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Your search for Customer firm located the below Customer firm Search Results. The Customer firm Search Results are returned from stories QJ publishes stories covering Customer firm news, Playstation news, Xbox news, PC news, Wii News, Nintendo DS News, Gaming News, Reviews, Downloads, Custom Apps, Homebrew and much more.


Posted Apr 28, 2012 at 6:30PM EST by Demonchild Listed in: PS3 Tags: bluray, emulation, Exploit, game backups, hack, homebrew, playstation 3 homebrew, ps3 homebrew
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blu-rayPS3 owners who are looking to get game backups and homebrew going on the latest firmware, you'll have to hang in there a little bit longer... Maybe.

 

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Posted Apr 11, 2012 at 2:38PM EST by Todd B Listed in: PS3 Tags: better business bureau, BioWare, marjorie stephens, mass effect 3
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bbb1Do you hear that? It’s the rallying cry of a million angry nerds as the BBB affirms their Mass Effect 3 complaints.

 

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Posted Mar 29, 2012 at 2:45PM EST by Todd B Listed in: PoV Tags: always-on drm, assassins creed, diablo iii, simcity, Ubisoft
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sodrm1News of SimCity’s DRM setup has renewed debate over always-on DRM. How do you feel about the topic?

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Posted Mar 2, 2012 at 12:56PM EST by Administrator Listed in: iPad Tags: aftershock, battlefield 3, EA
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Sometimes the best thing you can do for a game is pull the plug.
Battlefield is one of EA’s biggest brands, so it makes sense that the company would look to cash in on its popularity in any way possible. The most recent tie-in came in the form of an iOS game released for the iPad, known as Battlefield 3: Aftershock. There was only one problem: the game sucked.
Battlefield 3: Aftershock stayed live for only 15 days. Launched on February 7, the game was almost unplayable due to serious connection issues and an unresponsive control scheme. EA pulled the title from the iTunes store on February 22 so that it could tweak the title based on customer feedback.
So how did that tweaking manifest? EA is deleting the game, of course! In a statement issued earlier this week, EA confirmed that development on the game has been shut down completely, and that the servers will be pulled offline March 31.
Battlefield 3: Aftershock was free-to-play, so it’s not like anyone is really getting hurt by the game being taken offline. Anyone, of course, besides EA, who likely sank a large sum of money into the title before realizing it was a lost cause.
Did you play Battlefield 3: Aftershock? What did you think?
[Gamasutra]

mfbafter1Sometimes the best thing you can do for a game is pull the plug.

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Posted Feb 29, 2012 at 4:34PM EST by Listed in: Nintendo 3DS Tags: 3ds eshop, binding of isaac, edmund mcmillen, Nintendo
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Nintendo apparently doesn’t want to risk offending its customers.
Indie Dev Edmund McMillen confirmed via Twitter earlier today that the Nintendo 3DS eShop would officially be declining to host his latest game, The Binding of Isaac. Citing “questionable religious content,” Nintendo has elected to dump the game from its eShop lineup.
Here’s McMillen’s tweet in full:
“Attention: After a long internal debate Nintendo has decided NOT to allow the Binding of Isaac on the 3ds. :(“
He continued, quite hilariously:
“As many assumed the reasons were due to the games "questionable religious content". Thank GOD Steam exists!”
The Binding of Isaac has moved over 450,000 copies on PC, and this silly controversy will likely spur more sales than the game would have gained with a quiet eShop release. Still, it’s an odd decision on the part of Nintendo and a bad precedent to set in terms of censorship.
What do you think of Nintendo’s decision? Should game companies choose which games you can play, or should the choice be left up to the consumer?
[Gamasutra]

mfbind1Nintendo apparently doesn’t want to risk offending its customers.

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Posted Feb 27, 2012 at 4:23PM EST by Listed in: PS3 Tags: arkham city, Game Developers Conference, GDC, mass effect 3, unreal engine 4
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An invitation-only reveal at GDC promises to unveil the next generation of game building technology.
Unreal Engine is one of the core building blocks of the games industry. Countless classic titles have been built using one version or another of Epic’s engine, from Batman: Arkham City to Mass Effect 3. And it looks like Epic is ready to unveil the next iteration of its powerful game authoring software—to very specific people.
The company has confirmed that Unreal Engine 4 will be shown at this year’s Game Developers Conference, scheduled to begin March 6 in San Francisco. However, the engine will not be on public display; only a select few individuals will have the privilege of viewing the software in action. Those individuals, mostly partners, customers and prospective customers, will be bound by NDA.
The NDA, apparently, is in effect due to Unreal Engine 4 running on next-gen technologies that can’t be discussed in a public forum. You know, like those top-secret Microsoft and Sony projects that are perhaps less secret that the companies would like to admit.
If you’re a fan of Epic, you’ll still have a chance to interact with the company at GDC. Tim Sweeney, Rod Fergusson and Cliff Bleszinski will be participating in 15 events over the course of the week, all of which are open to any attendee that wishes to participate.
Are you excited to see what Unreal Engine 4 will bring to the table?
[Edge]

mfgdc1An invitation-only reveal at GDC promises to unveil the next generation of game building technology.

