Folks, we all know that the gaming industry is sunk right now. There are many blames: Nintendo, Apple, World of Warcraft, Obama. Did I say Obama? You recall the president who bought a Nintendo Wii for his kids.
The New York Times reports that the President elect -- who even took his campaign to the streets of Burnout Paradise -- gifted his daughters, Sasha and Malia, with a Nintendo Wii for Christmas ... but the head of the First Family has been playing with it, too. Apparently, Obama has been working on his bowling skills by playing Wii Sports. The President-in-waiting bowled a lowly 37 in the real-life sport while on the campaign trail, but tells the paper that he "performs better in the video game."
Oh I recall those times Mr President. The time where you helped soil a nation of gamers by buying a system that was made in Japan. Why bother when you can buy a system made in America, while all 3 systems were made in China?
Well now Obama has done it. With a meeting of the Polish Prime Minister, he was given some gifts, one of which his wife Michelle would not approve him of.
President Obama, on a tour of Europe this week, stopped in Poland today to meet with Prime Minister Donald Tusk. As is customary, Tusk presented Obama with several gifts to commemorate his visit. One of those was the collector's edition of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings.
The Witcher is not just a Polish-developed video game series, it's based on a series of books by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. So The Witcher is something of a national pride symbol, as well it should be. Fahey reviewed the game for us, and it earned a Kotaku Editor's Choice star.
Now you're thinking: "Oh no, Obama bought an M-rated game, he's DOOMED!." Actually, it's the opposite. Obama bought an M-rated game and its doomed to being declared a Socialist game alongside the Nintendo Wii. Next thing you'll know, Obama will wrap his fingers around a Playstation 3 and the whole Video Game industry will be forever tainted in a Socialist nigh....
Gamespot Article Dated October 14th 2008: As pointed out by GamePolitics last week, ads for Obama's presidential campaign have been spotted in Electronic Arts' high-octane racer Burnout Paradise. An EA spokesperson today confirmed for GameSpot that the Xbox 360 version of the game has been playing host to Obama billboards since October 6. The advertising campaign will run until Monday, November 3, the eve of the US general election.
The EA representative said that the ads would appear in only 10 different states, most of them contested battleground states. Paradise City residents in Ohio, Florida, Iowa, Colorado, Indiana, Montana, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, and Wisconsin are being targeted by the campaign. In the 2004 presidential election, all of those states except Wisconsin went to Republican incumbent George W. Bush.
Wait a minute. I'm more than 2 years too late? It's already happening. Video Games are succumbing to Socialism. Everyone pack your video game stuff(360, PS3, Wii, PC, DS, 3DS, PSP, iPhone and everything before) and get rid of it. The end of the world is coming. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Works Cited:
Joystiq
Kotaku
Gamespot
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
NPD April 2011: Fox News Edition
Folks, before we go back to discussing PSN and the upcoming E3, let's talk sales of last month. And let's make this quick and easy
Xbox 360 - 297K (+60%)
Nintendo DS - 257K (-42%)
PlayStation 3 - ~204.3K (+13%)
Nintendo 3DS - 194K
Wii - 172K (-38%)
The highest selling this month is the 360. And it looks like the tables have been turned on the Wii as it now sells below 200K. The 3DS also hit below 200K with the PS3 above 200K. Apparently, the ol DS is still higher than the PS3, yet lower than the 360.
But that ain't saying much, since hardware sales are lower than last month. And Fox News has this to say about sales.
While dedicated machines like Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360 currently rule the gaming world, they may be the last of their kind. Evolving consumer demand, falling prices, and smartphones that play a whole lot more than Brickbreaker threaten to completely change how consumers play games at home and on the go.
“I actually think consoles are a thing of the past,” avid gamer Mark Ormond told FoxNews.com. He confessed to playing more games on his iPhone these days than on his Wii or Xbox 360.
“Why pay $50-60 for sequels of the same games on $300 machines when I can play newer experiences elsewhere in a lot less time -- and for a lot less money -- on devices I already use more?” he asked.
Ormond obviously doesn’t speak for every gamer. Fanatics who play more than 10 hours a week -- sometimes as much as 5-6 hours per day -- are more than happy to regularly part with that kind of cash for admittedly deeper and longer-lasting gameplay.
But as non-traditional gaming platforms expand, can Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft keep doing business as usual? Do consoles even have a place in the future?
