-selling software titles for January 2012 were:

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (360, PS3, Wii, PC)
2. Just Dance 3 (Wii, 360, PS3)
3. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (360, PS3, PC)
4. NBA 2K12 (360, PS3, PSP, Wii, PS2, PC)
5. Battlefield 3 (360, PS3, PC)
6. Madden NFL 12 (360, PS3, Wii, PSP, PS2)
7. Mario Kart 7 (3DS)
8. Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure (Wii, 3DS, 360, PS3, PC)
9. Zumba Fitness 2 (Wii)
10. Saints Row: The Third (360, PS3, PC)

US PlayStation Vita store goes live

Chris Smith — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:59:00 GMT

The PlayStation Vita online store is, at least partly, up and running in the United States.

The console goes on sale in the US and Europe on February 22nd, but those lucky few who've imported a console from Japan can now access the download portal.

Joystiq reports that the store already features five titles as Sony looks to get the infrastructure in tip-top condition for the official launch later this month.

The titles available are: Hot Shots Golf, ModNation Racers, Super Stardust, Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Wipeout 2048.

Online play working too

Joystiq says it was also able to get involved in a Vita vs Vita online battle with Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3, so it appears that that aspect of the online portal is up and running too.

If you're one of those Sony loyalists desperate to get your hands on the new PlayStation Portable, check out our newly minted Vita review.

UK games developers set for massive tax blow

Marc Chacksfield — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:23:00 GMT

The games industry in the UK is on the brink of having any chance of future tax breaks taken away, with European wide tax relief for the industry set to expire in 2012.

France has already been dealt the biggest blow: its tax incentives have already expired and it looks as though the EU has no plans to renew the exception that allows games developers up to 20 per cent off of their tax.

If this turns out to be the case then, according to Develop, tax incentives for games developers across the whole of the European Union will be dropped, meaning the UK will not be able to claim this break either, something it was hoping to do.

UK gaming decline

The games industry in the UK is already a fragile one, with TIGA quoting that as many as 10 per cent of the workforce that used to be based in the UK have now gone overseas – the reason being better incentives, including tax breaks.

Those countries that have embraced the games industry have flourished as a result, with the likes of Canada thriving when it comes to games development.

According to Develop, one big games producer, Quantic Dream – which made Heavy Rain and is based in France – has threatened to go overseas as a result of the EU not renewing its tax incentive deal.

Guillaume de Fondaumiere, the co-CEO of Quantic Dream, said to the European Commission (EC) about the situation, "The abandonment of this flagship measure, which brings hope to a large number of European studios and which has demonstrated its effectiveness in France, would be an historic mistake."

According to a spokesperson for the EC, no decision has yet been made on the future of the gaming tax breaks. Watch this space.

PS Vita 3G pricing details revealed by Vodafone

Marc Chacksfield — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:04:00 GMT

Vodafone has revealed more details about its partnership with Sony for the PS Vita which sees the company as the exclusive 3G carrier for the handheld.

TechRadar revealed back in November that Vodafone would be the exclusive 3G network for the PlayStation Vita but at the time nothing was mentioned about pricing.

Now Vodafone has updated its details and revealed just what you will get in the bundle and how much everything will cost.

PS Vita price

The PlayStation Vita 3G will be coming to Vodafone stores for £279. The bundle will include a free 4GB memory card, a PAYG SIM card which when topped up with £5 will get you a free download of WipEout 2048 and 250MB of data lasting up to 30 days.

Other than 3G connectivity, the main difference between the PS Vita 3G and the Wi-Fi only version is that you get in-built GPS so you can track what your friends are up to.

If you would prefer the Wi-Fi version then it is currently, on Amazon for £218.99 – with the PS Vita UK release date set for 22 February.

The TechRadar PS Vita review gave the handheld 4.5 stars and said "as a portable console this is about as good as it gets".

That sounds like we are channelling MasterChef but you get the idea.

PS Vita loses UMD Passport

Jools Whitehorn — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:09:00 GMT

The Japanese UMD Passport service that allows PSP users to download versions of their physical UMD games to the PlayStation Vita won't be available in the US.

Sony has confirmed that the service, for which it charges Japanese users a small fee will not be accompanying the PlayStation Vita's 22 February launch.

The company hasn't offered an explanation for the decision, although the effectiveness of the service in Japan is hampered by the lack of support by games publishers. At its launch, big names like Capcom, Konami, Namco and Square Enix were all notably missing from the lineup.

There is no word on what will happen in the UK and Europe, though with the news that the UMD Passport isn't going to the US, we suspect that it won't make it out of Japan at all.

Two pockets, two PlayStations

The news means that PSP owners with huge UMD collections will have to keep hold of their old console to play old favourites.

The decision rewards those who have opted to buy game downloads instead of physical media (where possible) as those downloads will be playable on the PS Vita.

This news follows Sony's announcement that PlayStation Network accounts will be killed off to be rebranded as Sony Entertainment Network.

For more on Sony's new handheld, get eyes-on with Tech Radar's full Sony PlayStation Vita review.

