While it's not carved in stone, a Sony spokesperson has confirmed rumors that the company is toying with the idea of creating a bigger, better version of the PlayStation 3.

The news comes on the heels of Sony's FCC application for an 80GB PS3, and following many rumors that this announcement would be forthcoming.

The spokesperson, Satoshi Fukuoka, has been quoted as saying the notion is "in line with our strategy as we had planned to choose models based on consumer needs."

The creation of an 80GB version and the dropping of the 20GB model all make sense in light of Microsoft's recent Elite announcements. Keeping up with the competition while working to develop better games for the PS3 could mean the difference between success or failure for the next-gen console.

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Labels: PlayStation 3, ps3, ps3 elite, sony, xbox 360 elite

Reports of problems with PlayStation 3s have been few and far between, but it seems a few issues are starting to crop up.

In question are some 60GB models that seem to have been made in January and were shipped to Canada for sale. Some of the models, it seems, are having problems with overheating and making a high-pitched ruckus.

Yeoua reports that gamers have been trying to get their consoles replaced or repaired, but many are having no luck.

“EB Games wouldn't let me exchange it for a new one, not even the day after I bought it ... I then proceeded to call Sony and tell them of the situation, I sent it in to be repaired and they sent it back to me saying that nothing was wrong with it,” wrote a poster quoted in Yeoua’s article.

It seems the bad eggs of the PS3 batch have been narrowed down to those with serial numbers in the CE133190xxx and CE133212xxx batches.

It doesn’t sound like Sony has acknowledged issues with the consoles as of yet, and some gamers sound pretty hot.

“Let’s be clear here for all those new to this thread – it’s no specific game, it’s no specific hearing range issue, Sony has some bad PS3 batches out there,” wrote J-Mon in the PlayStation official forums. “Either a shipment was dropped, or mismanufactured and we ALL need to move forward with this in mind. Exchange your PS3 and get one outside the above mentioned serial range or get a replacement unit directly from SONY like I'm doing.”

Sounds like Sony has a bit of a problem on its hands, which hopefully for these gamers’ sakes will be taken care of with haste.

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Labels: PlayStation 3, ps3, ps3 noise, ps3 overheating, ps3 problems, sony

Sony’s decision to discontinue the PlayStation 3 20GB version in North America doesn’t come as a huge shocker. The way it’s being spun, however, is pretty interesting.

Sony’s PR guy, Dave Karraker, has said the $499 version will go by the wayside in favor of the $599 60GB model because that more expensive model has been preferred 10 to 1 by consumers.

Here’s, the spin: That buying trend “supports the notion that consumers are willing to pay more for advanced technology in a gaming console.”

Considering the sluggish PS3 sales overall, I’m not quite sure how they managed that particular take on the situation. But, it does stand to reason that if a gamer decides to fork over $500 for a console the extra $100 to get the better drive isn’t all that much more.

At any rate, 20GB owners will still get full PlaySttion support, which will no doubt be welcomed news to those who have purchased one.

Rumors of the 80GB version persist, but no confirmation has materialized as of yet.

It will be interesting to see how well the Xbox Elite will do now, since it will be cheaper than the cheapest PS3.

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Labels: PlayStation 3, ps3, sony, xbox 360, xbox elite

As is sometimes the case with video game speculation, the rumors surrounding the Xbox 360 Elite have panned out as accurate. The new version of the 360 will hit North American retailers on April 29.

The new console will sell for $479 and feature a beefed up 120GB hard drive. The new 360 will also have an HDMI output port and will come with a HDMI cable and a component video cable, too.

A data transfer cable will not be included, but a data transfer cable can be purchased with a standalone $179 120GB drive that will provide for the transfer of downloads and saved games from an older 360 to a the new hard drive.

A full comparision of the three 360 systems is available on Yahoo to help potential buyers decide which works best for them.

Meanwhile, speculation is starting to mount about Sony’s plans to upgrade its PlayStation 3. A new 80GB is being rumored, based on a patent application filed by the company. Sony has yet to confirm this, but it’s lashing back at the Elite’s lack of high-def playback built in considering its pricing.

