Wii Could Be Very Excited

As if we don't dork out on Wii enough on this blog, we've now decided to top off our previous news item about PlayStation for Netflix with rumors and conjecture regarding a possible similar marriage between the video rental website and Nintendo's massively successful console.

 

So, the breakdown of all the salacious details is as such:

1. According to this blog post, an un-named source connected to the Wii/Nintendo collaboration has confirmed that Wii and Nintendo are in fact working together

2. According to this same blog post, the un-named individual has also seen screen shots of the Netflix site running through Wii

3. News of this collaboration isn't really that news-y at all as Netflix has both recently surveyed its customer base to ascertain how much of it would prefer to view streaming video through a Wii and has posted job openings for in-house programmers to help deal with the project

4. The release date is merely marked as "soon", but, two possible timing points for the announcement of the collaboration have been suggested to be "by the end of the year" (this means, 09!) or whenever it is that Nintedo finally announces Wii HD. 

GameSpot breaks down the gossip pretty well and we personally can't wait. HD or not, we think it'd be pretty darn cool to wave a Wii controller at the TV and have Amelie come on.

Google Brings Online Music To The Masses

Check out this bit of an announcement:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13526_3-10386692-27.html 

We can finally listen to songs in searches! Praise be.

What's really interesting is that Google struck deals with Lala (whom we love) and iLike in order to bring the project to fruition. That has to be like opening a suitcase of gold for both companies, who are both fringe industry players at best. Rainbows are probably spilling out of the suitcases of gold as well. How did these guys get so lucky and do they have a stock plan for employees cuz we could totally start making music games? I'm just sayin'.

Samsung Makes Bid For Stake in Mobile Gaming

According to this week's Develop Online post, Samsung has openly initiated a bid for the mobile gaming market by offering a quarter of a million dollars to game development companies or individuals that can produce a winning mobile game idea.

 

According to Handmark's senior VP of Global Sales, Chris Barnett:

"This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone, including big brands, mobile developers or any individual with a unique, creative idea to make it a reality"

A.k.a. (or as Joystiq commented last night), because the company has "lost a sizable chunk of the mobile consumer base to iTunes, Samsung is now reaching into its pockets to ensure the company's slip in market share doesn't turn into a complete mudslide". We agree, but, are also simultaneously excited by the prospect of the mobile market opening up to a myriad of platforms, and see this as a step in that direction.

Playstation and Netflix Mate

Since we seem to be unable to avoid this topic in the blog-o-sphere, we're going to just mention it, PlayStation is finally following in the foot steps of XBox by partnering with Netflix. 

The partnership is an offshoot of the subscription service's regular program where members get to receive an on going stream of films for a fixed monthly price. In this case, the Netflix/PlayStation combo will set you back $8.99 a month and get you films stream-able through the system to your television without a monthly limit, as well as the regular shipment of DVD's Netflix members get.

And just in case the goal of this merger is unclear, Jack Tretton, president and CEO, of SCEA has the following to say:

“The PlayStation 3 system has always been about more than just gaming, and it will soon be the only platform in the industry to offer consumers such a variety of convenient options for enjoying movies and TV shows. Whether you want to watch content on Blu-ray disc and DVD, download it from the PlayStation Network’s video delivery service, or stream videos instantly from Netflix, the PS3 system is the only solution that offers it all.”

A set date for the service has yet to been announced. Check out the full press release via PlayStation blog.

Filler Gets Indie On XBox

One of our favorite iPhone games (yes, we've wasted many hours on this thing), has recently surfaced in a XBox 360 incarnation. "Filler", as it is known for the console system, is a game of blowing up bubbles to make them fill a space (on iPhone its the whole of your screen, on XBox its a framed window). 

 

The difference between the mobile version of the game and its console counterpart is that the former is a race against time, where the latter is a game of evasion, i.e. attempting to blow up a big enough bubble to ensure it doesnt get hit by one of an onslaught of little red dots. And, as far as we're concerned, the best part of the news is that the game was developed by an independent gaming studio (kind of like yours truly), which means that us little guys do still have a stake in the biz and also, we do develop some of the more addicting, universal concepts.

We really like this detailed review of Filler at MTV Multiplayer blog. Check it out!

We've Got Game For Decades

We're really happy to announce that our little baby in waiting, Decades, has finally become approved for the Facebook platform. Check it out: http://apps.facebook.com/decadesgame/ !

The entry into Facebook now marks Decades' third platform entry, as it has been available through iTunes for iPhone/iPod Touch and for Android devices at Android Marketplace for the past couple of weeks.

So far the feedback we've received from the mobile gaming community has been positive and we're looking forward to what is sure to be a great response from Facebook gamers as well. Post some comments into our comment section, let us know what you think of our newest release!

