Late Night Consoling

Many analysts have published expectations that Sony will issue a price cut on PlayStation 2 during the upcoming E3 expo. However, Lazard Capital Markets thinks we may see a drop from the current $149 to $129 this month. Such a drop may help alleviate dropping sales in video game hardware and games. On the other hand PS2 is still selling rather well for being the oldest of the three main current-gen consoles, while Xbox sales have understandably dropped off considerably since the launch of Xbox 360. Sony's Phil Harrison recently stated that the company expects PS2 to continue maintaining a market presence through 2010, just as PS1 was manufactured for over a decade. If Sony does announce a price cut, it is likely Microsoft will follow suit with Xbox.

Paramount Pictures and Microsoft announced today plans to bring trailers and other content based on two upcoming movies to Xbox Live. Trailers from Mission: Impossible III and Nacho Libre are now downloadable to Xbox 360s through the Live service, along with various theme packs and graphics.

VGM daily also has an interview with Aaron Greenberg from the Xbox Live Marketplace team regarding upcoming Xbox 360 strategies for Live. Most of Greenberg answers have been given before (80 games between retail and Xbox Live by June; over half the 360 userbase online between free Silver and paid Gold memberships), but there are some noteworthy bits. Here they are:

- VGM brought up Nintendo's upcoming Virtual Console download service, and Greenberg stated that there will be announcements at E3 regarding more "retro" titles on Xbox Live Arcade. He said that various Japanese publishers will be involved, and pointed to Joust and Robotron as successful examples of that direction.
- When asked about Rare's back catalogue of games from Nintendo systems, much of which Microsoft now owns, Greenberg said that there are currently no plans to bring "GoldenEye or those types of games" to Xbox Live Arcade. He cited factors such as the size of the games, as compared to very small games such as the aforementioned Joust or Robotron.
- Microsoft has a cautious attitude towards in game advertising, but feels that it is worthwhile if it adds to the game's experience. As an example of relevant advertising content, he mentioned the Burger King tie-in in EA's Fight Night Round 3, as well as a Texas Hold'em game that is sponsored with in-game advertising and offered for free. He said there are no plans to offer a free ad-supported Xbox Live Gold service, but it may some day be a possibility.
- The company is working on how to integrate the previously promised video camera into Xbox Live, but particular game support and release date for the camera have not yet been announced.

Polish indie developer Nibris has officially announced its upcoming Revolution game, entitled Sadness. The company issued a statement praising Nintendo's next-gen direction, which Nibris' Lukasz Oskard believes "fights the stagnation which has occurred in video games, and creates new trends." Sadness is an adult-oriented gothic horror title set in the pre-World War period. Most surprisingly, the game will be rendered entirely in black and white. Oskard compares the visual style, though not the setting itself, to that of Sin City. In terms of gameplay, the following possibilities were given: "Imagine driving away rats with a torch, throwing a rope (as a lasso) when you want to climb over the wall, or slitting the throat of a persecutor with a piece of glass... All of this with the help of the Revolution controller." - Concept art.

Sadness is not expected until 2007. Based on various interviews about the previously informally announced project, Nibris seems to be working on GameCube dev kits at the moment and has found a publisher.

Nibris is also currently working on a shooter called Raid Over the River for Nintendo DS.

The oddly proficient script-leakers at Latino Review have procured a copy of the script to the upcoming Spy Hunter film adaptation, posting a basically positive review. There are also five early CGI tests revealing various capabilities of the Interceptor vehicle, including its transformation into a speedboat.

Sony Online Entertainment has announced a contest themed around its upcoming PSP turn-based strategy title Field Commander. Five winners will each receive a $500 Sony Style Gift card and two copies of several Sony Online Entertainment PSP titles. The catch is that entrants must know or be related to an active member of the US Military. For each winner, the same prize package will also be sent to the nominated member of the military. To enter, submit a 250-word essay about the soldier to SOE via the contest website.

Firing Squad has an interview with Roger Avary, writer on the upcoming Silent Hill film as well as on Pulp Fiction and True Romance. It appears that, like the film's director Christophe Gans, Avary is a huge Silent Hill fan, and has also been a dedicated gamer his whole life.

MSXbox-World has a Q&A with Volition's Jacques Hennequet regarding the upcoming Saint's Row (X360).