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Labels: hdmi, PlayStation 3, ps3, xbox 360, xbox elite

Sony’s PlayStation 3 has broken sales records in the UK to become that country’s fastest-selling next-gen console.

According to Pocket-Lint, 165,000 consoles were purchased in the two days after the console’s launch. These numbers put it ahead of the Xbox 360 and the Wii. They note, however, that does not beat the PlayStation Portable.

The Wii might have beaten the PS3 figures, but Nintendo only had 105,000 consoles available for launch weekend.

Interesting to note here is the fact the PS3 broke records, but it didn’t sell out. If Sony delivered the 220,000 consoles it promised, about 55,000 were still without homes.

Meanwhile, Sony is playing third fiddle in sales elsewhere.

The Wii topped both the PS3 and the 360 in February. Wii sold 335,000 unit. The 360 came in with 228,000 and the PS3 trailed with 127,000.

As Newsweek’s N’Gai Croal has been quoted as saying, the performance “is simply abysmal. The PS3 is sucking wind right now. ... Price is a factor. Some of the negative buzz is a factor. Some of the FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt) is a factor. And the lack of a large number of triple-A software titles is a factor."

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Labels: PlayStation 3, playstation 3 launch, ps3, sony, Wii, xbox 360

The official European launch of the PlayStation 3 has come and gone. The inequity has ended. But, it honestly looks as if Sony’s reception in Europe wasn’t exactly stellar. At the very least, the launch sounds like it was almost boring in comparison to earlier releases in American and Japan.

If the snaking lines, the days of camping and massive amounts of hoopla and even the violence surrounding the North American and Japanese launches are considered, the European debut is downright mild.

For instance, Spong had this to day: “Over a hundred people turned up at HMV to pick up a PS3 with a free copy of the sublime Virtua Tennis 3 from Sega.”

And, this: "One guy had even turned up at midnight last night to be the first in the queue!" Simon Winter, PR manager for HMV.

That’s over a hundred in a line and one guy in an early queue. Remember the campouts in front of stores in America? The ridiculous fan behavior? The store manager that made wannabe buyers play silly games that resulted in injury?

MCV confirms the modest lines, “Queues of around 100 people who had pre-ordered consoles waited patiently outside both retailers’ flagship London Oxford Street stores before doors opened – GAME’s at 7am and HMV’s at 7.30am.”

With consoles reported still available after pre-orders were filled, the launch sounds like it went very smoothly, as compared to elsewhere. Perhaps if gamers had known a free HDTV was in the mix at some locations, the lines would have been more out of control?

While the excitement level doesn’t sound up to snuff with what gamers had in store at earlier launches, it sure sounds like the Europeans did this one right. So far, there are no reports of PS3 thefts or buyers getting robbed or beaten. The crazy antics that made headlines with the North American launch just aren’t there.

Whether this is due to a lack of interest in the console or perhaps that European gamers are more civilized than some Americans, doesn’t matter. The fact is, numbers aside, the launch sounds like it went off without a hitch, or at least a big one.

Congratulations Sony. Congratulations European stores. Congratulations European gamers.

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Labels: european launch, PlayStation 3, playstation 3 launch, ps3, sony

As the clock began to tick down on the official launch time for Sony’s PlayStation 3 in Europe, one gaming site was reporting something rather interesting.

While Americans and Japanese lined up in droves, hours and hours in advance for their on-time launch, Londoners don’t seem to be quite as excited. In fact, Tech Digest’s report makes it sound rather bleak for PS3 sales on Friday.

“Even I was surprised by the amount of people gathered in the basement of Virgin's Megastore on Oxford Street today, I thought there'd be *slightly* more than three people queuing for the PS3 30 hours before the big launch,” the writer scribed.

While it’s highly unlikely the line will only remain three deep as Friday rapidly approaches, perhaps this is London’s way of telling Sony it isn’t thrilled with being snubbed during the failed worldwide launch?

How well or how poorly the console does at release will be interesting to watch as it unfolds.

