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- Is the Wii a 'viable platform' for M-rated games?December 18 2008
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Take-Two Interactive Software, the video game developer behind Bioshock and the Grand Theft Auto series, posted a quarterly loss Wednesday and forecast less than ideal performance, going forward. But the real shocker came from the company's CEO, Ben Feder, who had some interesting things to say about Nintendo's Wii console and Mature-rated games.
Speaking to shareholders, Feder said that although he believes his company's "M-rated content...is much more appropriate for the PlayStation 3 or 360," he thinks it's incumbent upon Take-Two to "look at the Wii as a viable platform content across all" the company's titles. According to Feder, "you can't ignore the (Wii's) install base. You just can't."
If that's true, then why have the vast majority of developers "ignored" that install base? As Nintendo of America President, Reggie Fils-Aime, pointed out recently in a
- Is 'GTA IV' really the game of the year?December 15 2008
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Sunday night at the Spike Video Game Awards, Grand Theft Auto IV was awarded game of the year honors, beating out Gears of War 2, Fallout 3, Fable 2, Burnout Paradise, and a slew of other great games that didn't make the cut.
From a sales perspective, it's tough to argue with the logic--GTA IV set sales records earlier this year, selling 2.5 million copies in its first week and 5.04 million units since its release. Although the total units sold mark doesn't set any records, GTA IV obliterated every other known sales record and was met with considerable reviewer praise. I'd venture to say that it was the best Grand Theft Auto title in its storied history.
But does that make it the best game of the year?
To say GTA IV is the best game of 2008 isn't such an easy decision to make. If we purely base it off sales, then I guess it's impossible to pick any other game. But if we look at the value each game provides, I'm not so sure
- The Digital Home Video: Watch out, Mozilla: Chrome is out of betaDecember 11 2008
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Chrome is out of beta. Do you know what that means? Tough times are ahead for Mozilla.
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- What should Apple do with all its extra cash?October 27 2008
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Much has been made about Apple's cash. The company, which operates with no debt in its financial structure, is one of the most financially sound organizations in tech, with $24.5 billion in cash on hand, even more cash than Microsoft.
But now that it has all that money, what should it do with it?
Some say Apple should simply hold on to the cash and be prepared for what could be a difficult few years, as the economy continues to feel the pressure of a credit crunch, while others think Apple should start spending while the targets are cheap and do what it can to expand its role in the industry.
I can't help but agree with those in the second camp. Why should Apple, one of the most profitable and powerful companies in the industry, sit on its hands while other companies with strong properties and technologies in their own right need to worry about the future? For the first time in recent memory, tech companies can be acquired for a relatively affordable price, and a company in the position that Apple is in needs to capitalize.
So what can it do? Quite a bit. Instead of spending all its time on cell phones, PMPs, and Macs, maybe Apple should try to become the company that offers products that tag along with you throughout the day. Or maybe Apple should get into the video game business and start solidifying its position in that market. Or maybe Apple should start putting real
- Why Sony needs to stop drinking its own Kool-AidOctober 23 2008
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Sony is in deep trouble. The company has been forced to slash its earnings forecast by 57 percent amid deteriorating economic conditions and its inability to compete more effectively in markets throughout the world.
Of course, Sony will still post a profit--most analysts claim that it'll be about $500 million--but the downturn speaks to Sony's issues and the fact that this once-dominant company has been downgraded to an also-ran in the industry.
Remember the days of Sony dominance? It was a time when the Walkman was on the minds of tech lovers around the world and the PlayStation moniker was held in the highest regard. Sony TVs were everywhere, and the company's ability to capitalize on any market was truly astounding.
But since then, Sony has lost its way. It's no longer a company that can rely on its name to beat other companies to a pulp, and with more competitors realizing how to beat Sony, it has quickly become irrelevant in many markets.
Sony's presence in the digital-camera sector is suspect, and its gaming business, once one of the most profitable departments at the company, has become an embarrassment of epic proportions. Although its PlayStation Portable is expected to beat forecasts,
