Tag: nintendo

Sony Doubles Down on Entertainment, Expects to Sell 25 Million PS5 Consoles This Financial Year

Sony Group on Thursday said it is examining a partial spin-off of its financial business just three years after taking full control, as the conglomerate doubles down on entertainment and image sensors.

Sony said it is considering a time frame of two to three years to spin off Sony Financial Group — whose operations include life insurance and banking — with an eye to listing the business and retaining a stake of slightly under 20 percent.

Given the capital the business requires, “it is a challenge to balance this with our investment in other growth areas such as entertainment and image sensors,” Sony Chief Financial Officer Hiroki Totoki told a strategy briefing.

The conglomerate is pursuing synergies between its business lines, which include video games, music and movies. It said hit drama The Last of Us on television network HBO drove uptake of the game franchise on which it is based and the music used.

A partial spin-off of Sony Financial, which the group said was made possible by changes in tax rules, would allow the newly listed business to retain Sony branding.

“It doesn’t change anything drastically in terms of the outlook for Sony but it does make it a more pure play entertainment company which the market generally likes,” said Mio Kato, an analyst at LightStream Research who publishes on Smartkarma.

The finance business reported a 5 percent fall in revenue to YEN 1.45 trillion (nearly Rs. 87,190 crore) in the year ended March. Operating profit rose 49 percent helped by a one-off gain from a real estate sale.

In the current financial year, Sony expects a 40 percent drop in revenue at the unit due to an accounting change, and a 20 percent drop in profit due to the absence of the year prior’s one-off gains.

Sony share price was up 6 percent in Tokyo trade, a day after the group said it would buy back up to 2.03 percent of its stock.

Loveable Characters

Sony has said it expects to sell 25 million PlayStation 5 consoles this financial year as supply chain snarls ease. That would be a record for any PlayStation device.

However it has also forecast a slide in first-party software sales, reflecting weakness in the games pipeline.

A sequel to Sony’s hit Marvel’s Spider-Man is among games due for release this year.

Rival Nintendo, whose Switch console has an install base of more than 125 million units, sold over 10 million copies of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom during the first three days from launch.

It has also scored a monster hit with The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida said he recently watched the movie in Tokyo and used to play Super Mario too.

“Loveable characters and intellectual property (IP) can live for 30, 50 or 100 years,” he said.

“That’s something we want to make investment in for sustainable growth,” Yoshida said.

© Thomson Reuters 2023 
 

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‘I’m Upset With Myself’: Xbox Chief Phil Spencer Takes ‘Full Responsibility’ for Redfall Debacle

It has been a tough few days for Microsoft and Xbox. First, the firm’s ambitious and expensive attempt to acquire Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard hit a major hurdle when Britain’s competition regulator blocked the $69 billion (roughly Rs. 5,63,980 crore) deal on April 26, citing cloud gaming concerns. And then, Redfall, Xbox’s first big tentpole exclusive of the year, released May 2 to largely negative reviews that criticised the game over its technical and creative failings. Arkane Austin’s first-person looter shooter is currently sitting at an underwhelming overall rating of 61 on OpenCritic. In the aftermath of the fallout from the botched release and the resulting fan backlash, Xbox chief Phil Spencer has come out and taken “full responsibility” for Redfall’s less than stellar reception. In a wide ranging and revealing interview late Thursday, a visibly dejected Spencer laid out his word on Xbox’s recent failures, the expectations from the community, and the road ahead. “I’m disappointed, I’m upset with myself,” the head of Xbox said on Redfall’s poor launch.

Two days after the dismal launch of Redfall, Spencer came on the Kinda Funny Xcast show and spoke candidly about the failures of Xbox’s latest exclusive. “There’s nothing that’s more difficult for me than disappointing the Xbox community,” Spencer said, adding, “…Just to watch the community lose confidence, be disappointed — I’m disappointed, I’m upset with myself.” Spencer admitted that Redfall’s critical response fell far short of internal expectations and was “not what we wanted” and also volunteered to take accountability for the game’s poor reception. “I also know these games are $70 (nearly Rs. 5,720), and I’m gonna take full responsibility for launching a game that needs to be great,” he said.

