Call of Duty 5: What era should it have been and your wish list?

Following on from the news we reported the other day about Call of Duty 5: moving back to the World War 2 era from the current modern day warfare we see in COD 4, we have not only heard from some gamers that are not happy with this but also from Xbox 360 and Sony PS3 gamers that are happy with this change.

What era would you have liked to see Call of Duty 5 in and are you happy it’s moving back to WWII?

With Activision’s COD 5 details being kept under raps until now, we now all know its going to be called “Call of Duty: World at War” and this followed a little tease saying it will be a “new military theater”. The battle for the Pacific during World War II will be fun, but I am not sure if it can achieve the success we have seen in the current game.

What would you like to see in the next version of Call of Duty and what features do you think the current version lacks that the next needs?

Personally, I want to see better online gaming connections so that when the host drops, the host role is passed to another player and not the game ended. If you play COD4 you will know how annoying this is. Improved chat would be good and also the environments need to be more destroyable. Let us know your wish list in the comments box below.

Call of Duty: World at War (aka COD5): Sad for Sony PS3 and Xbox 360 gamers

COD4 has been an amazing game and thanks to being modern day combat it has become the most played game on both the Xbox 360 and Sony PS3, now today we are hearing that the next game, COD5, will be called “Call of Duty: World at War” and the sad part is it will be based on WWII.

The reason I say sad is because many gamers including myself have come to love a modern combat game and fighting aliens or in past wars can get boring, playing a game with good graphics, gameplay and in today’s world is that much more realistic.

Did you want COD5 to be set in World War 2?

Joystiq had this to say “It surprised precisely no one when Activision last month revealed plans for yet another game in the publisher’s popular Call of Duty franchise, though until now details have been kept just beyond our line of sight. Now new scans lifted from the latest issue of the UK’s Official Xbox Magazine have confirmed earlier rumors that the series’ fifth installment, apparently dubbed Call of Duty: World at War, will be handled by developer Treyarch, and that the game’s previously teased “new military theater” will again drop players behind enemy lines in a battle for the Pacific during World War II”.

Are you happy to trade in anti-tank missiles for submachine guns?

Call Of Duty 4 on PC gets free map pack: nothing for Sony PS3 or Xbox 360

Its easy to understand why the PC version of Call Of Duty 4 is getting some free maps, the free map pack is thanks to graphics card firm Nvidia. They want to say thanks to Activision for the COD4 game and also give something free to the community of gamers. Now as we do not buy graphics cards for the Xbox 360 or Sony PS3, that’s why console gamers will not get any free maps.

It’s a shame as I personally have bought a lot of gamers for the Playstation 3, as have many other gamers on the 360 and PS3. Its nice to get something free and lets hope Sony decide to give back to their community of gamers with some free maps (unlikely).

Nvidia made this statement “This is our way of saying thanks to Activision for an incredible game and also our way to give something back to the PC gaming community. Now go download it from nzone.com and I’ll see you online!”

If you own a GeForce card then its you they want to reward, you can download the free Variety Map Pack for Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare on nzone.com…there is nothing like some new maps for a game that takes up all my gaming time.

Would you like more maps for the console version of COD4?

Source: Read

Sony cancels PlayStation 3’s The Getaway and Eight Days

Some gamers will be upset to hear that Sony has canceled the upcoming gangster game for the PlayStation 3, production of The Getaway and another game called Eight Days will cease immediately and this is due to budget and redistribution of resources.

It’s a shame that money has come into it with a game that would have been welcomed by a lot of PS3 owners, but then we must look at the bigger picture here and the fact that a lot of exclusive first party titles are coming in 2008 /2009 and they will be wanting to put money and resources behind those projects to make them the best they can be.

I love gangster movies and having heard it said that The Getaway was “Sony’s answer to Rockstar’s epic Grand Theft Auto IV”, expectations were high. Sadly we will never know how close it would of come to GTA 4 now.

The development team had this to say, “It was deemed that with the incredibly strong list of exclusive first party titles coming up both this year and in the near future, resource should be reallocated to enhance those projects closer to completion.”

Is The Getaway a game that you wanted to play on your PS3 and are you happy they are deciding to focus on other games to make them even better?

