I don’t know if you guys keep up to date with the Playstation 2’s sales worldwide, but the system is far from dead. Continually, its games sell well. Hell, two of its biggest titles have yet to be released for PAL gamers; God of War 2 and Final Fantasy XII. Clearly, the Playstation 2 is still important.

Sony has a different opinion.

Their view is that software emulation is a cheaper option for the PAL (Australia and Europe) PS3’s, rather then complete backwards compatibility for PS and PS2 games. Therefore, it has been established that our PS3’s will be able to play a “limited range” of PS2 titles and a “broad range” of original PlayStation games.

Sony AU boss Michael Ephraim (this man is becoming a Blogger Within staple) stated that the main reason PAL PS3’s would miss out on backwards compatibility is because they do not have the Emotion Engine chip. Asked why this was, Michael responded.

“Clearly cost is one of the (reasons). If software is cheaper than the cost of the chip, then why not do that?” he said. “We will be working on delivering backward compatibility through software emulation. The software-emulation list will grow, and there’s a Web site people can check to see what games are backward compatible. It will be a progressive emulation.”

Progressive. I’ve heard the effort to release David Hicks has been described as ‘progressive.’ The website that details the playable PS2 games on the PS3 can be found here, check back on launch day for the full list. Michael then went somewhere he really shouldn’t have, stating that backwards compatibility isn’t important.

“People will be able to play quite a few [PS and PS2] games. PS games are not a problem. I think PS2 backward compatibility is important, but when you look at what PS3’s doing with new games, digital content, and so on, that specific functionality may not be as important as previously felt,” he said. “But then again, that is something the consumer has to decide on. We are intending to deliver backward compatibility–just through different means.”

Which translates to:

“PAL gamers will be able to play some PS and PS2 games. Backwards compatibility, honestly, is about as popular as The Brady Bunch. Besides, when compared to what the PS3 can do, we believe that the need for backwards compatibility will die out quickly. We will continue to intend to deliver statements about our intent to deliver backwards compatibility over the coming months.”

Here’s how it breaks down. PAL PS3’s were delayed four months due to a delay in the production of Sony’s risky venture, Blu Ray. That didn’t seem right, but Sony fans learnt to deal with it and move on. But now, PAL gamers get an even crummier deal, losing the ability to play some PS2 games, compared to Japan and the USA, which PS3’s can play every single PS2 game. And if software emulation is cheaper, where’s the price cut, or bonus? Maybe expecting a price cut is a bit much (God knows Sony wants to keep that price high), but PAL gamers should get something for everything they’ve been through.

In the end, backwards compatibility is important. Look at what Nintendo have been able to offer with the Virtual Console. And just because the next generation console is released, does that render the previous obsolete? Of course not. Games for the PS2/Xbox/GCN all sell at low prices, and for gamers that haven’t experienced the wonders of the sixth generation of video games low prices and backwards compatibility = more reason to buy the next generation console.

Sony may not think it but backwards compatibility sells consoles. I don’t use my Wii for just Wii games, after all. The majority of Wii games aren’t too flash and while waiting for Metroid Prime 3 or Super Mario Galaxy, I can play GCN games on my Wii without a mass of clutter.

Any gamers growing tired of Sony’s antics, enough to cancel your purchase of the PS3?

- Aaron Kleemann

Notorious Aussie PS3 boss Michael Ephraim has unconditionally stated that the rumoured 11,000 PS3’s for the Australian PS3 launch is false.

“I can categorically assure you that this rumour is completely unfounded. On day of launch the number of PS3s available through retailers will far exceed this number. Let me put it to you this way, alone the current number of PS3 pre-orders exceeds this number and with a month still to launch, we are expecting many more, all of which we aim to meet,” he said.

You know, it might be easier for those 11,000 consumers who have pre-ordered to flush their $1000 down the toilet. Same effect.

The fun doesn’t stop there though. Sony has been under fire as of late. Not the usual “my PS2 broke after I looked at it funny,” fire, but more along the lines of “Why the hell are Australians paying $230 more than Americans for the same product?” And believe me, that shit is burning strong.

When converted, the US price for the PS3 is $770 in Australian dollars. Michael said the higher price is justified because of Australia’s currency exchange and small population size when compared to the USA.

