SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Sony Corp's PlayStation 3 will double its installed base this year, posting the strongest growth of any video game console and narrowing the gap with rivals, research firm iSuppli said on Thursday.

Worldwide sales of the PS3 are expected to be 10 million units this year, compared with 12.2 million units for Nintendo Co Ltd's Wii and 7.5 million units for Microsoft Corp's Xbox 360, iSuppli said.

As widely expected given its strong sales, lower price and games that appeal to a broader audience, the Wii is in line to become the industry leader with a total global installed base of 30.2 million units.

"In this stage of the new-generation video game console market, consumers are showing they'd rather be entertained and pay less for their consoles than shell out more for the latest and greatest technology," iSuppli analyst Pam Tufegdzic said in a report.

The PS3, which has lagged the other consoles due to its high price and dearth of blockbuster games for most of last year, would double its base to 20.3 million and by 2011 would lead the industry with some 38.4 million users.

The Xbox 360, which has struggled in Japan and faces a tough battle in Europe where the Sony brand has dominated, would see its user base grow to 25.7 million units by the end of 2008.

(Reporting by Scott Hillis, editing by Maureen Bavdek)
© Copyright 2007 Reuters.

To be honest, I didn't see this one coming. Certainly not in the opening month of the year and after the holiday rush. But here it is anyway, courtesy of the NPD, whose numbers are some of the most reliable in the industry. So I'll just cut to the chase and give you those January 2008 numbers:

274k - Wii
269k - PlayStation 3
251k - Nintendo DS
230k - PlayStation Portable
230k - Xbox 360

Can you believe it? I wonder if Sony CEO Jack Tretton can, or if there's not at least a little eye-rubbing and arm-pinching going on. Whatever the case, here's his ebullient reaction to the news:

Coming off a great holiday sales season we see strong momentum behind PS3 in 2008, and feel confident about the year ahead. We have an exceptionally diverse lineup of exclusive games, from Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, Metal Gear Solid 4 and Resistance 2 to more mainstream games such as LittleBigPlanet and SingStar. Beyond that, we have Blu-ray emerging as the de facto high def standard, the developer community is hitting their stride, consumers are recognizing the tremendous value and innovative services such as PlayStation Home are all in the works, so this is definitely shaping up to be a breakthrough year for us.

Yeah, I know, it sounds exactly like what he said a year ago when everything was in the toilet. These things have a way of playing like top 40 songs after awhile, so file it skeptically under "wait and see," and then we certainly will as everyone deploys their next rounds of salvos.

More on the rest of the numbers later, but given the fact that only one piece of PS3 software even charted (Call of Duty 4, which was #8) I'm guessing a substantial portion of the PS3's sales uptick was Blu-ray related.

Rumor circulating on the net today suggests that Netflix may be planning to extend its movie streaming services to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The speculation stems from a survey sent to some Netflix members asking if they would be likely to stream movies to their TV with an Xbox 360 / PS3, were the option available to them.

The report has not been immediately corroborated but would remain consistent with a day-old announcement that reveals Netflix is now streaming to Vista Media Center – although the media extender isn’t working to bring Netflix to the 360 “yet.”

Furthermore, the survey details a mechanism by which PS3 owners would receive a DVD from Netflix that would unlock the ability to stream content to the console, while 360 owners could gain access to the streaming service through Xbox Live – though this may conflict directly with Microsoft’s Xbox Video Marketplace. Stay tuned for more details on this story should they develop.

The Spyro series started off with a roar on the PS1 but has kinda dwindled to a half-hearted shout, as the last few installments on the PS2 were merely mediocre. However, this doesn't mean the franchise has lost all its promise and appeal, and Spyro will be making his next-gen debut later on this year.

According to PSU, GameStop has already started taking pre-orders for the impending PS3 title, Legend of Spyro: Darkest Hour, which is loosely scheduled for an October release. Furthemore, the game is priced at $49.99; $10 cheaper than the standard retail price for PS3 games (perhaps because it's technically a Sony-published title...?). Now, one might expect the game to be available on all platforms, but it seems Xbox 360 owners are once again going to miss out, as the listed platforms include the PS3, PS2, Wii and DS...but no 360. Oh well; if Darkest Hour isn't any better than the PS2 entries, you Microsoft console owners won't be missing much.

There is the possibility we'll see the game pop up at next week's Game Developers Conference, but in the meantime, let's just call this the unofficial announcement. And let's hope they can rekindle the quality fires that made the little purple dragon so darn appealing a decade ago.