Kinect Star Wars bundle release date revealed

Chris Smith — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:39:00 GMT

The Kinect Star Wars special edition Xbox 360 bundle will launch on April 3rd, almost six months after it was scheduled to go on sale.

The bundle includes a copy of Kinect Star Wars, an R2-D2 custom-designed 250GB Xbox 360 console, a C-3PO-inspired gold controller and a Stormtrooper white Kinect peripheral.

The limited edition pack was announced last July ahead of a planned November release, but delays in the game's production forced Microsoft and LucasArts to push the launch back until 2012.

New game features

The news comes from Microsoft's Major Nelson, who also revealed some intriguing new features for the game's Jedi Destiny mode.

He says there will be: "Space battles: As you travel the Galaxy to face an evil that threatens to undermine the fabric of the Republic, you'll engage with forces of the Empire in intense space battles

"Speeder Bikes and Landspeeders: Pilot iconic Speeder Bikes and Landspeeders on your epic journey

"New duels: Battle opponents like Count Dooku and Darth Vader on your journey to become a Jedi

"New Duels of Fate mode, a battle-by-battle experience to sharpen your Jedi skills against the Dark Side.

"New Galactic Dance Off mode loaded with Star Wars-themed pop tunes where those still honing their Jedi skills can take a break to battle Darth Vader on the dance floor or bust a move "Solo style.""

Phantom Menace tie-in

News of the official release date and new features come as Star Wars prepares to return to the big screen with the re-release of The Phantom Menace in 3D on Friday.

US-based Force loyalists will be able to go hands-on with the new Kinect Star Wars game at selected AMC cinemas across the country as part of a Star Wars theme day.

Via: Major Nelson

Hands on: Alienware X51 review

Dan Grabham — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:20:00 GMT

Gaming PC vendor Alienware recently took the wraps off its X51 - a smaller form factor desktop to go alongside its not-so-dainty Aurora line of gaming desktop behemoths.

We got up close with the Core i7 variant of the new mini gaming PC at a demo event yesterday.

The first thing that strikes you is the size - it isn't that much taller than an Xbox 360 - 32cm high at its shortest point and less than 10cm in thickness.

The box has been designed to either sit horizontally or stand vertically, and Alienware is expecting a reasonable number to find homes underneath HDTVs in living rooms.

So what we're looking at here is a couple of the £999 units each boasting a 3.4Ghz Intel Core i7-2600, Nvidia Geforce GTX 555 graphics and 8GB of memory.

Alienware is keen to stress that there's a market for a performance gaming system without the bulk - it believes people are looking for smaller machines, but that gamers still want a desktop PC rather than a laptop. The company is keen to stress it wanted to sit the X51 above traditional small form factor (SFF) systems that don't have a great deal of power or graphics capabilities.

As you can see, there's a slot-loading optical drive on the front (24x dual-layer DVD), as well as a couple of USB 2.0 ports. There are a couple of USB 3.0 ports on the back as well as three more USB 2.0 ports, HDMI, Ethernet, full complement of audio outputs including SPDIF and two DVIs. 802.11n Wi-Fi is also integrated.

Alienware was keen to demonstrate that the lower end £699 is also very capable - it packs a 3.3GHz Intel Core i3-2120, Nvidia Geforce GT545 graphics, 4GB of DDR3 RAM and a 1TB HDD. All models sport Windows 7 Home Premium.

There's also a 3GHz Core i5-2320 mid-range variant available.

We love the look of the thing (and yes, you can customise the colours of those LEDs - there are 8,000 different combinations) but we'll be honest - the X51 is a lot of money for what it is, especially since Alienware believes it occupies a mainstream rather than enthusiast segment of the market.

The unit's weigh clocks in at 5.5Kg - Alienware says it occupies only around 15 per cent of the space of one of its traditional desktops. The components inside are user upgradeable.

You also get a Alienware backlit keyboard and mouse in the box. We'll run our benchmarking rule over it when we hold of one in our TechRadar test lab, though Alienware has posted its on basic benchies for the Core i3 and i7 models, which you can see below - click here for a bigger version.

PlayStation Network accounts to be killed off

Marc Chacksfield — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:10:00 GMT

Sony has revealed that all PlayStation Network accounts are to be rebranded this week, with the service to be folded into the Sony Entertainment Network.

The Sony Entertainment Network brand is big news for Sony as it is the first time the company has tried to bunch all of its online services under one moniker.

Usually Sony's PlayStation sector is immune to any changes the rest of the company is going through, but as of 8 February the PlayStation Network will become part of the Sony Entertainment Network.

Making SENce

Sony has issued a statement to all users of the PSN, explaining that the change will actually change nothing – it is just a lick of paint and a rename.

"This transition is based on Sony's goal to enhance its unique digital entertainment offering. As a series of these activities Sony started last September, PlayStation Network will be aligned with Sony Entertainment Network," said the release.

"This helps us get closer to our goal of establishing a global comprehensive network platform of services across games, movies, music and more, all accessible from one convenient account."

