Hasta La Gadget!

Consider this the somewhat end of China’s 13-year old (loosely enforced) “ban” on videogames. A new policy issued by the country’s State Council amends the language of a prior bill from 2000 which “strictly limited” the manufacture and import of game consoles. Now, foreign companies that register within Shanghai’s free trade zone, the country’s first such pilot program designed to spur private investment, competition and economic growth, are free to sell gaming consoles and arcade machines throughout China. Restrictions on “unhealthy” content still remain, however, with only games whitelisted by the Ministry of Culture allowed for sale. But despite this official reversal, Chinese gamers have long enjoyed access to popular videogames and consoles, anyway. Systems from Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft, as well as knock-offs, have all been easily accessible on the black market. That’s not to mention Nintendo’s China-only iQue — a “safe” mini-N64 created with the country’s cultural guidelines in mind — which has been on sale through official market channels for some time.

Filed under: Gaming

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Source: Chinese Government (Translated)

If you’ve wanted to immerse your body in a first-person shooter, you’ve typically had to use a complex simulator. Battlefield 4 may soon provide a decidedly simpler (and cheaper) alternative. DICE’s Patrick Bach has revealed to Xbox Wire that the game may use the Xbox One’s Kinect sensor for head-tracking look controls, such as leaning around a corner. Voice commands might also be available, Bach says. There’s no guarantees that BF4 will get the new input methods, but DICE may have competition as an incentive. Infinity Ward recently hinted to Official Xbox Magazine that Call of Duty: Ghosts could use Kinect for more than navigating menus, so there’s a chance that at least one of the two games will have motion control in the future.

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals, Software, Microsoft

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Via: Eurogamer

Source: Xbox Wire

Ubisoft’s Uplay has a mixed reputation; while it brings rewards and social elements to games, it’s also known for its internet-based copy protection and occasional security risks. However much you like the service, it’s sticking around — Ubisoft has confirmed that Uplay is coming to both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The “full scope” of the service’s features will be available in the company’s games for both platforms, including launch titles like Assassin’s Creed 4 and Watch Dogs. Whether or not that includes copy protection isn’t clear, however; there’s no word of any DRM beyond what’s built into the consoles. We’ve reached out to Ubisoft for clarification, and we’ll let you know if it sheds more light on the subject.

Filed under: Gaming

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Via: Eurogamer

Source: Uplay

We hope you weren’t counting on using the Xbox One’s USB ports for external storage from day one; as it turns out, you’ll likely have to be patient. Speaking at the PAX Prime expo this weekend, Microsoft’s Larry Hryb (aka Major Nelson) mentioned that external drive support wouldn’t be available at launch because the Xbox team was “working on other things.” It’s not certain when the feature will arrive, Hryb says. We’ve reached out to Microsoft to verify the statement. If it’s accurate, though, you’ll want to be cautious when filling the Xbox One’s built-in 500GB drive with Xbox Game Store downloads.

Filed under: Gaming, Storage, Microsoft

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Via: Ars Technica

Source: Major Nelson

Sony knows that high-speed internet access is vital to the PS4’s success, but that level of service isn’t always guaranteed in Europe. To solve this problem, the company is striking deals for PS4-friendly internet access with a slew of European providers. Ono, Orange, T-Mobile and Virgin Media are some of the first confirmed partners. Details of the partnerships are scarce at present, although the companies involved suggest that Sony’s ISP agreements will at least cover bigger European countries like France, Germany, Spain and the UK.

Update: Virgin Media adds that it’s the only UK partner.

Filed under: Gaming, Internet, Sony, T-Mobile

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Source: Virgin Media