Spencer also defended Redfall Developers Arkane Austin over criticism that their latest game was perhaps an ill-advised departure from their regular slate of titles. Arkane is known for critically acclaimed single-player immersive sims like Dishonored and Prey, while Redfall is a co-op looter shooter. “There’s clearly quality and execution things that we can do, but one thing I won’t do is push against creative aspirations of our teams,” he said, adding that the studio had a proven track record, but admitting that they failed to hit “their own internal goals” on Redfall.

Spencer also weighed in on British antitrust regulator Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) move to block Microsoft’s takeover of Activision Blizzard and maintained that the firm intended to appeal the decision that could prevent Xbox from bringing the company’s lucrative portfolio, which includes the sales juggernaut Call of Duty franchise under its umbrella.

Later in the interview, the Xbox chief took on the so-called “console wars,” expanding upon Xbox’s position in the gaming space relative to Sony PlayStation and Nintendo. Spencer admitted that Xbox’s last-gen console, the Xbox One, failed to capture a crucial generation of gamers, most of whom were now tied to their game libraries built over the span of a console generation and thus difficult to sway toward buying an Xbox Series X or Series S. Spencer emphasised that Xbox does not intend to “out-console” Sony or Nintendo and instead focus on its unique services such as Game Pass, cloud and PC gaming.

Redfall released May 2 across PC and Xbox Series S/X and faced flak over its several technical and performance issues, while also drawing criticism for its creative and design decisions, leading to a flurry of sub-par reviews. Its cause wasn’t helped by the fact that the game launched with a 30fps cap on Xbox consoles. Spencer confirmed that Xbox, which owns Arkane-parent Bethesda, will work on improving the game and committed on delivering a 60fps patch on consoles on priority.

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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Leaks Nearly Two Weeks Before Release

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has leaked nearly two weeks ahead of its release on May 12. Late Monday, images and videos showing the opening section of the Breath of the Wild sequel flooded social media and Discord channels. Physical copies of Nintendo’s long-awaited Zelda title made rounds to retailers this past weekend, and it seems as though someone dumped the game files online, allowing players to pirate the game and play it on PC via an emulator. The framerate was certainly scuffed but revealed key story details and the HUD. Those looking to avoid spoilers until Tears of the Kingdom’s launch better tread carefully on social media.

Following the leak, the highly-anticipated sequel was live-streamed on Twitch under the Zelda: Breath of the Wild category — a smart manoeuvre since both games have similar cell-shaded art styles and UI. Unsurprisingly, those streams were taken down, with the channel being suspended “at the request of the copyright holder.” Nintendo’s legal team does not play around and could pose major consequences for those involved in pirating or helping share links around the internet. Members of one of the involved private Discord servers jokingly started spamming the renowned copypasta, directed at any FBI agents, claiming that they weren’t involved in the crime. One of the servers hosting links for the leaked game got taken down.

The streams showed the opening segment of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which begins kind of similar to one of the early trailers — with Link and Zelda exploring a deep underground cave. I don’t think this counts as a spoiler. Anyway, looking over to the top-left corner of the screen revealed two full rows of hearts (HP) for Link, indicating that some troubling event would cut down his health bar to base level — marking the actual start of the game. At the time of writing, the game is reportedly out in the wild and can be played on an emulator.

Nintendo previously requested personal information of some Discord users, who were involved in leaking the Tears of the Kingdom art book on one of its servers. In April, the company also hit a YouTuber ‘PointCrow’ with copyright infringement for releasing a multiplayer mod for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, enabling online co-op. While most game developers and publishers share and encourage modding to help boost sales, Nintendo remains extremely conservative on that front.

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom lets you explore the sweeping vistas of Hyrule, in addition to the floating Sky Islands. While the story is mostly shrouded in mystery, Nintendo previously confirmed all the new abilities to play around with — ranging from time rewind to the ‘Fuse’ ability, which lets you combine and construct weapons using random scraps found in its sprawling open world. There’s even an ‘Ultrahand’ ability, allowing Link to telekinetically build rafts, carts, gliders, and more, by attaching fans to propel them in a direction.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom releases May 12, exclusively on the Nintendo Switch.

