Sony Removes Feature Through Firmware Update: WTF

In a new bout of megalomaniacal insanity, the all-powerful Sony has decided to take away the ability to install other operating systems on the PS3 (such as Linux). Considering this is a somewhat major feature (even if only among major geeks ♥), Sony's move is causing an uproar reminiscent of that time Amazon deleted books off of customer's Kindles. Advertising a product feature for the PS3 and then deliberately removing it from already-purchased items sounds suspiciously like an illegal bait-and-switch. It seems that, against our will, consumers are being shifted away from owning content in favor of renting it. I believe that as a society we are not quite ready to fully relinquish real possession of a physical product in favor of the flexibility (on *both* sides) of digital "ownership" that can be taken away/corrupted/deleted in a heartbeat. As such, we will continue to experience growing pains in the form of lawsuits that will spawn legislation to address the new needs caused by such advances in technology. Watch out, Sony, because it looks like you'll be next in line for a class action suit.

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.

SpyParty: Psychological Multiplayer Gaming at its Finest

Wired contributer Gus Mastrapa has tested out a new type of game designed by Chris Hecker (Spore) called SpyParty and it is awesome. Adding a deeper level to psychological gaming, the game challenges one player, the sniper, to determine which of the attendees of a cocktail party is player two, the spy, with other attendees being controlled by the computer. The spy must complete four tasks of espionage before the sniper shoots him/her; the sniper has just one shot. The best parts of this game actually occur off-screen as the sniper studies the real-life spy, looking for tells, and the spy tries to hide them. This type of asymmetrical multiplayer is rarely done and is reminiscent of a video game version of hide and seek. SpyParty is still in the earliest stages of development but I am excited to see what Hecker can do with the concept. The game is part of a long-term trend moving toward innovative, personally engaging multiplayer options and away from traditional console gaming. MMOs allow for, well, MMOs/human interaction; the Wii incorporates movement and encourages casual gamers to participate; Rock Band and Guitar Hero use additional equipment to enhance the experience, especially among multiple players; and now SpyParty can take much of the game off-screen, increasing the connection between the two players. So much for the traditional stereotype of the lonely gamer; these new kinds of multiplayer games dominate the markets.

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.

XBox 360 Slim to be announced at E3?

Gofanboy has conjectured that Microsoft will finally announce plans for an XBox 360 Slim at E3 this June, and rumor has it that "fat" XBox 360s will be liquidated at the low price of $149 to make room for the updated system. This comes on the heels of the recent XBox 360 news of a firmware update to allow USB storage capability, affording gamers with a greater degree of flexibility in hard drive choice as they would not need the pricier higher-capacity 360 to have access to more space. From this information, it looks like Microsoft is making a strong attempt to lower manufacturing costs, allowing them to decrease retail pricing to make their console more cost-accessible to gamers. Efficiency of this sort can only be a positive thing for consumers, and the implied future increase in console sales would mean greater market share and the potential for increased profits for Microsoft. It's a win-win; nice work, Microsoft.

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.