TechRadar spoke to Sony about the changeover back in October 2011, when So Saida, senior director of global business strategy and development at Sony, explained: "We have created a strong community around games devices. We have subscription services for the PS3 and PSP and Vita.

"But with what we call the non-core-gamer, Sony brings many other products such as Bravia TV, home theatre devices, Sony Tablets, PCs and mobile.

"It is about enriching the customer journey and making them believe in the Sony experience.

"The content is following [the customer] and not the device. And it is all about a consistency that we bring to our products with Sony."

Sony announced last week that its CEO Howard Stringer will be stepping down and Kaz Hirai taking his place as of 1 April.

Interestingly, it was Hirai who was in charge of creating the Sony Entertainment Network – a service which now touches all of Sony's connected devices.

PlayStation Vita gets maps and video firmware update

Jools Whitehorn — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:59:00 GMT

The Sony PlayStation Vita will get a firmware update on 8 February that adds maps and video recording.

Though it's not out in the UK until 22 February, Japanese gamers already have Sony's handheld console firmly in their grasp.

The firmware update will add a maps application that, judging by screen shots, uses Google Maps data to get users where they want to go.

To 3G or not to 3G

However, only the 3G version of the PlayStation Vita will have GPS hardware onboard – something for buyers to weigh up when deciding whether to go for the Wi-Fi-only or 3G variety.

Video recording will be added to the Photos app – rectifying what was a glaring omission in the launch version of the console.

Alongside the update, Sony will be releasing a Mac version of the Content Manager application which is needed to pump digital content to and from the Vita.

Kinect for Windows hardware now shipping

Chris Smith — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:37:00 GMT

Microsoft has begun shipping the Kinect for Windows hardware, opening the door for a wave of motion-based applications for PCs.

The newly-developed peripheral is now available for £249, although Qualified Educational Users, can get a $100 discount later this year.

The launch of the Kinect for Windows hardware accompanies the release of version 1.0 of the commercial SDK and runtime to enable developers to get to work on new applications.

New features

The official launch of the SDK brings several improvements on Beta 2, which was released three months ago.

Among the new features is support for up to four peripherals on the same computer, improved skeletal tracking and the new Near Mode which allows the sensor to track objects as close as 40cm from the device.

The full list of new features can be viewed on the Kinect for Windows blog.

Wednesday's launch lives up to CEO Steve Ballmer's recent promise to make the devices and software available on February 1st.

In Depth: 802.11ac: what you need to know

Gary Marshall — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:42:00 GMT

802.11ac: next-gen Wi-Fi

If you thought Wi-Fi couldn't get much faster than 802.11n, think again.

802.11ac, dubbed 5G Wi-Fi, promises ridiculously fast wireless connections, better range, improved reliability, improved power consumption and a free horse. (OK, we're lying about the horse.)

802.11ac is the latest evolution of Wi-Fi, and it should be particularly good for gaming and HD video streaming.

So how does it work, does it live up to the hype, and how long will you have to wait before you can get your hands on it? Let's find out.

Your 802.11ac speed could break the gigabit barrier

The fastest current 802.11n Wi-Fi connections max out at around 150Mbps with one antenna, 300Mbps with two and 450Mbps with three antennas. 802.11ac connections will be roughly three times faster - so that's 450Mbps, 900Mbps and 1.3Gbps respectively. Netgear, brilliantly, illustrates this with two pictures of motorways: the first picture, showing "Today's Wi-Fi", is normal, but the one labelled "3x speed with 802.11ac" is really blurry.

Your 802.11ac speed won't break the gigabit barrier

As with previous Wi-Fi standards, the speeds quoted on the box and in the promotional materials are theoretical maximums, not the speeds you'll actually get: so far devices with potential top speeds of 1.3Gbps have topped out at around 800Mbps. That's still blisteringly fast, of course, but there's still a gap between advertised speeds and real world ones. 802.11ac connection speeds will be reduced by numerous factors: network overhead, which is the chatter your hardware needs to keep the connection going; interference, congestion and physical obstacles; distance; the number of simultaneous connections; and whether the router is running in compatibility mode so that older wireless kit can still connect.

802.11ac video and gaming

Because 802.11ac has bandwidth to spare, it should be great for HD video streaming and for gaming. According to Netgear [PDF], you can say bye-bye to buffering: "802.11ac will significantly enhance the user experience by improving the playback quality to any point throughout the house. With 802.11ac, for the first time wireless will provide similar performance as wired Gigabit connections."

802.11ac routers use more antennas

To improve range and reliability, 802.11ac routers can use more antennas than existing 802.11n kit: your next router may have as many as eight antennas inside it.

802.11ac routers will use "beamforming" technology

Wi-Fi is omnidirectional, but 802.11ac routers will be able to use directional transmission and reception technology dubbed "beamforming". The router will be able to identify the rough location of the device it's talking to and strengthen the appropriate antenna(s) accordingly. The idea is to reduce interference.