Source: Read

Call Of Duty 4 more successful on Xbox 360 than Sony PS3

All the players of Call of Duty 4 know how good the game is and some of us don’t understand why we keep trying to move up the prestige ranks, but we keep playing and moving towards prestige rank 10. Today we are hearing that COD4 is one of the most successful games since 2000 and it sold over 10 million units, Cod4 is one of less than ten games that have ever reached that figure in the last eight years.

What did surprise me is to find out that Call Of Duty 4 has been more successful on the Xbox 360 than Sony PS3, although the head of the game’s developer Infinity Ward, Vince Zampella, will not release the exact number of COD4 games sold on each console, he did say “it had been most successful on Xbox 360”.

Call of Duty 4 was also voted as the global top seller of 2007, which is an amazing achievement. So if we had to guess, my opinion is that the Xbox 360 was “most successful” because more people own 360’s than ps3’s.

Let us know why you think the Xbox 360 had more success (guessing sales here) than the Sony Playstation 3 and if you agree that its down to more 360’s being in homes worldwide. Also if this is the case, will that always happen will a lot of games on both systems or could we see things change in the future?

Source: Read

The Sony PS3 to get In-Game Ad Platform

Gamers love their Sony Playstation 3’s but what about the saying “Money Makes The World Go Round”, well to some people this is true and now businesses want to get in-front of the PS3 gamer and this is being made possible. The Sony PS3 is become a Dynamic In-Game Ad Platform; see the press release below for the details.

FOSTER CITY, Calif. & LONDON, June 4, 2008 – Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today announced the introduction of dynamic in-game advertising on PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3). Marketers interested in placing advertisements in games for PS3 or publishers with available in-game space for advertisements are able to engage through advertisement distribution partners, with IGA Worldwide selected as PS3’s first partner. This partnership will serve to bolster the already rapidly growing worldwide in-game advertising industry, which is expected to grow 1,150 percent to $971.3 million between 2006 and 2011 according to the Yankee Group.

“The PS3 platform is primed to leverage the high growth potential of the in-game advertising market,” said Phil Rosenberg, Senior Vice President, SCEA. “Ads that are organic to the environment not only benefit developers and advertisers, but also create a richer experience for gamers.”

“PLAYSTATION 3 is undoubtedly the prime opportunity for the in-game advertising industry,” said Justin Townsend, CEO, IGA Worldwide. “Through this partnership with Sony Computer Entertainment, IGA can provide advertisers with a large and valuable global user base of 16-35 year old consumers with disposable income. With our standardized awareness-building advertising formats being delivered directly into people’s living rooms while they play, there are great opportunities for advertisers looking to engage through an entertainment medium outside of the traditional TV spot.”

PS3 provides advertisers with a direct avenue to reach the highly targeted, sought after gaming demographic, and has sold more than 12.5M units worldwide. DFC Intelligence forecasts that sales for the current generation of game systems will pass the 180 million mark by 2011, therefore, reiterating the potential for the in-game advertising market.

Can the Sony PS3 be a Nintendo Wii as well?

It’s an interesting question to ask if the Sony PS3 can be a Nintendo Wii as well, while Sony would not be able to steal technology, they could do similar things and with some new software and a Wii-Remote-Like accessory, the PS3 could be a Wii.

On the 30th of May, PlayStation LifeStyle made a claim that a Wii-like PS3 controller was the subject of a secret PSU focus test. Now even if I had most of the Wii features on my Playstation 3, I still would of bought the Wii as Nintendo and their style of games are very different to the graphics and gameplay of a PS3.

Would we really want more motion control on the PS3?

Personally I do not use the SIXAXIS motion controls, I am happy with no motion at all and I leave all the moving around to the Nintendo Wii. If we do see Sony give us the option to buy another controller much like the Wii Remote, this could introduce many other games that could even be downloaded via PSN.

PlayStation LifeStyle said that the secret PSU focus test had “PS3 controllers that were motion-sensitive and required use of a “mini-tripod that stood about 12 inches high.” Mini-games, such as fencing, paintball and tennis were supposedly demonstrated. The devices were said to be incredibly responsive and accurate.”

While this is just a rumor, would you really want a Wii-like PS3 controller and how much do you currently use the motion controls?