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Posted Feb 25, 2012 at 8:13AM EST by Harrison E Listed in: PS Vita Tags: ps vita competition, Sony, taco bell fail, unlock the box, vita and taco bell
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tacobelllogoWho sent me a box of burritos? And why do I want to throw up everywhere?

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Posted Feb 17, 2012 at 2:56PM EST by Listed in: PS3 Tags: Jack Tretton, Kaz Hirai, ps3, ps4, vita, wii u, xbox
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And as we all know, Jack Tretton’s word is bond.
If there’s one thing Jack Tretton likes to do, it’s say stupid things. Every time the man opens his mouth, he immediately sticks his foot in it. But today’s news may be a little more on the safe side than his usual Wii-bashing or customer-challenging—he’s just talking about the PS4 instead of making grandiose claims about how amazing his existing systems are.
In an interview with IGN, Tretton waylaid rumors of a 2012 PS4 announcement, noting that Sony is still very focused on the PS3, as well as on making sure the Vita launches successfully in the west. He claimed that worrying about next-gen consoles this year would be a “distraction” for the company. This goes along the same path that Kaz Hirai was walking when he confirmed a ten-year life cycle for the PS3.
Still, one has to wonder at the wisdom of letting the other console makers pass you by. Wii U will have a considerable head start over the next Xbox system, and Microsoft will apparently have a similar head start over the PS4. It could be a good idea, but it could also be a big mistake for a company that’s already dancing on the precipice of a major hardware meltdown.
Of course, Tretton often says things that turn out to be as far from the truth as possible. So perhaps Sony is indeed working on the PS4, and Tretton either doesn’t know (because he’s an idiot) or is trying to play it cool (because he’s an idiot).
What do you think? Is Sony really going to wait until 2016 to release a new system?
[GameSpot]

mftrett1And as we all know, Jack Tretton’s word is bond.

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Posted Jan 30, 2012 at 2:00AM EST by Harrison E Listed in: PS Vita Tags: at&t, cheryl t., region-free, Sony, vita, vita bundles
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vitalineupHot on the heels of rumours that Vita may not be region-free Sony shows us a brand new Vita bundle.

 

 

 

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Posted Jan 26, 2012 at 4:30PM EST by Listed in: Xbox 360 Tags: android, ios, Microsoft, windows phone, xbox live
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Take that, Windows phones!
Want to play Xbox Live games but don’t have your Xbox nearby? How about an Android phone? According to one developer with a bit of inside information, Microsoft is currently working on an Xbox Live app for Android which will bring many of the service’s functionalities directly to Android users – including the ability to play games from Xbox Live Arcade.
This story actually broke thanks to a job posting on the official Microsoft careers website. The posting indicated that Microsoft had intentions to bring the Live service to Windows Phone, iOS and “other mobile platforms.” A quick bit of calling around, and it was easy to find a developer willing to confirm that Android was on the table. It’s a bit of an odd piece of news, since Microsoft has leaned so heavily on Xbox Live being exclusive to Windows Phone.
However, it’s always good to give your customers more ways to access your service. And while Microsoft isn’t conceding defeat in the mobile wars, they are aware that the Android and iOS markets are trouncing them in terms of mobile game sales. If they want to compete, bringing the Live app to Android and other platforms is essentially the only way to do it.
There’s no information on when we can expect an Android Xbox Live app, but we here at QJ will keep you posted as details emerge.
What do you think of Xbox Live on your Android phone?
[Business Insider]

mfand1Take that, Windows phones!

