Nintendo's decision to region lock its upcoming 3DS handheld isn't purposefully malicious, but it does give me an excuse to slap a "Don't Tread on Me" sticker on my handheld.
News Blips:
The Nintendo 3DS will be region locked. NeoGAF forum users translated a message sent by Nintendo of Japan support that confirmed the addition of region locking to the handheld, which prevents owners from playing imported games. Expect hordes of gamers to become aghast at the prospect of not being able to play their favorite Japanese games, like Pink Pillow Punish!: Sexy Battle Bleach 3D. Oh, Michiko…you will be mine one day….
Sony apparently has the ability to lobotomize your PlayStation 3 from afar. A report by Digital Foundry states that when your PS3 boots up, it communicates with a string of Sony servers regardless of whether you have a PlayStation Network account or not. Information sent over the connection “almost certainly” includes a log of applications run on the system. If Sony detects the usage of shady software, it can call on its team of warlocks to summon the Devourer from the Ninth Plane of Torment…er, I mean it will “have the means to irrevocably disable your console should it so wish, and if that happens, it will remain non-functional whether you're online or offline.” Sony hasn't deemed us mortals worthy enough to witness this awesome power as of yet (instead fixing the security holes with multiple patches), but if we gather enough Gorgon eyeballs, we may get a glimpse.
Razer's upcoming Hydra motion controller redefines spatial dexterity in Portal 2. Using two handheld controllers and a base station that generates a magnetic field, the Hydra senses the position and orientation of the player's hands to an exacting degree. The device will launch concurrently with Portal 2 (currently aiming for an April 18 release date) — which will feature a mod that takes advantage of the Hydra's box-bending capabilities. Check out a video here to see it in action.
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata will keynote San Francisco's Game Developers Conference. This is the fourth time Iwata has given the keynote for the GDC (he was the keynote speaker in 2005, 2006, and 2009), but this year holds special significance, as it's the 25th anniversary of the GDC. Iwata will give a presentation called “Video Games Turn 25: A Historical Perspective and Vision for the Future” shortly after bursting out from a cake in the shape of Mario's mustache to that Mos Eisley cantina tune from Star Wars. OK, the cake part isn't true, but one can dream. “We are honored and pleased to welcome Mr. Iwata back to the keynote stage for our 25th conference,” said GDC Director Meggan Scavio. “Nintendo continues to innovate and captivate developers and gamers alike, and we're looking forward to their unique insights into both the history and future of the game business."
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