Sony PS3 Firmware v2.4 Update: what do you want from it?

When the Sony PS3 first hit the market many of us were so exited, but when we took the new games console home and set it up there was a horrible taste left in our mouths. The problem that the Sony PlayStation faced was it did not offer gamers the chance to speak to other gamers online; keeping a community talking is one of the most important things for gamers.

When it comes to keeping gamers happy and talking, it seems that the Sony PS3 can not touch the Xbox 360. This was the ultimate console when it comes to their voice chat options, many PS3 owners are hoping that the new Sony PS3 Firmware v2.4 Update will come with the rumoured improved communication features. The guys over at PS3 Daily have said that the new firmware update will be released on June 18; this seems like so long to wait for the much approved communication features.

Also being rumoured in the Sony PS3 Firmware v2.4 Update, is a Trophy System for achievement points, there are also rumours of many more goodies from the update, as always we have to wait until the day to find out what they will be. It seems that there are so many conflicting reports about when the new firmware will be ready for download, some are saying the June 10, but most sources are looking more towards June 18.

So what else do you want from the new Sony PS3 Firmware v2.4 Update?

Grid on Xbox 360 & Playstation 3 Smashes Sony PS3 Exclusive Gran Turismo 5

Having spent a lot of time playing Gran Turismo 5 on the Sony PS3, I am really impressed with the realistic graphics and have enjoyed the gameplay. While it’s not perfect it was still one of my favorite racing games currently. Then I met Grid that is on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, this game Smashes the PS3 exclusive Gran Turismo 5 Prologue in all areas.

Yes, GT5 Prologue slightly has the edge on graphics but that’s where it stops. The moment you start playing Grid your impressed by it saying your name and the racing feels like a battlefield. As a FPS gamer who loves action, GRID fits nicely with me and takes you further into the driving seat of racing than any game before it.

When your after a realistic game that not only looks good, but gives you a feel for racing and just by clipping a corner, you get what you should…major damage to your car and some really bad handling. In GT5 Prologue you can smash into a car at 200MPH and just bounce of like a ping-pong ball, if they were after racing realism, then they are well off.

You got to get the right balance of gameplay and realism in all games and this is one reason COD4 has been so popular, what many gamers are after now (including myself) are both graphics and the thrill of realistic damage. In First Person Shooter games, this is a wall blowing apart from grenades and in racing games this is a car caving in under impact and driving conditions affected from these impacts.

With the full game of Gran Turismo 5 coming in 2009, lets hope they take that extra time to give the racing fans a lot more realistic gameplay and as such a more exciting race.

Rock Band Xbox LIVE Events and Sony PS3 owners long wait

Guitar Hero has had all the attention when it comes to music and gaming in the past, but there is a new player in town and it goes by the name of “Rock Band”. While the United States has been having fun with Rock Band for a while now, the Xbox 360 has only just got Rock Band in Europe (May 23). Things get worse when we look at the Sony PS3; this games system has got to wait to Q3 2008 for Rock band.

What’s good with Rock Band is the ability to use a microphone, bass/lead guitar and drums with your friends to play as a band. You can perform music with some of the worlds biggest rock artists and the music is not limited in Rock Band, it covers all genres of Rock and some of the best songs.

How do you and three mates fancy spending a sunny week in rock star chic?

If you can out-rock the competition at one of our upcoming Rock Band LIVE events, you and your friends could win a week of rock star chic at the legendary Ibiza Rocks Hotel, as well as free tickets to the Xbox Weekender.

MTV and Xbox will be looking for the band that gives the most impressive performance, so squeeze into those leather trousers and start practicing your moves. Everything’s getting filmed too, so look out for the most outrageous acts on Xbox.com and the Xbox LIVE dashboard.
To find out where you’re nearest Rock Band LIVE event is, visit xbox.com/rockband and get ready to rock!

Will all Sony PS3 owners please stand up and shout “Give us Rock Band”.

Sony PS3’s Grid vs Gran Turismo 5 Prologue (GT5): can you compare?

Around two weeks ago Mark posted a comparison video of the Sony PS3’s Grid vs Gran Turismo 5 Prologue (you can see that here), although it was very funny and at the same time biased, the video did touch on some good points. Can you really compare GT5 to Grid?

