Gaming

Microsoft Could Be Saving Xbox One's Best for E3
May 22, 2013

Microsoft's new Xbox One video game console, announced with fanfare on Tuesday, is certainly a step forward -- but the early reaction has been mixed at best. Much of the massive attention it caught from Twitter users, for example, seems to be anything but positive. There's a perception that Microsoft focused too much on living room entertainment and too little on gaming.

Microsoft Packs Xbox One With Home Entertainment Power
May 21, 2013

Microsoft has officially unveiled the Xbox One, promising it will usher in a new generation of games, TV and entertainment. The One comes a dozen years after the original Xbox video game console debuted, and eight years after its best-selling Xbox 360 proved that Microsoft was a serious contender in the gaming arena. The reveal took place at an event at its Redmond, Wash., campus on Tuesday.

Nintendo Scoops E3 With Previews of Upcoming Titles
May 17, 2013

Nintendo has once again gone straight to gamers with its latest Nintendo Direct video to generate hype for its latest offerings. The video game console maker and game publisher announced Friday that popular characters will arrive for the Nintendo Wii U and Nintendo 3DS handheld system. The latest Nintendo Direct primarily focused on games coming out this summer.

New Google APIs Target Play and Games
May 15, 2013

Google on Wednesday announced new APIs for Google Play services and gaming, new features for the Google Play Developer Console, and a new Android Integrated Developer Environment at the Google I/O 2013 Conference in San Francisco. Google Cloud Messaging, which pushes data from servers to Android apps, has been made part of Google Play services.

Microsoft May Pull the Plug on Xbox Points
May 15, 2013

Microsoft may cash in its Points virtual payment system. The company reportedly will discontinue Points in favor of a cash-based system that will accept credit and debit purchases, as well as gift cards purchased at retail outlets. Microsoft Points are the virtual currency for Xbox Live. Players purchase points, which can then be used to buy games and content.

All Things Appy: 5 Best Windows 8 Games
May 15, 2013

Man vs. machine has always been in play on Windows machines. This week we've picked the five strongest Windows 8 games for your collection. Four are upgraded tried-and-tested classics, and one is a new concept -- brilliantly simple. All are free. Download a few of these must-haves and see how far the graphics and game-play have developed for this slick new operating system.

Nvidia Raises Its Shield
May 14, 2013

Nvidia will begin taking preorders for its $349 Shield handheld gaming device on May 20, and it will begin shipping at the end of June. Formerly known as "Project Shield," the portable gaming system features a 5-inch pop-up screen that is connected to a handheld game controller. The Shield can display images in 720p, or 1280x720, resolution.

BlueStacks Horns In on Ouya's Gaming Turf
May 09, 2013

The war for gamers is heating up with BlueStacks' introduction of GamePop, a system that will allow users to play thousands of mobile gaming apps on a TV screen. The GamePop custom console and game controller are being offered free through the end of May to subscribers who sign up for the $6.99 per month service. Gamers can preorder the system now, with the console expected to ship in the winter.

ESEA Users' Systems Plundered in Bitcoin Mining Scam
May 02, 2013

The E-Sports Entertainment Association on Wednesday admitted that users' graphic cards had been hijacked to mine Bitcoin virtual currency. The mining was surreptitiously set in motion by a rogue employee without the knowledge of other ESEA staff or users of the network. ESEA is known for anti-cheat software and systems that allow players to compete in online matches.

Microsoft's IllumiRoom Blends Gaming, Real-World Environments
April 29, 2013

While Microsoft isn't taking the wraps off its upcoming next-generation video game console until next month, it did cast a little more illumination on its IllumiRoom projection system on Monday. The system has been described as a proof-of-concept technology that augments the area surrounding a television to enhance the gaming experience.

No Extra Points for Zynga's Strong Q1
April 25, 2013

Zynga reported an unexpectedly strong Q1 this week, but investors chose to focus on its lower guidance for future growth in the casual gaming industry. The company brought in $264 million in revenue on the quarter, down 18 percent from the same time a year ago but beating estimates that were closer to $209 million. Despite those results, investors sent the company's stock sliding by about nine percent in after-hours trading.

Germany Levies Max Fine Against Google; Max Fine Is Piddly
April 23, 2013

Dramatic rhetoric, tiny fine. German data regulators fined Google less than $190,000 for collecting information from unsecured WiFi networks while it compiled data for Google Street View. The data scoop was, according to Germany's data chief, "one of the biggest known data protection violations in history." The fine? Hardly the biggest in history.

Provo Is Next Stop on the Google Fiber Express
April 20, 2013

One week after the announcement that the Google Fiber network would come to Austin, Texas, Provo found out it will be the third city to get the search company's gigabit high-speed service. The Utah city, home to a much-criticized, money-losing fiber optic network, will sell it to Google for $1. The announcement means the company will eventually provide the city with Internet service that is 100 times faster.

EA Spurns Social Game Wallflowers
April 16, 2013

Electronic Arts will shut down three of its less popular games on Facebook, citing waning interest in some of the company's social network offerings. Starting June 14, The Sims Social, SimCity Social and Pet Society will not be available to Facebook users. It was a difficult decision to kill the games, EA said, but user interest had plunged despite an initial positive response after the games launched.

Real-World Marauders Infest Online Games
April 12, 2013

A scenario involving cybercriminals using techniques developed by state-sponsored cyberespionage groups sounds like a plot point in a video game, but the Winnti crew aren't the villains in some new release. These Chinese hackers are very real, and online games are their target. The group has been conducting a long-running cybercrime campaign targeting online gaming companies worldwide, Kaspersky Lab reported this week.

Ridge Racer Makes Daring Free-Style Move
April 12, 2013

There are several notable standout series in the world of car-racing games, including Electronic Arts' Need for Speed and Sony's Gran Turismo. However, Namco Bandai's Ridge Racer could surge past the competition with a new free-to-play model. Namco Bandai is far from the first company to embrace this model. The way it works is that the game typically is provided for free but there are fees for premium content and extras.

Next Xbox May Mark the Spot for Home Entertainment
April 11, 2013

All may be revealed on May 21, when Microsoft officially unveils its next-generation video game console and follow-up to its popular Xbox 360. In the meantime, the rumor mill is churning. Xbox executive Adam Orth reportedly departed Microsoft this week after engaging in a controversial Twitter exchange related to the console's rumored "always on" requirement.

BioShock Infinite Raises the Roof
April 02, 2013

Video game franchises typically run a predictable course. Create something unique, and if it's a hit, crank out a few more of the same. This is why some good series eventually stumble. Irrational Games likely pondered this when it began developing the second sequel to the groundbreaking BioShock. How do you follow-up a smash game that takes players to a strange and fascinating underwater city?

Gamers Get Hardcore on Razer's Edge
March 29, 2013

Razer's Edge is now shipping, preinstalled with Steam software, Valve's online gaming delivery and management service, which offers access to more than 2,000 titles. "It is certainly an impressive device, one that is really an all-in-one computer with a touchscreen," said Lewis Ward, IDC research manager for gaming.

The Video Game Circle Game: What's Old Must Be New Again
March 29, 2013

The video game industry has been suffering one of its most notable slumps in recent years. Sales in February were down compared with the same period a year ago. March's numbers have yet to be released, but they will likely reflect some improvement, as a handful of high-profile titles have arrived. These potential blockbusters don't seem all that different but they could offer enough of a twist to get gamers interested.