Not in the traditional sense, says outspoken gaming analyst Michael Pachter. “Gaming will move to the cloud,” he told FoxNews.com this week. And that’s a body blow for console makers, who make money on not only their own games, but hardware sales and licensing fees.
To further complicate the issue, consumers are already warming to the idea of not owning their games, production consultant Keith Fuller told FoxNews.com. “Every time someone uses Gmail, Netflix Instant, or Amazon’s Cloud Player, they’re already buying into the concept of using a service without physically owning or installing something.”
That's right. Smartphones and the Cloud will do something that PCs failed to do: Destroy Console gaming. Folks, this is the beginning of a new revolution. But I speak too much. What about software? Well if you like Mortal Kombat, you'll like this
01. Mortal Kombat 2011 (PS3, 360)** Warner Bros. Interactive - 1+ Million With Special Editions (Much Higher Debut Than Both Street Fighter IV and MvC 3)
02. Portal 2 (360, PS3, PC) Electronic Arts - 637K
03. Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (Wii, NDS, 360, 3DS, PS3, PC) LucasArts
04. Call of Duty: Black Ops (360, PS3, NDS, Wii, PC)** Activision Blizzard
05. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters (360, PS3, Wii)** Electronic Arts
06. Crysis 2 (360, PS3, PC) Electronic Arts - 236K
07. Just Dance 2 (Wii) Ubisoft
08. Michael Jackson The Experience (360, Wii, PS3, NDS, PSP) Ubisoft
09. Pokemon White Version (NDS) Nintendo
10. NBA 2K11 (360, PS3, Wii, PSP, PS2, PC) Take 2 Interactive - 190K
That's right. Good Ol Mortal Kombat is back, taking number 1, with Portal 2 right behind it. Both are good games, but the flawless victory goes to Warner Bros. Lego Star Wars III trugs along in 3rd place with Call of Duty still hanging on in 4th place. Tiger Woods won't let a failed relationship get the best of him in 5th with Crysis 2 in 6th. The only Wii exclusive, Just Dance, is still dancing in the Top 10 and Michael Jackson's spirit is dancing right behind him. Rounding out the Top 10 are Pokemon White and NBA 2K11
Is Fox News right? Are Consoles on the decline? Or am I blabbling on too much? Find out next month.
Works Cited: Fox News
Xbox 360 - 297K (+60%)
Nintendo DS - 257K (-42%)
PlayStation 3 - ~204.3K (+13%)
Nintendo 3DS - 194K
Wii - 172K (-38%)
The highest selling this month is the 360. And it looks like the tables have been turned on the Wii as it now sells below 200K. The 3DS also hit below 200K with the PS3 above 200K. Apparently, the ol DS is still higher than the PS3, yet lower than the 360.
But that ain't saying much, since hardware sales are lower than last month. And Fox News has this to say about sales.
While dedicated machines like Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360 currently rule the gaming world, they may be the last of their kind. Evolving consumer demand, falling prices, and smartphones that play a whole lot more than Brickbreaker threaten to completely change how consumers play games at home and on the go.
“I actually think consoles are a thing of the past,” avid gamer Mark Ormond told FoxNews.com. He confessed to playing more games on his iPhone these days than on his Wii or Xbox 360.
“Why pay $50-60 for sequels of the same games on $300 machines when I can play newer experiences elsewhere in a lot less time -- and for a lot less money -- on devices I already use more?” he asked.
Ormond obviously doesn’t speak for every gamer. Fanatics who play more than 10 hours a week -- sometimes as much as 5-6 hours per day -- are more than happy to regularly part with that kind of cash for admittedly deeper and longer-lasting gameplay.
But as non-traditional gaming platforms expand, can Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft keep doing business as usual? Do consoles even have a place in the future?
Not in the traditional sense, says outspoken gaming analyst Michael Pachter. “Gaming will move to the cloud,” he told FoxNews.com this week. And that’s a body blow for console makers, who make money on not only their own games, but hardware sales and licensing fees.
To further complicate the issue, consumers are already warming to the idea of not owning their games, production consultant Keith Fuller told FoxNews.com. “Every time someone uses Gmail, Netflix Instant, or Amazon’s Cloud Player, they’re already buying into the concept of using a service without physically owning or installing something.”