802.11ac Wi-Fi uses the 5GHz frequency band

Older wireless kit uses the 2.4GHz frequency band, which is fairly crowded: your kit is potentially sharing radio frequency with next door's baby monitor, your cordless phone and even your microwave. Like high performance 802.11n kit, 802.11ac routers will use the less cluttered 5GHz band where there's considerably more room for data transmission. 802.11ac hardware will use two kinds of channels in that range: 80GHz ones and 160GHz ones.

802.11ac routers will be backwards compatible

You won't need to throw out all your old wireless-capable kit as 802.11ac routers will be backwards compatible with your existing Wi-Fi kit. For example, at this year's CES Buffalo demonstrated an 802.11ac router that operated on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands and that promised to play nice with 802.11a, b, g and n hardware.

The 802.11ac release date is now, sort of

As with 802.11n, hardware is coming out before the 802.11ac standard is actually finalised. That's going to happen later this year, but manufacturers are readying their products now and they'll be everywhere by the summer, with minor software updates addressing any changes that might happen to the standard before it's finalised. We'd expect 802.11ac prices to be steep initially, as they were with the first 802.11n kit, but those prices should start to fall almost immediately.

Apple's putting 802.11ac into everything

Apple's a key early adopter of wireless technology - it helped popularise Wi-Fi in the first place and was quick off the mark with 802.11n support. According to AppleInsider it's going to be quick off the mark with 802.11ac too, sticking the technology into "new AirPort base stations, Time Capsule, Apple TV, notebooks and potentially its mobile devices."

802.11ac hasn't skipped lots of letters

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the body in charge of the 802.11 standard, isn't skipping lots of letters: while major WiFi standards have jumped from 802.11n to 802.11ac, the IEEE didn't just skip 802.11o, p, q and so on. Successive versions of the 802.11 standard can also denote amendments to existing standards, so for example 802.11i introduced improved security and 802.11j introduced extensions for Japanese networks.

Steam iOS and Android app now available

Jools Whitehorn — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:33:00 GMT

The iOS and Android apps for online game service Steam are available now, for free.

After going through a swift beta process, Valve's Steam Mobile app is in full swing in the Android Market and App Store.

Less than a week ago, gamers were encouraged to download the Steam Mobile beta app, and hope that they would be sent an invite after attempting to log in. Now it's wide open for anyone to use.

Taking its cues from the desktop computer version, the app is divided into three main sections – Community, Store and News.

Users will be able to keep tabs on what their "Steam friends" are playing and continue "Steam chats" away from their computer. Perfect for a spot of friendly flaming on the bus to work.

Pocket purchasing

The store is also available for virtually browsing Steam's catalogue of games, adding them to a wish list or buying them to download later.

If you were hoping for games, though, we're afraid you're out of luck, as the app is very much just a companion to the desktop game service. However, as the current app was the result of user demand, it could eventually lead there.

Valve's president and co-founder Gabe Newell claims that Steam users have been clamouring for the new app, saying: "Mobile is changing the way people interact, play games and consume media, and the Steam app is part of our commitment to meet customer demands and expand the service functionality of Steam to make it richer and more accessible for everyone."

PlayStation Vita games get discount on PSN

Jools Whitehorn — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:34:00 GMT

Sony has confirmed that PlayStation Vita games will be sold at a discounted price as downloads from the US PlayStation Store.

This system is already in operation in Japan, and with the US market going the same way it's likely that the UK PlayStation store will also be seeing discounted downloads.

The downloads will also be available at the same time as the physical media, so apart from fans of the collector's edition, it could spell the end to the launch day shop queue.

Games on physical media are hardly ever sold at full price, so the download discount may not be that significant, or an overall discount at all.

Buy a code for a cheaper game

The process of buying a game could get a little more complicated, as shops offer discounts for PSN downloads to maintain their lower price against physical media.

For example, US retailer Best Buy is selling discounted download codes that mean the downloads end up around 10 percent cheaper than the shrink-wrapped cards.

How it works in the UK remains to be seen, but going for downloads over physical media is probably safer – those little cards look to be pretty easy to lose.

When the Sony PlayStation Vita launches on 22 February, the line-up of games is set to include Uncharted: Golden Abyss, WipEout 2048 and Motorstorm RC, among others.

Rovio boss: Angry Birds piracy 'may not be a bad thing'

Jools Whitehorn — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:16:00 GMT

Speaking at the Midem conference in Cannes, Rovio Mobile's chief executive Mikael Hed claims that the company has learned from the music industry's mistakes when dealing with piracy.

"We have some issues with piracy, not only in apps but also especially in the consumer products," said Hed.

"There is tons and tons of merchandise out there, especially in Asia, which is not officially licensed products."

He went on to say that Rovio believes it's a waste of effort to take pirates to court, except in cases when the pirate products are harmful to the Angry Birds brand or cheating fans.

"Piracy may not be a bad thing: it can get us more business at the end of the day."

Free advertising

Instead, the company sees the products as a way of getting the Angry Birds brand greater coverage. Even though the money made by the pirated products doesn't go to Rovio, it's also money that Rovio potentially doesn't have to spend on advertising.

