‘Anonymous’ denies involvement in Sony cyberattacks

In its response to a congressional inquiry over recent cyberattacks aimed at several of Sony’s online networks, the company on Wednesday claimed it possessed evidence of hacker activist group Anonymous’ involvement. Sony did state, however, that it could not be certain if Anonymous knowingly carried out Denial of Service attacks in order to facilitate the theft of customer data, or if the group was merely an unwitting pawn in a scheme carried out by more malicious attackers. Anonymous on Wednesday issued a press release denying any involvement with the theft of customer data, which included over 12.3 million credit card numbers. Anonymous does acknowledge that the breach took place while it was carrying out an attack on Sony’s servers, but says it did not not participate in any data theft. The group also claims it did not leave any files on Sony’s servers — Sony stated earlier that it discovered a file called “Anonymous” on its servers following the breaches that contained a portion of Anonymous’ slogan. Hit the break for the full press release.

"For Immediate Distribution

Press Release

May 4, 2011

Anonymous Enterprises LLC (Bermuda)

Last month, an unknown party managed to break into Sony’s servers and acquired millions of customer records including credit card numbers. Insomuch as that this incident occurred in the midst of Anonymous’ OpSony, by which participants engaged in several of our standard information war procedures against the corporation and its executives, Sony and other parties have come to blame Anonymous for the heist. Today, in a letter directed to members of Congress involved in an inquiry into the situation, Sony claimed to have discovered a file on its servers, presumably left by the thieves in question, entitled “Anonymous” and containing a fragment of our slogan, “We are Legion.” In response, we would like to raise the following points:

1. Anonymous has never been known to have engaged in credit card theft.

2. Many of our corporate and governmental adversaries, on the other hand, have been known to have lied to the public about Anonymous and about their own activities. HBGary, for instance, was caught lying a number of times to the press, to the public, and to Anonymous itself (in this phone call, for instance, ( http://tinyurl.com/68pbdj8) CEO Aaron Barr makes a number of untrue statements regarding the intent of his “research,” claiming for instance that he never tried to sell the information to the FBI when e-mails acquired soon showed that he had been set to do just that; executive Karen Burke was also caught lying to Bloomberg about having not seen an incriminating e-mail that she had in fact replied to just a few days before). The U.S. Chamber of Commerce lied about not having seen the criminal proposal created by them for Team Themis; Palantir lied about not having any idea what their employees were up to; Berico publicly denounced a plan that they had actively engaged in creating; etc. There is no corporation in existence will choose the truth when lies are more convenient.

3. To the contrary, Anonymous is an ironically transparent movement that allows reporters in to our operating channels to observe us at work and which has been extraordinarily candid with the press when commenting on our own activities, which is why reporters prefer to talk to us for truthful accounts of the situation rather than go to our degenerate enemies to be lied to.

4. Whoever broke into Sony’s servers to steal the credit card info and left a document blaming Anonymous clearly wanted Anonymous to be blamed for the most significant digital theft in history. No one who is actually associated with our movement would do something that would prompt a massive law enforcement response. On the other hand, a group of standard online thieves would have every reason to frame Anonymous in order to put law enforcement off the track. The framing of others for crimes has been a common practice throughout history.

5. It should be remembered that several federal contractors such as HBGary and Palantir have been caught planning a variety of unethical and potentially criminal conspiracies by which to discredit the enemies of their clients. This is not a theory – this is a fact that has been reported at great length by dozens of journalists with major publications. Insomuch as that our enemies have either engaged in or planned to engage in false flag efforts, it should not be surprising that many of the journalists who have covered us, who know who we are and what motivates us – and who have alternatively seen the monstrous behavior of those large and “respectable” firms that are all too happy to throw aside common decency at the behest of such clients as Bank of America and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – also have their suspicions that some capable party performed this operation as a means by which to do great damage to Anonymous in the public eye. Those who consider such a prospect to be somehow unlikely are advised to read about what was proposed by Team Themis in their efforts to destroy Wikileaks, and should otherwise take a few minutes to learn about COINTELPRO and other admitted practices by the U.S. intelligence community. The fact is that Anonymous has brought a great deal of discomfort to powerful entities such as Booz Allen Hamilton, Palantir, and much of the federal government; the Justice Department in particular is likely unhappy that our efforts revealed that it was they themselves who recommended the now-discredited “law firm” Hunton & Williams to Bank of America in order that the latter might better be able to fight back against Wikileaks. All of this is now public record, and anyone who finds it laughable that those or other entities may have again engaged in tactics that they are known to have engaged in in the past is not qualified to comment on the situation.

