The Geekender: Saturday, September 22nd, 2012

The Geekender: Saturday, September 22nd, 2012

News

Playstation 3 Super Slim
The PS3 “Super Slim”

PlayStation 3 “remaining active” until at least 2015, but will current price point change that?

In a recent interview with Gamespot, Sony’s PlayStation VP of Hardware Marketing John Koller discussed the challenges and reasoning of pricing the PS3 “super slim” version at $20 more than its predecessor. Citing that consumers are looking for value, and that with the addition of Uncharted 3 and Dust 514 in the bundle would provide just that, Koller states that $269 could be seen as a better deal than the previous $250 model.

But is it? With the existence of a subsidized $99 Xbox 360 and the looming launch of the first next gen console, the $299 Wii U by Nintendo, the PS3 may have a decidedly uphill battle with its current pricing scheme. In fact, Sony’s biggest conflict may be internal. With the Vita remaining steadfast at $250 this season, maintaining a $250 PS3 would cause conflict. Ideally we’d see the Vita drop in price to distance itself from the PS3, but Sony took the reverse route and raised the home console’s MSRP. But dropping the Vita’s price would be a sign of defeat — and a massive hit to profits that the Vita hardware isn’t bringing in yet at its current pitch — and Sony isn’t willing to do that to its self esteem twice in a 4-year span. With the majority of AAA-titles shifting into 2013, there are few compelling exclusives for Sony’s home console. It could be an increasingly uphill battle come November.

To further the issue, but stating that the PS3 will remain supported well into 2015 could mean that maybe the PS4/Orbis is slipping from that 2013 launch date we all had circled.

Also: what the hell is up with that sliding cover and those Eighties’ panel ridges?

Source: Gamespot

 

Gamemaster Howard Phillips' personal collection of unreleased games
Gamemaster Howard Phillips’ personal collection of unreleased games

Howard Phillips shares unreleased SNES game concepts

It’s rare that we see a bit of hidden SNES gaming history pop up so late after the console had its funeral, but that’s just what happened tonight when former Nintendo spokesman (and Nintendo Power editor) Howard Phillips put aside his blue bowtie and shared a couple unreleased SNES games. Posting photographs of the two games — Mer Wars and Reactor — to his Facebook page, Phillips sparked all kinds of nostalgia among his fans.

Mer Wars looks to be some sort of underwater Mode7-based 3D game, like a 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea with more mermen, and Reactor looks like an isometric action space adventure. It’s interesting to see these unreleased concepts pop up, if nothing more than to bring us some fond memories of the 16-bit era. Phillips promises to post more images to his page, and find out more information about the games as well.

Source: Facebook

 

Weekend Watching

With a lackluster TGS just wrapping up (no bombz were dropped!) there were some great little trailers that popped up. None had more impact with the attendees than Monster Hunter 4, aka “Japan’s Biggest Gaming Series Evarrrrrrrrrr”. And hey, i’s looks alright.

 

Social Media Talkback

“Will you buy a PS3 superslim?” That’s the question we asked you on Twitter and Facebook. Your responses below.

CaptBenLWillard writes:

[quote] nope. rather put $ toward Wii U, and I’m anti-Nintendo XD[/quote]

TheDarkWayne writes:

[quote]Absolutely not. The PS4 almost certainly being on the horizon makes it crazy to drop 200+ on the same thing again.[/quote]

bittripfan writes:

[quote]if it was cheaper maybe[/quote]