“We have to realise that we live in a country with 22 million people, and the US supplies product to 300 million, which creates very different business dynamics,” Ephraim said.

Still doesn’t justify the price, no matter how you spin it. But, using your view Michael, what about Europe? Last time I checked, Europe had a hell of a lot more people than Australia and after converting price, they’re still paying the same price as us. Oh, I forgot, it’s common for Europe to get screwed over when it comes to video games. My mistake.

- Aaron Kleemann

Jail must suck (insert obligatory blowjob joke here). Suck hard. I can’t even begin to comprehend what jail would be like - Prison Break or Oz? Maybe I’ll meet a hot doctor and break out to find $5 million buried in Utah. Or get raped while my only friend in prison is stabbed to death.

Seriously though, jail would be hard. Having to move in with 80 other guys, all of them with pent-up sexual frustrations, sharing a 5 by 5 cell with a Mexican serial killer, going to the toilet in a bucket – no thanks. But my view has always been that if you do the crime, you do the time.

Which is what makes this so funny.

In 2005 (man, that seems like ages ago, doesn’t it?) Jason Jones was working at ACME, his video game store in Los Angeles that provides celebrities with video game equipment. Reportedly, Snoop Dogg and David Arquette are just some of ACME’s valued customers. It’s not enough that celebrities get waited on hand and foot; now they’ve got a video game store just for them. Puh-leease.

Anyway, in 2005 Jason was arrested. He wasn’t caught smoking weed with Snoop, he was suspected of “modding” Xbox’s that could play pirated games. Well, that’s the mindset the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency went in with when they invaded his store, carrying shotguns and wearing body armour. Yeah. Because, you know, he might throw an Xbox at them in an attempt to escape. And those things would fucking hurt.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement obviously wanted to make an example out of this Hitler-esque villain, so they charged him with crimes under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Jason was up against 5 years in prison, next to a $250,000 fine. Naturally, he pleaded guilty, receiving six months house arrest, on probation. This is May 2006.

Jason is then caught smoking weed (guess I wasn’t that far off). His six-month probation is denied, so he now has to face 90 days in a “halfway-house,” used by federal cons about to be transported back to a residential life. Flash forward to February 2007, and he’s coming up on his third month. As expected a story like this catches the attention of well, basically anyone with a sense of humour, so LAist conducted an interview with the criminal, extracts of which can be found below.

Q: How did the other cons respond to you? I mean, your crime is pretty lightweight.
A: They all thought it was a joke. I’m the square. I like to think I’m a badass, but I’m not. You’ve got guys in here for heinous shit. Hate crimes, murder, kidnapping. I got shit from them when I first got here. Guys were like “What gang are you with?” and stuff like that. I was like, dude, I’m a guy who rides a skateboard.

Q: You don’t fear for your safety?
It’s pretty tense in here. Especially on the yard. It’s predominantly black now. I did get into it with one of my cellies last night. He got pissed because I sleep naked and I said, “Its not my fault it gives you a boner.” He jumped up in my face, but I backed down.

Q: Where are you working?
I’m running an antique store on La Brea until I get out, then I’ll go back to video games. I can’t be involved in video games because that’s my crime. Everyone in the house is allowed a television and a Playstation except me! They consider that a part of my crime, like I’m gonna be in a halfway house modding Playstations.

Q: Have you learned any major lessons being in here?
No, not really. I learned how one can rob a bank. I also learned not to fuck with homeland security.

Indeed. Because they take their cases of pirated games very seriously. They will fuck you up.

- Aaron Kleemann

If you’re the melodramatic type, I’d leave the room. If Desperate Housewives starting 10 minutes late leaves you with a heart attack, don’t read on. Especially if you hold a special place in your heart for Sony.

Those lovely folks over at Kotaku have caught wind of the PS3’s launch in Australia. Namely, the number of units we could be receiving on launch day. The number?

11,000.

Yeah. Considering the 20 million Australians living here, doesn’t that number seem a bit… short? Although the 11,000 PS3’s is a rumour, that’s still a tiny number. I knew Australia would be receiving a small number… but come on Sony, at least satisfy your fans.

I realise numbers are short, money is tight and CEO’s are bullshit artists, but don’t go looping us in with the treatment Europe receives. We gave birth to Jennifer Hawkins, after all - don’t make us take her away.

