PS3 June Update to Add 3D Gaming Capability

Adding to the overpowering wave of 3D tech assailing consumers at every turn, Sony has announced that the June firmware update for the PS3 will enable gamers to play 3D games (assuming they have the pre-requisite 3D TVs). Four titles are being hyped so far in the 3D lineup: Wipeout HD, Pain, Motorstorm Pacific Rift, and Super Stardust HD, all to be made available both on a physical disc and on the PSN. The update will not, however, allow users to play 3D blu-rays.

Despite my general distaste for 3D movies and the inevitable detrimental side effects to my brain, I will admit to being excited at the prospect of 3D gaming, allowing the player to be drawn further into a game. I am hearing good things about the technology behind 3D stereoscopic gaming. For example, bit-tech.net has the following to say about Nvidia's new technology:

"The technology relies on 3D shutter glasses designed by Nvidia and what’s interesting is that, unlike any other attempt at 3D display technology, the glasses don’t use polarised lenses. Instead, they use mini LCD screens that sync with the PC via an infra red sensor that sits down by your keyboard – this ensures that the correct image is sent to each eye and there is no loss of resolution, claims Nvidia. Upon using the glasses, it was clear that the game looked appreciably sharper than what has come before and, more importantly, you can adjust the depth of the effect using a simple wheel on the back of the sensing device. This should go a long way to alleviating eyestrain caused by so many other attempts at delivering a truly 3D experience."

Tomshardware.com has a fantastic article up about 3D technology if you want to go into more detail. What it comes down to for most people, though, is that although 3D stereoscopic gaming is a cool idea, what we all really want is 3D autostereoscopic gaming like in Nintendo's 3DS, meaning: no goofy glasses.

Netflix Streaming for Wii Faster Than PS3?

Netflix streaming has been available to XBox 360 and PS3 owners for a while and now the Wii is finally gaining movie-streaming ability. Several concerns have been raised by this. The obvious issue is that the Wii's resolution is only 480p, so HD streaming is out of the picture. Secondly, current hardware limitations require an instant streaming disc similar to that of the PS3; this is a minor inconvenience but annoying nonetheless. Lastly, there were worries that the load time for Wii streamed movies would be slow. Interestingly enough, of these potential problems, the third looks to be the least worrisome. Testing has shown that the Wii's load times are often faster than the PS3's, so the underdog in this competition isn't quite so far behind as you may think.

The fact that the competition exists at all is a more compelling matter than it may appear at first glance. With most current consoles, the user has the ability not just to play games, but to browse the web, play music, watch movies and more, including the new ability to stream movies from Netflix. When did video game consoles cease to be just video game consoles? An early offshoot of gaming was the Game Boy Camera, released in 1998, which interfaced with the Game Boy printer to essentially use the Game Boy (or GB Pocket, Color or Advance) as a camera. This was one of the earliest signs of the trend we are seeing today in multimedia, all-in-one type consoles. Arguably, the success of the iPhone can be attributed not so much to its cell phone capabilities, but to its App Store, which has made the iPhone one of the most versatile handheld systems in history. The major players in the video game industry have caught on to this trend and seek to simplify users' access to the various media we use regularly. By definition, however, just the fact that there are multiple competitors in this market means we will never have the perfect all-in-one console for all of our needs (unless of course one of the hardware manufacturers gained a monopoly, but this is unlikely in a creative market). As such, for me it will always come down to which producer has exclusive rights to the best games, not the best internet browser or even the highest quality Netflix streaming.

