Syndicated
Gaming News

E3 Is Better With Sony And PlayStation There, Xbox’s Phil Spencer Says

/0 Comments/in /by

While it was not the only company to sit this year’s out–Activision also sat out–there was no absence at E3 2019 more significant than that of Sony. With no PlayStation press conference or show floor booth, it was a much different sort of show. Many would argue it was a worse one without them there–and among those saying as much as is Xbox boss Phil Spencer, who says E3 is just not the same without Sony and Activision, and he wants them return in the future.

Appearing on GameSpot sister site Giant Bomb’s livestream at E3, Spencer spoke about the ongoing relevance of E3, and he suggested that the show’s profile is hurt by Sony and Activision not being there. “I wish Sony was here,” Spencer said. “E3 is not as good when they’re not here,” Spencer said about Sony and Activision dropping out of the big annual gaming show.

E3 remains relevant and important to the gaming world, Spencer said. It’s a time in the year when the whole world is watching gaming, and that’s very important today when the industry is coming under criticism and judgment. One recent threat, Spencer said, was the World Health Organization’s designation of Gaming Disorder as a recognized disease.

He said E3 is an important time of year to show the world that gaming is not just kids in a basement. And without juggernauts like Sony and Activision, E3 could take a hit in terms of prominence, Spencer said.

Spencer is on the board of directors at the Entertainment Software Association, the group that runs E3 every year, so he seemingly has a vested interest in seeing the show continue and flourish. Other board members include Strauss Zelnick, the CEO of Grand Theft Auto parent company Take-Two, and Bethesda owner ZeniMax’s CEO Robert Altman.

E3 2020 dates have already been confirmed, reaffirming that this year’s show will not be the last. But where things go from there, as companies increasingly opt to host their own dedicated events, remains to be seen.

Explaining why it didn’t come to E3 this year, Sony said it wanted to “innovate, think differently, and experiment with new ways to delight gamers.” Ahead of the show, it’s shared the first details about its next-generation PlayStation 5. It also showcased Death Stranding, revealing both an extended trailer and its release date. But beyond that, it’s unclear when we’ll next get details about other big first-party PS4 games, such as The Last of Us 2 and Ghost of Tsushima.

More E3 news:

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-is-better-with-sony-and-playstation-there-xboxs/1100-6467765/

New Nintendo Switch Models Now In Production – E3 2019

/0 Comments/in /by

We know from previous reports that two new Nintendo Switch models could be on the way, possibly as soon as this year. Officially, Nintendo has not addressed the possibility, though it did say it would not announce the new systems during E3. That proved to be true, but a new report from The Wall Street Journal published this week, during E3 2019, reveals some new details these rumored new Switch models.

Specifically, the report states that Nintendo has decided to move the manufacturing of the new consoles to Southeast Asia instead of China. This is a result of concerns about potential United States tariffs on electronics made in China. As we reported previously, President Trump’s proposed import tax rate of 25 percent would impact video game consoles, as well as smartphones and computers. In theory, this could lead to price increases on game consoles–from Nintendo, as well as Microsoft and Sony–as companies pass on the cost to consumers.

The alternative would be to absorb the cost themselves, which is obviously not a welcome concept for companies. Game consoles are not historically where the money is made in the games business. Oftentimes, systems are sold at a loss or with very thin margins, with profits instead coming from software and services. Those margins do improve over time, but a 25% tariff would nonetheless be unwelcome.

Should the 25 percent tariff go into effect for Switch consoles shipped into the United States, that would impact how much money Nintendo–and other companies–make on console sales. Nintendo has been the outlier in this area, however, as the company maintained from day one of Switch sales in 2017 that it makes money on each console sold.

If the 25 percent tariff goes into effect, that could cut into the Switch’s profit profile, which is likely why Nintendo has elected to move production of the console outside of China.

According to WSJ’s report, Nintendo has already moved production of the existing Switch model, as well as the two new rumored ones, to Southeast Asia. Regarding the new systems, one is said to have a similar form factor to the existing model but feature better components, with the other expected to have a different look and lower specs that make it less expensive. Given the systems are now reportedly in production, they could release soon, WSJ said.

Nintendo declined to comment on the report when approached by WSJ.

It’s unclear when Nintendo may announce the new Switch models, if they are indeed real. With no new hardware to discuss during its Direct conference this week, Nintendo made a series of software announcements, including The Witcher 3 for Nintendo Switch and a sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Nintendo has a long history of offering revised models of its gaming hardware, particularly on the handheld side. The rumored new systems would not be a new generation of Switch hardware, but merely enhanced or refined versions of what’s already on the market.

More E3 news:

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-nintendo-switch-models-now-in-production-e3-20/1100-6467763/

Pokemon Go: Last Chance To Catch Cresselia

/0 Comments/in /by

Back in May, Pokemon Go developer Niantic announced it would be bringing three Legendary Pokemon back to the game, beginning with Cresselia. If you’ve yet to capture one, however, your time is quickly running out. The Lunar Pokemon is scheduled to leave Raid Battles this Tuesday, June 18, making this your last opportunity to catch it–and possibly find a Shiny Cresselia.

If you’re hoping to add Cresselia to your collection, you’ll first need to team up with other players in-person and take on the Legendary Pokemon in a Raid Battle. Cresselia is a pure Psychic-type, so you’ll want to bring along Ghost, Dark, and Bug Pokemon like Giratina, Tyranitar, and Scizor when you battle it. If you manage to defeat Cresselia, everyone who participated in the Raid will receive a handful of Premier Balls along with an opportunity to catch it.

Immediately following Cresselia’s departure, the Gen 3 Legendary Kyogre will return in Pokemon Go. It’ll appear in Raid Battles until June 27; after that, it’ll be replaced by its Pokemon Ruby counterpart, Groudon, which will be available until July 10. Just as with Cresselia, you’ll also have a chance of encountering Kyogre and Groudon’s Shiny forms when each Legendary returns to Raids.

Niantic’s annual Pokemon Go Fest event is now underway in Chicago. To celebrate the occasion, the Water-type Pokemon Horsea will spawn much more frequently than normal from now until Go Fest ends on June 16. Not only that, but you’ll also have a chance of finding Shiny Horsea. Those who are attending the event, meanwhile, can find Shiny Abra, as well as Alolan Vulpix, a special Eevee wearing a floral crown, and the Mythical Pokemon Jirachi. If you can’t attend Go Fest in-person, you can still participate in Global Challenges to help unlock in-game rewards and bonuses.

In other Pokemon news, we learned much more about the upcoming Pokemon Sword and Shield games during E3 2019. Nintendo shared details about the games’ new Dynamax battle mechanic, which can supersize a Pokemon during a battle. We also learned more about how Max Raid Battles work and why you can’t transfer every old Pokemon to the games. Sword and Shield launch on November 15; you can read more about the games in our Pokemon Sword and Shield pre-order guide.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-go-last-chance-to-catch-cresselia/1100-6467813/

Car holder