Anonymous will continue its work in support of transparency and individual liberty; our adversaries will continue their work in support of secrecy and control. The FBI will continue to investigate us for crimes of civil disobediance while continuing to ignore the crimes planned by major corporations with which they are in league.

We do not forget, even if others fail to remember.

We not forgive, even if others forgive our enemies for those things for which we are attacked.

We are legion, and will remain so no matter how many of our participants are raided by armed agents of a broken system.

We are Anonymous."

Nintendo Wii falls to $150 this month

Nintendo has just announced that the Nintendo Wii retail price will drop to $149.99 beginning May 15th, and it will include a free copy of Mario Kart and the Wii Wheel accessory as well. This bundle replaces the bundled Wii Sports game that used to come with the system, and we have to admit, this is an amazing deal and a great way to help revitalize sales of the Wii system and games. Nintendo also lets us know that it is into color coordination, because the steering wheel and the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers match the color console you purchase — white or black. Not bad, Nintendo, not bad. Hit the break for the full press release.

"Nintendo Unveils New Wii Package at $149.99, Launches ‘Nintendo Selects’ $19.99 Wii Games

Having Fun with Family and Friends Just Became More Affordable than Ever With New Suggested Retail Pricing

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nintendo is dropping the suggested retail price of its Wii™ system to $149.99 and including a Mario™ game with the Wii hardware. Starting May 15, the newly priced Wii system will come in either black or white with the Mario Kart™ Wii game and a matching colored Wii Wheel™ accessory, replacing the previously included Wii Sports™ and Wii Sports Resort™ games.

Also on May 15, Nintendo launches the new Nintendo® Selects collection of Wii games, a set of popular games that millions of people have already experienced, at a suggested retail price of $19.99. The four must-own games in this collection are The Legend of Zelda™: Twilight Princess, Animal Crossing™: City Folk, Mario™ Super Sluggers and Wii Sports, which is available for the first time as a separate software purchase. Parents and video game fans can now easily expand their library of fun, family-friendly Wii games.

“From the day it launched, Wii has let players of all ages and experience levels have fun with one another,” said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. “The new suggested retail pricing for both the hardware and select games will help create more of these magical moments for even greater numbers of people.”

With Mario Kart Wii now included with the Wii hardware, players will be able to enjoy fun go-kart racing with Mario and all his Mushroom Kingdom pals right out of the box. The Wii Remote™ Plus controller, Nunchuk™ controller and Wii Wheel included in the package will all match the hardware, meaning they will be either black or white. The new black Wii Wheel will also be available separately at a suggested retail price of $9.99.

Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://wii.com."

Hon Hai to build Nintendo’s Wii 2

Terry Gou’s Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. is said to have landed an exclusive contract to build Nintendo’s next-generation video game console. According to a report on Wednesday from Taiwan Economic News, Hon Hai could begin shipping the Wii 2 to Nintendo as soon as this coming October. Nintendo’s Wii console had consistently been a best seller for the gaming giant, but interest has finally begun to dwindle as competitive offerings pick up steam despite their age. Nintendo’s Wii 2 is said to be a direct attack the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and it will supposedly feature AMD’s new Radeon R700 GPU for outstanding graphics performance and HD video capabilities. With a rumored retail price between $350 and $450, the console may also be much more expensive than Nintendo’s current Wii console. A Wii 2 that lines up with these rumors would be an interesting move for Nintendo, which has found tremendous success with an inexpensive console aimed at more casual gamers compared to its competitors.

Sony responds to congressional inquiry

Sony on Wednesday responded to a congressional inquiry regarding major cyberattacks against its Qriocity, PlayStation Network, and Sony Online Entertainment businesses that leaked loads of personal information, including credit card numbers, to hackers. The hackers were able to breach Sony’s security while another group, dubbed “Anonymous” mobbed its servers with denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. “Whether those who participated in the denial of services attacks were conspirators or whether they were simply duped into providing cover for a very clever thief, we may never know,” Sony said in its letter to Congress, noting that it still has no idea who hacked its systems. A total of 101 million accounts across Sony’s multiple networks were compromised as Sony became the “victim of a very carefully planned, very professional, highly sophisticated criminal cyberattack designed to steal personal and credit card information for illegal purposes,” the company said. According to The Wall Street Journal, 12.3 million credit card numbers were stolen, 5.6 million of which belonged to users in the United States. So far Sony has not confirmed that the credit card numbers have been used illegally. The firm hopes to get its gaming networks back online as soon as possible.

