For the past five years, Nintendo 
has ruled the home console space, and it has led the handheld category for more than four times that long.
Now it’s hoping to bring the best aspects of both fields together.
Tag Archives: e3 2011
Xbox factor
Microsoft is closer to 
turning Xbox into the everything box.
Sticking with a strategy to promote the Xbox 360 console as more than just a videogame player, Microsoft used its pre-E3 presser on Monday to reveal that the device will start offering live TV in the U.S. and integrate YouTube and search engine Bing as part of a relaunch this fall.
(Co-written with Marc Graser)
How Investors Can Profit From E3
Investors haven’t had a lot of luck 
with the video game sector over the past few years. Stock prices of traditional publishers have been down as new ways to play emerged on the market and many of those same publishers instituted turnaround plans that took longer than expected to bear fruit.
But as the industry gathers for E3, its annual trade show, there’s a sense of excitement about the future—and if the recent boosts in share prices of Electronic Arts (which hit a 52-week high at the end of May) and Activision (which climbed on news of a new method to monetize the “Call of Duty” franchise) are any indication, the sector could be on the move again.
Microsoft Aims to Triple its Portfolio of Kinect Games
The launch of Kinect for Xbox 360 
was one of the big success stories of holiday 2010. With life -to-date sales of over 10 million units, the motion sensor controller caught the imagination of the casual audience, while boosting console and software sales at the same time.
But the months that have followed have been pretty barren. There have been no major Kinect releases since December and that has consumers getting antsy.
A Video Game Based on Jewish and Christian Texts
While the theme of good versus 
evil is present in just about every video game on store shelves, developers and publishers have taken pointed steps to avoid specific ties to scripture.
It’s hard to blame them. Religion is something that people take so personally that the risk of offending someone is high. And that risk is essentially doubled with so many different, passionate views on what represents the truth.
Sex and Violence: The 10 Most Controversial Games
Every new entertainment 
medium is initially seen as something detrimental to the nation’s youth. It happened with comic books. It happened with music. And it’s still happening with video games.
The majority of titles that are released each year are made for general audiences and enjoyed by families. But it only takes a few bad apples to damn an entire industry. And the gaming industry has had its share.
Sony announces PlayStation Vita
The NGP has 
a real name at last.
Sony, at its pre-E3 press conference Monday, announced that the next generation handheld system, which was previously codenamed NGP, would be called PlayStation Vita – and would carry a price of just $249 for the Wifi version and $299 for the 3G-enabled version. The system will hit store shelves this holiday season.
EA looks to pre-empt ‘Modern Warfare’
Electronic Arts is hoping 
for first blood in the slugfest of realistic military action games this fall.
The publisher announced at its pre-E3 press conference that “Battlefield 3” would hit shelves Oct. 25, two weeks before Activision releases its much-anticipated “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.” Both titles are expected to be massive hits this holiday.
Two New ‘Halo’ Games, Live TV, Coming to Xbox
Microsoft is intensifying its
efforts to appeal to both core gamers and non-gamers, announcing two new titles in its blockbuster “Halo” franchise Monday and plans to integrate live television into the console.
Starting this fall, Xbox 360 owners will be able to watch live TV programming though a variety of partners, which have yet to be announced. In addition, the company has unveiled a new service that combines its Bing search service with video delivery providers.
E3 2011: Two new Halos, Live TV headed to Xbox
Microsoft is covering its 
bases at this year’s E3.
The company, in its pre-show pres conference, announced a variety of new games and services, designed to appeal to everyone from core gamers to casual gamers to nongamers.
Chris Morris: Journalist 