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Posted Jan 25, 2012 at 3:30PM EST by Listed in: PS3 Tags: saints row the third, THQ
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THQ hasn’t been doing great over the last few months, and this nasty letter from a former employee doesn’t make things look any better.
THQ, the company behind Saints Row: The Third, had a tough 2011. The company was in such dire straits that rumors floated around about it canceling its entire 2014 lineup, rumors the company vehemently denied. This morning we received word that THQ was shifting its strategies yet again, this time focusing more on its core franchises over third party licensing.
It’s hard to get a bead on exactly what’s happening with THQ. Rumors and sales indicate the company is in serious trouble despite the success of Saints Row, but the company refuses to admit that they have any sort of problem. Only one person seems to be willing to comment on the state of the company – an alleged former employee with an obvious bone to pick.
In a letter written to THQ’s Board of Directors, CEO Brian Farrell as well as the general public and a collection of gaming news sites, this “Formerly Mismanaged” employee rattles off a laundry lists of complaints about the company.
The letter essentially claims that THQ’s problems stem from mismanagement and a Board of Directors that has no clue how to strategically run a gaming company. It gives examples like acquiring game studios with no plan on how to utilize their talents (then later shutting them down), investing money into shrinking niche markets, the company’s refusal to dump a CEO that has tanked its stock price and high-paid executives making enormous mistakes that call their competency into question. The disastrous uDraw tablet also makes an appearance.
These allegations of management incompetency surface just a few days before THQ announces its current financial standing on February 2, and things certainly don’t look good. One analyst has gone on the record by stating that THQ, without some sort of financial windfall, with run out of cash near the middle of this year.
You can read the letter in its (extremely long) entirety below:
[JoyStiq]
"To:
THQ Board of Directors
Lawrence Burstein
James Whims, Gigex, Inc.
Henry DeNero, Arcturus Capital
Brian Dougherty, AirSet, Inc.
Jeffrey Griffiths , Lumber Liquidators
From:
Current and Ex-Employees, Shareholders, and The Public
Dear THQ Board,
I am an ex-employee at THQ. I saw the tweet-started headlines over the past week from an "industry expert." This expert is one who I and my friends and co-workers in the industry have never heard of after a long time in the field. I had been reading the various following articles and accounts and it generated sympathy for friends both recently laid off and currently still there. I thought it would be a good idea to send a note with their input. This note has honest facts and thoughts about THQ and the current problems there. Most of these facts are public knowledge and they have been confirmed by public records or can be confirmed by current and former THQ staff there both before and after my and their time.
I have long felt the need to explain to outsiders how this beaten-down company has wound up in this position. It is to the point where having it on your resume is not a point in your favor. And that shouldn't be the case. I'm/We're sending this note anonymously because some of us are still awaiting final checks and others know how little corporations like employees who air their dirty laundry. We feel the need to say something to combat the partial misinformation being written.
THQ had been known through the years for having a formula. They find a hot license, make a cheap game, barely advertise it, and make money. This formula worked during the Playstation and Xbox and Gameboy days and made the company a lot of cash. Unfortunately, THQ's old guard executives seem to be stuck trying to manage the company the same way they did back then and haven't realized the industry has changed.
The beginning of the end came years ago as Brian Farrell lead an executive team to acquire a large number of studios. A large amount of cash was used in the acquisition or setup of game developers with different degrees of talent. The problem was they were bought without strategic reasoning or specific plan on to use them. So after awhile another large amount of money was spent as those studios failed and were sold off and shut down. The executive team at the time were an entirely different group of people with one key exception in the CEO. The CEO/the then executive team wasted the cash that the company had built up with these massive investments and selloffs.
The studio purchase errors were not helped by the mistakes in the licensing deals that were signed by the same CEO. Millions and millions of dollars were wasted on acquiring licenses at the same time the kids, family, casual business was declining at a rapid rate. Instead of slowing those acquisitions he overpaid for more of them until again cash was wasted in paying for brands that didn't sell well anymore.
The mistakes in decisions and cash losses triggered wave after wave of layoffs. In the most recent wave, about 40 people lost their jobs this past December through no fault of their own. The reason why is the chronic and constant mismanagement of their company. The fact is that the CEO and executive committee were so focused on trying to hit an unrealistic financial goal that they bet everything on an extremely risky proposition in the uDraw tablet. When they lost, they further displayed their lack of management skills by not having a contingency plan. Three weeks after the game launched, an entire business unit was wiped out when it didn't meet its goal due to relying on that one product to hit an unrealistic target.
After the layoffs many ex-employees walked around shell-shocked and trying to figure out who was responsible. They came to the understanding that most of us do after leaving the company. The issue with THQ has never been one of lack of staff creativity, intellect or business intelligence. It all rests of the failure of its management team and you the Board of Directors.
This Board has allowed the Brian Farrell, the CEO, the ongoing ability to take a cash-rich profitable company and drive it from a $30 share price down to around $.70 without acting despite numerous mistakes that even for those lacking business training, could see were errors. Even without glaring mistakes how can the same CEO stay in charge after a 99% share price loss? Aside from the board, who is responsible for the current situation and who is accountable for the current and future job losses at the company? When you ask the recently departed who are a good source of information, you get the same answers. This uDraw failure is the largest and most recent one in a string of them that were hushed over and hidden. The answer aside from the Board is the current executive team that allowed this uDraw implosion to happen.
Brian Farrell, CEO with a 2011 salary of $1,289,558, for a lack of business intelligence or fiscal accountability. A vocal inside group pointed out the mistake of trying to launch a year-old product that received almost no software support in the last 12 months. Instead of listening and having a back-up plan, he went ahead and invested a ridiculous amount of money in the manufacturing and advertising of the product and failed miserably. It is passed time for him to go. We are wondering what is taking so long for you to act. We have been wondering this same question for a long time.
Martin Good, EVP and head of Kids, Family, Casual with a 2011 salary of $1,198,023, for bringing no strategic thought or business sense to the role. He was brought out from Australia sales to replace an outgoing head of the business unit and rapidly displayed a complete lack of leadership skills, vision, and any sort of analytical sense. Looking at his compensation package, he is an excellent negotiator as his salary is higher than anyone's except for the CEO. On the plus side he lost his job with the rest of those laid off. On the minus side, he will be floating down on a golden parachute while the rest of the former employees scramble to look for jobs in this challenging environment. Most of those jobs will be at studios in other parts of the country, so they will be forced to relocate their families in the middle of their childrens school years. It is incredible that he made this level of income while doing such a poor job, but it serves as a reflection of the lack of Brian Farrell's ability to staff well and manage.
Paul Pucino, CFO with a 2011 salary of $674,855, for not planning for this possibility and having a safety net or a plan to cover THQ just in case of failure. We have a line of credit that we likely used to buy the plastic that is not selling to customers. It is like taking a cash advance to buy THQ stock and just as worthless of an investment. Paul is known as an absentee executive who is missing when business situations gets complicated. While he was in the loop at the point of the risk, with the following failure he has been clearly unavailable. It is another example of Brian Farrell's inability to staff.
Ian Curran, EVP and head of global publishing with a 2011 salary of $1,037,047, for not flagging an unrealistic sales goal to the CEO or the Board when a big part of the corporation felt the numbers were unrealistic. He blindly held up an unachievable target and didn't act when multiple people told him he was aiming to high and out of step with the marketplace. If a sales executive's job is to anticipate the market, he has done a poor job of it. Another example of Brian Farrell not being able to find the right people for the right job.
Ed Kauffman, EVP of Legal and Business Affairs who clearly was signing bad deals on licensed products, not factoring in the changes in the business and being more critical with financial terms with partners. uDraw by itself cannot possibly explain the companies poor financial health. It is a combination of that product and a string of bad licensed deals that the company took on against better judgement. While Brain Farrell would logically be the final decisionmaker for deals, Kauffman is either unpersuasive in his arguments to not do them or supported them. Either situation equates to another example of poor staffing choices by the CEO.
uDraw was failure and the only people to blame are the people listed above. THQ and its current financial situation is also their responsibility. And they were paid around $4.5 million dollars for their poor decisions. If there is any doubt we would recommend talking to current and former staff to get the straight story. Don't read this note as bitterness on their part, but more as long overdue truth.
So, Board, it is time. Passed time for you to act and passed time for you to do something about the mismanagement that has gone on for too many years. We've watched the stock from the outside and read the comments and the reason why the company is valued so low despite its sales is because of this underqualified management team.
Board it is time for you to act before your names are added to the list above of things that must change.
Sincerely,
The Formerly Mismanaged"