That's right. Smartphones and the Cloud will do something that PCs failed to do: Destroy Console gaming. Folks, this is the beginning of a new revolution. But I speak too much. What about software? Well if you like Mortal Kombat, you'll like this
01. Mortal Kombat 2011 (PS3, 360)** Warner Bros. Interactive - 1+ Million With Special Editions (Much Higher Debut Than Both Street Fighter IV and MvC 3)
02. Portal 2 (360, PS3, PC) Electronic Arts - 637K
03. Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (Wii, NDS, 360, 3DS, PS3, PC) LucasArts
04. Call of Duty: Black Ops (360, PS3, NDS, Wii, PC)** Activision Blizzard
05. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters (360, PS3, Wii)** Electronic Arts
06. Crysis 2 (360, PS3, PC) Electronic Arts - 236K
07. Just Dance 2 (Wii) Ubisoft
08. Michael Jackson The Experience (360, Wii, PS3, NDS, PSP) Ubisoft
09. Pokemon White Version (NDS) Nintendo
10. NBA 2K11 (360, PS3, Wii, PSP, PS2, PC) Take 2 Interactive - 190K
That's right. Good Ol Mortal Kombat is back, taking number 1, with Portal 2 right behind it. Both are good games, but the flawless victory goes to Warner Bros. Lego Star Wars III trugs along in 3rd place with Call of Duty still hanging on in 4th place. Tiger Woods won't let a failed relationship get the best of him in 5th with Crysis 2 in 6th. The only Wii exclusive, Just Dance, is still dancing in the Top 10 and Michael Jackson's spirit is dancing right behind him. Rounding out the Top 10 are Pokemon White and NBA 2K11
Is Fox News right? Are Consoles on the decline? Or am I blabbling on too much? Find out next month.
Works Cited: Fox News
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
More news for PSN
Folks, I've been happy that PSN is back online. So happy I just want to write a song about how PSN is the best service ever, even better than Steam. *Gets out a guitar and starts to play*
Eurogamer has seen video evidence that verifies reports that Sony's PlayStation Network password reset system suffers from an exploit that allows attackers to change your password using only your PSN account email and your date of birth – information compromised in the PSN hack of 20th April.
Sony today made PSN sign-in unavailable for a number of its websites, including PlayStation.com and the PlayStation forums. All PlayStation game titles are also unavailable.
Crucially, the website users are directed to by password reset emails is now down.
"Unfortunately this also means that those who are still trying to change their password via Playstation.com or Qriocity.com will be unable to do so for the time being," Sony said. "This is due to essential maintenance and at present it is unclear how long this will take.
*Guitar strings break*
I did not have to hear that. So yeah. It looks like now Sony has a password problem as an exploit allows hackers to rechange your password. What now? Have to rechange your Birthdate?
"I would suggest that you secure your accounts now by creating a completely new email that you will not use ANYWHERE ELSE, and switching your PSN account to use this new email," recommends the site.
"You risk having your account stolen, when this hack becomes more public, if you do not make sure that your PSN account's email is one that cannot be affiliated with or otherwise traced to you."
NeoGAF users have also corroborated the claim.
Nyleveia claims to have contacted Sony about the exploit. "The system went down approximately 15 minutes after I received a response from SCEE on the matter."
Aww come on. But I only have one email address. What am I to do? Create an email address from Yahoo?
Works Cited:
Eurogamer
Eurogamer has seen video evidence that verifies reports that Sony's PlayStation Network password reset system suffers from an exploit that allows attackers to change your password using only your PSN account email and your date of birth – information compromised in the PSN hack of 20th April.
Sony today made PSN sign-in unavailable for a number of its websites, including PlayStation.com and the PlayStation forums. All PlayStation game titles are also unavailable.
Crucially, the website users are directed to by password reset emails is now down.
"Unfortunately this also means that those who are still trying to change their password via Playstation.com or Qriocity.com will be unable to do so for the time being," Sony said. "This is due to essential maintenance and at present it is unclear how long this will take.
*Guitar strings break*
I did not have to hear that. So yeah. It looks like now Sony has a password problem as an exploit allows hackers to rechange your password. What now? Have to rechange your Birthdate?
"I would suggest that you secure your accounts now by creating a completely new email that you will not use ANYWHERE ELSE, and switching your PSN account to use this new email," recommends the site.
"You risk having your account stolen, when this hack becomes more public, if you do not make sure that your PSN account's email is one that cannot be affiliated with or otherwise traced to you."