Gran Turismo has never really included major damage in their games and focused more on graphics, GT has ruled with best graphics in racing games for a long time. Having played both games, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is a very good game that can also be classed as a demo with the full GT5 coming in the next year. So to compare this game to Grid is a bit unfair, and personally the gameplay on Grid was a lot more fun and having damage gave you a lot more of what GT5 lacked.

Gamers saying, “I do not plan on crashing” when asked if they miss the damage on GT5, is just a poor excuse. If GT5 was aiming at realism in gameplay and graphics, it should of included damage and lets hope the upcoming full version will include this. Just 5 minutes playing Grid, you will find yourself playing with the unique crash feature. You can have so many chances at rewinding gameplay to get a second chance after crashing, and this feature can be turned off.

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue still has the edge on graphics, but if we are talking gameplay, Grid is in another league and as a GT fan; I hope the full version of GT5 brings damage and a few other features.

What would you like to see in the full version of GT5 and how do you rate Grid?

Beyond Good and Evil 2 for PS3 & Xbox 360: Debut teaser trailer plus images

The long awaited sequel to Beyond Good and Evil comes “Good and Evil 2” which will be for the Sony PS3 and Microsoft Xbox 360 seems pretty hot, well judging on the debut teaser trailer and images

These images have been released by Ubisoft and must say the graphics are looking hot, the question is will the gameplay graphics be as hot? It does look hot though and really liking this one, as they all say save the best for last and this is what happened at Ubidays 2008 where CEO Yves Guillemot had a final note to reveal. A platform hasn’t yet been announced but as usual we are all hoping it finds its way to us.

Obviously not to much information about this game other than there are apparently between 10-12 people are working on the game, the game has been in production for the past year, Ubisoft has not decided on whether or not to move into a production phase, of course they will come on. Beyond Good & Evil has to be the most criminally ignored videogame with photo-journalism, political intrigue, and genre-busting adventure. Come on get this game to us soon or we will all be angry.

Check out the 2 other teaser images and below that the debut trailer. Enjoy.

Sony Media and Events Home Venue, how good is virtual re-run of PlayStation Day 2008?

It is bad enough living in the real world not alone a virtual one, virtual worlds give people more confidence than the real world so to boost Sony Home Beta users with more love and confidence they were invited to try out the all new Home venue.

It is all about “Media and Events” and this space is basically a recreation of the PlayStation Day event which was held in London a few weeks ago, Sony in the future are looking at using the space to host things from new unveilings to fashion shows and sports events and when this happens it could mean big business. The PlayStation Day decoration of Media and Events area includes many elements from the real world event for example photographs and artwork from the show. This new area will include massive screens where the keynote was broadcasted for beta users to see, there was also a video stream of all the stunning action from the real world PlayStation Day.

Sony have said that following the test events success “Home” will indeed start scheduling more elaborate and exciting productions for the Space and that these will not only be available to first party developers but to third party companies as well. This is great news when you think about it because all gamers will get to experience all of the trade shows and events throughout the year right down to exclusive announcements within the virtual world of Home.

Do you think we actually need a virtual world like Home? Oh and when will we actually see Home on our PS3?

Source - thesixthaxis.com

GTA IV Secrets Told by Michael Hollick voice of Niko Bellic

Ok so we all have GTA IV, we have it and love it and it has made $500 million in its first week alone. This makes it one of the biggest video games of all time; it just shows that video games are big business just like movies, or maybe even bigger. Niko Bellic has to be the best and most interesting character in the history of video games, which is voiced by Michael Hollick. The voice actor decided to join a couple of guys for a radio interview, where he decided to share with listeners some secrets and technical details on how Grand Theft Auto 4 was made.

Hollick has shared some very interesting details about how hard the game was to make, as well as how the story behind the game was first thought up. At the start of the interview Michael Hollick was asked if he knew how big the game was going to be, Hollick said that he did not even know he was working on a new GTA game, he was told he was working on a game called Frozen, talk about secrecy.

