#1 PS4 and Xbox One launched, day one problems issued and the war is not over yet.
In the news that most of all you already knew, the next gen consoles, mainly PS4 (Sony) and Xbox One (Microsoft) had already launched with PS4 on November 15th while Xbox One a week later, November 22nd. Both consoles had been received well by the gamers with both consoles selling millions on day one. According to Yahoo Japan, the PlayStation 4 is now Sony's fastest-selling
console, selling through 1 million consoles in just 24 hours and surpasses Sony's previous record with the PlayStation 2, which reached 1 million sales in three days. However, the launch for that console was limited to Japan. Sony Computer Entertainment president Shuhei Yoshida confirmed via Twitter that the 1 million figure represents sell-through, meaning that is the number sold directly to consumers meanwhile the Xbox One garnered 1 million sales after launching across 13 countries: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand.
However, for every consoles released, there were a few issues that need to be fixed. Just a few days after launch, the PlayStation had already earned a dubious honor: a nickname for its potentially fatal flaw. What some users are calling the Blue Light of Death, mimicking the infamous Red Ring of Death that plagued the launch of the Xbox 360 for years, has forced hundreds of PlayStation 4 owners to send their systems back to Sony and vent their frustrations in online reviews and forums. While it's impossible to accurately gauge how far the claims of broken systems extend, prior to launch Sony shared that their expected failure rate for the console was 0.4%. And the launch of the Xbox One is no different. The most prevalent problem that new Xbox One buyers are reporting with the console seem deal with a grinding noise when trying to play games from disc. While it's impossible to separate legitimate issues from trolls on forums and reviews for the console, some users have uploaded videos to YouTube that show the system not reading discs and instead making a loud grinding noise. Which gaming system do you prefer and do consoles war still going on? You decide.
#2 Kinect company being sold
iPhone maker, Apple, completes acquisition of Israeli 3D sensor company PrimeSense, hich created the technology behind the original version of the Kinect for the Xbox 360 in deal estimated to be in the hundreds of millions. An Apple spokesperson confirmed the buyout to AllThingsD, saying, "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans." Sources told AllThingsD that the deal was worth around $360 million.
PrimeSense rose to prominence for creating the technology behind what would become Microsoft's Kinect voice and gesture control system. Notably, Microsoft created the Kinect sensor for the Xbox One in-house. Apple is rumored to be working on wearable devices and its own line of televisions, which could hypothetically incorporate motion-sensing technology.
iPhone maker, Apple, completes acquisition of Israeli 3D sensor company PrimeSense, hich created the technology behind the original version of the Kinect for the Xbox 360 in deal estimated to be in the hundreds of millions. An Apple spokesperson confirmed the buyout to AllThingsD, saying, "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans." Sources told AllThingsD that the deal was worth around $360 million.
PrimeSense rose to prominence for creating the technology behind what would become Microsoft's Kinect voice and gesture control system. Notably, Microsoft created the Kinect sensor for the Xbox One in-house. Apple is rumored to be working on wearable devices and its own line of televisions, which could hypothetically incorporate motion-sensing technology.
#3 Steam Machine prototype from iBuyPower for revealed, runs at 1080p and 60fps
Bucking the trend of black boxes, PC developer iBuyPower revealed the first images of their prototype Steam Machine: a white box. Engadget reports that the system is set to launch in 2014 and "the hardware will run all Steam titles in 1080p resolution at 60fps." No other details were revealed about the hardware, but iBuyPower did show off two variations of their white box. When not illuminated, the light bar in the middle is clear on one machine and black on the other. One has been codenamed Gordan and the other Freeman. The machine runs an early version of Steam OS, but "it's not quite a finished product," writes Engadget. Valve has previously revealed the general specs for the Steam Machines.
#4 Australian Classification Board reviewing 12 released video games to date
The Australian Classification Review Board (PDF) announced that it will be reviewing its rating of 12 video games. The announcement was made following an application by the South Australian attorney-general to request reviews of each game's rating. As a result, the Classification Board will be meeting on November 18-19 and December 2, 4, and 5 to "consider the applications". The games in question are as listed:
Each game was originally granted an MA15+ rating by the Classification Board. Following the reviews, the Australian Classification Board will be posting the results, accompanied by reasons for the decisions made on the official Australian Classification website.
The MA15+ rating is the second-highest rating that can be granted to a video game in Australia. An R18+ rating was officially introduced on January 1 this year. Since the introduction of the R18+ rating, two games have been banned from sale in the country: Both Saints Row IV and State of Decay were initially refused classification, which prompted developers to submit modified versions of the game to be granted an R18+ rating.