NeoGAF users have also corroborated the claim.
Nyleveia claims to have contacted Sony about the exploit. "The system went down approximately 15 minutes after I received a response from SCEE on the matter."
Aww come on. But I only have one email address. What am I to do? Create an email address from Yahoo?
Works Cited:
Eurogamer
Sunday, May 15, 2011
IT's Baaaaaaaaack(Somewhat)
Folks. The PSN is back online. After 23 days of being offline, the Playstation Network has finally came online. Well, sorta. As it points out, despite being back online, there are still some kinks left in it. Still, this is a cause for celebration for millions of PSN users
This is the end of a chapter, not the whole story but, for millions, it does bring closure to something that swiftly metastasized from a network hiccup to one of the largest data breaches in history. Its perpetrators were at first thought to be goofball hackers, and now are understood to be criminals with quite sophisticated means. As long as PSN remained dark with no estimate for its return, there seemed to be no limit to the bad news. Bringing back PlayStation Network removes the "What next?" dread that clung to this crisis for most of its three-week lifespan.
Sony endured more than just the worst three weeks in PlayStation's history. It faced withering criticism from the press, government officials and, of course, its own customers as it labored to restore a global online service counting some 77 million users. Assuredly this will all become a case study in areas of corporate crisis management and network security. For now, Sony deserves our gratitude and a note of congratulations. It's Sunday; let the quarterbacking resume tomorrow.
Come on everyone. Let's cheer. WOOOO!
But there are still hurdles for Sony to go through. Not to mention Big Government breathing down Sony's back due to the fallout of the PSN Shutdown.
PSN still has some work to do before its services are fully back to normal. PlayStation Store must return, a situation still of considerable concern to developers who sell through it. Governments remain interested in Sony demonstrating it has implemented enhanced security. Yes, there are and will be lawsuits.
I thought the Republicans brought down big government. Isn't that why we voted for them?
Speaking of which, the first paragraph in the Kotaku article really got to my attention. I'll bold out the part that disturbs me
Across North America yesterday evening, PlayStation Network returned after a 23-day total blackout. In a process spanning about seven hours, the PlayStation 3's online capabilities gradually returned state-by-state, beginning in New York and ending in Texas. As gamers rushed to message boards to verify the good news in their precincts, the news had the feel of an election night, one whose results were cheered and celebrated by all.
Beginning in New York? And Ending in Texas? Sony, that is an insult to the heartlands of America. It should have been Texas first then New York last. The one thing I can say is that alot of Conservative PSN users are gonna be angry over the fact that Texas was dead last in getting its PSN services back online. Where is your Patriotic Spirit, Sony? Where is your sense of Americanism?
Sony, I believe you owe Texas an apology in letting them go last. How dare you neglect these Texas Cowboys like a bunch of neglectful ninnies.
Works Cited
Kotaku
This is the end of a chapter, not the whole story but, for millions, it does bring closure to something that swiftly metastasized from a network hiccup to one of the largest data breaches in history. Its perpetrators were at first thought to be goofball hackers, and now are understood to be criminals with quite sophisticated means. As long as PSN remained dark with no estimate for its return, there seemed to be no limit to the bad news. Bringing back PlayStation Network removes the "What next?" dread that clung to this crisis for most of its three-week lifespan.
Sony endured more than just the worst three weeks in PlayStation's history. It faced withering criticism from the press, government officials and, of course, its own customers as it labored to restore a global online service counting some 77 million users. Assuredly this will all become a case study in areas of corporate crisis management and network security. For now, Sony deserves our gratitude and a note of congratulations. It's Sunday; let the quarterbacking resume tomorrow.
Come on everyone. Let's cheer. WOOOO!
But there are still hurdles for Sony to go through. Not to mention Big Government breathing down Sony's back due to the fallout of the PSN Shutdown.
PSN still has some work to do before its services are fully back to normal. PlayStation Store must return, a situation still of considerable concern to developers who sell through it. Governments remain interested in Sony demonstrating it has implemented enhanced security. Yes, there are and will be lawsuits.
I thought the Republicans brought down big government. Isn't that why we voted for them?