Maybe Sony would be better off sending those 11,000 PS3’s to where the entire populace can be happy.

- Aaron Kleeman.

Note: In the article I’ve assumed a large group of Australians care for the PS3. This was used for comic effect.

So I went to go visit my hometown for an extended four-day weekend full of visits with my creepy, bipolar family and craziness with my old friends. When you’re gone from home for a while, you really want to make the most of it, which results in some crazy, hectic schedule where you feel like you’re being pulled from all sides. Though no matter how hectic things get and how thin I’m stretched, I always make sure to set aside four hours for Manitou Springs, Colorado. This trip was no exception, aside from hearing something that has been a little heavy on my heart since I left.

This past weekend I was just a tad shocked to learn that a piece of Manitou’s history was going up for sale to the highest bidder. This piece of history isn’t a statue, nor is it a building of any sort. This particular landmark happens to be a large pavilion that houses what I tout as “The world’s greatest arcade in town”. The Manitou Penny arcade has been home to antiquities, the ultra rare, and of course the latest and greatest. Not only does this particular have a ton of arcade games, but it also has a room full of pinball machines and other oddities dating back to the 1920’s. All of it takes up half of a block and five small buildings. For just a penny, you can take a look into “The Sultan’s Harem” where you’ll find a neat little surprise – one of the harem girls split in half and a rubber alien standing in her place. Trust me, it’s a lot cooler than I make it out to be. There are also other crazy love machines, games where you shoot BB guns at targets, and miscellaneous picture shows showing porn from the 1920’s. The crown jewel, however, would be the horse-racing derby. Appraised at $400,000 US, the derby game is the only one of its kind and was brought over from England in the 1940’s to the arcade that calls it home.

Now this arcade is on the auction block where the next buyer will likely turn the rooms that house these games into the new-age / granola hippie stores that make up about 80% of Manitou’s current merchant clientele. Worse than that, it’s only going for a fraction of what it’s worth.

As soon as I heard about this, some friends and I got into a conversation about the death of the arcade in addition to waxing nostalgic. As a child of the 80’s and early 90’s, I fondly remember the days where there were arcades on practically every corner of my hometown, at every 7-11, bowling alley, or gimmicky pizza place with scary animatronics animals that catered to my generation. I played my first arcade game at 3 years old, my dad of all people introduced me to my lifelong passion. When I was in the 4^th grade, my parents would drop me off at the local arcade where I could play all day for a very enticing $3.50. Yes, the arcade was my babysitter for a good part of my childhood. When I got into middle school, almost every kid in my grade would congregate at the local 7-11 after school where we used out unspent lunch money competing for bragging rights in Street Fighter II. Hell, now in my adulthood I own five arcade machines that take up what should be my dining room. That’s right, instead of eating at a table, I eat on the couch thanks to my gaming habit. Arcades have been an integral part of my life. The arcade to me seemed more social than Xbox Live will ever be. Competing for bragging rights while defeating all comers who called their place in line by placing quarters on the machine. It was an environment that can only be rivaled by equally social geek activities such as LAN parties. To live those days again…

Now we have consoles that push more power and truly bring arcade experiences home. Admittedly, I’m a huge fan of Xbox Live Arcade and I salivate for every classic game that is released there; but it’ll never compare to the sights, sounds, and smells of the arcade. As we all know, the arcade isn’t actually dying, but it’s about as sick as an overweight 84-year old paraplegic that washes himself daily with a rag on a stick. The arcade has become a cess pool of shooting games sporting gimmicky and elaborate firearm mockups and DDR machines galore, including any and all clones and spoofs. Don’t even get me started on the hundreds of lame redemption games that never really want to put out. The arcade has changed from a showcase of the truly cutting edge to an unintentionally funny caricature of itself. Of course, these elaborate gimmick games come at a much larger price than the normal black monoliths that could easily be traded out and converted in the 80’s. Your typical Silent Scope or DDR clone can easily go for $10,000 US with little-to-no chance of the operator breaking even. It’s a trend that is slowly tightening the noose around the industries’ neck and the trap door below it is bound to open at any second. Pretty soon, arcades will go the way of Monchichis, 8-tracks, and betamax.