Nintendo 3DS Sales Weaker Than Expected

The oft-discussed Nintendo 3DS isn’t quite living up to Nintendo’s sales expectations. We’ll give you a moment to act surprised.

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata briefed the press on Tuesday about the latest financial reports for the company, and things were pretty dismal across the board. The 3DS was front and center, however, as it is the latest piece of hardware from the company. Since the launch of the handheld game in Japan in Feb., and in Europe and the United States in the last week of March, the new handheld has only sold 3.61 million units, falling well short of its projection of four million.

“Sales of the 3DS have been weaker than expected since the second week of launch in the US and Europe,” Iwata said. While first week sales were strong in Japan, they fell sharply in the second, and the Japan Earthquake-Tsunami disaster of March 11th has also impacted sales as the Japanese have cut back on non-essential spending.

Overall Nintendo is having a down year thus far. Net profit for the year through March has fallen 66.1 percent to 77.6 billion yen ($952 million USD) and overall sales are down 29.3 percent to 1.01 trillion yen ($12.396 billion USD). Iwata is hopeful that sales will rise by as much as 40 percent over the coming 12 months. Although a new home gaming console codenamed Project Cafe was announced to be shown off at this year’s E3 conference, it isn’t expected to ship until April 2012. That barely falls within the 12 months he mentioned, so one has to wonder what else Nintendo has planned to carry them until then.

The sluggish sales of the 3DS really don’t come as much of a surprise. With numerous reports of eyestrain from using the glasses-free 3D, a lackluster title lineup at launch and a down economy where paying $250 for a portable gaming device with the afore mentioned problems doesn’t seem logical. There are the beginnings of a backlash against 3D being shoved down our throats in movies, television and now gaming as consumers never really asked for this technology. The Nintendo DS is still a perfectly serviceable platform, so expecting consumers to rush out and purchase another system at this time just seems too much to ask.

While 3.61 million units isn’t exactly a flop, it isn’t stellar either for such a recognizable brand name either. I’m sure Nintendo will continue on supporting the device for some time to come, but if sales continue to fall below expectations, you have to wonder just how deep that support will run.

What do you think? Did Nintendo launch the 3DS at the wrong time, or was it a lunch that didn’t even need to happen?

PSN 2.2 Million Credit Cards , Up For Sale? What About Yours ?

That's horrible when we hear about rumors telling that PSN database containing around 2.2 million credit card details and they are up to sale to the highest bidder, this more than horrible. What about your credit card ?

Some hackers -still unknown- are now offering Sony to sell them back cridet card details or they gonna offer them up on underground credit card trading forums.

The really disturbing part of this is the news that these details actually include the CCV security code that until now was believed to be safe. With that code married to the card owner’s name as well as the rest of the card details then the card could be used without a hiccup – news that will no doubt send a shudder down many spines at Sony HQ as well as the70 million plus PSN members who’s data could have been compromised.

Will You Leave the PlayStation Network for Xbox Live?

The PlayStation Network is still down, and as of this post, Sony says it may be as much of a week before it comes up again. That's an awful long time for someone to go without "pwning" some "n00bs" in Call of Duty: Black Ops as that means the total outage could have been as long as two weeks.

So, that brings up an interesting question: Are you capable of going that long? If you don't already own an Xbox 360, have you thought about running out and buying one just so you can hop on Xbox Live and get your online gaming fix? Sure it might seem a bit extreme to some, but if you're really that into online console gaming you might not have a choice!

Sony Hopes PlayStation Network Will Return “Within a Week”

The saga of the PlayStation Network has gone on for a week now, and it looks like it could quite possibly stretch out to a total of two weeks according to Sony. According to a newly updated FAQ from the company, at least some services should be back with the next week.

We have a clear path to have PlayStation Network and Qriocity systems back online, and expect to restore some services within a week.

Exactly which services those will be is a mystery, but it certainly doesn't sound like you'll be able to expect a return to full functionality any time soon. Guess those old hopes of this just lasting a day or so are definitely out the window.