Speaking of which, the first paragraph in the Kotaku article really got to my attention. I'll bold out the part that disturbs me
Across North America yesterday evening, PlayStation Network returned after a 23-day total blackout. In a process spanning about seven hours, the PlayStation 3's online capabilities gradually returned state-by-state, beginning in New York and ending in Texas. As gamers rushed to message boards to verify the good news in their precincts, the news had the feel of an election night, one whose results were cheered and celebrated by all.
Beginning in New York? And Ending in Texas? Sony, that is an insult to the heartlands of America. It should have been Texas first then New York last. The one thing I can say is that alot of Conservative PSN users are gonna be angry over the fact that Texas was dead last in getting its PSN services back online. Where is your Patriotic Spirit, Sony? Where is your sense of Americanism?
Sony, I believe you owe Texas an apology in letting them go last. How dare you neglect these Texas Cowboys like a bunch of neglectful ninnies.
Works Cited
Kotaku
Saturday, May 14, 2011
BREAKING NEWS: PSN Reactivation underway
I just got word that the PSN network is about to come back online in a few hours. In a message from Sony, courtesy of Kotaku, they had this to say.
"It will take several hours to restore PSN throughout the entire country, so please keep checking back for the latest updates," Sony said in a statement, encouraging PSN account holders to download the latest firmware (3.61) and change their account passwords, "both of which are required to get online," once service resumes.
America, keep your eye on this map
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/05/14/play-on-%E2%80%93-psn-restoration-begins-now/
This one is for you in Europe
http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2011/05/15/play-on-psn-restoration-begins-now/
It's about to get bright again
Works Cited:
Kotaku
"It will take several hours to restore PSN throughout the entire country, so please keep checking back for the latest updates," Sony said in a statement, encouraging PSN account holders to download the latest firmware (3.61) and change their account passwords, "both of which are required to get online," once service resumes.
America, keep your eye on this map
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/05/14/play-on-%E2%80%93-psn-restoration-begins-now/
This one is for you in Europe
http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2011/05/15/play-on-psn-restoration-begins-now/
It's about to get bright again
Works Cited:
Kotaku
3D will go Online(Soon), PSN outage and a museum about Video Games
Folks, alot has happen over the week(One of which is an incomplete NPD.). First off, we all know that Nintendo is gonna get its 3DS Shop up and online. Most of us believed that Nintendo would get it up this month. But alas, we've been lied to.
A new system update for the hand-held Nintendo 3DS system will be available in North America the evening of June 6 Pacific time. By downloading the free update via a wireless broadband Internet connection, Nintendo 3DS users can enjoy new features and enhancements, including an Internet browser and access to the Nintendo eShop, where users can browse and purchase downloadable content. For more information about Nintendo 3DS, visit http://www.nintendo3ds.com.
June 6th. I can't wait that long. It's like a torture test for me. All this time, they're whispering in my head, pointing and laughing at me. But unfortunately, that isn't the only thing laughing in my head.
PSN is still down. That's right. Not only are we waiting for 3DS Shop, but also for the return of the PSN. I'm beginning to think Nintendo and Sony are using this to taunt me. Or maybe...Amazon is.
Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN)’s Web Services cloud- computing unit was used by hackers in last month’s attack against Sony Corp. (6758)’s online entertainment systems, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.
Hackers using an alias signed up to rent a server through Amazon’s EC2 service and launched the attack from there, said the person, who requested anonymity because the information is confidential. The account has been shut down, the person said.
The development sheds light on how hackers used the so- called cloud to carry out the second-biggest online theft of personal information to date. The incursion, which compromised the personal accounts of more than 100 million Sony customers, was “a very carefully planned, very professional, highly sophisticated criminal cyber attack,” Sony has said.
Now we know how the service went down. It went down in a cloud of Hacker rage. Folks, how are we to know how they got into the Amazon services when they could have easily taken it by force?
The hackers didn’t break into the Amazon servers, the person said. Rather, they signed up for the service just as a legitimate company would, using fake information.
Even so, the breach at Amazon is likely to call attention to concerns some businesses have voiced over the security of computing services delivered via others’ remote servers, referred to as cloud computing.
So instead of hacking, they pretended to be a legit company. Oh touche, hackers. I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog too.
Finally, more controversy for the 'Games as Art' side. I say this cuz you're gonna cause a ruckus when you hear this.
More than 80 video games, from "Donkey Kong" to "Metal Gear Solid," have been chosen by the public to be part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's "The Art of Video Games" exhibit in Washington, D.C., starting next spring.