mfthqle1THQ hasn’t been doing great over the last few months, and this nasty letter from a former employee doesn’t make things look any better.

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Posted Jan 6, 2012 at 2:10PM EST by Listed in: Xbox 360 Tags: microsoft hack, xbox live
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One sharp-witted Xbox Live user tracked down her hacked account, and in the process revealed that the problem may be bigger than Microsoft is letting on.
The Xbox Live hacking scandal has been rolling through games media for the last few weeks, with Microsoft continually confirming that everything is under control, and users continually confirming the opposite. Today we have the latest bit of news from the debacle, one that indicates the problem being way outside of Microsoft’s ability to manage.
Here’s the breakdown: A gamer had her Live account compromised. The account was then used to purchase thousands of MP against her wishes, so she contacted Microsoft and let them know what was happening. Microsoft said the account would be suspended, but when she turned on her system it auto-logged into the account. Microsoft’s response? They said they were “unable” to lock the account. What?!
After a little bit of sleuthing through her friends list and messages, she discovered that her account had been sold to another user via an illicit website. This site currently has around 1,900 hacked Xbox Live accounts up for sale, with prices that start around $20. There’s still no information on how exactly accounts are being hacked, but the discovery does help show what happens after the hack has been completed:
Thief uses stolen account to buy Xbox Live Family Pack
Thief attaches new account to Xbox Live Family Pack
Thief transfers points from stolen account to new accounts
Thief sells new accounts at auction
Microsoft is continuing to deny that the issue lies in Xbox Live, and EA has naturally said the same thing about their security measures. However, it’s hard to believe that this many players would just suddenly fall victim to phishing attacks.
What do you think is going on with Xbox Live? Microsoft cover-up or user error?
[Edge]

mfhackedlive1One sharp-witted Xbox Live user tracked down her hacked account, and in the process revealed that the problem may be bigger than Microsoft is letting on.

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Posted Dec 21, 2011 at 10:30AM EST by Harrison E Listed in: PS3 Tags: linux os, other os, other os court case, ps3 court case, ps3 modding
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PS3 "Other OS" case thrown out of court.
Judge musn't be a Linux user.
Sony has gotten rid of a lot of features with the PS3. One of the first thing's to go was the backwards compatible feature which would allow users to play PS2 games, which struck a blow for almost all gamers who wanted to continue playing PS2 games. It was a strange move as every other next gen console had BC except Sony. However, this was sorely followed up with the removal of having another operating system on the PS3.
After the removal a class action lawsuit was started and
A judge dismissed all counts except one of the class-action suit protesting the Other OS removal.
Many people bought the PlayStation 3 believing they had the ability to use it however they wished. The option to install a different operating system on the computer - known as the "Other OS" option - enabled users to put Linux or some other open source OS on their PS 3 and basically have a cheap but powerful CPU and GPU combo. Even the U.S. military realized that stringing together PS3s could make you a cheap-ass super-computer. But in March 2010, Sony permanently removed the "Other OS" feature from all PS3s with a firmware update needed to access the PlayStation Network. California resident Anthony Ventura filed a class-action lawsuit stating that the removal was an "intentional disablement of the valuable functionalities originally advertised as available." Today, U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg dismissed all but one of Ventura's claims.
Judge Seeborg upheld Sony's right to enforce the End User License Agreement or EULA all customers agreed to upon purchasing the PlayStation 3. "These contracts specifically provide PS3 purchasers with a license, not an ownership interest, in the software and in the use of the PSN, and provide that SCEA has the right to disable or alter software features or terminate or limit access to the PSN, including by issuing firmware updates," Sony said in its motion to dismiss the suit.
But the sticking point seems to be the access to the PlayStation Network, and other features. Judge Seebold made it clear that customers who bought the PS3 with the Other OS option enabled could still use the console as is, they just wouldn't be able to access Sony's network as well as play new games or Blu-Rays.
"All of the counts are based on plaintiffs' fundamental contention that it was wrongful for Sony to disable the Other OS feature, or, more precisely, [to force PS3 owners to decide between] permitting the Other OS feature to be disabled or forgoing their access to the PSN and any other benefits available through installing," wrote Seebold in the dismissal. "The flaw in plaintiffs' [argument] is that they are claiming rights not only with respect to the features of the PS3 product, but also to have ongoing access to an internet service offered by Sony, the PSN."
The plaintiffs maintain that firmware update 3.21 doesn't just forbid access to the PSN, but that the main functions of the console are no longer viable. To wit, if you didn't update, you could no longer play new games, play games online, play new Blu-Rays, or even play some older Blu-Rays. So choosing not to update and keep the "Other OS" option alive means that no new purchases are possible and the usefulness of the product is seriously restricted.
At least the judge wasn't completely heartless. "The dismay and frustration at least some PS3 owners likely experienced when Sony made the decision to limit access to the PSN service to those who were willing to disable the Other OS feature on their machines was no doubt genuine and understandable," he said, but unfortunately those emotions have no impact on the legal scope of things.
"As a matter of providing customer satisfaction and building loyalty, it may have been questionable. As a legal matter, however, plaintiffs have failed to allege facts or to articulate a theory on which Sony may be held liable."
Sorry, people. It looks like console manufacturers can change their products' capabilities after you purchase them with no penalty whatsoever.
ps3slim