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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Final Trailer Features King Ganondorf’s Return, a Sprawling Hyrule, and More

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom just got a new three-minute trailer, ahead of its release on May 12, exclusively on the Nintendo Switch. Much of it is shrouded in mysterious story bits, as we follow protagonist Link across the calming sweeping vistas of Hyrule and its densely populated towns and encampments. There are a bunch of new enemies, returning characters, and a new design for Princess Zelda. This new trailer arrives after producer Eiji Aonuma confirmed last month that the sequel had finally gone gold after suffering multiple delays.

The trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom opens with an overview of the floating Sky Islands, where we see a Construct hacking away at trees, while another fights a random mob. Akin to Elden Ring, it seems like enemies in this game can turn on each other, depending on what faction they belong to, letting you join in midway or wait to claim the spoils of battle. The trailer soon darks a dark turn highlighting the growing threat of the Malice, as we’re treated to a close-up visual of Link’s arm, which seems to have been corrupted. Could this be linked to his new powers in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom? A 10-minute-long gameplay reveal from last month showcased all of Link’s new skills — ranging from the ability to rewind time on an inanimate object, being able to fuse random objects to create stronger weapons, and more.

We then get a quick shot of what’s presumably one of the main antagonists, followed by a brief interaction between Princess Zelda and the voice of a mysterious unseen character, who appears to be of Zonai origin. “Zelda, we rely on your knight and that legendary sword he carries. Our last line of defence will be Link,” he says, approaching closer and placing his arm on Zelda’s shoulders. It’s too early to speculate who this would be, but the key takeaway is Zelda sporting a new look. Her hair is shorter, and she’s dressed in archaic clothing, which presumably implies this segment is set in the past.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom trailer offers a cinematic look at the combat — breakable weapons, as previously seen in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, return once more, urging you to constantly mess around with the new Fuse ability. Thanks to Link’s new Ultrahand ability, one can also craft contraptions and vehicles to traverse the world, ranging from rafts, gliders, carts, or even a tiny rocket you can hold onto to reach the Sky Islands. It also seems like you can group up with other characters and head into battle, and there are even implications of tag team battles. Could just be cutscenes — at this point, it’s too soon to tell. The boar-like villain King Ganondorf is also back, imbuing his various footsoldiers with the dark power teased in previous trailers. He’s also buff now, compared to earlier appearances where he appeared severely dehydrated.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom releases May 12, exclusively on the Nintendo Switch.

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Ubisoft Backs Out of E3 2023, Will Host Its Own Event: Report

Ubisoft no longer plans on attending this year’s physical E3 event. In a statement to VGC, the game publisher has decided to ‘move in a different direction’, and instead, hold its own separate Ubisoft Forward Live event on June 12 in Los Angeles. The news comes after last month’s investor call, where the company CEO Yves Guillemot confirmed its E3 attendance with ‘lots of things to show‘. With PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo pulling out of the summer video game extravaganza in January, E3 2023 does not have any major publishers expected to be present.

“E3 has fostered unforgettable moments across the industry throughout the years. While we initially intended to have an official E3 presence, we’ve made the subsequent decision to move in a different direction,” a Ubisoft spokesperson told VGC. “We look forward to sharing more details with our players very soon.” The upcoming E3 event marks its first in-person iteration since the pandemic lockdowns, and is being handled by ReedPop, who have prior experience setting up the New York Comic-Con and Pax.

As for exhibitors, the organisers previously stated that ‘AAA companies to indie darlings and tech companies will be announced leading up to the expo’. Those interested can sign-up for passes on the E3 website, with the event scheduled to run from June 13–16, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

It’s not surprising to see major publishers backing out of E3, as Geoff Keighley’s digital-only Summer Game Fest proved that it’s totally viable for companies to market their game without paying large amounts for a physical booth. Just like Ubisoft, Microsoft is planning an Xbox Games Showcase on June 11, which segues into a presentation for Bethesda’s much-awaited space RPG, Starfield.

Meanwhile, PlayStation continues holding its occasional State of Play events to showcase new games and updates. Last month, ReedPop President Lance Fensterman alluded that the organisation is pleased with the ‘progress and engagement from the community’ with regard to E3. “As we have confirmed exhibitors we are eager to share more as details get cemented and participants ready their own detailed plans,” Fensterman said in an interview.