Despite the fact that this is greatly crimping the playing style of a lot of users, Sony is going to have to tread very carefully in light of the news that users of the PlayStation Network may have had their credit card data compromised. While it is certain that players would like to get back on line to play some Call of Duty: Black Ops, or downloaded the latest DLC for their favorite games, security is going to have to be the first priority in the current rebuilding of the network that is going on. This isn't just for the sense of safety that the users want, but also Sony doesn't want to take another black eye to their reputation like this again any time soon.

Hopefully the PSN will return sooner rather than later with all of the necessary fixes so something like this doesn't happen again. Now that Sony has been shown to be vulnerable, there is sure to be an upswing in the number of other hackers out there who want to test their mettle against a reinforced network. Sony has said it hired an outside security firm to work with them through this matter, so hopefully they will be thinking of everything possible, but only time will tell.

What do you think? Would you rather PSN come up now, as is, or are you willing to wait for the improved security?

PlayStation Network User Information Stolen in Hack

The PlayStation Network has been down since the middle of last week. The result of the outage, as users were notified on Saturday, was to rebuild the network security in light of an unwanted, external intrusion. Now Sony has come forth and issued an update declaring that personal user information was stolen during the intrusion.

The data includes usernames, passwords, names, birth dates, addresses, purchase history and, Sony warns, potentially credit card information. Here's how Sony's putting it

"we believe that an unauthorized person has obtained the following information that you provided: name, address (city, state, zip), country, email address, birthdate, PlayStation Network/Qriocity password and login, and handle/PSN online ID. It is also possible that your profile data, including purchase history and billing address (city, state, zip), and your PlayStation Network/Qriocity password security answers may have been obtained. If you have authorized a sub-account for your dependent, the same data with respect to your dependent may have been obtained"

And, concerning credit card data, Sony goes on...

"While there is no evidence at this time that credit card data was taken, we cannot rule out the possibility. If you have provided your credit card data through PlayStation Network or Qriocity, out of an abundance of caution we are advising you that your credit card number (excluding security code) and expiration date may have been obtained."

As Sony's stated leading up to this announcement, they have taken the network down in order to rebuild its structure with a more rigorous effort on security. That does not change the fact that user data has been relinquished, thus likely leading to a large customer backlash.

In the update on PlayStation.Blog, Sony indicates that they should be finished with their work on the PSN and have it back online within the week. They also give some websites and contact information for credit reports and identity fraud protection. What they have not indicated is what they plan to do for the customers that have been affected by this attack as a result of their previously, apparently, lacking network security.

For those that have lost personal information and are subject to identity theft and credit fraud, the news that the PSN will be up by the week's conclusion is likely less than warming. As more develops with this incident, we'll be on it."

Nintendo president: 3DS sales weaker than expected

Speaking during an investor briefing on Tuesday, Nintendo’s president Satoru Iwata said that sales of his firms new 3DS portable gaming system failed to meet expectations. “Sales of the 3DS have been weaker than expected since the second week of launch in the US and Europe,” Iwata said while discussing the device’s launches in Europe, the United States, and in Japan. Nintendo had expected to sell 4 million units last quarter, but sales fell short at 3.61 million units. Iwata said that he hopes sales will increase as much as 40% during the next year, AFP reported. We reviewed the 3DS earlier this month and argue that the gaming system doesn’t offer enough features to justify its $250 price point.

Sony drops price of PSP in Europe

Sony has officially dropped the suggested retail price of the PSP in Europe to €129.99 ($187.29). This follows the company’s February 25th announcement that it was slashing the price of its gaming system to $129.99 in the United States. Sony also said that — beginning on April 14th — PSP owners will be able to access an unlimited cloud-based music service called Music Unlimited. Powered by Qriocity, Music Unlimited will allow PSP owners to listen to customized music channels or sync up with tunes stored on their PlayStation 3, PC, or other Sony devices. “The price cut is aimed at increasing adoption of the player in Europe,” said Sony spokesperson Satoshi Fukuoka. The move may also be tied to the recent launch of the Nintendo 3DS.

Gaming and a girl gone wild: Sony Ericsson looks to the past to define the future

According to data released by The Nielson Company in March, Sony Ericsson’s share of the U.S. smartphone market is barely a blip on the radar. Apple and RIM combine to own more than half the market, HTC is coming up behind them with 19%, Motorola holds 11%, Samsung has a 7% share and Sony Ericsson sits somewhere in the “Other” category, grouped among an undefined number of nameless manufacturers that combine to share roughly 3% of the smartphone market in the U.S. But Sony Ericsson smartphones are preparing to invade American soil, and the company’s assault just started with a boob-stab.