This is Rovio's favoured approach after taking note of "the rather terrible ways the music industry has tried to combat piracy."

However, it has also followed the music industry's approach in other ways: "We took something from the music industry, which was to stop treating the customers as users, and start treating them as fans. We do that today: we talk about how many fans we have," Hed said.

"If we lose that fanbase, our business is done, but if we can grow that fanbase, our business will grow."

Rovio has also been in talks with music labels about promoting music content through its apps, referring to Angry Birds as a "channel" that can be used for cross-promotion.

Microsoft: No Xbox 720 release in 2012

Chris Smith — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:50:00 GMT

The French arm of Microsoft has stated that there will be no new Xbox 720 console released before the end of the year.

The marketing director of Microsoft France, Cedrick Delmas says the Xbox 360's life-cycle is not over and that it has no intention of rushing out a competitor for the Nintendo Wii U in time for Christmas.

When asked about the new Xbox for E3 rumors he told Lepoint.fr (translated): "We're in an industry that talks a lot, that likes telling stories. I am not convinced that things will happen this year. The Xbox 360's cycle is not over at all. The proof is that we haven't price cut this year.

"Afterward, what will happen at E3, it's still too early to say. What's certain is that there will be nothing new in 2012. If we wanted to counter Nintendo, we would have to be in a position to release something immediately, and that is not at all the case.

"We're not here to counter Nintendo and they're not here to fight the other manufacturers. Nintendo has put itself in a different cycle, it's going forward to its own rhythm, with success as we have seen with the Wii, and now it's their turn to present their innovation."

Clear run for the Wii U

Delmas' comments suggest that Microsoft does indeed have something up its sleeve for the annual E3 expo in June, but will bide its time until 2013 before making the console available.

Nintendo recently promised to have the Wii U on sale by the end of 2012 and is likely to unleash a largely improved iteration of the device than that which was on show at E3 in 2011.

With no real rumblings of a PlayStation 4 launch, even in 2013, it looks like Nintendo will have a clear shot at the Christmas market with the console so crucial to its future prosperity.

EA's Madden simulation predicts Giants Super Bowl win

Chris Smith — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:45:00 GMT

The New York Giants will defeat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl on Sunday if EA's annual Madden simulation proves to be accurate.

The game publisher matched-up the two teams in a single game of Madden '12 on Xbox 360, with Eli Manning's Giants emerging victorious 27-24.

EA was able to simulate the game using the masses of in-game stats, artificial intelligence and even respective injuries to the two teams.

Believe in Eli

The test-run for this Sunday's showcase encounter saw Giants quarterback Manning complete 29 of 35 pass attempts, while throwing for two touchdowns.

The game will be won by a field goal with 3 seconds left in the fourth quarter, according to the simulation.

Manning' opposite number Tom Brady will throw for 327 yards if anyone is looking at the over/under bet.

Giants fans have reason to take heart from the latest Madden-based encounter. The simulation has accurately predicted the Super Bowl winner in six of the last eight seasons.

You can see 'highlights' from the game in the video below.

YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqq96Dh3H8s

Sony PlayStation Vita samples go to Game and Gamestation stores

Jools Whitehorn — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:39:00 GMT

Sony is sending a PlayStation Vita to every branch of Game and Gamestation for customers and shop managers to try before its official 22 February release date.

In addition, 150 stores will get a Vita Interactive Display Unit – that's a PlayStation Vita on a bendy arm in Sony speak. So expect to queue if you want to get a preview play under your belt.

"PlayStation Vita is an amazing piece of technology - but the very best way to make people realise this, is by putting it in their hands," said Fergal Gara, Sony Computer Entertainment UK's Vice President and Managing Director.

"The beauty and clarity of the 5 inch OLED screen, the ergonomic design with the dual analogue joysticks, the interaction of the rear touch panel, all come emphatically to life."

Will Vita shake the room for you?

There are yet still other ways to get a taste of Sony's soon-to-be-released handheld as the PS Vita Room which is currently operating in Glasgow, will be moving down to London to open 17 February.

Among the demo games available to testers are WipEout 2048, Uncharted Golden Abyss, Reality Fighters, ModNation Racers: Road Trip, Little Deviants and Everybody's Gold.

"With our own Vita Rooms and now, with this opportunity for consumers to sample PS Vita in any of Game or Gamestation's 600 specialist retail stores, the excitement can only continue to build," said Gara.

Asus Windows 8 prototypes feature baked-in Kinect

Kate Solomon — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:22:00 GMT

We might all be flailing wildly at our laptops to open documents soon as at least two prototype Asus laptops exist that incorporate Microsoft Kinect sensors.

The Daily was lucky enough to snag some time with what a Microsoft insider confirmed were two official Microsoft prototypes running Windows 8.

The gesture control sensors sit where the webcam would normally be (in the centre of the panel above the screen), with what looked to The Daily like LEDs beneath the display.

The Daily Flail

Unfortunately the Murdoch-owned iPad newspaper didn't manage to grab any pictures nor use the gesture control, but it does seem to confirm that we'll see Kinect functionality baked into portable hardware at some point in the near future.

