Nintendo 2DS Announced at $129

AUG. 28, 2013 • The Nintendo 3DS is getting a less expensive younger sibling on Oct. 12 called the Nintendo 2DS. Arriving in North America at $129.99, the unit is $40 less than the cheapest 3DS SKU in the market. The 2DS will also launch in Europe during October, but pricing there has yet to be announced. Neither were any concrete shipment plans for Japan announced. As the name suggests, the 2DS will play all current and future 3DS games but not in 3D. All 3DS g.....

Steve Ballmer to Retire From Microsoft

AUG. 23, 2013 • Microsoft Corp. chief executive Steve Ballmer has announced he will retire within the next 12 months after a successor for the position is chosen. The company’s board of directors has appointed a special committee to oversee the succession process that includes lead independent director John Thompson, chairman of the board Bill Gates, chairman of the audit committee Chuck Noski, and compensation committee chairman Steve Luczo. The only clu.....

Amazon Xbox One Game Promo

AUG. 20, 2013 • One of the features the Xbox One will not ship with is built-in backward compatibility with Xbox 360 titles. Microsoft Corp.’s solution is for consumers to play their last generation games separately on an Xbox 360, or plug the older console dir.....

Nintendo StreetPass Games Sell

AUG. 5, 2013 • Back in June, Nintendo Co. Ltd. updated the 3DS in Japan and Europe to add a new shop to the StreetPass Mii Plaza. StreetPass is a feature that lets 3DS owners play with other 3DS owners in the same area. Several StreetPass titles come bundled with the system, but with the new shop came four new StreetPass games that can be purchased. The same update arrived in North America three weeks later. The titles can be bought for ¥500/€5/$5 each, or ¥.....

Blu-ray Replacement Planned

JULY 30, 2013 • Sony Corp. and Panasonic Corp., who were primary partners in developing the Blu-ray optical discs, have come forward to announce that they are working together on a higher capacity format. The goal is the developing a new optical disc with a capacity of no less than 300GB by 2015. Current Blu-ray capacities are 25GB (single layer), 50GB (dual layer), 100GB (triple layer), and 128GB (quad layer). Both companies are framing the new format as a next.....

GAME’s Xbox Concept Store

JULY 22, 2013 • At the end of June research firm GfK Chart-Track reported that the Xbox 360 had overtaken the Nintendo Wii as the United Kingdom’s best selling console at 8.4 million units. Now retailer GAME has opened an exclusive Xbox concept store in the Shoreditch district of London. The location is close to the area called Silicon Roundabout where many new digital creative businesses have set up shop. Both GAME and Microsoft describe the endeavor as a.....

Nintendo 3DS Leads U.S. Console Sales

JULY 19, 2013 • For the second month in a row the Nintendo 3DS was the top selling console in the U.S. According to the NPD Group, the handheld moved 225,000 units in the month of June. The Xbox 360 was second at 145,000 units. Much of the steam behind the 3DS’ showing came as a result of having three titles in the Top 10. Animal Crossing New Leaf moved 505,000 units, with 20% of the total sold through Nintendo’s online eShop. Also propelling the han.....

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