Back in February, Ubisoft finally confirmed the reason behind its several game delays and cancellations in recent years, with CEO Guillemot claiming that the company was just producing way too many titles. Ubisoft cancelled three unannounced projects, in addition to postponing the hotly-anticipated naval combat game Skull and Bones for the sixth time. The enigmatic Beyond Good and Evil sequel has also hit a setback, as the studio’s managing director reportedly left the company at the start of 2023. The game still hasn’t entered full production.

The Ubisoft Forward Live event is scheduled for June 12; further details on the same will be revealed in due course.

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Universal Studios’ new Mario Kart ride ripped for rules restricting plus-sized visitors

Super Nintendo World made a splashy debut at Universal Studios Hollywood this month with its soft opening, and gamers and tourists alike raced to see what the park had to offer and to get in line to test out its highly-anticipated Mario Kart ride.

Featuring slow-moving carts painted in different colors, the augmented reality experience that places riders inside Bowser’s castle was destined to be a hit among Mario-lovers everywhere, but one detail about the ride is getting under some people’s skin.

“Nothing but wonderful things to say about Super Nintendo World except this: the body size limitations on the Mario Kart ride are absolutely ridiculous. I’ve never had any issue fitting into any ride in my entire life, and I can BARELY fit into this one. Completely absurd,” influencer Rocco Botte wrote, blasting the ride’s narrow seats on Twitter.

Another one of the ride’s critics, a Twitter user named Anna, wrote, “Can we discuss how at my biggest I would not have been able to fit on Mario Kart? A 40-inch waist line is about a size 20. Are you freaking kidding me @UniStudios? It’s a DARK RIDE.”


A statue of Bowser is seen at the entrance of the Mario Kart Bowser’s Challenge ride during a preview of Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, Calif., on Jan.13, 2023.
AFP via Getty Images

“You can’t have a mario kart ride that Bowser and DK wouldn’t even be allowed on. Dumb,” a third user named Zaha wrote.

Postcast host Matt Mazany chimed in on the topic on Twitter as well, writing, “Trust me when I say ‘lose a little weight’ is not a novel suggestion. Universal has a history now of releasing new rides (Harry Potter, Life of Pets, and now Mario Kart where they don’t accommodate big people yet they WILL take full admission price from us. Seems unethical.”

TikToker David Vaughn gave his followers a heads up about the size restriction on the video-sharing platform, saying. “Unfortunately, the new Mario Kart Bowser’s Challenge attraction comes with a warning that guests whose waistline is at least 40 inches or greater may not be accommodated on the ride.”


Guests walk towards the entrance during a preview of Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, Calif., on Jan. 13, 2023.
AFP via Getty Images

“Though there is a test seat at the attraction entrance, it’s frustrating that theme parks are still creating family-friendly attractions that aren’t accessible to many of their guests.”

As Vaughn’s video mentioned, Universal Studios’ website says a “test seat” is available at the entrance so visitors can test whether their size will be accommodated on the actual ride.

“This ride employs safety restraints which may restrict certain guests from riding due to body shape and size,” the guidelines read. “Guests whose waist line is at least 40 inches or greater may not be accommodated on the ride and are strongly encouraged to try the test seat provided at the entrance of the attraction to ensure their ability to ride.”


Guests eat lunch at the Toadstool Cafe during a preview of Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, Calif., on Jan. 13, 2023.
AFP via Getty Images

CDC statistics show that to be a problematic number for ride goers, however, indicating that the average U.S. male scantily exceeds the 40-inch limit with a waist circumference of 40.5-inch while the average woman’s waist circumference measures 38.7-inch, leaving people to ask if the requirement is far too restrictive as some claim.

As some tweets mentioned, Universal Studios has come under fire for the same circumference issue with other rides in the past, including the popular “Harry Potter” ride.

Super Nintendo World offers more than the Mario Kart ride, however, including adorable Mario-themed pit stops, a shop chock-full of Super Mario goods, chances to meet and greet your favorite Nintendo characters and the Toadstool Café where visitors can enjoy Nintendo-themed foods. 

The park’s grand opening is expected to take place on February 17.