Video Game Addiction Gone Awry

Some sort-of sad news today from Destructoid blog as it reports that a man killed his son over a missing video game. We don't know how much we can say about that other than that we believe part of the fun of gaming is the addiction and the mental challenge of repeated play. However, we do think that gaming in no way should interfere with any part of your life or stoke your other addictions.

So, kids, enjoy our gaming material over to the right here, but, please please try to get out into the fresh air and enjoy some sunlight.

And now for something on the lighter side:

Why HSN Should Stick To Bartering Jewelry

And why you should be extra careful with that new Wiimote

3GS Games = Added Coding

While were mulling over re-posting an OP/ED about the gaming market now driving much of its business development in the direction of the iPhone, we stumbled upon an article on Kotaku and thought, "Moot point. iPhone knew this would happen. They're not trying to gain part of the market, they're trying to become a ubiquitos force in it."

In case you haven't noticed Apple trying to extend itself beyond a brand into a 360 degree "way of life", with highly stylized, super-futuristic phone/MP3player/compasses, unnecessarily re-branded white MacBooks (why anyone would ever prefer that clumpy looking, dirt-magnet over the sleek titanium version is beyond us), specialty mall stores where super-informed Macnerds speak to you in soothing tones, we're pleased to inform that they are succeeding in this endevour and going a step further in their quest for world domination (and domination in the gaming world) by creating a separate programming platform for iPhone 3GS. While game developers (like us!) will still be able to create games for the older generation of iPhones and iPod Touches, they now also have the option of encoding a seperate set of parameters into a game that will be recognized once a game is downloaded and opened on an iPhone 3GS. The added codes will allow for optimized game playability and really take advantage of the meat and potatoes of the iPhone's technology. 

Pretty fascinating we think and we can't wait to see if this broadening of Apple's iPhone/iPod Touch platform will give them that extra edge in the market by creating a further challenge for game development enthusiasts.

Full article via Kotaku

Mario For Wii Announced, Legendary Designer Elaborates on Console's Future

So, after having mentioned our irrepressible excitement over a possible new "Mario" game this week, we actually researched the announcement a bit to find an entry on Wired's GameLife blog from last week that has, in fact, already announced a new Mario Brothers for the Wii console (see: Miyamoto: New Mario Tests Your Hard-Core Gaming Chops). 

Additionally, the game's creator, god-father of gaming, Shigeru Miyamoto has spoken out this week about the advances on the gaming console Nintendo plans to make in the coming months. He spoke out to Popular Mechanics quoting the following... 

“'What we’ve been able to do [with the Wiimote] is introduce an interface that is both I think appealing and at the right price for a broad audience.'

 

But more interesting are his comments on what lies beyond the Wii. Amazingly, he envisions a console that is largely the same, but even cheaper.

'What I can say is that, my guess is that because we found this interface to be so interesting, I think it would be likely that we would try to make that same functionality perhaps more compact and perhaps even more cost-efficient.''"

Though we agree the new series of "Wiimotes" are fairly slick, and will likely give quite a holiday gifting booster to the already massively popular gaming system, what possible minimazation of the console and it's cheaper price will do for sales down the line remains to be seen.

Check out the formal Mario Brothers's announcement here and the full article on Miyamoto via Geek.com.

The Geek Cheer Heard Round the World

Yes, yes, nerds all over the world are rejoicing as it seems a team at Carnegie Mellon University has developed a simulation for the Microsoft Surface, called "Surfaces", which put the infamously freaky and geeky Dungeons & Dragons into the aparatus to test the team's theory that table-top games can indeed be transliterated for the device.

Anyway, that's pretty cool considering D&D hasn't had an update, since, oh, the medieval era, and also quite cool because it was all done as a class project. Remember the time you brought the thing with the styrofoam and the metal poles into class and called it a "solar system"? This is way better.

And now for took geek out on the demo demo footage

Full article via Microsoft Surface Blog

It's A Mee! Mario!

Happy news today, as Charles Martinet has leaked via his Twitter that he is working on Nintendo's new version of Mario Bros. He tweets:

"Awesome new Mario Game! And it's not NSMB Wii, and it's not Galaxy 2, but it's going to be crazy fun!"

So, while we think that Twitter, being as it's limited to 140 characters for any individual post, may ultimately throw a lot of confusion out in the world by making people blurt out incomplete thoughts, and this may mean, that the news is not for sure, or is somehow just a total work-in-progress, we're also happy to hear of the possible re-emergence of our favorite Italian plumber. Ahhhh, just the name Mario alone takes us back to our sick days as a child and spending many hours on our parents' bed trying to outrun dinosaurs and listening to that iconic background music.