Kinect is already compatible with Windows, with the necessary hardware being released in February 2012 after developers were given access to the SDK late last year.

The motion-sensing peripherals have been a massive success for Microsoft on the Xbox 360, bagging well over 10 million sales and a T3 Gadget of the Year award to boot.

Nintendo Wii U controller will come with NFC

Jools Whitehorn — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:24:00 GMT

Nintendo has announced that the controller for its next console, the Nintendo Wii U, will support near field communication (NFC).

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata gave some example of some possible uses for NFC in the Wii U, saying that, "By installing this functionality, it will become possible to create cards and figurines that can electronically read and write data via noncontact NFC and to expand the new play format in the video game world."

So games like Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure, which currently uses a "Portal of Power" peripheral to recognise character figures placed on it, would be able to work without the peripheral, and potentially interact in more sophisticated ways.

The NFC hardware included in the Wii U will be compatible with the widely-used FeliCa and MIFARE standards.

Pay as you play

Iwata went on to say: "Adoption of this functionality will enable various other possibilities such as using it as a means of making micropayments."

Whether these micropayments are made to the Wii U or by the Wii U is unclear, though somehow we can't imagine ourselves waving a Wii U controller around at the supermarket checkout, so using contactless payment cards to pay for downloads could be on its way.

The announcement came alongside the news that the company is launching the Nintendo Network service for 3DS and Wii U which will allow multiple user accounts, full game downloads and more sophisticated gaming interactions than the rather limited Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

Find all the latest news about Nintendo's newest console in our Wii U: all the latest details feature.

Nintendo Network for Wii U and 3DS announced

Jools Whitehorn — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:42:00 GMT

Nintendo has announced it is launching an online service called Nintendo Network which will be available to 3DS users and then extended to the Wii U when it is launched later this year.

At an investor presentation, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata unveiled the new service, the logo for which had already mysteriously appeared on the Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy game box.

Iwata said the service will include "competitions and communication among users, as well as the sales of digital content," for both the current 3DS handheld console and the soon to be released Wii U.

Multiple user accounts

The Wii U offering will also have support for personal user accounts, compared to the current system where software is tied to a single hardware system rather than the user who bought it.

This differs vastly from the rather limited Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection currently available to the original Wii console, and will allow communication between users for the first time.

Iwata also spoke of "Community" matches for Mario Kart 7.

The Nintendo Network could not only serve up add-on content, but also whole games as well: "this concept was built into the design of the Nintendo 3DS, and we already have the necessary infrastructure," Iwata said.

That same infrastructure is being cooked up for the Wii U, but as yet there is no firm release date for its launch.

Can't wait for the Wii U? Techradar has all the latest details on the Wii U and a Nintendo Wii U hands-on review to scratch that itch.

Zynga Bingo for Facebook announced

Chris Smith — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:11:00 GMT

Zynga, the social games studio behind Farmville, has announced its new Bingo game for Facebook.

The age-old, OAP-friendly pastime comes to the social network in much the same guise as it has been played in Bingo halls across the UK for generations.

Players will enter rooms with Facebook friends or random members and cross numbers off their cards as numbers are called to the room.

There are a series of themed rooms that the games will take place in, like Las Vegas Casino, although smoky Doncaster social club is sadly not listed amongst them.

Virtual currency

Like Zynga Poker, players can see which rooms their friends are in and chat as the game is going on, while playing up to six cards at a time to increase the chances of winning.

Beyond the traditional card-completing antics, there's also power-ups which help you complete your B-I-N-G-O cards faster, but these and playing multiple games will cost you more virtual currency.

The game is currently in Beta but will soon launch to the public. You can check out Zynga Bingo in the video below.

YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DkvAMn0VPs

Nintendo reveals Wii U release date amid profit woes

Kate Solomon — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:16:00 GMT

Dark days for Nintendo as the company posts worse than expected financial results for October to December 2011, predicting annual losses three times worse than expected.

It hasn't posted an annual loss for over thirty years, but Nintendo's losses for the whole financial year, which ends in March, are now expected to come in at 65 billion yen - more than triple its earlier prediction of a 20 billion yen deficit.

2011 was a trying year for Nintendo as it contended with a strong yen and its 3DS handheld failed to capture people's hearts and wallets despite hefty price cuts.

The company now expects full-year sales of the Nintendo 3DS to come in at 14 million units.

Sink or swim

As for the Wii, in the nine months up to the end of 2011 Nintendo managed to shift 8.96 million consoles which is down 35 per cent year-on-year - but isn't all that bad considering it's now five years old.

Nintendo will no doubt be pinning its hopes on the Nintendo Wii U to revitalise its finances - unfortunately the company revealed that it won't be launching the wild-card console until the holiday season in the last quarter of the year (October - December 2012).

Updated: Wii U: all the latest details

Dan Grabham and Dean Evans — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:26:00 GMT

Wii U: all you need to know

As original Nintendo Wiis gathered dust in households across the UK, Nintendo confirmed it would unveil a second-generation 'Wii 2' - the Wii U - at E3 2011.