Although hearing the insight from the voice behind Niko Bellic, I do feel that the interview was not done in a professional way. When dealing with one of the biggest games in the world, you would expect to be interviewed by professionals but this is not the case with these DJ’s, at one point one of them said “I’m not gay but id bang you.” This is an interesting interview and you have to put up with some of this nonsense to learn a little about the story behind the game.

Check out the interview on the video below.

Sony Playstation 3 Exclusives: Resistance 2, LittleBigPlanet and Killzone 2

The Xbox 360 has had a great time at the top of next-gen games choice, having started many months before the Sony Playstation 3, the 360 had time to build up a massive collection of video games and also release budget titles as well. When the Sony PS3 was first released it had a very small collection of games all at full price, while the 360 had much cheaper games in its collection, so its not surprising that the Xbox 360 looked so much better. Other than Blu-ray and RROD problems, the PS3 did not have much going for it in the short-term. Now that we are in 2008, the games lineup for the PS3 looks really good for the rest of this year and 2009, it has now been proven that being first out the door with their next generation games console, has not helped Microsoft in the long-term and only benefited it in the short-term.

The Sony PS3 looks to be the better positioned console now and not only the more stable hardware, but also a machine that games developers will be able to produce video games with a lot more thanks to the Blu-ray discs and the Cell processor. Sony have just announced the line up of its highly-anticipated exclusive software, the games line-up will include more than 15 games across all PlayStation platforms. The PS3 will be getting big games like SOCOM: US Navy SEALs Confrontation on September 16, 2008, LittleBigPlanet in October 2008, and Fall 2008 will see NBA 09, About BUZZ! Quiz TV, MotorStorm Pacific Rift, Resistance 2 and finally Killzone 2 in February 2009.

Many Xbox 360 gamers are coming over to the PS3 for different reasons and one that I have heard from several people was about paying for Xbox Live when the PS3 gives PSN for free. It’s not a large sum of money for Xbox Live and you do get a lot for your money, but some gamers still like the idea of getting it for free on the PS3. The PLAYSTATION Network community has seen massive growth and has 8 million accounts registered world wide, its members have made more than 140 million downloads to date. PLAYSTATION®Home will only increase the popularity of the Playstation 3 as it will be integrated into many other services and games.

No Sony PS3 price cut in 2008 could lead to better online services

When I bought my Sony PS3 in the UK a while ago, it cost £425 and today you will get one for around £300, so if 2008 does not bring us another price cut, it should not matter too much. For the current price, you not only get a fantastic games system and media center, but you also get a Sony Blu-ray player. If analysts are right, and Sony do not cut the price of the Playstation 3 in 2008, we could then end up with much better online services thanks to Sony aiming at being more profitable and spending less time on price battles.

If you are a gamer waiting for a price cut, then you may be unlucky, although this still may happen; most people agree it’s unlikely. Sony has made a prediction that it will sell eight million PS3 consoles around the world in 2008, this would be an increase of 8% on the figures in 2007. It’s a good idea for Sony to focus on the quality of their service rather than competing for market share with the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii. I can think of many improvements we need on the PS3 and one would be the way we chat with other gamers, it would be nice to chat in the game and out of the game without disconnecting.

This year will be a great year for the gamer and as someone that’s been gaming for over 25 years, I know we have so much more going for us gamers these days than ever, thanks to three great next-gen games systems and the way we can connect to other gamers over the internet.

Metal Gear Solid 4 Limited Edition Sony PS3 $599.99: MGS 4 Playstation Bundle Details

Oh yes the latest news will have all you Sony PS3 Metal Gear Solid 4 fans loving this one, there is a brand new Metal Gear Solid 4 Limited Edition Sony PS3 coming very soon, in fact the release date is set for June 12, 2008 which is very soon indeed. We also have some MGS 4 Playstation bundle details for you as well.

The retail market will be hit with the stunning limited edition gunmetal gray MGS4 PS3, this will be available exclusively from Konami.com (Link Below) for only $599.99. Fir that price you will get the 40GB gunmetal Sony PS3 with matching DualShock 3 wireless controller, exclusive Blu-ray disc with 2-hours of additional content (making of documentary and look at Hideo Kojima’s production team) and of course the MGS4 plus Metal Gear Online and Guns of the Patriots Limited Edition game. The downside is that there will be a limited supply, you can pre-order from Monday the 19th.

