Hasta La Gadget!

I’ve been waiting a very long time for somebody to build a single game system which could play all of today’s console games. Well that day is today – courtesy of master modder Ben Heck. For his latest project, Ben has created a single mutant machine that combines a PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U.

Heck’s wood-cased Ultimate Combo System may not be the sleekest and most modern looking thing, but it’s still an impressive build, having combined these three current-gen consoles in a single box. We don’t know too much about the final build other than the picture shown above. However, Ben and element14 have teamed to release a 3-part series chronicling this epic build. Here’s Part 1 for your enjoyment – skip to about 1:25 to get to the meat of the mattter.

Surprisingly, this is the first time that Heck has disassembled a Wii U or the new PS3 super slim, but he digs right in and starts ripping things apart right away, giving us all a glance inside the two most recent consoles. Parts 2 and 3 of the build video will be released on element14 on March 15th and March 23rd, respectively, and will reveal the construction of the case and assembly of all of the components. From what I can tell, the final build will include HDMI switching to a single output, and I’m betting it’ll have a power strip built in so you can plug it in with a single cable – but that’s just conjecture on my part. Personally, I can’t wait to see exactly how the finished thing works.

While I’d assume Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo will never collaborate on such a console, you can still get your hands on this one. Those of you interested in the build can enter to win it over on element14 now.

As far as next-gen consoles are concerned, Nintendo has shown their hand with the Wii U, and Sony theirs with the PlayStation 4, leaving Microsoft who are still holding their cards pretty close to the chest. Assuming the rumors are correct, April could be when Microsoft will take the wraps off the Xbox 720, but once that is over and done with, which next-gen console will be crowned the “winner”? According to gaming analyst, Michael Pachter, he predicts that Microsoft’s Xbox 720 will be the “winner” and beat out both the PlayStation 4 and the Wii U.

He believes the Xbox 720 will sell 90-95 million units, while the PlayStation 4 will sell less around 85-95 million, with the Wii U at the bottom with 30-50 million units sold. At this point in time it is a little too early to tell which console will prevail, especially since it’s not just the hardware that makes it attractive, but exclusive games and features that makes the gamer buy that particular console over the other. As far as the PS4 is concerned, the actual console itself has yet to be revealed, but from what we’ve learn based on Sony’s press event, the PS4 appears to be geared more towards social gaming and social features, so it will be interesting to see what Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox could bring to the table.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Battlefield 4 Unveiled On March 26 (Rumor), PS4, Xbox 720 Game Prices Could Reach $70 [Analyst],

I’m worried about Nintendo. Yes, I know that I’ve told you here on SlashGear that I’m not the biggest fan of the Wii (or Wii U, for that matter) and I’m suspect of the value of Nintendo’s games library, but the company is still important to me.

See, Nintendo was to me, like so, so many others, the company that made us realize how much we loved gaming. We played the first Super Mario and were mesmerized. When The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past was released, I must have completed it ten times in the first couple weeks. Nintendo and its hardware and its game library all hold a special place in my heart.

That’s why I’m worried. I think there are millions of people across the globe – including many in Japan – that have long-viewed Nintendo as the face of the gaming industry. When Nintendo succeeded, those folks believed that the game industry was doing just fine. And when Nintendo wasn’t doing so well, they questioned the value of status quo in the industry.

“The world is changing, they say, and traditional game companies are in trouble.”

When the Wii was flying high, there was a palpable sense that the games industry, despite some softening during the economic downturn, would be just fine. But now that the Wii U is turning out to be a bit of a loser, the beating drum of doubt over the traditional industry’s ability to hang tough against Microsoft and Sony is growing louder. The world is changing, they say, and traditional game companies are in trouble.

So, I need to pose a question: if Nintendo fails, will the traditional game industry go with it?

I can appreciate that Sony and Microsoft are trying to appeal to a different market segment with their products, which lends them to not worry so much that Nintendo is in trouble, but there’s something to be said for determining how the Mario maker’s decline is impacting the industry.

Unfortunately, I can see a scenario play out in which Nintendo starts to go into decline and the next thing you know, all hell breaks loose. A major game console maker has gone into a death spiral, the headlines would read, and now, like a domino effect, Microsoft, Sony, and major game developers are going down the tubes with it.

“More importantly, it could give way to companies like Valve and Apple.”

But perhaps I’m placing too much importance on Nintendo. Sure, the game company is huge and was always important, but perhaps it’s not what it used to be. Nintendo might be the world’s biggest console maker right now, but it might soon give way to Microsoft and Sony. More importantly, it could give way to companies like Valve and Apple.

The traditional game industry could very well be in a state of flux. Nintendo, its spiritual leader, seems to be falling to its knees. And unless it can be brought back up and returned to its former place of glory, I can’t help but wonder if new companies or mobile gaming in general might just put the final nail in its coffin.

I guess we just have to wait and see what happens.

If Nintendo Fails, Will the Traditional Game Industry Go With It? is written by Don Reisinger & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Earlier this year, Nintendo revealed they plan to release two system updates for its Wii U console in the spring and summer that would hopefully address a number of issues people have been experiencing with it since its launch. Seeing how we’re so close to spring, today’s system update probably had you jumping for joy at the thought it was the major update Nintendo had promised.

Unfortunately, today’s Wii U system update labeled Version 2.1.3 U only offers improvements to the system’s stability and isn’t the big one we’ve been waiting months for.

Even though your update won’t bring you the blazing-fast speeds we all expect Nintendo to deliver in their upcoming system update, Nintendo did reveal when they’d be releasing their major update, which turns out it’ll be released this April. So be sure not to get as excited as I did when I heard about today’s update because after you’ve installed it, your Wii U will still load games and its system UI as slow as it always did in the past.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Valve To Hand Out Steam Box Prototypes In The Next Few Months, Microsoft Works On Kinect Sensor In Displays?,

When you tire of all the fancy motion controls and just want to enjoy some classic button-mashing gameplay on your Wii or Wii U, consider this wireless controller—particularly if you’re an Android gamer too. In addition to playing well with Nintendo’s hardware, this gamepad also cozies up to your smartphone or tablet. More »