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Labels: PlayStation 3, playstation 3 launch, ps3, sony

As Sony gears up to turn its PlayStation 3 loose on the European market this week, months after its planned debut, the question remains as to how well or how poorly the console will do in regard to sales.

With a price tag that comes in higher than the U.S. version, the delay in initial launch and the issues with backwards compatibility, it’s the easy guess that Sony will run number three in Europe, falling behind the Wii and the Xbox 360, as it has in the North American market. However, preorders for the console have been high, despite the pricing and compatibility issues.

With about 220,000 units ready for the UK for Friday, it sounds like Sony’s banking on taking Europe by storm. Indeed, even store executives are talking up the gaming console’s release.

Woolworths’ Jim Batchelor has been quoted as saying the launch “will be biggest video games console launch of all time. It will be bigger than the launch of the Nintendo Wii, the Xbox 360 and the previous Playstation.”

That’s a tall order to fill, but the world will get to see for sure on Friday.

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Labels: next-gen console, PlayStation 3, ps3, sony, Wii, xbox 360

Despite its third-place rankings in the next-gen battle, Sony is still banking its PS3 will hit the 6 million shipped target by the end of March.

With an estimated 4 million consoles shipped by February, per chairman Ken Kutaragi, the figure seems more than feasible. With the European launch just days away, it’s more than likely 6 million units will ship by March 31 on the worldwide market.

The real question, however, is whether they will sell?

According to GameSpot, Sony had only managed to sell about 1 million consoles in the U.S. since its launch. Elsewhere, figures on the sales front are about as bleak. Only 6,000 consoles sold in total in all of Canada in February.

With a lack of game titles and problems with backwards compatibility, Sony will likely have a difficult time unloading the PS3 for some time to come. But, with millions of consoles waiting in the wings, maybe they’re just planning for the demand that will eventually come when the title choices improve?

Perhaps it’s a case of if we build it, they will come?

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Labels: next-gen console, PlayStation 3, ps3, sony

The folks over in Europe are no doubt not feeling the love today as Sony has made another disappointing announcement in regard to the Euroepean version of the PlayStation 3.

No, there’s no delay this time, but gamers might want to pack away some of their old PlayStation 2 titles.

Sony has announced it will eliminate a microchip from the European PS3. In doing so, it will cut costs of production, but it will also lessen the console’s backward compatibility greatly.

“Unlike the PS3 being sold in the United States and Japan, the upcoming European version will not carry the microchip that offers graphic- and data-processing functions for PS2 games, cutting production costs,” a Sony spokesman has been quoted as saying.

Instead, it will have a different, less expensive chip, that won’t offer the backwards compatibility the other one did (not that it was all that great either). It doesn’t look like the cost-savings will be passed on to gamers either.

With losses in its game unit up to more than $1.71 billion, there’s no doubt Sony needs to do something, but this seems like a slap in the face of European gamers who have already endured a delay.

A big question this brings up is whether Sony will continue to work on the backwards compatibility issues on North American and Japanese consoles, or will try and dust the problems under the carpet?

The consoles rolls out in Europe March 23.

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Labels: backwards compatibility, PlayStation 3, ps3, sony

Sony Computer Entertainment let the cat out of the bag about its big, free promotion to make the PlayStation 3 a little bit different than anything else out there. Taking tips from the MMORPG Second Life and the Wii with its adorable Miis, Sony plans to make gamers feel right at “Home.”

Home is a new service that will launch sometime this fall that will offer gamers a detailed 3D sort of game within the game.

From Sony’s media release, “Home is a real-time online 3D, networked community available on the PLAYSTATION®Network. It allows PS3 users to interact, communicate, join online games, shop, share private content and even build and show off their own personal spaces to others in real time. Home will be available as a free download from the PLAYSTATION®Store and will launch directly from XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) on PS3.”

Users will get to create their own avatars and customize them to their own liking. They also will have their own in-game apartments where they can have others over to see their gaming trophies, watch videos, show off pictures and so on.