WARNING: You must remember this is NOT the previously revealed MGS4 Standard Edition 80GB PS3 bundle!

This is definitely something you should all have on your wish list, the MGS4 LE game box contains The Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots game which also includes the brilliant Metal Gear Online where you can take part in the awesome multiplayer squad based tactical shooter, as said above exclusive Blu-ray disc which includes “Hideo Kojima’s Gene”, a behind-the-scenes vision of Hideo Kojima’s production team & game and “The Making of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” documentary. As well as, the official Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots CD Soundtrack, including 16 never-before-released tracks by Harry Gregson-Williams (Shrek, Armageddon, The Rock), Nobuko Toda, and Ennio Morricone.

This is a ONE PER customer product – Check it out here at Konami.com

Microsoft Xbox 360 7 Year Shelf-Life: how long is the Sony PS3’s?

The last generation of games consoles was very different to what we have today and that’s not only in hardware, the latest games systems are apparently going to have a longer shelf life. The Microsoft Xbox 360 is being reported to have a 7 Year Shelf Life that will take it up to 2012. This 7 year life span was quoted from Shane Kim, the boss of Microsoft Game Studios and he said “we’re pretty confident the 360 will have a long tail” and went on to say “people will start saying that Microsoft missed a trick with not using Blu-ray. I just don’t believe that”.

The fact is Microsoft did make the wrong decision with HD-DVD, as it lost to Blu-ray but as Microsoft did not include this drive as a built-in option, can you really class it as part of the Xbox 360 plan? Many gamers have already said that the 360 has always been a gaming device first and foremost. Was HD DVD really part of Microsoft’s plan or are they going the IPTV and high definition video on demand route, as this could be a better choice than normal disc media with broadband speeds get better every year.

Microsoft have said they are not seeing any technical limitations with the Xbox 360, and I would have to agree it can easily last the full seven years, but surely the Sony Playstation 3 with its Blu-ray drive and Cell processor, will have a much better shelf life than the 360. What’s your view?

Sony PS3 firmware update 2.35: improved stability

There is a new system update for the Sony PS3, the firmware 2.35 is meant to improve stability for a number of PlayStation 3 titles however; the most important title, GTA IV still has its problems though. Not all Sony PS3 owners have experienced problems with Grand Theft Auto, only a few owners with older systems. Sony have not yet let us know what titles will benefit from this new firmware update 2.35, but I am sure that users will let us know in a short amount of time.

I wonder how long it will be before Sony decide to give us a decent update that will fix the problems that GTA 4 gamers are experiencing, come on guys you need to keep the people who pay your wages happy, well that is unless this is a sneaky way for Sony to get gamers to purchase a new system, I kid.

So come on guys what you waiting for download now and tell us what you think, but do not get too exited as you will hardly notice the difference. The update did only take long, about 5 minutes so that is not much gaming time lost, which is a good thing.

If you are one of those who are affecting by the GTA IV problem then it seems as if there is now a solution to the problem, all you need to do is contact SCEA Consumer Services for support, and they should be able to talk you through the problem.

Source

Hot Shots Golf New Characters for a buck: New patch needs downloading

Do you love Hot Shots Golf? Well if you do you will be happy to know that there are new characters and that they are available for only a buck yes that is a dollar (well in fact it is only 99 cents. There are two characters one of them is Alex skill level will be intermediate and Gloria is expert, you will be able to purchase these characters on May 15th.
Just so everyone knows because of the DLC a patch will be applied to the game later this week, the patch is needed for all players of Hot Shots Golf even if you opt not to buy any of these new characters. So will you be buying Gloria and Alex?

Everyone will have to download the new patch even if you do not buy the characters as I said above and this is because the game will keep running smoothly, many of you will ask if the content is on the disc and needing a key to unlock it, well as the source below points out all the content on the disc (Physical) CAN BE accessed without purchasing it is as simple as that no rocket science involved here. The “core” or “shell” of the on-disc game has a sort of plug-and-play feature that lets us quickly deliver content (such as characters and new courses) without clogging up your pipes, which also makes it easier for you to purchase the new content from the PlayStation Store (once you decide to) and access it right away.

Hots Shots Golf Site