Just over three years ago, Electronic Arts tackled the sports genre by announcing it had signed a multiyear exclusivity deal with the National Football League and the NFL Players, the players' union. Under the agreement, EA Sports' Madden NFL franchise was the sole official licensee for the US's most popular sport, forcing rival 2K Sports to get creative with its own pro-football series.

Today, EA Sports announced that it has extended its contract with the NFL and NFL Players through the 2012 season. That means the Redwood City, California-based publisher will retain exclusive game rights to all NFL teams, stadiums, and player likenesses and information until the Super Bowl XLVII champion is crowned in 2013.

Though Madden NFL is its most famous franchise, EA Sports also publishes a variety of other NFL games, including NFL Street and NFL Tour. However, part of the renewal agreement is to "look at different ways to bring more consumers in," according to EA Sports president Peter Moore.

One way Moore is hoping to lure more Americans into the Madden fold is through the incorporation of content from the NFL Films production company and the NFL Network cable channel into the "Madden game experience." Other new EA Sports initiatives include a continuation of the "family play" option for Wii games, expanded investment in the wildly popular fantasy football phenomenon, and undefined initiatives to court football fans during the spring and summer months.

"Both EA Sports and the NFL agree that we need to look at different ways to bring more consumers in," Moore told GameSpot. "Traditionally, when the Super Bowl's over, our football business is over, and there's research that shows there are millions of people out there that can't get enough football 12 months a year."

EA Sports' newest attempt to court those football fans, NFL Tour, wasn't treated kindly by critics but is "doing OK" at retail, according to Moore. However, the former Xbox 360 marketing chief isn't satisfied with just pumping out more NFL Tour or NFL Street. "I think we need to be more innovative," he said. "For years, we've done Street versions of games, and I think it's time we looked at online models and perhaps doing something that's truly contra-seasonal."

According to Moore, one promising possibility for expanding EA Sports' NFL portfolio is to resurrect the NFL Head Coach series, which debuted in 2006 but has laid fallow ever since. "Things like Head Coach...well, for me, I love the X's and O's," he said. "It's something that I would love to do if I wasn't in this business. When we look at the success of the Football Manager titles in Europe, there's no reason we can't do the same thing here. We've kind of tiptoed into it so far, but I think you'll see continued investment in things like Head Coach."

But although he was quite loquacious about the renewal of the NFL deal, Moore was downright reticent about EA Sports' plans for its other exclusive US football agreements with the NCAA and the Arena Football League. "We'll get to those when we get to those," he said.

After more than a year of delays and nearly three years in development, Spore finally has a release date. Will Wright's anticipated sim game will arrive on the DS, PC, and Macintosh during the weekend of September 7, according to publisher EA. The game has not yet been officially rated or priced, but online retailers are listing it for $49.99.
Spore in Sept.!

The Wii version of Spore, which was reconfirmed at an EA analysts' event today, has not yet been dated. However, it may not be the only version of the ambitious evolution-civilization-space-exploration sim to hit next-generation consoles. Speaking to analysts, EA Games president Frank Gibeau said that Spore is "already in development" for the newest generation of consoles, "Wii included." He did not specify further platforms, and an EA reps speaking to GameSpot would say the company is "considering all options in the console space."

Designed by Sims creator Will Wright, Spore is among the most ambitious simulation games ever planned. Beginning at the start of evolution, it follows life from single-celled organisms through the dawn of civilization. From there, it follows the player's fully customizable species as it climbs up the technological ladder all the way to space exploration, which allows it to colonize other planets.

In addition to dropping hints about new platforms, Gibeau also hinted that Spore might not be entirely free of charge. He told analysts that the online mode of the game could be an "opportunity" for an "expanded digital revenue stream." He did not elaborate if said stream entailed microtransactions, in-game advertising, subscription fees, or any combination of the three.

What we heard: After a decade-long development roller coaster, Duke Nukem reentered the public eye last December, when developer 3D Realms released a teaser trailer for the game. Though brief, the clip showed the game's iconic cigar-chomping hero and several monstrous foes rendered using a modern engine, hinting that the game, first announced in 1997, might be at last on track for completion.

Then today, the Web site for the Dallas Business Journal, a local paper dedicated to Texan metropolitan commerce, ran a story with the headline flatly saying, "Duke Nukem Forever confirmed for 2008, coming to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3." The article quoted 3D Realms president Scott Miller as saying the game would not only be released by the end of the year, but would be arriving on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in addition to the PC.

