New Gamer Technologies for 2009
The Consumer and Electronics Show is one of the many major annual conventions for technology trends and gadgets. Although the CES is not exclusive to gaming, gamers, both console and PC gamers, look to CES to have an idea what is in store in the gaming landscape as the year unfolds. Here we will find new games being pitted at each other, as well as new game play experiences such as mind waves, real time strategy innovation, and real 3D gaming. Here are some interesting notes that stood out in the gaming department at CES 2009.
Playstation™ Nation Gamers Love Their PS3
The most anticipated trend that is followed by hardcore games and the industry is the console sales race, better known as the console wars. The three major consoles today are the Playstation™ brand, X-Box™, and the Nintendo™ Wii. In last year's CES, gamers were very disappointed at the lack of games for the PS3 despite it superior hardware. The predicted slow-down of PS3 sales in 2008 happened until the last quarter. However, it looks like the tide has turned for the PS3.
The console wars have taken another front with both Microsoft™ and Sony offering their console-exclusive online network. For many gamers and industry watchers, this is the true measure if one console is more popular than the other. While the X-Box™ took an early lead in the third quarter of 2008, Sony just reported in CES 2009 that they have reached 17 million registered gamers, which is almost at par with X-Box's ™ figures. PS3 also has some surprises in its sleeve when they let out the demo of the much anticipated Final Fantasy 13 and Resident Evil 5. Having two of the top selling gaming franchises with new releases for PS3 leave many gamers excited. In addition, PS3 outsold the X-Box™ at a two to one rate last December. With price cuts looming for PS3 in 2009, the Playstation™ brand might just return to console dominance in the United States.
For more information about Playstation™, visit:
http://www.us.playstation.com/
Gamers delight at Mattel's ™ Mindwaves
The CES is the first of the many annual conventions that feature gaming trends, and while although the real gaming convention will not be around until the E3 expo in October, there are still exciting trends in gaming that should be noted in CES. One of many is Mattel’s ™ Mindwaves.
Mindwaves is a game that claims to use the brain's beta waves to control an object or a person in the game. Beta waves are the result of brain function when one tries to solve word and number problems. Mattel™ claims that Mindwaves can tap into a gamer's brain waves to allow him to float a ball. If you concentrate well enough, you will actually get the ball to float.
The Dilemma of a PC Gamer: Choosing Between Awesome RTS Games from CES 2009
The year 2009 is expected to be the year of real time strategy gaming. After more than ten years of development, Blizzard is expected to release Starcraft II this year. The second installment of one of the best selling games of all time is enough news to make it the year where Starcraft face competition from other RTS games. Although there are a lot hardcore PC gamers who will pick up Starcraft II, new games demonstrated in CES 2009 like the Warhammer 4000: Dawn of War are hoping to dampen Starcraft sales and capture a niche of their own. Starcraft II is expected to sell tens of millions of copies around the world, especially with a strong fan base in Asia and Europe. Meanwhile, Dawn of War is bringing in a new style of gameplay that may derail some of hype in Starcraft II. Although for hardcore PC gamers, they will likely buy both games.
The Era of 3D Games in Console
Gaming has continually advanced from linear to 2D games, then to 3d games with the first installment of the Playstation™ and Playstation™ 2, and finally to the era of real 3D gaming expected for PS3. Real 3D is a new frontier in gaming that many gamers are still not familiar with. For one, gamers need most of the power of the Playstation™ 3 to render real 3D games. At the same time game makers are only experimenting with real 3D games this year, so there is not much to offer at the moment. That may change fast Sony demonstrated the power and potential of Real 3D games in their CES booth.
Sony has games on board for real 3D games. These are Motorstorm Pacific Rift, Wipeout HD, and Gran Tourismo 5. In real 3D gaming, gamers can experience details such as flying debris from racing cars in the most realistic way possible. The reason why gamers love what they do is because the culture and the technology always go to a new level even when many think that the gaming experience has peaked. With 4D gaming not far behind, many PC and console gamers have something to look forward to for the next CES.
What is New for Microsoft™ Gamers?
Although Microsoft™ has a small booth in CES 2009 that is dedicated to gaming; it looks like it will be an interesting year for the largest software maker. The bulk of Microsoft's ™ booth is devoted to hardware with the impending launch of the Microsoft™ store. Here you will find a gaming mouse, headsets, and other peripherals for the PC and the X-Box™.
The demo gaming section is also as popular as Sony's even if it did not have the real 3D showcase. Many gamers were able to have the hands-on experience with releases and demos like Fall Out 3, Lips, Gear of War and Dawn of War 2.
AS for 2009, Microsoft™ has a lot in store in terms of major releases that will come in the 2nd quarter such as Darksiders: Wrath of War II, Red Faction: Guerilla, Bio Shock 2 Sea of Dreams, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The X-Box™ and Windows Live fans will be in for a nice ride of major gaming releases.
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