Judge must not be a Linux user.

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Posted Dec 17, 2011 at 9:00AM EST by Harrison E Listed in: PS Vita, PS3 Tags: ps vita japan, ps vita launch, ps vita pre-orders, ps vita release, ps3 sales, vita sales
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ps3slimNext year could be the biggest year for Sony with more than 200,000 Vita's pre-ordered and the PS3 hitting 15 million consoles.

 

 

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Posted Dec 15, 2011 at 9:45AM EST by Harrison E Listed in: Xbox 360, PS3 Tags: attack, hacked, hacking, Sony, Square Enix, squenix
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square_enix_logo_100_thumbYou summoned "temporary suspension" and Square Enix is not happy.

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Posted Dec 12, 2011 at 1:56PM EST by Listed in: PoV Tags: Emulators, homebrew games, jailbreaking, xbox firmware
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The EFF thinks you have the right to modify your gaming console, but are they fighting for the wrong legal precedent?
There are obvious advantages to jailbreaking your gaming console or mobile device. For starters, you get rid of the often-clunky manufacturer’s OS. You also earn yourself access to dozens of applications you couldn’t get any other way, like homebrew games and old-school emulators. Oh, and sometimes you acquire games through less-than-legal means.
Like it or not, concerns over piracy seem to be irrevocably intertwined with the jailbreaking argument. While the EFF, the organization behind the latest push to earn legal protection for console jailbreaks, would argue that jailbreaking a console doesn’t violate copyright law in and of itself, it would be foolhardy to assume that a significant number of systems aren’t jailbroken just for the ability to play pirated games.
But here’s the real question – if you purchase a console from Microsoft, are you legally obliged to use the system in the manner they dictate? There is absolutely no argument that favors jailbreaking when it comes to online play -Xbox Live is a service, and you agree to follow the rules of the service when you sign up. The same goes for PSN. However, jailbreaking your console and playing offline surely doesn’t violate any ongoing customer agreement, and if you’re not stealing games it shouldn’t really matter to Microsoft what you do with your console.
If I want, I can purchase an Xbox 360 and use it as a coaster. I could smash it with a hammer, or strip it and use the case to hold my super-secret diaries (of which there are many). I can do whatever I want with it, except apparently change the way it operates. If I touch the Xbox firmware, I could be in for a mess of trouble.
Right now, there’s no legal status on jailbreaks. The EFF won a victory by securing the legal right to jailbreak mobile devices, but the issue is still very much in the air when it comes to consoles.
Personally, I’m landing on the side of legality – if your console mod doesn’t violate copyright law or an ongoing terms of service, I think it should be considered an acceptable way to use the device. It’s like a pipe – owning one isn’t illegal, but packing it with weed is (depending on where you live).
Console jailbreaks are all about what you pack them with.
What do you folks think? Should jailbreaking be illegal?

mfjail1The EFF thinks you have the right to modify your gaming console, but are they fighting a losing battle?

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Posted Nov 25, 2011 at 8:00AM EST by Tim Curtin Listed in: Xbox 360 Tags: microsoft vs the sun, xbox live phishing, xbox live points stolen
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xboxfraudFollowing reports of Xbox Live hacks earlier this week, and Microsoft dismissing the claims, the Sun Newspaper accuses Microsoft of a cover up.

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Posted Nov 22, 2011 at 11:00AM EST by Tim Curtin Listed in: PS Vita Tags: at&t 3g, playstation vita 3g, ps vita, ps vita 3g, Sony, vita at&t, vita vodafone, vodafone 3g
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vodafone3g3G data capabilities are a big part of the new handheld from Sony, and 3G partner providers have now been confirmed for North America, Europe, the UK and Australia,

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Posted Nov 20, 2011 at 1:00PM EST by Harrison E Listed in: PS3 Tags: battlefield, battlefield 3, bf1943 law suit, bf3 law suit, ea games, ps3 dlc, ps3 news
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bf3-beta-ps3-vs-360-comparisonDid you buy Battlefield 3? Did you know you were meant to get Battlefield 1943?