We'll be waiting patiently, here by the computer, until more, detailed news emerges. Until then, can Nintendo slap together a nifty Mario mobile app? We'd be much grateful.

To WoW or Not to WoW

Today's post was an internal debate for us about whether to post this item from Wired's Game Life Blog or this one. Because we are a gaming blog, and World of Warcraft is the most sucking-away-of-life game of all time, we felt we should mention it here at least once, so, there: World of Warcraft. Now it's mentioned twice. But, ultimately, the prevalent issue in the gaming world, and the world at large, are the changes in the economy, and so, the development of a gaming studio from the loins of a special effects house takes precident.

Read more

Two New Computer Gaming Gagets Available on Market Soon

First up today is the announcement about some company called BFG Technologies 18.4 inch "Deimos X-10" gaming laptop.

Two things about the unit on first glance, one, it's huge, second, its huge, but, the keyboard appears smooth and slickly navigable.

According to the press release the full specs for this puppy are:

Intel Core 2 Duo, Quad and Extreme CPU options, twin 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M GPUs, a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution display, three HDD bays for up to 1.5TB of storage, up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM and a Blu-ray optical drive. There's also a built-in subwoofer, four USB 2.0 sockets, HDMI / DVI ports, 7-in-1 card reader, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, a 2 megapixel webcam and a bundled backpack

It's unclear what exactly it is about the unit that makes it gaming-friendly (presumably something to do with those flat, blue-lit keys), but, you can view the full press release and check out some more views of the product via Engadget.

Next up is, a product from a brand we're more familiar with, it is a keyboard from Logitech. The G110 is a unit that seem to be rather multi-faceted and variably programmable (there are 12 open-ended functions for the G and M keys) and includes integrated headset support and a USB 2.0 outlet.

Here's a wee corner shot of the product:

 

And you can check out the full set of specs via Engadget again. The Deimos X-10 is available for pre-order prior to the October 30th street date and the Logitech G110's release date is yet TBA.

Recession What??

The title of this post is the question Ninetendo must have been asking themselves when they slated the release of their newest set of Wii controllers for somewhere just before Black Friday. Seeing as the Wii system is basically the biggest thing in the industry, putting out a pair of black controllers (Wiimote and Wii Motion Plus, to be specific) plus a specialized nun-chuck (and NO, its not a "numchuck", that's not a word) the Wii folks must be supposing that nobody's pocketbooks are stretched so far as being unable to purchase an added set of controllers for their system and will likely use the holiday consumer onslaught that typically begins in late November to purchase each other the new set of products. And why not right? Because now, instead of punching each-other accidentally, players will be able to accidentally hit each other in the face while trying out their favorite childhood fantasy karate moves, and who doesn't love that! 


Anyway, product photos are up after the jump

Full article via Joystiq

DJ Hero Video Hype

Love this new video from the people at DJ Hero. As if the virtual instrument series of gaming products weren't just about the hottest thing on the market (we definitely spent quite a few hours hogging microphones and the drum kit to The Beatles version of Rock Band the day it came out), the makers of Guitar Hero have zero-ed in on the fact that everyone these days wants to be a DJ. Forthcoming, exact date of release is October 27th, is "DJ Hero", is a single deck and mixer console combo that will allow players to step into the shoes of mixmaster monoliths like DJ Shadow and Daft Punk and recreate their mixes for fun or even for their friends.


To preview, they've pitched for the following bit of cinematic splendor. The clip will appear as the game's official intro. Check it!







Pretty darn cool, we think!

In Honor of the Our Neighbors to the North

On this, their Thanksgiving Monday and in light of the recent mobile release of our own Decades, we bring you an article from Canada.com's tech section regarding the rapid-fire production of gaming that's being caused by the acquisition of mobile phones by almost every single individual in the first world, and some in the second. 


The piece illuminates how much mobile devices are doing to shape both the way the games are programmed and how many people and which or them are getting to do it. In the article's case a 19 year old both programs a game as a class assignment and well as comments the following: 

"A game's creativity used to depend on the hardware," said Ide, a 19-year-old computer programming student who is developing an iPhone game as part of his studies.

"A successful game now is one that's simple and reaches a wide network of people..."

We'd say that that's pretty right on and rather insightful for someone of that age. But, then again, if you check our article from last Thursday, you'll see that young gamers are the brains behind todays apps and consoles. Check out the full article on here and for those of you celebrating, mazel tov. Enjoy the Turkey!

More In The Way of Digital Distro

Following up on our post of a couple of days prior, we've discovered this news item: Wal-Mart Launches Web-Based Used Game Sale

The mega-chain is one of many jumping on the gaming bandwagon. Amazon, Toys R' Us, and Best Buy already have initiatives that are allowing them access to this portion of the market place.

