Let's get some perspective. The Nintendo 3DS is a four-month-old system. Four months old. Name a console with a stellar launch lineup after four months. I can't think of any, either. And yet if you listen to the Internets, Nintendo should have had every AAA game in their arsenal on the shelf already. On top of it, I believe Nintendo priced the 3DS on the high side on purpose. The DS and Wii were popular, and resellers profited from selling a lot of Nintendo hardware for more than list price. It isn't far-fetched to … [Read more...]
Here Wii (U) Go Again: Is Nintendo Cooking Another One and Done?
The Nintendo E3 press conference and Wii U represent another roll of the dice, another gamble. The same story as five years ago. Only this time the surprise has turned into a groan: "Oh no, not again." And, like Kinect, a lot of it has to do with the Wii and the way it played out. Because Nintendo, once again, is risking short-changing its fans. The Wii had lots of promise, things like light saber battles and WiiConnect 24, but it never went anywhere. Our Wiis were going to be full of gaming love every morning. From … [Read more...]
Nintendo Wii U: Three Things That Could Hurt Nintendo’s Success
Nintendo took the wraps off its Wii U console yesterday with more than a few “what?!” comments uttered quietly by the crowd. There were also more than a handful of “holy s**t!” exclamations, which has come to be expected from any Nintendo E3 press conference. Beyond those knee-jerk responses, a few longer-term questions remain not just in terms of gamers’ potential satisfaction, but in terms of their likelihood of buying the Wii U. Below are three things we’ve debated since the Wii U’s official unveiling that may hurt … [Read more...]
Does E3 Give Non-Gamers a Reason to Mock Us?
The flight down to LA for E3 2011 gave me two hours to process what’s in store for me, my peers and the rest of the gaming community this week. My most interesting revelation was how many reasons the industry itself gives non-gamers to think of our community as immature, “off” or just plain weird. And in light of all the credibility-boosting changes E3 has gone through during the years, the thought hit me like a ton of bricks. E3 has had several homes during its trade show life, including a stint in Las Vegas where … [Read more...]
Violent Video Games Proven to Increase Aggressive Behavior, Says Study
There's long been discussion about whether video games cause aggressive behavior, but scientists at the University of Missouri say they now have undeniable proof that playing violent video games causes players to become more aggressive. The findings of the new University of Missouri (MU) study provide one explanation for why this occurs: the brains of violent video game players become less responsive to violence, and this diminished brain response predicts an increase in aggression. Bruce Bartholow, associate … [Read more...]
Nintendo Wii 2: Zigging While the Market Zags?
In Akira Kurosawa’s 1958 film "The Hidden Fortress," a noble samurai withstands a tirade of complaints from a young princess who has been ousted from her kingdom. With a nod to his place in the social order, the warrior waits patiently and then asks, "Is the princess feeling contrary today?" Kurosawa’s film influenced George Lucas, who used it as a blueprint for Star Wars and translated the samurai character into the iconic Han Solo. Lucas’s unexpected "space-western" blockbuster contradicted the Hollywood formula … [Read more...]