Nearly every major research firm that covers the wireless industry has predicted that Android will continue to grow until it becomes a smartphone platform even more dominant than Symbian was in its heyday. And Google’s mobile OS is well on its way; major players like Samsung, HTC and Motorola have flooded the market with so many Android devices, it is becoming the go-to platform for consumers by default. Millions of users around the world seek out Android for its flexibility and its feature set, of course, but millions more buy Android phones simply because they’re there. Android is what carriers are selling, so Android is what subscribers are buying.

And so a new challenge is born: how does one manufacturer differentiate its devices from the hoards of other Android phones that tout nearly identical specifications, similar features and a similar user experience?

The first generation of devices use a UI layer to differentiate themselves from other manufacturers’ offerings. HTC has its Sense UI, Samsung has TouchWiz, Motorola has the ever-changing MOTOBLUR UI, and so on. But it’s not enough. These UI layers often add a great look and some additional functionality to Android phones, but beyond all the smoke and mirrors they’re still Android phones and they’re still quite similar.

So what’s next?

Rumors of a “PlayStation Phone” go back years, but Sony Ericsson was thinking bigger. One PlayStation Phone would only take the company so far, while an Android-based, PlayStation Certified mobile gaming platform could span numerous devices with various form factors that might appeal to different demographics.

And gamers… what a market to address. Sony has sold nearly 50 million PlayStation 3 consoles and about 103 million original PlayStations to date, and its PlayStation 2 console is the most popular video game system of all time with nearly 150 million units sold. The gaming industry is massive, and the Sony half of Sony Ericsson’s joint venture certainly knows gaming.

So for Sony Ericsson, that differentiating factor was actually born more than 16 years ago in December 1994, when Sony released the PlayStation gaming console. Gaming is in the company’s blood, and it will no longer hide from its heritage. What’s more, gamers are hungry for a smartphone option that affords a more complex and attractive gaming experience. Flicking birds at pigs is great for killing a few minutes while taking a break, but most mobile games don’t even come close to providing the immersive experience afforded by a dedicated console. Developers are beginning to create more immersive games for popular platforms like iOS, but the iPhone’s form factor and other limitations often result in a low ceiling for iOS games.

The mission is clear, and Sony Ericsson’s upcoming Xperia PLAY is the first device to feature the company’s new PlayStation gaming platform for smartphones.

But the smartphone market is anything but a field of dreams, where simply building a great device will bring millions of eager customers to a manufacturer’s doorstep. Building a product is only part of the battle. Sony Ericsson has to aggressively attack carriers around the world so its gaming phones are accessible to customers, and it must also climb to the top of every mountain and shout about its new phones as loud as it can. Or it could opt for a triple-kill.

Sony Ericsson has identified the U.S. as a key market for its new breed of smartphones, but the U.S. can be a tough nut to crack; just ask Nokia. Carriers are the only option for a successful route to market, but in many cases the real fight begins after a company works out a carrier deal. Without a solid marketing and advertising effort, even the most capable phones are doomed to collect dust on store shelves.

Enter Sony Ericsson’s creative team and McCann Worldgroup.

When it comes to advertising, you can’t game gamers. Young or old, video game fans are a discerning, finicky breed and influencing their buying decisions is a challenge creative professionals have struggled with for decades. There are several approaches that have proven successful over the years, however, and the most successful video game franchises in history have often left a trail of brilliant advertising campaigns in their wake.

Advertising is easy to dismiss, but there’s a reason more than $500 billion was spent globally on advertising in 2010. And the value of solid advertising can extend far beyond the immediate return garnered by sales of a specific product. Successful advertising campaigns can stick in the consumer’s head for weeks or even months, resulting in a mind share victory that might even impact sales for years.

“Throughout the years, everybody was speculating and waiting for what everyone was calling, up until now, ‘the PlayStation Phone,’” Sony Ericsson’s Head of Marketing Activations for the Americas, Adaliz Vicens, told BGR in an interview. With so much riding on the device, which will be the first to bring PlayStation gaming — Sony Ericsson’s new point of differentiation — to the Android platform, Sony Ericsson had to swing for the fences when introducing its coming smartphone to the masses.

The company started strong with a commercial that premiered during Super Bowl XLV, but a series of Web-only promotional spots really set the Internet abuzz last month. While the audience for these spots might not have been Super Bowl-sized, the hilarious premise and the soft spoken starlet who was able to transform herself into a swirling ball of rage at the drop of a hat — or, at the drop of the Xperia PLAY’s dedicated game controller — will remain on the minds of millions of viewers for quite some time.