The exhibit will focus on the last 40 years' "evolution of video games as an artistic medium, with a focus on striking visual effects and the creative use of new technologies," the Smithsonian says.
This exhibit will go on next year from March 6th 2012 to September 30th, 2012. The games were actually voted on by a number, and in the end, 80 games were selected to be apart of this exhibit. And here's the punch to the face.
1943: The Battle of Midway
Advanced Dungeons and Dragons
After Burner
Attack of the Mutant Camels
Bioshock
Boom Blox
Brütal Legend
ChuChu Rocket!
Combat
Desert Commander
Diablo II
Donkey Kong
DOOM II
Dune II: Battle for Arrakis
Earthworm Jim
Einhander
Fable
Fallout
Fallout 3
Final Fantasy Tactics
Final Fantasy VII
flOw
Flower
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2
Goldeneye 007
Gradius V
Gunstar Heroes
Halo 2
Heavy Rain
Jumpman
Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth II
Marble Madness
MassEffect 2
Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metroid Prime 2: Echos
Minecraft
Okami
Pac-Man
Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei
Panzer Dragoon Orta
Panzer Dragoon Saga
Phantasy Star
Phantasy Star IV
Pikmin 2
Pitfall II: Lost Caverns
Pitfall!
Portal
Rez
Shadow of Colossus
Shenmue
Sid Meier's Pirates!
SimCity
SimCity 2000
Sonic Adventure
Space Invaders
Spy vs Spy
Star Fox
Star Fox: Assault
Star Strike
Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator
StarCraft
Super Mario 64
Super Mario Brothers 3
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Super Mario World
The Bard's Tale III: Thief of Fate
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Walker
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
Tomb Raider
TRON: Maze-Atron
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Utopia
Worms Armageddon
Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure
Zaxxon
I was shocked to learn that the following was up there and not up there. 3 3D Zelda games and only 1 2D Zelda game. 1 Sonic game that was dubbed Sonic Adventure 2. Okami. Bioshock. Starcraft. Zack and Wiki.
Where's my Madden? Where's my Call of Duty? Where's my Ninja Bread Man? Heck, where's ET? It's not complete without the worst video game ever: ET.
Works Cited
Nintendo
Bloomberg(Of all people, why'd it have to be Bloomberg)
MSNBC
A new system update for the hand-held Nintendo 3DS system will be available in North America the evening of June 6 Pacific time. By downloading the free update via a wireless broadband Internet connection, Nintendo 3DS users can enjoy new features and enhancements, including an Internet browser and access to the Nintendo eShop, where users can browse and purchase downloadable content. For more information about Nintendo 3DS, visit http://www.nintendo3ds.com.
June 6th. I can't wait that long. It's like a torture test for me. All this time, they're whispering in my head, pointing and laughing at me. But unfortunately, that isn't the only thing laughing in my head.
PSN is still down. That's right. Not only are we waiting for 3DS Shop, but also for the return of the PSN. I'm beginning to think Nintendo and Sony are using this to taunt me. Or maybe...Amazon is.
Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN)’s Web Services cloud- computing unit was used by hackers in last month’s attack against Sony Corp. (6758)’s online entertainment systems, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.
Hackers using an alias signed up to rent a server through Amazon’s EC2 service and launched the attack from there, said the person, who requested anonymity because the information is confidential. The account has been shut down, the person said.
The development sheds light on how hackers used the so- called cloud to carry out the second-biggest online theft of personal information to date. The incursion, which compromised the personal accounts of more than 100 million Sony customers, was “a very carefully planned, very professional, highly sophisticated criminal cyber attack,” Sony has said.
Now we know how the service went down. It went down in a cloud of Hacker rage. Folks, how are we to know how they got into the Amazon services when they could have easily taken it by force?
The hackers didn’t break into the Amazon servers, the person said. Rather, they signed up for the service just as a legitimate company would, using fake information.
Even so, the breach at Amazon is likely to call attention to concerns some businesses have voiced over the security of computing services delivered via others’ remote servers, referred to as cloud computing.
So instead of hacking, they pretended to be a legit company. Oh touche, hackers. I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog too.
Finally, more controversy for the 'Games as Art' side. I say this cuz you're gonna cause a ruckus when you hear this.
More than 80 video games, from "Donkey Kong" to "Metal Gear Solid," have been chosen by the public to be part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's "The Art of Video Games" exhibit in Washington, D.C., starting next spring.