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Posted Nov 16, 2011 at 4:51PM EST by Listed in: PS3 Tags: ps3 firmware, psn downtime, psn sharing
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Today is your last day to buy games at the old five-system share rate. New Game limits are in place when the service comes back online.
We discussed Sony’s recent decision to change the game sharing limit from five games to two a few weeks back, and (judging from the comments) people didn’t seem too happy about the new policy. Regardless of booming customer complaints, Sony is moving forward with the plan and will take PSN down from 8am to 10pm (PST) tomorrow to implement the update.
This means if you want to buy games that still fall under the old five-game limit, you need to buy them before the service goes down tomorrow morning.
Sony is calling the 14-hour downtime “routine maintenance,” but it certainly seems like a long time for their online service to be off-limits. I don’t own a PS3 so I’m unfamiliar with their maintenance routine – please let me know in the comments if this is something they do frequently.
During the downtime, you won’t be able to access the PlayStation Store, Account Management or create new accounts, and you won’t be able to access your account via the web. Here’s one strange thing though, Sony indicates in their official blog that “some users” may still be able to play online. Some?
There’s also a PS3 firmware update included in the maintenance, but details are scant. We’ll keep you posted as we get more information.
How do you feel about the new game sharing limits?
Via GameSpot

mfpsndown1Today is your last day to buy games at the old five-system share rate as new game limits go in effect when the service comes back online.

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Posted Nov 13, 2011 at 3:00PM EST by Tim Curtin Listed in: PSP Tags: psp umds, sony psp, UMD, umd conversion, umd conversion program
Ó

Conversion rates will differ between psp_back_thumbSony PSP titles

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Posted Nov 12, 2011 at 1:56AM EST by Harrison E Listed in: PS3 Tags: dlc, Gran Turismo, gran turismo 6, gt5, polyphony, Sony
Ó

gt5-2Everyone's favourite racing simulator could be bigger, more beautiful and better, but when?

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Posted Oct 20, 2011 at 7:00AM EST by Harrison E Listed in: PC Gaming Tags: Electronic Arts, Microsoft, origin, origin service, Peter Moore, Steam, valve, zynga
Ó

ea-originSo it looks like the "who has the bigger content delivery system" claims begin...

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Posted Oct 6, 2011 at 3:14PM EST by Listed in: Nintendo 3DS Tags: 3ds colors, ice white, misty pink, nintendo 3ds
Ó

 

Nintendo continues its trend of multicolored handheld devices by announcing two new colors for the 3DS. Can this update bring new customers to the platform?
The Nintendo 3DS has experienced its fair share of issues since launch. Customers don’t seem to be in any hurry to purchase it, and the lack of demand has already caused Nintendo to drop the price substantially in the hopes of finding more players. Even hardcore Nintendo fans like myself have lamented the overall lack of titles and the sore eyes that accompany long-term 3D play.
Nintendo doesn’t seem to be dissuaded by these minor setbacks and instead has announced two new color additions to the 3DS line-up. Japanese consumers will be able to choose between “Misty Pink,” available on October 20th, and “Ice White,” available on November 3rd. This brings the total number of 3DS color variants to five: Ice White, Misty Pink, Aqua Blue, Cosmos Black and Red Flame.
As of right now, there is no confirmed release date for the color variants here in the States, but it’s safe to assume we’ll be seeing them soon enough.
While new color configurations are certainly one way to pull in new buyers, they don’t really solve any of the primary problems gamers currently experience with the 3DS. The drop in price is certainly agreeable to consumer wallets, but without a killer game, it’s unlikely that new color variants will bring too many more gamers into the 3DS fold.
The 3DS release schedule for the holiday season looks strong through, with “Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Towns,” “Super Mario 3D Land” and “Mario Kart 7” all set to hit shelves in the next couple of months.
Are you tempted to buy a 3DS when new colors arrive, or are you waiting until better games come along?
Via Gamespot

mf3ds1Nintendo continues its trend of multicolored handheld devices by announcing two new colors for the 3DS. Can this update bring new customers to the platform?

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Posted Oct 3, 2011 at 11:15PM EST by Harrison E Listed in: PS3 Tags: anonymous, hacking, Playstation, psn attack, Sony, Sony Online Entertainment
Ó

hackingSony has been cleared of any Security charges and hacking cases, but why?

 

 

 

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Posted Sep 18, 2011 at 4:13PM EST by Karl B. Listed in: MMORPG Tags: Canada, news, rogers communications
Ó

rogers-logoOnline gamers in the country can start heaving a sigh of relief.

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Posted Sep 13, 2011 at 2:44AM EST by Harrison E Listed in: PC Gaming Tags: 4chan, enderman, leaks, minecraft, notch, updates
Ó

notchyMinecraft Beta leaks...kinda...I mean it's out there, yo.

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Posted Aug 28, 2011 at 2:27PM EST by Karl B. Listed in: PC Gaming Tags: deus ex: human revolution, GameStop, onlive, Square Enix
Ó

deus-ex-thumbRetail giant apologizes to affected customers.

