Hasta La Gadget!

Microsoft and Sony’s enthusiasm about the Xbox 720 and PlayStation 4 may not be matched with equally vigorous sales, Activision president Bobby Kotick has warned, admitting that the game publisher is preparing itself for a potential slump come launch. “We continue to face the uncertainties of the console transition” Kotick said during Activision’s financial results call with investors earlier this week, highlighting Nintendo’s struggles with the Wii U as evidence that all is not well with next-gen hardware. The Wii U “has had a very slow start” Kotick pointed out.

The so-called transition Kotick describes is one of an evolving gaming industry, where players aren’t perhaps so wedded to their dedicated, heavy-duty consoles as they were at the launch of the Xbox 360 and PS3. Factor in the remaining questions that surround even Sony’s officially announced PlayStation 4, and Kotick is readying for an uphill struggle.

“There are still many unknown factors,” he explained on the call, “such as pricing, launch dates and quantities, the level of first-party support and, importantly, consumer purchase intent in a world where consoles are no longer just competing with each other, but also with new platforms, such as smartphones and tablets.”

Those mobile platforms have risen in gaming prevalence over the intervening years, with more casual titles at the $0.99 price point in Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play market gaining traction on iPhone and Android. Apple’s iPod touch has also become a compelling gaming system, with improvements in the company’s homegrown processors leading to more impressive, near-console-quality titles.

In short, it’s a very different market from what Microsoft and Sony are used to, and one in which Kotick seemingly suspects they may find the reception to the Wii U to be the rule, not the exception. “All of these factors further heighten our concerns heading into the back half of the year,” he concluded, “particularly during the very competitive fourth quarter.”

Activision has already warned that World of Warcraft online multiplayer subscribers are dropping, though the game publisher says it is confident its other projects will maintain sufficient momentum to keep profits up.

[via ExpertReviews]

Xbox 720 and PS4 could face Wii U-style apathy Activision CEO warns is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

We’ve been hearing rumors that Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox might require an always-on connection to be used, but recent rumors have suggested otherwise, but until the console is revealed on the 21^st of May, it’s pretty much up in the air at the moment. However it seems that in order to capitalize on how some gamers are riled up over the always-on rumor, Sony worldwide studios president Shuhei Yoshida told GameInformer in an interview that Sony never even considered making the PlayStation 4 an always-online console.

When asked if they considered it, Yoshida was quoted as saying, “Did we consider it? No, we didn’t consider it,” with the reason being that since not all countries have a stable internet connection, or a fast one for that matter, it did not make sense to have an always-on connection even for games that could be played offline, such as single-player games for example. Will this subtle jab at the Xbox rumors convince would-be Xbox customers to jump ship? We guess we will have to wait and see if the rumors pan out or fizzle, so check back with us on the 21^st of May for the details.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: FIFA Extends Licensing Deal With EA Until 2022, Borderlands 2 Receiving New Playable Character ‘Krieg The Psycho’ On May 14,

Ever since the box art for what seemed to be the next Call of Duty game, Call of Duty: Ghosts, appeared on the Internet last week, we’ve been hearing little bits of info with an expected unveiling of the game happening today. It looks like that’s exactly what is happening as Activision is announcing Call of Duty: Ghosts today.

Call of Duty: Ghosts is being developed by long-time Call of Duty franchise developer, Infinity Ward, and is expected to be the first Call of Duty title that is being made available on next-generation consoles as well as the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC on November 5. According to the press release issued today, Call of Duty: Ghosts “ushers in the next generation of the franchise” by delivering “a riveting all-new gameplay experience built on an entirely new story, setting and cast of characters, all powered by a new, next generation Call of Duty engine.” (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Capcom Creates Mega Man Nintendo 3DS, 3DS XL Case, Microsoft Sends Out Invites For Pre-E3 Xbox Press Event On June 10,

Sony knows that they are going to do all that they possibly can to make sure that their next generation console, the PlayStation 4, will be the top dog among next generation consoles. So far, the Wii U has taken a totally different path yet again, so the closest competitor to the PlayStation 4 would most probably be the upcoming Xbox (which looks set to be announced later this May 21st by the way) in terms of hardware. If you have a PS3 at the moment, do not see the PlayStation 4 as an upgrade, but rather, as a new addition to the console family in your living room. After all, with the PlayStation 4 priced to move, we do hope to see a more competitive console scene eventually.

What is more interesting is the fact that the PlayStation 4’s lead system architect Mark Cerny revealed recently that this console will feature the strongest launch lineup to date where PlayStation history is concerned. Cerny said, “The launch lineup for PlayStation 4 — though I unfortunately can’t give the title count — is going to be stronger than any prior PlayStation hardware. And that’s a result of that familiarity.” Pretty bold to say that so early in the game, don’t you think so? Still, if Sony can fulfill it, it would definitely be worth checking out.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: PlayStation 4 DualShock 4 Controller Gets Highlighted In New Video, Skyrim Legendary Edition Coming June 4 To PC, Xbox 360, PS3,

The PlayStation 4 hasn’t even been shown off to the public yet, but already the box is on the minds of millions of people across the globe. In fact, in a recent earnings call with investors, GameStop president Tony Bartel said that his company has 900,000 people signed up for its first-to-know list on the PlayStation 4. And he expects demand to far outstrip supply of the console when it launches.

Such demand already might surprise some folks. After all, it took a long time for the PlayStation 3 to truly get off the ground and although it’ll likely end this generation with more worldwide sales than the Xbox 360, in the U.S., especially, it’s no match for Microsoft’s console.

To make matters worse, it appears that gamers aren’t all that excited about the next generation of consoles across the board. The Wii U, after all, has been watching its sales slow to crawl and even GameStop said publicly that it’s been disappointed by the Wii U. What in the world would make the PlayStation 4 different?

Well, I think there are a host of reasons. I’m a firm believer that Sony is still a household name in the U.S. and in Japan – its two key markets – and people buy products from the company solely because they trust the name. And despite the PlayStation 3’s initial troubles, the console turned out to be quite a success, allowing its predecessor to deliver solid results next time around.

“It’s unfair to compare the PS4 with the Wii U”

It’s also unfair to compare the PlayStation 4 with the Wii U. Nintendo’s console is one that’s a barely updated alternative to the predecessor. As I’ve said here before, I believe the Wii U is a catch-up device. And historically, catch-up devices don’t really perform all that well on store shelves.

The PlayStation 4, however, is a high-end product with all kinds of graphical firepower; it’s the kind of device that true gamers really want. And chances are, Sony will once again have the full support of the developer community to ensure it doesn’t fall short from a library perspective.

Most importantly, though, I think the strong demand for the PlayStation 4 tells us that, despite conventional wisdom suggesting that mobile and casual gaming is the future, console gamers are still extremely engrossed in their favored way of playing games. And that’s not going to change anytime soon.

The fact is that console gaming has a long way to go to ultimately match the promise gamers have been hoping for all this time. And companies like Sony and Microsoft are willing to push the envelope and put themselves in a position where they can capitalize on customers that want a true next-generation device, and not something that’s simply labeled as one.

So yes, I understand the excitement surrounding the PlayStation 4, and I can say without any hesitation that I’m one of those folks that’s excited to see what’s coming next from Sony. The future is now. And Sony is one of the few companies in the gaming industry that’s willing to embrace it.

Why the PlayStation 4 Is Already In High Demand is written by Don Reisinger & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.