The Australian Classification Review Board (PDF) announced that it will be reviewing its rating of 12 video games. The announcement was made following an application by the South Australian attorney-general to request reviews of each game's rating. As a result, the Classification Board will be meeting on November 18-19 and December 2, 4, and 5 to "consider the applications". The games in question are as listed:
- Alien Rage
- Borderlands 2 Expansion Packs
- Company of Heroes 2
- Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut
- Deadpool
- Fuse
- Gears of War: Judgment
- God Mode
- Killer is Dead
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist
- The Walking Dead: 400 Days
- The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct
Each game was originally granted an MA15+ rating by the Classification Board. Following the reviews, the Australian Classification Board will be posting the results, accompanied by reasons for the decisions made on the official Australian Classification website.
The MA15+ rating is the second-highest rating that can be granted to a video game in Australia. An R18+ rating was officially introduced on January 1 this year. Since the introduction of the R18+ rating, two games have been banned from sale in the country: Both Saints Row IV and State of Decay were initially refused classification, which prompted developers to submit modified versions of the game to be granted an R18+ rating.
#5 Electronic Arts being sued
In the most unlikely report, the NCAA has sued Electronic Arts and licensing firm Collegiate Licensing Co. over the proposed $40 million settlement concerning the use of college athletes' names and likenesses, it has been revealed. As reported by The USA Today, the suit was filed on November 4 in Georgia state court. It claims that EA and CLC breached various contractual obligations to the NCAA like maintaining sufficient liability insurance to cover various claims and attorneys' fees.
What's more, the NCAA claims in the suit that CLC failed to appropriately oversee EA in its contractual obligation and that CLC did not provide the NCAA with access to documents and records that it should have been able to inspect.
The NCAA further claims that EA and CLC reached the proposed settled "without notice to the NCAA," and that details about the settlement were not divulged to the NCAA "despite the NCAA's repeated requests." For its part, the NCAA says it spent "millions of dollars in attorney's fees and costs" stemming from various lawsuits related to EA's NCAA games. As a result of these alleged transgressions, the NCAA said it "has been harmed, continues to be harmed, and will suffer future harm" related to "EA's and CLC's unlawful actions."
As part of the lawsuit, the NCAA is seeking to stop EA and CLC from paying out the proposed settlement. It also wants EA to cover the NCAA for any future judgement of liability relating to EA's NCAA games and various legal fees. An EA representative declined to comment on the lawsuit, while a CLC spokesperson said it is "caught in the middle of a dispute between NCAA and EA which should not involve us."
The NCAA pulled out of its relationship with EA July. The franchise was set to live on with a next-generation college football game in 2014 (that would not feature NCAA logos), but EA canceled this game in September due to legal matters.
Sources : Gamespot, IGN
That's all for November fix. Enjoy your next-gen and happy gaming folks!
In the most unlikely report, the NCAA has sued Electronic Arts and licensing firm Collegiate Licensing Co. over the proposed $40 million settlement concerning the use of college athletes' names and likenesses, it has been revealed. As reported by The USA Today, the suit was filed on November 4 in Georgia state court. It claims that EA and CLC breached various contractual obligations to the NCAA like maintaining sufficient liability insurance to cover various claims and attorneys' fees.
What's more, the NCAA claims in the suit that CLC failed to appropriately oversee EA in its contractual obligation and that CLC did not provide the NCAA with access to documents and records that it should have been able to inspect.
The NCAA further claims that EA and CLC reached the proposed settled "without notice to the NCAA," and that details about the settlement were not divulged to the NCAA "despite the NCAA's repeated requests." For its part, the NCAA says it spent "millions of dollars in attorney's fees and costs" stemming from various lawsuits related to EA's NCAA games. As a result of these alleged transgressions, the NCAA said it "has been harmed, continues to be harmed, and will suffer future harm" related to "EA's and CLC's unlawful actions."
As part of the lawsuit, the NCAA is seeking to stop EA and CLC from paying out the proposed settlement. It also wants EA to cover the NCAA for any future judgement of liability relating to EA's NCAA games and various legal fees. An EA representative declined to comment on the lawsuit, while a CLC spokesperson said it is "caught in the middle of a dispute between NCAA and EA which should not involve us."
The NCAA pulled out of its relationship with EA July. The franchise was set to live on with a next-generation college football game in 2014 (that would not feature NCAA logos), but EA canceled this game in September due to legal matters.
Sources : Gamespot, IGN
That's all for November fix. Enjoy your next-gen and happy gaming folks!
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