Very interesting, we think..

Generation "Y" Generating An Interesting Prospect for the Future

Spotted today on the Gamasutra blog is an interesting article about the current generation of young gamers are shaping the future in an interested way. 

The entry's essayist takes care to point out that in just a few short years the youngest consumers in this country have become individuals that take in their gaming via everything from fake plastic instruments, to web browsers, to table tops and slim, sleek mobile devices. We are certainly a group that's leapt past square, analog Mario Bros. of yesterday, into a present state where we have both short attention spans and a myriad of accessible technology and information sources.

Whether that's a deadly combination or not, Polack observes that Gen. Y is, 

"used to constant feedback from others (preferably praise) and we prefer the dynamic of a team. Years and years of academic life where tasks were group projects, paired assignments, and peer review have raised us with a familiarity and comfort in group work. 



As Generation Y gets older, the continual exposure to group activities and group projects throughout academic life manifests in unique ways. We're a generation in constant communication with one another; we text, we Twitter, we Facebook, we use just IM conversations with ease, and it feels weird to work at a computer without an internet connection.

Members of Generation Y are generally perceived to be sheltered, stressed, and entitled as a result of special treatment or attention due to the focus of parents who were acting opposite of the lax parenting in the 60s-70s "

And Polack concludes,

"It's hard to know how to properly evolve game design in ways that will fully appeal to the changing demographic...


What does seem somewhat helpful going forward is recognizing that the people who are growing up now have a different set of expectations for what games are and what they should be than the teenagers from a decade ago."

And interesting case study, indeed. To check out the full article, jump here: Gaming Generation Y

Decades To Make, Seconds to Enjoy

Our Decades mobile application has recently hit the street via iPhone and G1/Android platforms and is already catching some great buzz.

Some very happy users of the app hit us up with a stream of reviews from Google Marketplace. Check out what they had to say...

Pretty neat, huh? iPhone users can check out the game for themselves here and Android users can navigate in the following direction.

Stayed tuned here for more Decades-related news as we expand the product's reach into other territories.

Curious About The Future of Digital Distribution?

Wonder no more and watch the following video. In it, our own, wonderful, David Edery presents his take on the subject at Melbourne, Australia's "Digital Distribution Summit".

Just in case you've not heard, or read it here (ahem), Dave is recently appointed as an Executive Consultant in charge of independent game development here at SMERC, and not only are we proud of the man, who formerly served as Worldwide Portfolio Manager at XBox Live for some time and is now running his own consulting firm, Fuzbi, through MIT's Comparative Media Studies division, but, we agree with his insight and think he gave a terrific demo.

Check it out here:

And jump to GamersBytes to check out the full story.

A Bit More Uplifting (?) News Today

Following up on yesterdays rather droopy entry, today's two entries from Variety magazine's The Cut Scene gaming blog, seem to project a hopeful, and recession-unaffected, future for the gaming industry. Or not. 

Basically, there is first the news logged on the site last week announcing that visual marketing monolith 20th Century Fox (who are well-versed in marketing their own TV and film properties through video game licensing) is dipping its feet into the gaming pool by launching a full-scale gaming division. Appointed vice president of the new sector is former head of Vivendi Games Andre Emerson and it appears the studio will not continue to in-house their own licensed titles but also sire original titles. The move is basically in an effort to outrun the necessity to buy independent video game studios and thereby squeeze past that there is much less cash to throw around for such a venture. So, I guess as it goes, even in a recession, the rich just get richer. What will the decision of studios like Fox do to the little guys? That remains to be seen. Check out the full article here: Fox Gets Serious About Video Games

Read More...

A Bit of Industry News Today

Though SMERC is proud of most recent releases, gaming insiders are saying that the industry still seeing a serious downturn in commissioned gaming titles, and will not see a pick-up till well into the holiday season of '09.

Bad news for the industry, good news for mobile and social networking games. Speaking of which, you can check out releases such as Tic-Tac Paddywhack or Fangs but clicking the links.

Check out the full article here:
GamesIndustry.biz

Android Developers Challenge Judging app now in Android Market

The Android Developers Challenge Part Deux is finally in full gear. Google has updated the ADC2 voting application into the market, so Android users can download the app and give their input about entrants in the developers challenge.

Make you download and play Decades! It's the Greatest Game in History.

http://androinica.com/2009/09/24/android-developers-challenge-judging-app-now-in-android-market/

The Go Game Flash Mob for Digg.com

Finnegan Kelly and our friends at The Go Game should be proud. Digg.com did well by their game in this hilarious video of ARG in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMZlP_CSwWA