The promos were the brainchild of acclaimed creative firm McCann Worldgroup, and were actualized by Creative Director Sean Bryan and his team. They star actress and comedian Kristen Schaal, who manages to pull off a unique brand of schizophrenic comedy perfectly.

“We knew we wanted to get somebody who had two sides to them because the phone has two sides to it,” Bryan said during an interview with BGR. “So we started off talking about somebody who has a very clean-cut, presentable, official side, and then when they open [the Xperia PLAY], can go to a more intense or out-there side. Some weeks later we arrived at Kristen, who was sort of the perfect find for that; and boy, did she ever bring a lot to the spots in production.”

Schaal — perhaps best known for her work on HBO’s Flight of the Conchords, her quirky segments on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and her voice work for Disney’s Toy Story 3 — is undoubtedly the star of the show. And yet she still manages to leave the viewer with a strong desire to pick up an Xperia PLAY and shoot someone in the face… once his or her bellowing laughter subsides, of course.

But it’s not just hardcore gamers Sony Ericsson is after, and the recurring phrase from Sony Ericsson’s campaign points to a broader range of consumers who might find the device appealing. “The smartphone with everything you need… and the one thing you want,” the ads state. This is an important message for Sony Ericsson to convey as it tries to avoid having its new smartphones painted into a corner.

“We really wanted to say two things with these communications and really, with everything we’ve done about the phone,” Bryan said. “On its own, without the gaming functionality, it’s a really top-notch smartphone. And then when you slide it open, it kind of turns into a whole different experience.”

Sony Ericsson sees a huge untapped market in young professionals who need a modern, capable smartphone but also have a suppressed urge to return to the gaming roots of their childhoods. “Lapsed gamers,” as Bryan calls them.

“[The Xperia PLAY] is meant to reacquaint you with that gamer side,” said Bryan. ”There’s a lot of people out there whose gaming has been reduced to Doodle Jump, or less immersive gaming experiences.” And Sony Ericsson’s new smartphone is designed to give them the more immersive gaming experiences they crave — knowingly or unknowingly — while also providing high-end specs and all of the functionality one might need in an Android smartphone.

While conducting research during the development process that ultimately yielded the Xperia PLAY, Sony Ericsson found that approximately 65% of smartphone users play games on their phones, Vicens revealed. With over 300 million smartphones sold last year and an estimated 450 million smartphones expected to be sold in 2011, that’s a pretty huge target market. Add to that the hoards of “lapsed gamers” who might might not currently spend much time with cell phone games due to the lack of a truly immersive experience, and Sony Ericsson is seemingly on a path with limitless potential.

The shot heard ’round the world is said to have instigated the Battle of Concord, marking the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. It may very well be that the boob-stab heard ’round the world, delivered during what might now be referred to as Schaal’s Battle of Conchords, will help Sony Ericsson prepare for war as it takes on the giants of the smartphone industry in the U.S. and around the world.

Nintendo may drop Wii to $150 on May 15th

Nintendo may drop the price of its Nintendo Wii game console from $200 to $150 on May 15th, Engadget is reporting. The new price will likely help Nintendo compete better against Microsoft and its Xbox 360 4GB console —which currently retails for $199.99. According to recent figures from NPD Group, Nintendo sold 454,000 Wii consoles during the month of February, far behind Microsoft’s 535,000 Xbox 360 sales figure. Similarly, Nintendo reported weaker hardware sales in its Q3 earnings report, so the move could help it reignite consumer interest.

Nintendo moves 400,000 3DS units during first week of U.S. availability

In an interview with USA Today, Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America, confirmed that Nintendo sold nearly 400,000 of its 3DS units in the week following its March 27th launch. That’s the same figure Nintendo sold in Japan on its first day of availability when it launched there in February. “We are very satisfied with this start and we look forward to the momentum that we will build on the Nintendo 3DS with the launch of the E-Shop, the launch of the 3-D trailers for Hollywood movies, and the launch of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in mid-June, as well as the launch of Netflix later on in the summer,” Fils-Aime said. We noted the glaring lack of services like Netflix and an app/game store in our recent Nintendo 3DS review, so we look forward to those updates. In addition to solid 3DS sales, Nintendo sold more than 460,000 units of its previous-generation DS portable gaming consoles, and 290,000 Wii consoles during the month of March.