Super Mario Kart out on Virtual Console April 2

The game that created and defined a genre will finally be available on the Wii's Virtual Console on April 2. Kart racing at its finest, I'm sure fans of the series will be happy to return to the original for arguably the best Battle Mode in kart history, and I know I will be pleased to play a Rainbow Road without walls again. With this much anticipated release comes the inevitable talk of producers convincing consumers to pay for the same game multiple times through ports such as Super Mario Kart. Some wish that game companies would focus their efforts on new games instead of continuing to milk older cash cow titles and think it is crazy that gamers will buy the same game two or three times. As a member of the latter group, for better or for worse, I personally love having old favorites ported onto more recent systems, especially when some new content is added (think anime cutscenes in Chrono Trigger for PS). You really can't argue with supply and demand; there is a real demand for ported or updated versions of popular games, and as long as consumers buy them, producers will keep putting them on shelves. I don't see a major issue with this anyway as development time is generally considerably shorter than it is for a new title so ports don't take much away from the creation of new games. Now if we can just get Squenix to re-do Final Fantasy VII as they've been hinting for years, we'll be ready for business.

Nintendo 3DS Officially Announced

As predicted, Nintendo has announced the newest iteration of its handheld product line, currently going under the name of "3DS." The big selling point of this system is that it will feature the ability to utilize 3D effects without forcing players to wear special glasses. Further details will be provided at E3. It looks like just about everyone is aboard the 3D train so here's hoping someone will develop new technology that won't give us all a big headache.

Pokewalker: Anti-piracy exercise at its finest

Amidst all the noise involving DRM and other anti-piracy measures, Nintendo has come up with a fun idea to prevent game piracy without angering gamers: the Pokewalker. Bundled with Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver, the Pokewalker is a pedometer that connects to the DS games via infrared signals and helps to level up the Pokemon you transfer to it by traveling along different routes. On each route there are different wild Pokemon and items to be found. At first only certain routes are available, but as the player uses the Pokewalker more, additional routes open up, allowing for more game options and keeping the Pokewalker accessory relevant and addictive.

How does this relate to piracy prevention? The Pokewalker can be thought of the same way as DLC - content that adds to the basic game. By introducing a fun new piece of hardware that greatly enhances the gaming experience, Nintendo has effectively deterred players from pirating this game, as software may be easily crackable but hardware is difficult to replicate. Although pirates could still most likely get their hands on an illegal basic copy of HeartGold or SoulSilver, they would be missing out on an integral and engaging part of the game, so it would be significantly less enticing to pirate a copy.

For many games, adding on hardware to enhance the in-game experience may not make sense. However, if an appropriate opportunity for such an add-on comes up, it seems to be a viable option to help deter piracy.

Nintendo to unveil DS2 at E3?

Per engadget, Nintendo may be announcing the Nintendo DS2 at E3 this year. They are speculating that the newest in the line of handheld systems could be available by the holiday season this year as several developers have stated they will have games ready for it by the end of the year. This is coming right on the heels of the DSi XL and would be the 11th major handheld system developed and manufactured by Nintendo for distribution in the US since the original in 1989:

1. Game Boy
2. Game Boy Pocket
3. Game Boy Color
4. Game Boy Advance
5. Game Boy Advance SP
6. Game Boy Micro
7. Nintendo DS
8. Nintendo DS Lite
9. Nintendo DSi
10. Nintendo DSi XL
11. Nintendo DS2

Considering the strong growth in the handheld market, it is clear why Nintendo has such a fast turnaround on developing new systems. Unfortunately, it looks like the iPhone is whittling away at the need for a gaming-exclusive handheld device; Nintendo's DS sales have dropped 15% in the last year while the iPod Touch and iPhone game sales have doubled. As Nintendo undoubtedly knows from the success of the Wii, accessibility has become key to selling games, and for the millions of people already carrying an iPhone/iPod Touch in their pockets regularly, downloading and playing a game are just a touch away. The question for consumers lies in whether it is better to have a separate, more powerful handheld gaming device, or a less powerful but more diverse one (over 21,000 titles vs. DS' ~3,700) in a multi-function device. I would bet that for hardcore gamers and children, the choice will continue to be a gaming-exclusive console, with casual gamers flocking to the ease of gaming on their phones and MP3 players. There is room in this growing market for everyone (for the time being).