“This is a significant step forward in the area of user community services and emergent entertainment experiences,” said Izumi Kawanishi, Corporate Executive and CTO Software, SCEI. “While the 3D graphics demonstrate the power of PS3 and the PLAYSTATION Network, the most impressive feature in Home is the variety of ways in which multiple consumers, as well as our third-party partners, can experience the next generation of communication by interacting and sharing among each other. I feel strongly that this unique blend of community, user-generated content, collaboration and commerce will expand the future of computer entertainment.”

The new Home project goes into closed beta this spring with the full launch set for sometime this fall.

I’m personally not sure what to think about this. Granted, games like Second Life have an impressive following, but I’m having trouble seeing a hard-cord PS3 gamer that’s been pulled in by the power wanting to sit around and show home movies in a cyber apartment. I'm just not sure this is the kind of PS3-targeted game fans were looking for.

Maybe it’s just me?

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Labels: home, PlayStation 3, playstation network, ps3, second life, sony, Wii

It looks like Sony Computer Entertainment is taking a cue from its television division. The company is working on a number of PlayStation 3 titles that will be episodic by design.

Word of this game development comes from John Hight, Sony’s director of production, during the Independent Games Summit at GDC.

“Mid -summer this year we'll be talking about some games that are episodic in nature," Hight is quoted as saying. “Some by design, more like interactive TV broadcasts and some to take content and spread it out"

Sounds like a great idea to get PS3 specific content out there that might take full advantage of the console’s power and graphics. Mid-summer sounds like a long time to wait right now, but here’s hoping they cook up something good enough to make the wait worthwhile.

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Labels: episodic games, PlayStation 3, ps3, ps3 games, sony

In wake of reports that Sony’s backwards compatibility on the PS3 will be less than desirable on the European launch day, March 23, Phil Harrison is setting the record straight. It seems the console will support more than 100 PS2 titles coming out of the gate.

"The situation is changing everyday, but on March 23, we expect the list to include over 1000 PS2 titles," Harrison has been quoted as saying.

As the folks at Games Industry point out, Sony has been sending out some mixed reports about backwards compatibility. “While it has noted that consumers expect backwards compatibility as a standard feature, the company has also stated it believes that early adopters will buy the console for the next-gen gaming experience,” they write.

Harrison is now saying Sony is working on firmware upgrades to add to the list and plans on introducing a Web page to detail titles that are backwards compatible, much like the Xbox 360 list.

Whether Sony intends to do something or even can about how bad the PS2 titles look on the PS3 has not been stated. I speak from experience in saying some of the old titles look absolutely horrible with graphics pixilated and distorted.

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Labels: backwards compatibility, PlayStation 3, ps2, ps3, sony

In the face of reports that a supply of PlayStation 3 consoles on North American store shelves has to do with the console’s lack of popularity, Sony’s Jack Tretton is fighting back.

Rather than showing the PS3’s lack of potential buyers, Tretton is saying the ready supply of consoles shows how well Sony’s manufacturing and supply chain is working.

"It's a testament to the fact that we've been able to manufacture and ship units on a greater pace than any previous console," Tretton has been quoted as saying. "Our goal is to fill shelves across the United States. Our goal is not to have empty shelves, it's to have full shelves. If we have a empty shelves that's one less consumer who could have bought a PlayStation 3.”

Tretton also said the company is on target to sell about 2 million units by the end of March and promised consoles shortages in some locations will end by May.

Whether the supply statement is total spin or the honest truth remains to be seen. Only time will tell, and that 2-million unit sales mark being hit would be one of the best markers.

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Labels: jack tretton, PlayStation 3, ps3, sony

Sony’s making sure European PlayStation 3 buyers don’t miss out on some serious racing action when the console arrives next month. Gran Turismo HD Concept will be available March 23, just in time for the launch.

The fully playable, one-track sneak preview of the game will be available for free download via the PlayStation Store over the PlaySation Network. The North American launch of the demo was so popular, Sony's servers couldn't handle it.

According to a Sony media release, players get to start with a single car on the Eiger Nordwand track in the Swiss Alps. When that track’s completed, a new car is unlocked. Players that are really good can even manage to unlock a Ferrari 599. The game’s time trail will also kick off the first Gran Turismo online ranking system.