Sony: PS3 shipments surpass 50 million units globally

Sony has kept its PlayStation 3 sales figures close to the vest, but on Friday the company officially announced shipment figures for its popular PlayStation 3 gaming console. Sony said that, as of March 29th, 2011, it has shipped 50 million PlayStation 3 consoles globally. Sony’s PlayStation Network, which allows users to download games, watch movies, and more, now has more than 75 million registered users in 59 countries around the globe. Sony also noted that it has shipped 8 million of its PlayStation Move motion controllers since the September 2010 launch. As of February, Microsoft’s Xbox 360 gaming console remained the most popular gaming console in the United States – that’s no surprise given that it’s available at multiple price points, most of which are below that of the PS3. Hit the jump for Sony’s official announcement.

PlayStation®3 Sales Reach 50 Million Units Worldwide

Sales of PlayStation®Move motion controller for PlayStation®3 (PS3®) surpass 8 million units worldwide, accelerating the expansion of the PS3 Platform.

TOKYO, April 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) today announced that the cumulative sales of the PlayStation®3 (PS3®) computer entertainment system reached a milestone of 50 million units(1) worldwide, as of March 29, 2011. SCE also announced that PlayStation®Move sales surpassed 8 million units(1) worldwide as of April 3, demonstrating continued growth and momentum of the PS3 platform.

The PS3 system, equipped with future proof cutting–edge technologies including the powerful Cell Broadband Engine™ and RSX® processors as well as the Blu-ray disc™ (BD) player and HDMI, has delivered users with high-definition and high quality entertainment experiences since its launch in November 2006. The PS3 system continues to evolve and enhance the user experience through new features and services delivered via software updates.

Concurrently with the introduction of PS3, SCE launched the PlayStation®Network service which now has more than 75 million registered accounts and operates in 59 countries and regions(2) around the world. PlayStation Network supports free community-centric online game play and communication tools such as PlayStation®Home(3), and offers vast downloadable digital content, including games, movies and TV shows, through PlayStation®Store. Downloadable digital content on PlayStation Store currently totals 105,988 worldwide. In September 2009, SCE launched the new slimmer and lighter PS3 system with a new form factor and less power consumption that has been well received by users around the world.

To further expand entertainment experiences only possible on PS3, stereoscopic 3D gaming and Blu-ray 3D™ features were introduced to the system via a free system software update(4) in April and September 2010, respectively. The feature enables users to enjoy stunningly realistic stereoscopic 3D on their PS3 system by simply connecting it to a 3D-compatible TV such as a 3D “BRAVIA” TV using an HDMI cable. The number of stereoscopic 3D software titles has reached 89 as of April 1, 2011.

SCE launched PlayStation Move in September 2010 for North America, Europe/PAL territories and in Asia, and in October 2010 for Japan to deliver a new entertainment experience across all categories of games, from casual to core. The PlayStation Move motion controller is used in combination with the PlayStation®Eye camera to detect the precise movement, angle, and absolute position in 3D space of the user, thereby allowing users to intuitively play as if they are within the game. The number of PlayStation Move supported/dedicated software titles has reached 155 as of March 24, 2011, including titles such as Sports Champions, SingStar Dance and Killzone 3(5). PlayStation Move continues to expand new game play with variety of upcoming new PlayStation Move titles for 2011, including SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs(6).

With strong support from 3rd party developers and publishers worldwide, PS3 features a vast library of more than 2,128 software titles, with more than 480 million units sold worldwide(7). Recently released blockbuster franchise titles from first party studios include Grand Turismo 5, LittleBigPlanet2 and Killzone 3.

SCE will continue to further expand the PS3 platform and create a new world of computer entertainment.

Sony kills PSP Go

According to AV Watch, Sony has announced that it’s ending sales of its PSP Go portable gaming console. Sony let the wraps off of the PSP Go in June 2009, and while it is both smaller and lighter than the PSP, that comes at the cost of a UMD gaming cartridge slot. The requirement to side-load games or purchase them over the air no doubt played a role in Sony’s poor hardware and software sales in Japan. While the Japanese firm will no longer produce the PSP Go, it will continue to offer device support for repairs and updates. Sony said it will focus its efforts on the PSP-3000 and its successor, currently codenamed “NGP.”