"We may miss the mark by a month or two, but I feel very confident that we're on target this time," Miller was quoted as saying. As for 3D Realms' console plans, the Dallas Business Journal quoted an e-mail from Miller saying, "Hitting the big three makes the most sense (PC, PS3, 360)." (Emphasis added.)

However, following a report on Shacknews saying DNF's release date had not been confirmed by 3D Realms, the Dallas Business Journal quickly adjusted its initial article--and gave it a much less authoritative tone.

"An earlier version of this story said 3D Realms had 'confirmed' the game's release in late 2008," read a new footnote to the Journal piece, which now bears the headline, "Duke Nukem Forever release possible in 2008, coming to home consoles." The new piece quotes Miller as saying, "We can't make an official announcement," and that the late 2008 release date remains "an internal push."

The official story: [UPDATE] Tuesday afternoon, 3D Realms George Broussard directed GameSpot editors to an official response he posted on the official 3D Realms forums.

"In what appears to be an unfortunate turn of events, there seems to have been some confusion between what was 'off the record' and what was not," said Broussard. "While we have internal targets, dates and goals, like every developer, we are not ready to share them. What's amazing about this is that the DBJ must have assumed that we'd actually announce a date to them, and not gaming press, and that even in the light of Scott's quote of 'We can't make an official announcement.'"

So what is DNF's official release date? Turns out, it's the same as it always has been. "The release date is still 'When it's done, 'and will be until the appropriate moment," continued Broussard. "Platforms have not been finalized or announced. You can rest assured that we are moving toward a goal and that the recently released teaser trailer is the start of that process and seeing more of the game, sooner than later."

Bogus or not bogus?: Bogus that it has been confirmed for this year. Not bogus that 3D Realms is interested in bringing the game to consoles after it arrives on the PC--whenever that will be.

Console versions of the technology behind visual stunner Crysis will debut at this year's Game Developers Conference.
Back in April of 2006, rumors surfaced that Crytek was bringing its much-anticipated PC shooter Crysis to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. More recently, there was speculation that an extended "Crysis 1.5" would be coming exclusively to the PS3.

Although the aforementioned rumors remain unconfirmed, today the German developer announced that console versions of CryEngine 2, the technology behind Crysis' processor-punishing visuals, are in development. The console editions of the middleware will be unveiled at private appointments behind closed doors at the upcoming Game Developers Conference, which runs from February 18-22 in San Francisco.

"This year's engine will be shown for the first time running on multiple hardware platforms such as the PS3 and Xbox 360 to a select audience," the company said in a statement.

While general attendees may not be able to get a peek at the console editions of the engine, Crytek will be showing off the fully optimized engine's performance on a budget PC that could be put together for about $600. In addition, Crytek's Cevat Yerli, Sten Hübler, and Bernd Diemer will host a conference session titled "Crysis in the Making," which will provide insight into how the PC shooter came together.

John Mulkey, lead designer of Project Origin, shares details on what fans can expect from the upcoming sci-fi first-person shooter.

"The most obvious difference that will hit the player right away is in the visual density of the world," said Mulkey. "F.E.A.R. looked really great, but where F.E.A.R. would have a dozen props in a room to convey the space, Project Origin will have five times that much detail.

"Of course, this will only serve to further ratchet up that 'chaos of combat' to all new levels with more breakables, more debris, more stuff to fly through the air in destructive slow motion beauty."

Project Origin is the follow-up to 2005's F.E.A.R., which relies heavily on horror suspense and hi-tech weaponry. With regards to gameplay differences when compared to its predecessor, Mulkey says improved enemy behavior is at the top of the list.

"We are teaching the enemies more about the environment and new ways to leverage it, adding new enemy types with new combat tactics, ramping up the tactical impact of our weapons, introducing more open environments, and giving the player the ability to create cover in the environment the way the enemies do," he says.

"The melee from FEAR is getting reworked a little bit but will retain that slow motion action hero edge that it had in the first game."

Project Origin is scheduled for release on PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 later this year.

Sony on Tuesday said the precursor to Gran Turismo 5 will be available on Blu-ray and as a download from the PlayStation Store.
The highly anticipated game comes with 60 vehicles, 16-person online multiplayer, and rumble support via the soon to be released Dual Shock 3 controller. It will cost $39.99 on Blu-ray disc or as a download.

"Ten years following the introduction of Gran Turismo on PSOne, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue delivers the most realistic and technologically advanced racing experience on any platform," said Jeff Reese, SCEA's director of software marketing. "With 1080p graphics, revolutionary online features like Gran Turismo TV, and the new in-cockpit racing view, the world's best-selling racing franchise will once again set the standard for racing games."