The actual new Gran Turismo isn’t due out for a long while, so gamers should savor the demo while they can.

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Labels: gran turismo hd, PlayStation 3, playstation network, ps3

While Sony’s PlayStation 3 is being outperformed by the other two next-gen consoles in sales, the news doesn’t seem to be impacting the company all that greatly.

In fact, even as PS3 sales are sluggish, the PlayStation 2 and PSP are still enjoying rather brisk sales. This bodes well for Sony and its execs aren’t afraid to point that out.

“We are pleased with the numbers from January as they demonstrate overall sales improvements for our legacy systems year over year and continued momentum for PS3. With supply levels stabilizing, you can expect to see increased marketing for PS3 and PS2 in weekly retail circulars, which should garner strong numbers, boosted by big software launches, such as MotorStorm and Virtua Fighter 5,” Sony’s director of corporate communications, David Karraker, is quoted as saying.

Indeed, the introduction of Virtua Fighter 5 seems to be a very big boost for the third-place next-gen console and with the European launch on the horizon, sales figures should only rise. While more PS3 titles would certainly help, too, there are moves to make this happen.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, the PS3 is a great machine. When more options in games are presented, it will be a hard one to beat – even at the price. Right now, however, it isn’t the most attractive machine on the market. When it comes to options for play, the Xbox 360 wins hands down in my mind, while the Wii is a winner for its overall family fun factor and affordability.

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Labels: PlayStation 3, ps3, sony, virtua fighter 5, Wii, xbox 360

With the European launch of the PlayStation 3 looming on the horizon, Sony has dropped a bomb fans might not have been expecting.

“The backwards compatibility is not going to be as good as the U.S. and Japan models,” a Sony spokesperson was quoted as saying.

This little tidbit means that many PlayStation 2 titles gamers might be holding onto to play on the PS3 won’t work. It also sounds like Sony doesn’t intend to fix the problem any time soon.

According to X-bit Labs, a Sony statement has made it pretty clear: “Rather than concentrate on PS2 backwards compatibility, in the future, company resources will be increasingly focused on developing new games and entertainment features exclusively for PS3.”

While that’s all fine and well, and new games should be developed for the PS3, gamers were told the console would be backwards compatible. And for the price Sony’s charging for the PS3, they have every right to expect it to be so.

Sony intends to only roll out the 60 GB version at first in Europe. This means the pricing falls in at €599 ($777) in the most of the markets and for pricing close to that in a variety of countries (UK – £425 ($837), Ireland – €629 ($816), Australia – AUD 999.95 ($777), New Zealand – NZ 1199.95 ($840)), according to X-Bit.

If gamers have been banking on having the old titles work, this news might not bode well for Sony.

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Labels: backwards compatibility, PlayStation 3, ps3, sony

Sony’s Phil Harrison has let the cat out of the bag about Sony’s intention to add movie downloads to the PlayStation Network.

"We made a very conscious decision in putting a hard drive in every machine and a minimum of 20GB, 60GB and who knows in the future, maybe that will rise. You know, that tends to be a trend," Harrison has been quoted as saying. "The decision we made to put a hard drive in every PlayStation 3 was because we saw the long term benefit. The ten year plan of allowing people to download all kinds of digital content to their PlayStation 3 -- not just games but movies, music, HD, standard definition TV, you name it. And that was a significant investment, but it was absolutely the right thing to do."

The news comes as little surprise as Microsoft is already in the field. Its movie and TV download service over Xbox Live Marketplace is a big hit, with gamers fast realizing their Xboxes can be used for a whole lot more than games.

As 1UP aptly points out, Sony is a in great position going into the proposition due to its Sony Music and Sony Pictures divisions. Content should not be an issue for the company.

Hopefully, more news on this will be coming soon. Lots of questions remain, including pricing, content, a launch date and whether or not IPTV will go along with the deal. No matter what, though, this is good news for PS3 owners that bought to make the console a part of a total entertainment package.

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Labels: PlayStation 3, playstation network, ps3, xbox live

The popularity of Sony’s PlayStation 3 in the UK market has once again been confirmed by the presales information coming out of online sites.