New Microsoft and Sony gaming consoles may not land until 2014

According to Kotaku, neither Microsoft nor Sony will launch new gaming consoles before 2014. “Both [Microsoft] and Sony are telegraphing to each other that they’re delaying, to milk the current [generation] and fill in previous craters better,” one source told Kotaku. By contrast, Nintendo’s next generation gaming console is expected to land sometime next year. Microsoft and Sony may decide to build onto the current systems, however; for example, Microsoft may release a “Kinect-upgraded” Xbox 360 in 2013. “Sony definitely isn’t launching a successor before 2014 and could stand to benefit by having Microsoft launch first as PS3 builds in North America and builds a strong position in Europe,” said Billy Pidgeon, an analyst with M2 Research. Microsoft has gone on the record saying that it will offer support for the Xbox 360 through 2015, but we’re curious how it will hold consumer interest in a system that made its debut in 2005.

Nintendo Wii 2 ‘Screen Stream’ controllers leak

Leaked details aplenty around Nintendo’s next-gen console to replace the Wii, believed to be codenamed Project Cafe, with IGN reporting on rumors that the Wii 2 will use innovative controllers with integrated “Screen Stream” technology that can stream games direct to an integrated color touchscreen. Mock-up images of the potential hardware – which may reach the marked as the Nintendo Stream, it’s suggested – have been discovered by NeoGAF, meanwhile, showing a somewhat retro, SNES-style console that’s said to be around the size of an Xbox 360.

Screen Stream will, it’s said, take the 1080p display the new high-definition Stream is capable of, and split the four individual views of multiplayer games, squirting one to each player’s controller. The TV can then show different camera angles or even be turned off completely. There’s also the possibility of “Virtual Console Games” similar to the tiny titles playable on SEGA’s DreamCast controllers.

As for the main hardware, Nintendo is said to be using a custom triple-core processor based on IBM’s PowerPC chipset, similar to the Xbox 360, though with higher clock speeds than the Microsoft console. It will be paired with a revamped version of AMD’s R700 GPU, expected to be faster than the PS3′s NVIDIA 7800GTX-based graphics chip. Foxconn is handling production.

The Wii 2, or Stream, could reach the market as early as mid-October 2011, though it’s possible that Nintendo could hold off from releasing the HD-capable console until early 2012. That would allow developers to build up a catalog of titles to take advantage of the Screen Stream technology. Pricing is believed to be in the region of $350 to $400.

Nintendo Wii 2 confirmed amid Wii sales slump

On Monday, Nintendo released a statement confirming that it will reveal the successor to the original Wii during the E3 Expo tradeshow in Los Angeles — which takes place June 7-9, 2011. The new console, currently codenamed “Project Cafe,” may feature a new “Screen Stream” controller option that will provide each individual gamer with their own touchscreen display, although Nintendo did not disclose any of the console’s new features in its statement. The Japanese gaming firm also announced its earnings for the fiscal year ending March, 2011. Net sales of ¥1,014 billion ($12.35 billion) were down 29.3% year-over-year and Nintendo’s net income fell 66.1% to ¥77.62 million ($946,110). Hardware and software sales for the United States, Nintendo’s largest market, also fell year-over-year. Nintendo sold 15.08 million Nintendo Wii units, 3.61 million of its new Nintendo 3DS devices, and 17.52 million of its Nintendo DS portable gaming consoles in the States. By contrast, the firm sold 20.5 million Wii units in the U.S. last year. Globally, the firm sold 171.26 million Wii units, 120.98 million DS devices, and 9.43 million Nintendo 3DS units. Hit the jump for Nintendo’s earnings release, as well as its official statement on E3.

April 25, 2011

To whom it may concern:

Re: Wii’s Successor System

Nintendo Co., Ltd. has decided to launch in 2012 a system to succeed Wii, which the company has sold 86.01 million units on a consolidated shipment basis between its launch in 2006 and the end of March 2011.

We will show a playable model of the new system and announce more specifications at the E3 Expo, which will be held June 7-9, 2011, in Los Angeles.

Sales of this new system have not been included in the financial forecasts announced today for the fiscal term ending March 2012.

Lost Odyssey for XBOX 360

The second of two epic RPG projects for Microsoft by Mistwalker, the studio founded by Square-Enix's Hironobu Sakaguchi. You play as Kaim, a man who's been sentenced to live for 1,000 years. The game's storyline takes you through Kaim's life as he lives through multiple generations, becomes a part of many families, falls in and out of love and gets into conflicts. All this is set in a world that is on the verge of a "mystical industrial revolution," where mankind has attained dark powers.