The exhibit will focus on the last 40 years' "evolution of video games as an artistic medium, with a focus on striking visual effects and the creative use of new technologies," the Smithsonian says.
This exhibit will go on next year from March 6th 2012 to September 30th, 2012. The games were actually voted on by a number, and in the end, 80 games were selected to be apart of this exhibit. And here's the punch to the face.
1943: The Battle of Midway
Advanced Dungeons and Dragons
After Burner
Attack of the Mutant Camels
Bioshock
Boom Blox
Brütal Legend
ChuChu Rocket!
Combat
Desert Commander
Diablo II
Donkey Kong
DOOM II
Dune II: Battle for Arrakis
Earthworm Jim
Einhander
Fable
Fallout
Fallout 3
Final Fantasy Tactics
Final Fantasy VII
flOw
Flower
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2
Goldeneye 007
Gradius V
Gunstar Heroes
Halo 2
Heavy Rain
Jumpman
Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth II
Marble Madness
MassEffect 2
Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metroid Prime 2: Echos
Minecraft
Okami
Pac-Man
Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei
Panzer Dragoon Orta
Panzer Dragoon Saga
Phantasy Star
Phantasy Star IV
Pikmin 2
Pitfall II: Lost Caverns
Pitfall!
Portal
Rez
Shadow of Colossus
Shenmue
Sid Meier's Pirates!
SimCity
SimCity 2000
Sonic Adventure
Space Invaders
Spy vs Spy
Star Fox
Star Fox: Assault
Star Strike
Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator
StarCraft
Super Mario 64
Super Mario Brothers 3
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Super Mario World
The Bard's Tale III: Thief of Fate
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Walker
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
Tomb Raider
TRON: Maze-Atron
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Utopia
Worms Armageddon
Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure
Zaxxon
I was shocked to learn that the following was up there and not up there. 3 3D Zelda games and only 1 2D Zelda game. 1 Sonic game that was dubbed Sonic Adventure 2. Okami. Bioshock. Starcraft. Zack and Wiki.
Where's my Madden? Where's my Call of Duty? Where's my Ninja Bread Man? Heck, where's ET? It's not complete without the worst video game ever: ET.
Works Cited
Nintendo
Bloomberg(Of all people, why'd it have to be Bloomberg)
MSNBC
Monday, May 9, 2011
Where is PSN and more 3DS Love?
It's been a week since the supposed restart of PSN and still, the system is not online. I take it their workers have been having nightmares about PSN. But anyway, why is it the PSN is still offline? What the *CENSORED* is going on?
Last weekend, Sony told consumers that the PlayStation Network should be back up and running within a week. As you may have noticed, a week's gone by, and you still can't play Warhawk. Sony has therefore made a new announcement, stating that the PSN outage is back to "indefinite" status.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Don't give up on me PSN. You're making Wii's online service more interesting. What is the excuse for not being online?
"When we held the press conference in Japan last week, based on what we knew, we expected to have the services online within a week," said Patrick Seybold. "We were unaware of the extent of the attack on Sony Online Entertainment servers, and we are taking this opportunity to conduct further testing of the incredibly complex system.
"We know many of you are wanting to play games online, chat with your friends and enjoy all of the services PlayStation Network and Qriocity services have to offer, and trust me when I say we’re doing everything we can to make it happen. We will update you with more information as soon as we have it. We apologize for the delay and inconvenience of this network outage."
I wanna play on the PSN, even though I don't own a PS3. I feel like the whole world is coming to an end. Someone please wake me up.
Sony has revealed that the PlayStation Network could be down for the entirety of this month, with its grand return planned sometime before May 31, 2011. That's the current plan, anyway.
The deadline was announced by Shigenori Yoshida in a Bloomberg interview. Even then, however, the spokesman made sure to say he was "uncertain" on specific dates.
Jim Sterling's Edit: Bloomberg's wording implies this will include all services, such as PlayStation Store. That could just be vague wording though. Destructoid has contacted Sony for clarification
NOOOO! Not May 31st. Nintendo could use this as an advantage to release the 3DS Virtual Store for their Virtual Console and 3DSWare.
Meanwhile, in other news, you are all aware of Sonic Generations coming out for 360 and PS3. Yeah, the same blue hedgehog who's been destroying factories of Robotnik Enterprises since 1991. You are evil, Mr Anti-Business Hedgehog. Word has it that the 360/PS3 exclusive Sonic title is coming to 3DS. And in addition, RAyman: Origins is coming to Wii and DS.
