Mod-proof Wiis appear in Japan

ANOTHER PREVIEW OF the upcoming Penny Arcade game has been released, and it's certainly starting to take shape.

You can check out the video via Joystiq.

Several comparisons of different graphics technologies have been observed this week, with this stunning photo comparing real-life to Crysis, coming to our attention first. Start saving for a new PC.

Of more interest to people fending off the desire to upgrade to Vista, Nzone has two videos ( hunter and jungle) demostrating differences between DirectX9 and DirectX10, though incrysis notes the footage is outdated. The differences are fairly pronounced, but we're sure they would be even more pronounced if it wasn't for the compressed video.

One of our favourite games is receiving a new expansion pack, and Eurogamer have the full low-down of Civilization IV: Beyond The Sword. We can't wait.

Lets hope it isn't delayed in a similar way to Halo 2 on the PC. Microsoft has revealed that the discovery of content featuring "partial nudity" was the reason the Windows Vista version of Halo 2 was delayed even longer than expected.

PS3/PSP
Rumour has it, via Joystiq, that according to a GameFAQs forum member, the latest issue of PSM revives the PS3 Sixaxis rumble rumors, hinting once again that Sony could integrate the "last-gen feature" into upcoming controllers. According to the magazine's rumor section, Sony will announce rumble support at E3 for a release in mid-November.

The re-designed controller will allow both tilting and rumble, united at long last thanks to the settled courtroom battle between Sony and Immersion.

We've already reported on the 80GB Playstation 3 announced for release in Korea earlier on this week, but that didn't stop further speculation as to when or if the sizeable hard-drive would see the light of day anywhere else.

Sony's decision to release an 80GB hard drive equipped Playstation 3 model in Korea next month may have been informed by its plans to offer video on demand (VOD) services throughout the region via PS3s.

According to the Korea Times, Sony has announced its intentions to offer VOD services via Playstation 3 consoles if negotiations with a number of Korean telecoms companies proceed as expected.

“We are contacting some Korean firms in order to incorporate VOD applications into Playstation 3 service line-up,'' Sony spokeswoman Park Seo-yun said.

The report states that at least two domestic landline telecom carriers, Hanaro Telecom and KT, appear to be involved in the negotiations.

A Hanaro spokesman said, “We are negotiating with Sony and the atmosphere is pretty good. We hope we will be able to reach an agreement in June.'

We'd presume, that similar to Microsoft, Sony is in discussions with television providers all over the world in an attempt to line-up VOD over the Xbox 360 and PS3 respectively.

Sony has said that the company could release the 80GB Playstation 3 outside South Korea - but there are currently no plans to do so.

As reported by the Washington Post, spokesperson Satoshi Fukuoka said, "At this time there are no concrete plans [to sell the model in other markets].

"However," he added, "It could be an option to introduce it in other regions but it needs to be decided by each region."

Similarly to reporting the 80GB HDD news, the INQ also mentioned the 1.80 firmware upgrade that was released for the PS3, but if you want to see actual pictures of the firmware in action, head on over to Gizmodo.

SCEE and BT have signed a deal that will 'transform' the Playstation Portable into a mobile communications device by incorporating wireless broadband communications functions into the handheld.

The four year deal will enable users to make video calls, voice calls and send messages over the internet from home or BT wireless hotspots. The service will utilize the upcoming PSP camera and microphone and will initially be promoted across the UK.

Columnist Matin Lynch of the INQUIRER didn't think too much of the deal.

A new Gameboy emulator for the PSP, adds full colour to the back log of Gameboy games. Created by a programmer called Brunni, the emulator is still in beta and isn't likely to be released for some time, check out a preview video here.

Wii/DS
Wii news at DC-Emu reports that the Wii has undergone motherboard changes in Japan to prevent the current crop of mod chips available for the console.

Three pins from have been physically cut from a surface-mounted IC, which ensures the mod chips aren't able to function.

Modders are expected to either get round the problem, or produce new chips that circumvent the IC.

George Harrison senior vice president of marketing at Nintendo of America has said the company is targeting sales of 35 million Wiis in the US, close to the 38.2 million PS2s sold by Sony in the region.

Speaking to Bloomberg, he said the ambitious target would be met by 2011 or 2012.

"Demand is much greater than we anticipated," Harrison said. "A year ago no one thought we would be in this position."

This should be partly fuelled by the strong line-up Nintendo announced for 2007.

Super Smash Brothers Brawl, Super Mario Galaxy and DS title The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass are all on track for release this year. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption has been given a 20th August release in the US.

EA hopes to revitalize the aging Sims franchise with the DS and Wii title MySims - a game that, on the surface, looks a lot like Nintendo software. Interview with MySims' exec producer is available at Next-gen.biz.

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime told an audience in Seattle that the three games would arrive before 2008, GameSpot reports.

Peripheral maker Gametech is releasing this boomerrang Wii-mote peripheral in Japan. Batman would approve.

Looking for a new stylus? Check out this stylus shoot-out video, where all the hard work is done for you.

We'll conclude with mentioning Microsoft, in conjunction with Nintendo, just briefly this week, as 360 news was fairly light on the ground.

Microsoft is bidding on a vacant lot currently owned by Nintendo in Redmond, Washington, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports.

A Nintendo of America executive confirmed this week that the video-game company has been taking bids for a 27-acre Redmond site that it previously eyed for expansion. The vacant site is just north of the Japanese company's North American headquarters, on the west side of state Route 520 in the city. µ

See Also
Further PS3 slatings and PSP 2 whisperings
Sony PS3-based PSX appears on the horizon
Games industry flashes wad, swaggers
Microsoft gaming labelled a "disastrous endeavour"