SF game-marketing expo honors its own, Sony releases new 2GB Memory Stick-film bundle, Florida slaps restrictions on used-game sales, and a Danish developer chooses next-gen middleware.
MI6 Awards doled out
Last night at the
2007 MI6 Conference, the Association of Electronic Interactive Marketers (AEIM) handed out its organization's awards. Called the Gold and Silver Muses, 77 statuettes were handed out at the elite confab, with nine going to Activision for its game-hawking efforts. Right behind it was Ubisoft with eight trophies, followed by event cosponsor Microsoft with seven. Also honored were Konami, THQ, Electronic Arts, and ad firms Petrol, Ignited Minds, McCann-Erickson, and Trailer Park. A full list of winners will be posted on the
official MI6 Awards page.
New 2GB Memory Stick Entertainment Pack Eight months after it offered its first Memory Stick bundled with digital PSP movies, Sony is at it again. This time, the package includes a 2GB Memory Stick Duo and a quartet of films--one of which can be downloaded onto a PSP. Players must insert the installer disc into a PC, connect said PC to a PSP, and then select either Spider-Man 2, Hellboy, S.W.A.T. (which was in the original Entertainment Pack), or Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (which was bundled on Blu-ray Disc with the initial batch of the PlayStation 3). Once the selection is downloaded, the other three films will be locked and unavailable permanently. The 2GB Memory Stick Entertainment Pack will be available later this month on the Sony Style Web site and retail outlets.
Deadline Games' next-gen middleware a Kynogon-er
Deadline Games, the Danish developer of the tongue-in-cheek crime games Overdose and Chili Con Carnage, announced today it has selected Kynapse as its AI middleware for its next-generation game engine. Kynapse is made by
Kynogon, a game-development middleware company with offices in Montreal, Paris, and Surrey, England. Kynapse is part of the Unreal 3 engine and has been licensed by Microsoft and Sony.
New Florida law impedes used-game sales
It has long been known that used-game sales are a major profit generator for retailers like GameStop. However, a new law enacted in Florida would hamper any such sales. The Floridian measure would require thumbprint identification of anyone selling used games and require any store selling them to post $10,000 bond to obtain a license. On top of that, said stores could issue only store credit for used games, CD, DVDs, and videos, reports the Reuters news service.
On Sony's new PSP memory stick: There's no way in heck that I would allow Sony to execute any of their DRM technology on my PC...not with their track record. On Florida's new law: And you all thought Jack Thompson was done with the games industry...ha!
The used CD and games law is way over the top, if you paid for it why cant you sell it again?
Oh, it's not just Florida, I previously said Utah would be doing the same, but some further Google'ing has shown that Wisconsin and Rhode Island will be doing the same. Gawd!!
The worst thing about this law is it doesn't take into consideration media items that are rare or obsolete. How is anyone going to be losing money on the sales of used media that are rare titles of titles out of print? I'm scared this will happen where I live, but I really don't give a crap about Florida or any other state of Jesusland. As for thumb prints, I can kind of understand that (but I still think it's stupid). If each piece of media had its own unique serial number, then that media can be registered by the owner. That way if the registered owner's media is stolen and sold, it can be tracked by its unique serial number... but they don't offer unique serial numbers for each and every console game, DVD, or CD, so what's the point? Plus, stolen media can't be traded for cash (at least not legally), so that at least serves as an institutional theft deterrent. But I don't think this legistlation has anything to do with theft deterrents. Billboard's website also said Utah is doing this with CDs, and I'm guessing DVDs and video games will apply. They also report that this is supposed to be a theft deterrant. I honestly think Sony is behind a majority of this. At one point they were trying to prevent the sales of used PS3 games because people were just "leasing" games they bought (but didn't actually "own"), but that's not quite the case right now. And this Florida thing just smells of Sony's PS3 tactics. Sony is awful. Remember the lawsuits because they were puting computer viruses on their music CDs? I'd put money on it they were responsible for this Florida/Utah legistlation.
