Xbox One bundle price drops to $399 on Amazon (update: back to $450)

We're not sure if this is a real price drop or a retailer error, but CheapAssGamer.com points out that the Xbox One is currently available on Amazon for $399 -- the same price as a PlayStation 4, but obviously with the Kinect camera and a game packed-in. The Xbox One Standard Edition (with the Forza Motorsport 5 digital code) is currently listed for $450, but adding the discount code XIAMAZON -- first seen last week as retailers cut prices on theTitanfall bundle to $450 -- takes an additional $50 off of the price. Of course, this means you don't get the console's most anticipated game as a part of the deal, but at this price we doubt many will complain. It's earlier than an anticipated and if it's an error (of course, Amazon is starting a videogame Gold Box deal today...) then we don't know how long it will last, but tell us -- if they're the same price which would you choose, an Xbox One or PS4?

Update: It looks like it was an error, as the bundle's price has jumped back to $499, which comes down to $450 with the discount code. It was good while it lasted, but we guess Microsoft isn't quite ready to make that level of sacrifice to catch the PS4 in sales.

Source:

www.engadget.com

Posted by Editorial Team on 1:24 AM in 5 digital code, Amazon, bundle price drops, CheapAssGamer.com, course, jumped back, Microsoft, PS4, videogame, Xbox One

Sony Takes Another Dig At Microsoft Policies

I think most of us are familiar with this video, where Sony pokes fun at Microsoft’s original and confusing plans about how to share games on the Xbox One versus the act of simply lending a game to your friend on the PS4 before Microsoft reversed most of their initial Xbox One policies.

Microsoft’s attitude towards indie games has been a point of contention as well. To their credit, many indie game developers have praised their “ID@Xbox” program, which is designed to nurture and build an indie library on Xbox One. There is, however, criticism from some about Microsoft’s policy of “launch parity,” which essentially boils down to that indie developers must launch a game on Xbox One the same day they do other platforms. And Gamespot noticed that Sony apparently couldn’t resist taking a shot at this policy:

Now as noted in the article, a Microsoft representative recently told Edge magazine that they will “work with indie developers on a case-by-case basis” in regards to launch plans. However that statement doesn’t really say that they will reconsider that policy.

The question is why do they need to do that at all? Under this policy, virtually nothing released on the PS4 so far (and it has already had a fairly solid number of indie titles released on it) will never see a release on Xbox One. Granted, indie games aren’t AAA games, but consider the dearth of AAA next-gen titles. Yeah there’s Titanfall for Xbox One gamers and Infamous is just around the corner for PS4 owners, but what about after that? We wait two months for Watch Dogs with nothing to play in-between (and that’s assuming Watch Dogs isn’t a disaster, which I’m not sure it won’t be).

Indie games help fill that void quite nicely. Simply put, to date there is a decent amount of indie games on PS4 and very few on Xbox One. This policy really makes no sense and only serves to punish gamers who are craving content on their new console.

News Source: gamesided.com

Posted by Editorial Team on 11:21 AM in ID@Xbox, Indie Games, Microsoft, Microsoft Policies, Policy, PS4, Sony, Video Games, Xbox One

SCEA CEO Jack Tretton To Step Down: New Leadership For PlayStation America

Jack Tretton, President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America, has announced his intention to step down from his leadership role, and to leave Sony, at the expiry of his current contract at the end of March 2014.

In a blog post on the PlayStation site, Tretton said that his departure was “by mutual agreement” with Sony, and confessed to mixed feelings – understandably, after nearly two decades at SCEA, joining the nascent division first as Director of Sales – a period that spanned the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PS3 and the successful launch of the PS4 last year. In a statement to the press released by Sony, Tretton added:

Working at SCEA for the past 19 years has been the most rewarding experience of my career. Although I will deeply miss the talented team at SCEA and the passion demonstrated every day by our fans, I’m very excited about starting the next chapter of my career. I want to thank the employees, partners and customers for their tireless commitment to the PlayStation brand and, of course, to our fans who have pushed us to new heights of innovation and entertainment over the past two decades. I leave PlayStation in a position of considerable strength and the future will only get brighter for PlayStation Nation.

Sony Computer Entertainment America CEO Jack Tretton, on stage with game designer, researcher and author Jane McGonigal (Photo credit: Kevin Krejci)

Sony has wasted no time in announcing Tretton’s successor: Sony Network Entertainment International EVP and COO Shawn Layden. Responsible for delivering digital entertainment through the Sony Entertainment Network, SNEI is not far distant from video games, and Layden was previously a President at Sony Computer Entertainment Japan. He also spent eight years managing software development at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, and

Tretton’s departure is something of a surprise – the launch of the PlayStation 4 has exceeded expectations, and in particular the PS4 has consistently ledMicrosoft's MSFT +0.05% competing Xbox One in the sales charts since their launch last November. He is certainly going out on a high, having masterminded and presided over the triumphant launch of the new console at E3, and seen global sales of the console pass 6 million earlier this week. Sony has declined to comment further at this time, but there is no indication that Tretton’s departure – after the launch of the heavily promoted Infamous: Second Son - will herald a change of strategy.

Sony’s NYSE-listed stock closed up 2.17% at $17.86.

News Source: www.forbes.com

Posted by Editorial Team on 10:07 PM in blog post, Entertainment, Jack Tretton, PlayStation America, President, PS4, SCEA, Sony, Sony Computer

Watch Dogs sets May 27 release date

After a delay that pulled its newest open world title from the roster of two console launches, Ubisoft has set a new release date for Watch Dogs: May 27, 2014. The new release date targets versions in development on PC, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360 and PS3.

During a financial call in February, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot announced that the Wii U release of Watch Dogs would see its own separate delay, pushing the version's release beyond other platforms in order to "focus the team's resources where they could have the broadest possible benefit for both our customers and Ubisoft." No firm date for the Wii U version has been established.

Speaking with Joystiq, Watch Dogs Senior Producer Dominic Guay could only say the Wii U version would arrive "a few months" after the game's release on counterpart platforms.


News Source: www.joystiq.com

Posted by Editorial Team on 8:05 AM in 27 release, Joystiq, newest, PC, PS3, PS4, Ubisoft CEO, Watch Dogs, Xbox, Xbox 360