Looks like Gamestop may have outed a couple new 3DS games. Both Time Crisis and Sonic Generations appear appear on a new Gamestop listing, found at the link below. I'm feeling lukewarm towards the Time Crisis reveal, but Sonic Generations on the 3DS could be a perfect fit. I don't imagine that the port would require much of a graphical downgrade, and the 3D display could do a lot to make the "green eyed" Sonic sections more visually compelling.
Maybe the biggest surprise here is seeing Rayman Origins coming to the Wii and the DS; two consoles that many have left for dead at this point in their careers. Assuming that the the Wii's successor will be backwards compatible, I could see how this decision might work, as maxing out your potential user base is never a bad idea. Still, it would have been nice to see classic Rayman in glasses free 3D. Maybe next time.
SEGA, what are you doing? Are you making the same mistake that you did with Sonic Next-Gen? Well that game never had a handheld port. But I still make myself clear, even if my audience doesn't understand me.
As for Rayman, hey, how are those Rabbids handling the news?
Oh yeah. They're not taking it good
Works Cited(All Destructoid)
Link 1
Link 2
Link 3
Last weekend, Sony told consumers that the PlayStation Network should be back up and running within a week. As you may have noticed, a week's gone by, and you still can't play Warhawk. Sony has therefore made a new announcement, stating that the PSN outage is back to "indefinite" status.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Don't give up on me PSN. You're making Wii's online service more interesting. What is the excuse for not being online?
"When we held the press conference in Japan last week, based on what we knew, we expected to have the services online within a week," said Patrick Seybold. "We were unaware of the extent of the attack on Sony Online Entertainment servers, and we are taking this opportunity to conduct further testing of the incredibly complex system.
"We know many of you are wanting to play games online, chat with your friends and enjoy all of the services PlayStation Network and Qriocity services have to offer, and trust me when I say we’re doing everything we can to make it happen. We will update you with more information as soon as we have it. We apologize for the delay and inconvenience of this network outage."
I wanna play on the PSN, even though I don't own a PS3. I feel like the whole world is coming to an end. Someone please wake me up.
Sony has revealed that the PlayStation Network could be down for the entirety of this month, with its grand return planned sometime before May 31, 2011. That's the current plan, anyway.
The deadline was announced by Shigenori Yoshida in a Bloomberg interview. Even then, however, the spokesman made sure to say he was "uncertain" on specific dates.
Jim Sterling's Edit: Bloomberg's wording implies this will include all services, such as PlayStation Store. That could just be vague wording though. Destructoid has contacted Sony for clarification
NOOOO! Not May 31st. Nintendo could use this as an advantage to release the 3DS Virtual Store for their Virtual Console and 3DSWare.
Meanwhile, in other news, you are all aware of Sonic Generations coming out for 360 and PS3. Yeah, the same blue hedgehog who's been destroying factories of Robotnik Enterprises since 1991. You are evil, Mr Anti-Business Hedgehog. Word has it that the 360/PS3 exclusive Sonic title is coming to 3DS. And in addition, RAyman: Origins is coming to Wii and DS.
Looks like Gamestop may have outed a couple new 3DS games. Both Time Crisis and Sonic Generations appear appear on a new Gamestop listing, found at the link below. I'm feeling lukewarm towards the Time Crisis reveal, but Sonic Generations on the 3DS could be a perfect fit. I don't imagine that the port would require much of a graphical downgrade, and the 3D display could do a lot to make the "green eyed" Sonic sections more visually compelling.
Maybe the biggest surprise here is seeing Rayman Origins coming to the Wii and the DS; two consoles that many have left for dead at this point in their careers. Assuming that the the Wii's successor will be backwards compatible, I could see how this decision might work, as maxing out your potential user base is never a bad idea. Still, it would have been nice to see classic Rayman in glasses free 3D. Maybe next time.
SEGA, what are you doing? Are you making the same mistake that you did with Sonic Next-Gen? Well that game never had a handheld port. But I still make myself clear, even if my audience doesn't understand me.
As for Rayman, hey, how are those Rabbids handling the news?
Oh yeah. They're not taking it good
Works Cited(All Destructoid)
Link 1
Link 2
Link 3
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