Sony apparently mis-reported their Technology and Entertainment Emmy win in a Jan. 8 press release. After the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences refuted the report claiming the commendation was actually awarded for the PS2’s DUALSHOCK, Sony released this correction:
“In a press release dated January 8, 2007, SCEA announced we had been recognized by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) with a Technology and Engineering Emmy Award for the SIXAXIS wireless controller. Due to miscommunication between the two organizations, this information was incorrectly reported. SCEA won a Technology and Engineering Emmy Award for the DUALSHOCK controller.

We apologize for any confusion or inconvenience this may have caused.”

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According to Newsfactor.com and various media outlets, hackers are now cracking their way into the new game systems.

Hackers have already found ways to get into the Wii system through the “Wii-motes” and the Opera web-browser. The Playstation 3 console is also reported to be vulnerable to hacking.

Forrester analyst Paul Jackson told Newsfactor.com that despite the lack of malicious takeover attempts to date, it’s possible hackers might use the systems as a possible way to steal information from potential victims:

“‘Any device that’s two-way and directed to a network is at risk,’ he noted. ‘The advantage most of these devices have is that they’re not running sophisticated operating systems like Windows or Mac OS X, so they’re not as attractive as targets.’”

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For all the attention giving the launch of the Nintendo Wii and Playstation 3 this holiday season, Microsoft’s Xbox 360 would move the most units to close out 2006 according to research firm IDC.

2 million 360s were sold from November to Christmas while Nintendo sold 1.8 million Wiis and Sony sold about 750,000 PS3s.

It may never be determined how those numbers would be changed without the numerous supply and manufacturing problems Nintendo and Sony experienced. Sony still holds 60% of the console market with the Playstation brand, however, Microsoft and Nintendo may chip away at the lead with these sales number in the new-gen.

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As we head into New Year’s weekend, we’re going to kick off the weekend with some more new trailers. Many of which are in Japanese, but they are impressive no less. Highlighting today’s batch include Enchanted Arms, Armored Core 4 and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates.

Enchanted Arms (Software) - PS3

Armored Core 4 (SEGA) - PS3

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates (Square Enix) - DS

Spectral Diario (Idea Factory) - Xbox 360

Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology (Namco) -PSP

Puzzle Quest (D3 Publisher) - PSP & DS

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Twas the night before Christmas and all through the park….

….there were trailers. What else were you expecting? Highlighted by the Jump Festa trailer for Dragon Quest IX, here are some of the latest trailers to help get you excited for 2007.

Dragon Quest IX (Square Enix) - DS

Halo 3 Video Documentary: “Et Tu Brute” (Bungie) - Xbox 360

Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI (KOEI) - PS2, PC

Tomb Raider Anniversary (Eidos) - PS2, PC

NBA Street Homecourt (EA Big)

Crazy Frog Racing (Neko Entertainment) - PS2, PC

Gran Turismo HD (SCEA) - PS3

Rafa Nadal Tennis (Codemaster) - DS

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The Trailer Park returns, and though it’s in the 70s down here in Texas, this Bully special holiday trailer will definitely has the holiday spirit going. Also, check out the Full Auto 2: Battlelines trailer and NBA Street: Homecourt.

Bully - PS2 (Rockstar Games)

Full Auto 2: Battlelines - Playstation 3 (SEGA)

NBA Street: Homecourt (EA Big)

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Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. has officially made the pretty well predictable announcement of MLB 07: The Show, scheduled to release Spring 2007 for the PS3, PS2, and PSP.

As the name implies, the Road to the Show mode will return allowing fans to create a rookie and solely control him in an effort to rise through the rank to be a MLB starter. The game will fast-forward to at-bats and defensive plays involving your player in an attempt to fashion an experience from the point-of-view of the gamer’s creation.
New game features will include Online League Play, which allows the set up leagues with up to 30 teams, complete statistical tracking, point benefits and full customization. Gamers will also be able to utilize the My Sliders feature allows users to create their perfect game settings and upload them to the MLB 07: The Show server for others to try out.

Other features announced include Adaptive Pitching Intelligence in which the catcher calls the pitches and players can decide to trust a catcher’s call or shake it off for their own choice, the Pitch Command System offering set pitch comfort level based on a best to worst pitch scenario, Umpire personalities in strike zones and tendencies change with different umpires that may be calling a game, the ability to details different pitch grips and arm angles for pitches, and fo course the obligatory Career and Season Modes, Career Spotlight and Exhibition Mode. The PS2 version will also see the return of Rivalry Mode, King of the Diamond Mode, Franchise mode, the Home Run Derby and EyeToy(TM) functionality.

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A little less than a month has passed since the next-gen preview I had published in DT Weekend and now that some time has passed, I think it’s time to revisit my concerns about the 360, PS3, and Wii. And while I still have no plans on dropping any dollars on either system anytime soon, my outlook is at least a little brighter on the systems. I’m still concerned about much of the online updating and what that may or may not mean for the future. I do see the advantages of the ability, but I stand by my criticism that this may pose a problem in the future as the systems become more widely available and start reaching into the broader market. If only roughly half of US household have broadband, something still has to be done to assure those households aren’t given a screwjob on an update and aren’t left out of being able to play games they want to because of it. For example in a completely hypothetical situation, if I don’t have broadband where ever I’m living at the time of the next SOCOM release and there happens to be another firmware update much like the launch update PS3 had and couldn’t play it without; I’d be greatly upset.I understand where the companies are trying to go with the online marketplaces and allowing the type of online play PC gamers have had long before Xbox and PS2 and I respect their attempts to bring that to consoles. I’m personally not a huge fan of most online modes on console games, but I understand the appeal. I really like the direction Microsoft is going with the downloadable HD movies and TV shows. I’m a huge fan of the EA/ESPN partnership with the online ticker and ESPN Radio programming. And Nintendo’s Virtual Console is absolutely awesome. I just want to see stuff like this done and improved in ways that ultimately exclude people like myself that generally just want to get my system, pop in my game and play.I still think the HD market is still so very niche that a lot of the emphasis both developers and journalists have put it is vastly overrated. Yes, even on standard definition screens the games look prettier, but good-looking games don’t necessarily equate to good games. Heck the only true blow my mind away game I’ve seen come from the November launches was Zelda, a game on the least visually impressive of the next-gen systems. HDTVs aren’t expected to sneak into the majority of households for a another couple of years so I’m more interested in great games than Hi-Def games right now.That said, there are some really fun games out there. Resistance, though nowhere in the vicinity of perfect, is a lot of fun. The PS3 Fight Night Round 3 also makes for a lot of fun. WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2007, Ridge Racer, Viva Pinata (yes Viva Pinata) were all incredibly fun games. And based off the launch, if I were to go for any system, it’d be the Wii. Twilight Princess was as good as it gets, and games like Wii Sports, Super Monkey Ball and Excite Truck in their lack of greatness are still pretty addictive.

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