Lately, the gaming industry is constantly being compared to the movie industry and it’s always brought to our attention that the game industry turns significantly more profit from it. Allow me to play a game called “what if?” with you. What if the game industry took a cue from the movie industry for once? Developers and publishers could use the arcade to release their newest shooters and action games, thus turning them into the video game equivalent of movie theaters to highlight the latest releases and newest technology. Of course, not all games would be able to transition to the arcades, but action games, shooters, and fighting games could all take part. To look at it another way, people watch movies at home by themselves or with friends…but you can never talk through them. People can get their pasty white asses to the local arcade, play the newest shooter, and actually socialize.

In the meantime, developers and publishers would prepare the home releases of these games with the usual assortment of extras similar to a DVD release. Now I’m no economist, but at least part of this makes enough sense to actually work. Modern arcade cabinets in Korea and Japan are modular and can easily be converted into the new flavor of the month with little-to-no effort. Operators would save a butt-ton of money and can turn profit while developers reap the rewards and let the buzz build. Just think of bringing your favorite arcade game home with a bevy of new extras. Maybe the game could be compatible with your PS3 XD card and you’ll unlock new features just by playing the arcade game. With this new model, the arcade may become a prominent entity again where gamers can get together, pwn each other, and talk smack all in person all while home consoles can prosper.

The arcade doesn’t have to die as much as it needs a rebranding. Not only will it get gamers to go outside and become social, but it’ll also allow a nice alternative from the anonymity that results in childish behavior that we all know and love from Xbox Live. Gamers can have a proving ground to test their mad skill and dole out their smack talk in person. Could you imagine if the Wii hardware could have been demoed in an arcade release just a couple of months before it launched? It would have piqued the gaming communities’ curiosity much like other motion-sensing games like Police 911 and MoCap Boxing received back when they were released. What about an arcade game that showcased the insanely expensive PS3 hardware? Maybe people would actually buy into it more had Motorstorm been an arcade release. Sure, there are development costs to think about, release dates to worry about, and man hours to invest, but the arcade is an important part of gaming culture. Maybe I’m just a stodgy old guy trying to cling to the old ways, but the arcade industry needs to live. Now if you don’t mind, I’ve got a business loan to apply for…

- Brad Hicks

London newspaper The Independent recently compiled a list of the 20 best selling video game franchises since the inception of time itself. Using worldwide sales, the list is a testament to how big video games are in the world today. ‘Mario’ comes in at number 1, with 193 million.  One surprise is the ‘James Bond’ franchise, honestly, how did anything but Goldeneye sell well?

1. ‘Mario’: 193 million
Mario – the whore of video games.

2. ‘Pokemon’: 155 million
When the hell is Ash going to get some balls and evolve Pikachu?

3. ‘Final Fantasy’: 68 million
Never been a fan of the Final Fantasy series. Like Victoria Beckham and ingesting food.

4. ‘Madden NFL’: 56 million
EA could stand to never make another video game again and live off the sales of Madden. But that would ruin their plans for world domination.

5. ‘The Sims’: 54 million
I played The Sims once. I burnt down the house cooking dinner. I turned it off when they wouldn’t show my characters having sex.

6. ‘Grand Theft Auto’: 50 million
Who knew killing hookers could be this successful. 

7. ‘Donkey Kong’: 48 million
My cousin was playing Donkey Kong 64 one day, and I remarked how the boss, King K Rool, was a pun on the word ‘cruel.’ He had no idea. Idiot.

8. ‘The Legend of Zelda’: 47 million
Just think, if Gannondorf could remove one platform, Link would be trapped. Then Hyrule would be fucked.

9. ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’: 44 million
Science lesson - Nobody can run as fast as Sonic does. He must be on crack.

10. ‘Gran Turismo’: 44 million
Apparently, the only good feature is getting up to speeds of 200km/h, and then smashing into a wall.

11. ‘Lineage’: 43 million
Korea found something to do after the Vietnam War. Play Lineage.

12. ‘Dragon Quest’: 41 million
I had to do research on Dragon Quest to come up with a joke. At 41 million sales, I shouldn’t have to.

13. ‘Crash Bandicoot’: 34 million
A rabid bandicoot, with help from a floating wooden shaman, attempts to take down a midget doctor hell-bent on destroying the world, by collecting apples found in crates. Right.

