Rob Fahey (Page 51)

Nintendo forecasts highest profit in five years

The Xbox 360 is to be relaunched in Japan in late June in response to weak sales of the console, according to a report today which cites sources at Japanese wholesalers and indicates that an announcement of the relaunch could come next week.

Software prices for Nintendo's Revolution console will buck the trend of next-generation titles being priced more expensively than their current-gen counterparts, with Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata expecting to keep prices below $50.

Publisher Ubisoft has announced that it has acquired the full set of IP rights relating to the Far Cry franchise, which was created by German studio Crytek, in a move which will allow the firm to continue developing games based on the property.

Microsoft has made a minor update to the Xbox 360 backwards compatibility list, adding patches to allow three new titles to run on the new console - namely Black, Star Wars Battlefront II, and Winning Eleven 9.

Publisher Konami has announced that it's to launch a compilation pack of PS2 Silent Hill titles, called The Silent Hill Collection, in order to tie in with the release of the eagerly awaited movie based on the franchise next month.

California Assemblyman Leland Yee has given an assurance that his bill designed to prevent the sale of violent games to minors will be his last involvement in the sector, in the wake of his appearance at GDC last week.

Microsoft's Xbox 360 has racked up the best debut ever for a console platform in Australia, with over 30,000 units of the system selling through in the four days following its March 23rd launch.

Speaking to <i>GamesIndustry.biz</i>, RedOctane CEO Kelly Sumner has admitted that the eagerly awaited Guitar Hero is likely to be in short supply when it launches in Europe next month due to manufacturing constraints on the innovative guitar controller.

Take 2's hugely acclaimed RPG The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion has gone in at number one in the UK sales chart, beating off competition from EA's new release The Godfather, which takes second place.

Chatter at the Game Developers Conference in San Jose is strongly suggesting that Microsoft is on the verge of signing a deal to acquire British developer Lionhead, with rival bidder Ubisoft reported to be out of the running.

Sony's Shadow of the Colossus has emerged as the clear victor at this year's Game Developers Choice Awards, with the team behind the title collecting a total of five plaques - including the coveted Game of the Year award.

Last week in Tokyo, Sony Computer Entertainment restarted the process of releasing information about PS3 - but with today's software demos during his GDC keynote, Phil Harrison showed the progress of PS3 development off for the first time.

Leading PC manufacturer Dell has acquired Miami-based gaming PC specialist Alienware for an undisclosed sum, with the announcement reaffirming Dell's commitment to the sector only hours after firm unveiled its own new gaming PC range.

Renowned artist Yoshitaka Amano and game designer Michel Ancel took the stage in Paris recently to discuss their highly divergent views on character and game design - today on <i>GamesIndustry.biz</i>, we have the full report on this unique event.

The Game Developers' Conference is set to return to London this year as part of the London Games Festival in early October, with the organisers of the event today announcing a two-day conference which will run on October 3rd and 4th.

In a candid interview with <i>GamesIndustry.biz</i>, Blitz Games founder Philip Oliver has lauded the "fantastic response" to the firm's new Volatile label, which is currently working on projects including a title based on Reservoir Dogs.

Further details of the PlayStation Network Platform announced by SCE boss Ken Kutaragi in Tokyo yesterday have emerged, including the fact that the ability to play games online will be included in the basic free service.