Episode 557: The Console War Is Ending

This week probably has the most shocking and industry moving news of the week, as Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo start to play nice — and their players get to play together.

This week’s news includes:

  • MLB The Show going multi-platform “as early as 2021”
  • Minecraft Bedrock Edition on PS4
  • Resident Evil 3 Remake announced, out in April
  • 2K launches new studio focused on the next BioShock

Let us know what you think.

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Gaming Podcast 187: Poor WalmartGaming Podcast 187: Poor Walmart

This weeks podcast covers some news, as the usual, a gaming flashback about Mach Rider on the NES and the cassette loader from the old NES days (in Japan). Aside from community comments, we’ve also got this news lineup:

  • Nintendo Drops DSi and DSi XL prices
  • Acclaim has died
  • Sony changing their mobile target audience
  • Best Buy and Target getting into the used games business
  • Xbox Live subscription increasing

This weeks question of the week, are storylines important in video games (more so than graphics) and, what game do you believe will go down as the best storyline based game in your opinion.

Bejeweled Twist Launched, Casualites RejoiceBejeweled Twist Launched, Casualites Rejoice

After four years of development, Popcap lit up Seattle Monday night with the launch of Bejeweled Twist sparing no expense to show off their new casual game. It took four years to complete but Popcap isn’t going to release a game until it’s perfect. You won’t play it until they believe it is a game their mom would love.

“Popcap builds games for people, not demographics,” says CEO David Roberts. At the launch the founders, John Vechey, Brian Fiete and Jason Kapalka talked about the casual game market while the “Gem Girls” walked around looking sexy and flashy. Roberts talked about the casual game industry and forecasts it growing to become an $8 billion market — not too shabby for USD $19.99 games.

Downloads of Bejeweled, of course, show no signs of stopping and Popcap explained that 40% of their revenue comes from the old concepts of “Diamond Mine.” Phil Spencer, Microsoft Game Studios’ General Manager, hopped on stage and explained how Microsoft saw Popcap’s vision in their Diamond Mine flash game and suggested a rename to Bejeweled, the founders hated the name but took the big companies suggestion on the change.

Since then, we’ve had many folks attempt to clone and replicate the success in Popcap’s flagship product. Complete with open bar, Gem Girls, camera flashes and glitter this game launch shows the growing casual games industry the great power and momentum of “simple” casual games.

Nothing about Bejeweled Twist is simple. The game play of Bejeweled Twist aggregates all the knowledge Popcap has acquired over the last seven years to design one blockbuster title. From classic Bejeweled to Chuzzle to Peggle, the game takes pieces of each successful title and combines the game play, sounds, graphics and modes into a product that will bring casual gaming to a new level. Bejeweled Twist is going to be the new bar to reach in the industry in terms of addictive game play and a unified casual vision.

Stay tuned for the full review as we get deep into the full features of Bejeweled Twist. Special thanks to Dale North from Destructoid for hanging out for some drinks during the after party.

Episode 334: Droning OnEpisode 334: Droning On

Despite the title of the podcast episode this week, nothing is boring. Rather, there’s a ton of banter between Jonah, Paul and Jordan, as they discuss next-gen console gaming.

This week’s news items include:

  • Amazon testing package delivery by drone
  • Microsoft advises gamers against turning the Xbox One into a dev kit
  • There’s “no lack of ideas” at DICE, CEO ponders local weather for Battlefield
  • Xbox One beats PS4 sales at Walmart, Target
  • Epic: “We’ve yet to see the real value of the second screen”
  • Sega: Shenmue 3 trademark listing a hoax

All this and some Listener Feedback.