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Sony, Xbox and Nintendo Will Not Be at E3 2023: Report

Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), the long-running and iconic annual games showcase event, is coming back this year after four years since the last in-person show. E3 2023 is set to take place from June 13 to June 16 in Los Angeles. With new organisers at the helm, the event will see major changes from the long-established format, but gamers can still expect the usual from E3 — new announcements, trailers, gameplay showcases and more for upcoming and yet unannounced games. However, according to a report, E3 2023 will not feature the industry’s big three. Sony, Xbox, and Nintendo are reportedly set to skip the summer event, a development which might put a damper on the excitement for the return of gaming’s hallowed convention.

A report in IGN says that gaming giants Sony, Xbox, and Nintendo will not be a part of E3 2023, which is set to take place at Los Angeles Convention Centre in June this year. Xbox has already confirmed that the company will be hosting a standalone showcase event this summer in Los Angeles. Xbox’s yearly summer showcase will present a deep dive into Bethesda Game Studios’ Starfield, among other upcoming first-party games.

The Xbox showcase will reportedly take place around the same time as E3 for the sake of convenience. Nintendo, on the other hand, has been announcing its games at its own Nintendo Direct events for years, but has maintained a token presence at E3 in the form of a booth. According to the IGN report, even that won’t be happening this year. The same goes for Sony; PlayStation had pulled out of E3 2019 over disagreements, and it remains unclear if the company will return to showcase its games at E3 2023. Neither Nintendo nor Sony have officially confirmed their plans for the event, or any similar showcases.

A no show from gaming’s three biggest players is likely to adversely affect the buzz around the event. E3 itself is in a phase of transition, with the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the event in the past three years. The last in-person E3 event took place in 2019, with the 2020 convention cancelled due to the pandemic. E3 2021 was an entirely online event, with virtual conferences announcing new games. Last year, E3 2022 was completely cancelled again, with the expectation of building towards a proper and safe return to in-person events in 2023.

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PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan Met EU’s Antitrust Chief to Discuss Microsoft’s Activision Deal

Sony’s gaming chief Jim Ryan met EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager on Wednesday to discuss Microsoft’s $69 billion (about Rs. 5,62,647 crore) bid for Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard, a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

The meeting came as the EU competition watchdog prepares to warn Microsoft this week about the potential anti-competitive effects of the US software giant and Xbox maker’s acquisition in the biggest gaming industry deal in history.

Microsoft is looking to Activision to help it compete better with leaders Tencent and Sony. The latter has criticised the deal and even called for a regulatory veto.

The person declined to provide details of the discussion between Ryan and Vestager. The European Commission, which is scheduled to rule on the deal by April 11, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The US Federal Trade Commission has sued to block the deal while UK regulators have also expressed concerns, arguing it would give Microsoft’s Xbox exclusive access to Activision games, leaving Nintendo consoles and Sony’s PlayStation out in the cold.

An earlier report suggested that Microsoft argued that the deal would benefit gamers and gaming companies alike, offering to sign a legally binding consent decree with the FTC to provide Call of Duty games to rivals including Sony for a decade.

Michael Chappell, the FTC administrative law judge, will rule on the deal after hearings set for August 2023.

The deal currently faces scrutiny in the European Union which is to decide by March 23 whether to clear or block the deal.

© Thomson Reuters 2023

 

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CES 2023: LG’s Transparent And Bendable TVs, Ultralight Laptops, And More

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Mario Movie Delayed Over Three Months to April 2023

The Mario movie has been delayed to 2023, which means fans of the Nintendo character will have to wait a little longer.

Illumination Entertainment’s adaptation of Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. video game series, which was scheduled to release on December 21, will now hit theatres on April 7, 2023. A Japanese release will follow on April 28, 2023.

Super Mario Bros. series creator and Nintendo leader Shigeru Miyamoto took to Twitter and wrote: “After consulting with [Illumination producer] Chris-san [Meledandri], my partner at Illumination on the Super Mario Bros. film, we decided to move the global release to Spring 2023. My deepest apologies, but I promise it will be well worth the wait.”

Chris Pratt is on board to voice the Italian plumbing protagonist. The voice ensemble also includes Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, and Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike.

Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic are set as directors on the Mario movie. Jelenic and Horvath wrote Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, on which Horvath was also co-director. Illumination — owned by Universal Pictures — is best known for Despicable Me, Sing, and The Secret Life of Pets film series.

The untitled animated Mario movie will now release April 7, 2023 in cinemas worldwide.

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