14. ‘Resident Evil’: 31 million
No video game has been able to scare me like the Resident Evil series has. Except Superman 64.

15. ‘James Bond’: 30 million
I fail to see how anything but Goldeneye helped propel the ‘James Bond’ franchise into this list.

16. ‘Tomb Raider’: 30 million
Because teenage males just can’t get enough of Lara and her chest puppies.

17. ‘Mega Man’: 26 million
I used to pretend I was Mega Man. I’d wrap a shirt around my arm for his cannon. Don’t look at me like that; you all did the same thing.

18. ‘Command & Conquer’: 25 million
Never played Command and Conquer. So, umm… yeah…

19. ‘Street Fighter’: 25 million
Kylie Minogue and Jean-Claude Van Damme starred in the Street Fighter movie. Critics panned it. Not much to do with the game itself, I just wanted to point out another movie Jean Claude was in bombed.

20. ‘Mortal Kombat’: 20 million
Liu Kang would be positively beaming at 20 million sales. Before he screams like a girl and tries to slap you.

- Aaron Kleemann

Liar Liar. The movie may be hilarious (Carey’s best), but it also brings across a message. It may be scattered across Jim’s almost-orgasmic facial expressions and Krista Allen’s heaving chest, but it’s there. Lying is wrong. Nobody likes a liar. Some people seem to think lying is a professional sport; they go about it trying to set a world record.

“Yeah, I told my Mum I’d be home at 9. I’m not coming back.”
“Wow, a level 16!”
“I prefer the term ‘bullshit artist,’ sounds cooler.”

Earlier in the week Sony received an Emmy from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for Sixaxis, their upcoming PS3 controller. Yes, an Emmy. Specifically, the Technology and Engineering Award. What does this have to do with lying, I hear you ask? Well, Sony thought they won the award. They even went to the trouble of having a press release made up, praising themselves for their efforts, when in fact they didn’t receive the Emmy at all. From the press release, “The overwhelming consumer demand and critical acclaim for PS3 is a testament of the platform’s strength and the industry’s desire for a true next-generation entertainment system,” - Jack Tretton, President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America.

Let’s give some background on Sixaxis. Seeing as it nearly won an Emmy, it had to do something right. Sixaxis has wireless connectivity (done before - Wavebird, Xbox 360 controller), “motion-sensing technology that allows it to sense both rotational orientation and translational acceleration along all three-dimensional axes, providing a full six degrees of freedom” ie: tilt the controller and the onscreen character will tilt. Don’t get too excited though, technology like that has been around since the Game Boy Colour, which was released in 1998. To put that into perspective, Seinfeld aired its last episode on 1998. Yes, Sony is using technology when Seinfeld was still airing new episodes. Sixaxis also has a USB port, but they’re so common these days I wouldn’t be surprised to find my toaster has 3 of them.

Let’s get to that Emmy. Amidst all this chaos, something had to win the Technology and Engineering Award. Nintendo and Sony ended up sharing the award, for Nintendo’s D-Pad and Sony’s DualShock controller, respectively. The category? “For the development of the generation of controllers that followed the classic joysticks.” Seeing as Nintendo created the modern day controller (analogue joystick, rumble), I don’t see how DualShock should deserve the award; every feature has been present on a previous controller.

Back to my earlier point about lying. Did Sony lie? Well, that’s debatable. A clever marketing ploy or were they simply misinformed? I don’t see how the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences could get something like this wrong, you don’t see Katherine Hepburn nominated for any awards do you? No. And why? Because she’s dead.

Time to get hypothetical. After the crying shame that was the PS3 ‘Boomerang’ controller at E3 2005, Sony had been pushed back. Relegated, if you will. A new control scheme was announced. A revolutionary, next-generation controller. Nintendo’s Wii remote took the gaming world by storm.

Sony didn’t like this. Just like a pimp won’t have his hookers screwing who they please, Sony weren’t content with having the majority of the gaming community (who, to be fair, they basically owned) fawning over Nintendo’s new product. I’m not going into whether Sony adding the motion tilting to Sixaxis was due to the Wii-mote, but you can’t deny the similarities are there.

Give us your opinions on Sony’s controller, and whether you think the Emmy bungle was a selling point or slip-up, below. I’m off to watch a Krista Allen movie.

- Aaron Kleemann