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Posted Aug 27, 2011 at 2:05AM EST by Harrison E Listed in: PC Gaming, Xbox 360 Tags: cs:go, Steam, steamworks, valve
Ó

steamworks_logoWith success with the PS3, can they work with Microsoft?

 

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Posted Aug 24, 2011 at 1:03PM EST by Karl B. Listed in: PC Gaming Tags: deus ex: human revolution, GameStop, onlive, Square Enix
Ó

deus-ex-thumbGameStop takes steps to deal with competitor OnLive.

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Posted Aug 5, 2011 at 12:00AM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: PoV Tags: Activision, call of duty: black ops, Downloadable Content, Treyarch
Ó

cod-black-ops-thumb

Will you be picking another US$ 15 worth of "remastered" Zombies maps?

 

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Posted Jul 28, 2011 at 6:14AM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: PoV Tags: driver: san francisco, DRM, Ubisoft
Ó

driver-sf-thumbUbisoft's controversial always-on, PC DRM scheme is making a return with the release of Driver: San Francisco.

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Posted Jul 28, 2011 at 4:29AM EST by Mabie A. Listed in: PC Gaming Tags: dragon age ii, Electronic Arts, Steam
Ó

Steam isn't losing steam any time soon, but it's most definitely losing all EA games, most likely, in the near future. The latest game to be pulled out from their games library is Dragon Age II.
The game was pulled out by the publisher just after Legacy, its first downloadable expansion was released. Once again, Electronic Arts remains mum as to all this pullout activity ensuing over with Steam, but they remain firm in their claim that they are still hoping to reach an amenable agreement with Valve.
Reiterated SVP of Global E-Commerce, David DeMartini, "At EA, we offer our games and content to all major download services including GameStop, Amazon, Direct2Drive and Steam. Unfortunately, Steam has adopted a set of restrictive terms of service which limit how developers interact with customers to sell downloadable content. No other download service has adopted this practice. Consequently some of our games have been removed by Steam. We hope to work out an agreement to keep our games on Steam."
But although Dragon Age II has been removed, Dragon Age: Origins remains to be included in Steam's library. Last month, it was Crysis 2 that made headlines upon being removed from Steam. Despite what they're saying, I can see it coming, EA will eventually pull out from Steam altogether. It's just a matter of time, really.
Via [IGN]
dragon-age-2-thumb

Steam isn't losing steam any time soon, but it's most definitely losing all EA games, most likely, in the near future. 

 

 

 

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Posted Jun 29, 2011 at 11:07PM EST by Mabie A. Listed in: PS3, Xbox 360, PC Gaming Tags: battlefield 3, Electronic Arts, GameStop
Ó

This early on in the heated competition, looks like one title is clearly edging out over the other in terms of pre-order sales.
Battlefield 3 is outselling Modern Warfare 3, which is "definitely a first".  This was confirmed by GameStop insiders to Hiphop Gamer. Apart from that, news also has it that the retailer apparently has a standing order to push Battlefield 3 towards customers more than Modern Warfare 3. Looks like EA really is working hard to get those promotions and marketing rolling hard on the tracks.
Now, we have to give credit where it's due, and in this case, EA does deserve an applause for their efforts at putting their title on the top of the charts. They have so far been very vocal about acknowledging that Modern Warfare 3 is their tight competition in this race. But they did not merely stop with the acknowledgment, they actually pursued and followed through with their commitment to step it up, this despite the calls for a boycott against their title.
Both games are not out yet, but we shall soon see who will come out as the winner in the end. For now, though, given this information from GameStop, Battlefield 3 apparently has got that edge over Modern Warfare 3. Now what are you going to do about it, Activision?
Via [Hiphop Gamer]
battlefield3-thumb

This early on in the heated competition, looks like one title is clearly edging out over the other in terms of pre-order sales. 

 

 

 

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Posted Jun 20, 2011 at 11:47AM EST by Karl B. Listed in: PS Vita, Wii U, Xbox 360 Tags: kinect, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sega, Sony
Ó

sega-logo-thumbSega promises more games coming to Kinect, Vita, and Wii U.

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Posted Jun 19, 2011 at 5:04AM EST by Mabie A. Listed in: Wii, Xbox 360 Tags: Sega, sega pass
Ó

Last Friday, Sega confirmed the unfortunate news that their online service, Sega Pass, had been hacked, and therefore had to be taken down. Today, the publisher confirmed that pertinent details of their customers did get stolen.
In a press release sent out earlier today, Sega revealed the real extent of the damage that the hack brought about. A whopping 1,290,755 accounts were affected, with information such as names, email addresses, birth dates and encrypted passwords. Fortunately, if you could take it that way, no financial data were on Sega Pass.
Said Sega, "We express our sincerest apologies to our customers for the inconvenience and concern caused by this matter. Sega Pass is the service used to provide information about our new products to registered members and does not hold any customer financial information.
After the unauthorized entry was identified, we immediately stopped the Sega Pass service and took emergency action to prevent further damage. This action included immediately contacting all our registered Sega Pass users. We are now fully investigating the cause of the incident."
The publisher also reassured that they will be keeping customers abreast on the developments through their official website for Sega Europe. Because of this intrusion, they have also promised that they will "strengthen network security as a priority issue."
Sega is the most recent prey to the hacking shennanigans, along with BioWare, Eidos' Square Enix, and Bethesda.
Via [VG247]
sega-logo-thumb

After Friday's hack, Sega's now confirmed that pertinent details of their customers did get stolen.