Last week, we reported the PS3 was the fast-selling presale on the British site, Play.com. Now, it seems the console’s the hot item to have on Amazon UK.

According to i4u.com, the PS3 is the leader in the video game top sales chart on the Amazon site. It’s followed by the Wii and the black Nintendo DS Lite.

The news must be music to the ears of Sony execs and might even provide a little room for gloating. If the launch figures hold true when the console arrives in Europe next month, the execs who said the delay would effect PS3 sales in Europe over the long haul will be proven correct.

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Labels: nintendo ds, play.com, PlayStation 3, ps3, sony, Wii

Sony might have a friend in Europe – a few of them in fact.

It seems the PlayStation 3 console has surpassed both the Wii and the Xbox 360 on preorders on Play.com, an online sales site in the UK. Orders have been so brisk, in fact, the site’s exes have declared the PS3 “the most pre-ordered console yet".

According to PS3 News, Play.com’s Gian Luzio has said the orders are six times higher than the 360 and 15 times that of the Wii.

“We have been working hard with Sony to make sure that we can deliver every pre-order on the release date. We are pleased to be able to offer our customers the service they expect from Play.com,” Luzio said.

The European launch of the PS3 is a few short weeks away and many are wondering how it will go over. After a delay and some rude comments about the European market, many (myself included) expect the reception to be brisk. If Play.com is any indication, that might not be the case.

It will be interesting to see the post launch figures when they arrive.

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Labels: play.com, PlayStation 3, ps3, sony, Wii, xbox 360

After much stalking, checking stores and calling around, my husband finally nabbed a Wii. He brought it home a few weeks ago, along with three add on titles: Billy and Mandy, Red Steel and Zelda.

If the truth be told, I resisted writing a review on the console for the last few weeks to give a fair assessment of it. There are some things that are very disappointing about the Wii. There are also some things, I’ve come to find, that are very surprising about it.

First off, the Wii is wee, very wee. It’s about the teeniest console I’ve ever seen. As an owner of both an Xbox 360 and a PlayStation 3, the diminutive size is one of the first things that struck me. It’s so tiny, it’s downright cute.

When it first came home, the games we tried playing were the three add ons listed. I have to say, as long-time gamer, the graphics aren’t hot, but Nintendo never promised they would be.

Sadly, we chose our add on titles poorly and that sort of tainted my first impressions. Billy and Mandy is kind of clunky. Red Steel’s characters look like paper cut out dolls. Zelda starts out way too slow for my taste.

I was really disappointed. I have to admit I felt like we’d taken about $500 and lit it on fire. The 7-year-old didn’t even seem to enjoy playing much.

If I’d written a review on that day, it would be very different than what I’m about to say.

The truth is what we should have done was instantly start playing Wii Sports. As soon as we popped in this title, all the beauty of the Wii came to light. The remote really shines with this game and the entire experience is just down right fun. (Note: it is VITAL to move furniture back and use the tether. I can now speak to this personally!)

While it’s true Nintendo put affordability and fun over graphics as its priority, it works well in this title. The visuals on Wii Sports are nothing to write home about, but the playability is.

Here’s what really makes the console special – everyone in the family likes it. This is the first game we’ve come across that the 7-year-old has as much fun playing as we do. She’s even managed to school us in bowling a few times.

Since having the console, we’ve had a few impromptu Wii Sports parties. Everyone has raved about the Wii. A roomful of hardcore Halo gamers had as much fun playing as my mother-in-law did. Go figure!

Wii Sports might just be to the 2000s what the family board game was to past generations.

The Wii might not have the power of the PlayStation 3 or the Xbox 360, but it has something that’s all it’s own. When a title that was made with all its features in mind is played, the Wii is simply a blast. It’s a social console. There’s no eye candy. There’s no bells and whistles, really. What there is, however, is magic in a box. Three generations coming together to play a video game and actually enjoying it. I’d say that’s pretty magical.

As more Wii-designed titles come online, I’m expecting some pretty big things out of the wee Wii.

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Labels: Nintendo, PlayStation 3, Wii, xbox 360