Nintendo has sold 86 million Wii consoles so far and is clearly keen to capitalise on that huge success with another offering that will appeal to casual gamers.

Remember when you first heard the name Nintendo Wii? Many people laughed and said it would never catch on. It did. Nintendo is hoping that Wii U will capture people's imaginations in the same way.

Since the launch at E3 2011, we've rounded up all the new details on the new console and even seen it - check out our Hands on: Nintendo Wii U review.

brightcove : 1039086953001

But first, more on the name. "You might remember how the Wii name began to make perfect sense once you started hearing it as Wii. It was clear how much fun we all had playing together," said Nintendo of America boss Reggie Fils-Aime on the E3 2011 stage.

"But in thinking about a new Nintendo system we knew the prevailing thought would be this: yes, the game would probably be right for all of us, but could it also be a perfect fit just for you.

"The answer to that question is an emphatic 'absolutely'. Welcome to the world of Wii U."

Wii U is the Wii logo we all know well, with a small blue U just to the right of it. It looks (and sounds) a bit weird, but we may well get used to it in time. Here's the new console - read on for more details on it and the revolutionary new controller.

Wii U UK release date

Nintendo has confirmed that the Nintendo Wii U will go on sale in time for Christmas 2012. Previous reports indicated the release date might be a bit sooner than that, but you can be sure that Nintendo will be pulling out all the stops to ship the product on time - if it misses the Christmas season it's wobbly financial situation will only get worse.

Wii U UK price and Wii U US price

Pricing is yet to be announced. But the fear is that, with the new controller, it may be a little too high. Latest rumours suggest a $600 Wii U US price which would suggest a £399 Wii U UK price . Earlier rumours close around the $250 mark were swiftly debunked.

Wii U is a Full HD, 1080p console

The new console will be fully HD compatible, unlike its predecessor.

EA boss John Riccitiello says that Wii U is a "stunning breakthrough" that "speaks directly to EA Sports games" and boasts "brilliant HD graphics".

"Imagine a shooter like Battlefield with jaw-dropping graphics and smooth animations from the Frostbite engine, brought to you on a Nintendo system with that brilliant controller… We can't wait to see EA games on this new system."

Wii U has a touchscreen controller

The controller for the Wii U is, as was rumoured, a 6.2-inch touchscreen tablet that also features an accelerometer and gyroscope for motion control, dual analogue sticks, rumble feedback, a D-pad, a front-facing camera, triggers and shoulder buttons, start/select/home buttons and a microphone.

Each Wii U console will come with a new controller and can also use up to four additional Wii Remote or Wii Remote Plus controllers. The system is also backward compatible, and can play all Wii games and use all Wii accessories.

Can Nintendo disrupt the market - just as they did with the original Wii controller - yet again?

Wii U processor

According to IBM, Nintendo's Wii U is powered by a custom 45nm multi-core Power processor with embedded DRAM.

Says the company: "IBM's embedded dynamic random access memory will help deliver a thrilling new game experience to Nintendo fans. The new memory technology, a key element of the new Power microprocessor that IBM is building for the Nintendo Wii U console, can triple the amount of memory contained on a single chip, making for extreme game play."

Wii U Daily claimed in November 2011 that the Wii U has a "3GHz quad-core Power-PC-based 45nm CPU that's very similar to the Xbox 360's CPU."

Wii U graphics

Wii U's graphics carry on the ATI heritage of the Wii, with a custom AMD Radeon HD GPU reports Kotaku.

Wii U specifications and connectivity

It appears the original Wii's Gamecube controller compatibility will be binned. while there will be four USB ports under that hatch/at the rear and there will still be an SD card slot. There will also be some internal storage, though you'll be able to boost that by plugging in an external drive. And, as befits an HD console, there will be HDMI onboard, in addition to S-Video and component. Also expect 802.11n Wi-Fi.

Wii U disc format

We know Wii U will be backward compatible with all past Wii games, but we don't know for sure if there will be any upscaling - or indeed whether the unit will boast a Blu-ray or DVD drive.

However, a company exec has revealed that the system's proprietary disc format will hold up to 25GB of data, but it will not be compatible with Blu-ray.

You can play games solely on the Wii U touchscreen controller

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata agrees that the first Wii U demo video "may have answered some questions, but it probably raised several others, too".

But the key concept is clear - Nintendo hopes that you will be able to transfer the game you are playing on a TV screen in your home to the local screen, should you wish to play alone in your bedroom or study - perhaps if someone else needs the TV.

"Up until now, home console games had to occupy the TV screen in order to be played. But, the new controller for Wii U with 6.2-inch screen means you won't need to give up your gameplay when someone else comes in the room and wants to watch a TV programme."

Demos show that you can move your game from the TV to the screen in your hand almost immediately.

Games can also make use of both screens - there's an ace video of this in action where a girl is using the controller as the tee in a golf game while using a standard Wiimote to actually swing - it's at 3m30s.

YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2X09hX3D8g

Here's a pic of the controller in use for baseball:

So in single-player games the new controller can display information on its screen that does not appear on the TV, while the information and viewpoint can also change in the new controller based on the orientation of its gyroscope.

In multiplayer games the player using the new controller can have a different experience than those looking at the TV.

Wii U does video calling and more

It also looks like you will be able to make video-calls on the Wii U control pad, using its front-facing camera. Plus, you will be able to share content such as your holiday pictures and home videos from your local controller to the main television with ease.

Wii U is fully backward compatible with kit and games

Wii U is fully backward compatible, which means that you can play all of your current Wii games on the system and use your Wii Fit or any other accessories you currently use with it.

Wii U could have an app store

Wii U will go beyond the current Wii Shop offering and provide a mass of apps and other web services. Other rumours have also suggested Wii U will include ereading capabilities in the controller.

But Wii U's controller is not a standalone handheld console

The controller needs to be tethered to the Wii U console to function - it isn't a PlayStation Vita competitor.

Wii U games will be plentiful

"Wii U was created so that the widest variety of games can be supported," says Nintendo. "That means those aimed at experienced controllers that can use circle controllers using both their hands, plus those games that can be intuitively played without the need for any buttons."

Games design guru Shigeru Miyamoto says of Nintendo's new home console: "More than anything I'm really looking forward to new styles of play... There are so many we're just trying to decide where to begin."

Ninty announced new content based on its own franchises such as Mario (see below) and Zelda, but more interestingly, says our own Adam Hartley, "is that EA, Ubisoft, Sega and lots of other third-party games developers were showing off new adult-themed, hardcore games that they are making for Nintendo's Wii U."

"Graphically, many of the games look on par with new AAA titles on PS3 or Xbox 360.

"Hardcore favourites such as Tekken, Assassin's Creed, Batman Arkham City and Ghost Recon Online were also demonstrated. Clearly, Nintendo aims to push Wii U to the hardcore crowd as well as to the casual market it has so successfully won over with Wii.

"EA boss John Riccitiello took to the Nintendo stage to tell the crowd that: 'Over the years I've made E3 appearances with several console partners, but never before with Nintendo.'"

Official Nintendo Magazine reported in October 2011 that Call of Duty may also make it to the Wii U while a month later CVG said predicted that there will surely be a new version of Mario Kart to go alongside the new console.

Ubisoft says it believes the Wii U will be a big success.

Xbox '720' won't play used games, says report

Chris Smith — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:12:00 GMT

Microsoft's next generation Xbox console will feature a system aimed at preventing owners playing used games, according to reports.

The Kotaku report cites a "reliable industry source" who suggests the company will appease publishers by clamping down on the second-hand games market.

The source had no information on how Microsoft planned to integrate such a scheme, which could alienate a massive array of potential buyers and push them into the arms of Sony's new PlayStation.

Gamers have come to rely on selling their old titles in order to fund new games, while renting from companies like LOVEFiLM offers a nice try-before-you-splurge-£45 option.

There have been plenty of Xbox '720' rumours over the last few days, but we're struggling to envisage this one.

Speaking of rumours...

The same Kotaku report also claims it has been informed by gaming industry sources that Microsoft will also adopt the Blu-ray standard for the new console.

The company bet on the failed HD-DVD standard back in 2007 when it launched a peripheral for the console.

Ever since, folks have been badgering Microsoft to launch an external Blu-ray drive.

However, although the PS3 contains the hardware, it would be somewhat surprising to see Microsoft back-away from its long-held position that digital streaming is the way forward.

The company has focused much of its recent efforts on turning Xbox LIVE into a one-stop shop for all of your home entertainment needs.

Exclusive: TechRadar: Guinness World Record Holders. FACT

John McCann — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:05:00 GMT

Thanks to the quite brilliant skills of a Mr Gareth Beavis and a Mr John McCann, TechRadar has been incarcerated into Guinness World Record history.

The feat you ask? Well, get ready to be seriously impressed. TechRadar proudly holds the Guinness World Record for the Highest Score on Super Mario Bros (team of two) using a giant NES controller. Impressed? Yes? We knew you would be.

The rules were simple: each team had 3 lives to score as many points as possible in single player mode on the original NES Super Mario Bros game, using an original NES system and a custom built remote 30 times the size of the original.

Let us assure you, this was no walk in the park. The previous high score was set by the people behind the giant controller and this was the first time TechRadar had laid hands on it.

Simply the best… better than all the rest

Not only under pressure to secure a world record, Beavis and McCann also had fierce competition from rival teams representing T3 and Gizmodo. Playing not only for the world record, but office pride and bragging rights, TechRadar kept their cool and spectacularly smashed their way to glory.

But what about T3 and Gizmodo, you cry? Well the less said the better, but just so you know, they weren't even able to beat the original record, let alone match the pure brilliance of an inspired TechRadar performance.

Kneel before us puny reader for we, TechRadar, are Guinness World Record Holders.

The huge controller is featured in the Guinness World Records 2012 - Gamer's Edition, which is out now to purchase.

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