 

 

 

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Posted Jun 16, 2011 at 10:04PM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: PS3, Xbox 360, PC Gaming Tags: BioWare, Electronic Arts, hacks
Ó

bioware_dragonBioware has become the latest victim of an increasing unlawful attacks that particularly targets gaming companies.

 

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Posted Jun 11, 2011 at 4:34AM EST by Mabie A. Listed in: Wii, PS3, Xbox 360, PC Gaming Tags: Codemasters
Ó

This can't be good at all. Codemasters sent out an email to their customers, informing that they have been hacked. To make it worse, personal information has been confirmed to have been stolen.
Said their somber email, "On Friday 3rd une, unauthorized entry was gained to our Codemasters.com website. As soon as the intrusion was detected, we immediately took codemasters.com and associated web services offline in order to prevent any further intrusion."
The information stolen were taken from their EStore databank, including names, addresses, email addresses, telephone numbers, encrypted passwords and order histories.
There's good news in all of this, though. Codemasters reassures that "no personal payment information was stored with Codemasters as we use external payment providers, meaning your payment details were not at risk from this intrusion."
Their email continued, "Whilst we do not have confirmation that any of this data was actually downloaded onto an external device, we have to assume that, as access was gained, all of these details were compromised and /or stolen."
Previously, it was Square Enix who got hacked, following the now infamous PSN breach.
Via [CVG]
codemasters-logo

Codemasters sent out an email to their customers, informing that they have been hacked. 

 

 

 

 

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Posted Jun 9, 2011 at 12:31AM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: Wii Tags: AMD, IBM, Nintendo, wii u
Ó

wiiu-thumb1

Wii U will have AMD Radeon HD, IBM power-based microprocessor on board.

 

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Posted May 30, 2011 at 10:13PM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: Xbox 360, Wii, PC Gaming, PS3 Tags: Activision, beachhead studio, call of duty, Infinity Ward, modern warfare 3, sledgehammer games
Ó

modenwarfare3_thumbThe long-rumored subscription-based Call of Duty service is real!

 

 

 

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Posted May 27, 2011 at 8:39PM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: PSP, PS3 Tags: Japan, news, PlayStation Network, Sony
Ó

ps-logo-white-thumb

After being down and out for more than a month now, Sony has announced has announced that they will begin a 'phased restoration' of its PlayStation Network and Qriocity services in Asia starting tomorrow, May 28.

 

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Posted May 24, 2011 at 12:54PM EST by Karl B. Listed in: iPad, iPhone Tags: apple, lodsys
Ó

app-store-logo-thumbApple's legal team fires a salvo against the Texas-based patent licensing firm's threats on iOS developers.

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Posted May 23, 2011 at 2:49PM EST by Karl B. Listed in: PSP, PS3 Tags: news, PlayStation Network, Sony
Ó

psn-logo-thumbThe cost to rebuild the PSN won't be small change.

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Posted May 20, 2011 at 10:03PM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: Xbox 360 Tags: l.a. noire, Rockstar Games
Ó

la-noire-thumb

Rockstar Games has issued a statement regarding recent reports that L.A. Noire was causing issues to Xbox 360 consoles.

 

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Posted May 20, 2011 at 8:57PM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: PSP, PS3 Tags: hack, news, Sony
Ó

sony-thumb1It looks like Sony can't really catch a break nowadays. Just when everything seems to be back to normal again after last months PSN outage, news of the company being hacked again is being reported on various sites today.

 

 

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Posted May 19, 2011 at 11:16AM EST by Mabie A. Listed in: PS3, Xbox 360, PoV Tags:
Ó

ps3-vs-xbox360While it was Sony who went through all the trouble of getting their security breached and incurring the ire of tens of millions of fans and consumers, why does it seem that it's Microsoft who's benefitting from the lessons that the experience had to offer?

 

 

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Posted May 18, 2011 at 3:15AM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: PoV Tags: PlayStation Network, Sony
Ó

ps-logo-white-thumb

Sony said that only a “very small percentage” of customers cancelled their PSN accounts after the PSN went back online.

 

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Posted May 17, 2011 at 12:59AM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: PSP, PS3 Tags: Europe, PlayStation Network, SCEE, Sony
Ó

psn_thumb

For SCEE users waiting for details of Sony's "customer appreciation" program, read on!

 

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Posted May 15, 2011 at 11:41AM EST by Karl B. Listed in: PSP, PS3 Tags: PlayStation Network, Sony
Ó

ps-logo-black-thumbSony has to do two things first before PSN operations can start again in Japan.

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Posted May 12, 2011 at 9:29PM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: PSP, PS3 Tags: PlayStation Network, ps3 hack, Sony
Ó

ps-logo-white-thumbThree weeks and counting, the PlayStation Network is still offline, frustrating not just its users but also some publishers and developers who are eagerly waiting for Sony's next move.

EMAIL STORY!   |   COMMENTS [24] READ FULL STORY!


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