I think the flordia law is to prevent the selling off of games that are stolen. If you can only get store credit that makes it less initcing to sell to your local game store. Plus if you do they have your fingerprint so they can catch you. The law sucks so you floridians need to get rid of this law before it spreads like all of the other anti gaming laws.
this and many other reason is why i dont wanna live in florida no more...MIA is cool and all but laws down here are getin to the point of killin someone...espcailly street racing laws man!!!!! god....popo's wont leave us alone
well sony started this. it looks like they will get their way.they have been trying to get their product out of uesed bins since they annouced the ps3.
It seems odd that selling used games is even an issue for the law to get involved with. It's not like software piracy or copyright infringement. What, so games can only be sold once, then used and discarded? I guess we'll have to donate all our used games to charity now...
That law is so the Production companies make more money, instead of just buying a used game that said company sees no profit from.
I don't quite understand this proposed law in Florida. I know that used game sales can take profits away from game & console makers (since they only get a cut of the original new sale), but who cares? If you buy it legally, you should have the right to sell it legally! Sounds like Bush (Jeb that is) is getting money from some game makers.
That Florida law is scarry. You need to give your thumb print to sell games. Why is this law being made? I don't get what the problem is with selling used games.
Hey NevertoBe5, there doesnt need to be any law....Simply stop taking your games to EB....They dont force you to trade them in....I personally dont buy many used games because the price difference is way to small compared to new and I stopped trading in games long ago....There are much better ways to get money for used games than eb/gs...
Why don't they make a law to stop gamestop and EB games from ripping us off. They buy our games for so little and then they sell em back for a hell of a lot more and not only that, they also keep that price for a very long time.
Why do they need a thumb print ? Is there some kind of used game database for tracking gamers purchases?Or is that what they hope to create, to keep tabs on all the hooligans buying GTA or BMX XXX before said gamers go berserk ?
2GB Movie: Meh, don't care for any of those movies really... Florida Used Game Sales Law: Now this is just assisinine, there's no need for this to go on. It'll be stuck in florida cause no state is that closed minded when it comes to video games... Except for maybe Utah.
I like the idea of Memory Stick Games and Movies. Grabbing a little pouch/bag of movies, games, and pictures with your PSP sounds really cool.
Like the PSP movie bundle matters, I can rip any movie to my PSP without lame menus. Straight to the movie in high quality. Plus, a SanDisk 4 GB Memory Stick Pro Duo is $66.82 off of Amazon. Don't fall for this trap. Get Spiderman 2 on DVD and burn it. That goes for any other movie available on Sonys obselete UMD format.
That was pretty unexpected... well if it does get close to where I am ... I will be that much happier
And so I sell and buy my used games on EBay. I get cheaper games when I buy them and get more cash when I sell them. These dumb azzed politician suckas can bite my phat one.
Wow, I am so proud to live in Florida right now,anyone know if this is true?And if it is,when does this law go into effect?
i think a lot of people will... but are all movies on the stick? that would make no sence at all.
whats is Florida thinking? a thumb print to sell a used game and a $10,000 bond. I cant believe the gaming industry would let that go to that extreme
Thats odd about the PSP movies. I don't have a PSP yet though, so I guess it doesn't affect me. Not that I have enough interest in any of those movies to watch them on the PSP anyways. :-P
United States Vice President Joe Biden believes there is no legal restriction on ability to tax violent media. Full Story
Avalanche Studios co-founder says developer's ambition is for action, not moments that make players cry; steampunk-style game on hold. Full Story
Developer confirms image suggesting version of upcoming shared-world shooter in development for Sony's latest portable is a fake. Full Story
Assassin's Creed and Far Cry publisher says its network of 26 studios and over 7,000 developers will allow company to ship major franchises more regularly. Full Story
4A Games creative director Andrew Prokhorov thanks Jason Rubin for telling the studio's story, but says, "We deserve the ratings we get." Full Story
DICE head would also like to poach top talent from rivals Infinity Ward and Treyarch. Full Story
Future EA games won't require Online Passes; the service is being scrapped after tepid player response. Full Story
Microsoft: 'If you're backwards compatible, you're really backwards'
Xbox business head Don Mattrick says only 5 percent of consumers play past-gen games on new systems.
