Following yesterday's announcements by Microsoft that Xbox 360 owners will be able to buy and rent HD television episodes and movies via Xbox Live Marketplace, Sony Computer Entertainment America PR chief Dave Karraker has slammed the service. "I think they are doing a disservice to their consumer base because they are ignoring all those people who bought the Core system," said Karraker. "We would never segregate or shut out any of our consumers from our entertainment experience because they didn't buy the top of the line system." He pointed out that while both PlayStation 3 models, priced at $499 and $599, include a hard drive, while Microsoft's $299 Xbox 360 Core unit does not.

Meanwhile, Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios head Phil Harrison spoke to Sony-sanctioned blog ThreeSpeech about PS3's own HD capabilities, such as its included Blu-ray Disc drive and HDMI output. Harrison admitted that Blu-ray has caused production problems for Sony, but is a necessary obstacle to overcome. "Today, it looks like a very difficult situation--but in the weeks, months and years to come, this will pale into zero," said Harrison. "Yes, we have overreached in production of the Blu-Ray component--I can't deny that. But that's the price you pay for adopting brand new, leading-edge technologies that will be future proof. We will resolve those issues--we are already catching up." Harrison restated Sony's goal to ship 6 million PS3 units by the end of its fiscal year in March 2007.

Though Stainless Games' Novadrome was mentioned in yesterday's announcement of upcoming Xbox Live Arcade games, publisher Buena Vista Games today officially announced the game as coming to Xbox 360 this holiday season. Novadrome is a sci-fi vehicle combat game featuring exaggerated physics and over the top weapons in a demolition derby setting.

As the Isle of Wight, England-based team behind the infamous combat racers Carmageddon and Carmageddon 2: Carpocalypse Now, Stainless has some experience in the genre. "We took our renowned experience of making intense vehicle combat games and put it into an extremely addictive game--'Novadrome'," said managing director Patrick Buckland. The game features two dozen vehicles and fifteen arenas, as well as online and offline gameplay modes.

Novadrome is expected to be released for Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade by the end of 2006.

As the organization that rates content in all major game releases in North America, the ESRB can be a prime source for determining upcoming unannounced games. In September, the ESRB's website divulged several Sega Genesis games eventually confirmed to be Wii Virtual Console launch titles, and now the site has what appears to be titles from the second wave of planned VC games. The following NES and SNES titles have been designated "E for Everyone:"

- Hogan's Alley (NES)
- Ice Hockey (NES)
- Kid Icarus (NES)
- Kirby's Adventure (NES)
- PilotWings (SNES)
- Pro Wrestling (NES)
- Punch-Out (NES)
- Wild Gunman (NES)

No release dates were given for the game. Nintendo has stated its intention to provide at least ten Virtual Console games per month after the system's initial VC launch lineup of 30 titles.

Publisher Buena Vista Games has rapidly been raising its profile in the video game industry in recent months. The Disney subsidiary recently picked up Climax's racing dev studio, signed a publishing deal with Tetsuya Mizuguchi's studio Q Entertainment, picked up the rights to the Turok franchise, and recently picked up Propaganda Games and Avalanche Software. Now, BVG has announced that it has formed Fall Line Studio, dedicated entirely to developing games for Nintendo DS and Wii. It will create both new intellectual properties as well as games based on established Disney-owned franchises.

Fall Line is headed up by Scott Novis, former general manager of Rainbow Studios (Cars, ATV Offroad Fury, Motocross Madness). It will specialize in "small-team, creative projects," acting as a sister studio to Avalanche Software. Both companies are based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

No specific projects were announced in today's press release.

Online retailer GameStop.com has put up a preliminary information page regarding Wii preorders, its brick and mortar counterpart already having filled its quotas. GameStop.com and sister company EBGames.com will apparently be selling preorders for Nintendo's upcoming system only in a single mandatory bundle at an unspecified price "under $699." As far as what that "under $699" will net you, the company has not yet shared any details beyond the basic Wii unit, but presumably it will include several games and accessories such as extra controllers. They better figure it out soon, as the site lists the start date for preorders as this Thursday, November 9. Keep checking back until then for further details.

GameStop.com's PS3 preorder page has even less information, lacking both a date and potential price range.

Today, developer Bethesda Softworks confirmed yesterday's reports that the acclaimed The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, released earlier this year for PC and Xbox 360, will also be heading to PlayStation 3. Furthermore, the company announced that the game will be a launch title for PlayStation 3 when the machine goes on sale this November in North America, and next March in Europe.

Bethesda also confirmed The Elder Scrolls Travels: Oblivion, a separate PSP game set for release next spring in North America and Europe. "The Elder Scrolls Travels" is the branding Bethesda has previously used for its Elder Scrolls games on mobile devices and N-Gage.

Disney subsidiary Buena Vista Games, which is recently been gaining more and more visibility in the video game publishing world, today announced its intention to buy the Climax Racing studio from UK developer Climax Group. Climax is the developer of the THQ-owned MotoGP franchise and the Sony-owned ATV Offroad Fury franchise. BVG also owns the recently formed Propaganda Games, working on Turok (working title) (PS3, X360), as well as veteran developer Avalanche Software, responsible for the Tak series. It is inclear how the upcoming Climax Racing acquisition will affect the future of the MotoGP and ATV Offroad Fury franchises.

"The acquisition of Climax Racing aligns perfectly with our strategic and geographic goals by allowing us to both reach into new genres and new markets for creative talent," said BVG senior VP and GM Graham Hopper. "Adding Climax Racing to our creative family will provide an additional catalyst for our continued growth in the video games market." Terms of the deal, which is expected to close next month, were not disclosed.

When Midway first announced that it would be bringing Blitz: The League, its non-NFL successor to NFL Blitz, to Wii, the game was an expected launch title for the console. However, ever since that announcement, very little has been heard about the title, prompting some to speculate that it had been cancelled. However, speaking to IGN, the company confirmed that the game is still in the works but, as was becoming more and more obvious, will not be a Wii launch title. No new release period was given.

Today, Microsoft released a playable demo of the Xbox 360 version of Yuke's' WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2007 on Xbox Live Marketplace. The free download comes in at a staggering 1.06GB. Marketplace has also been updated with trailers for Neversoft's Tony Hawk's Project 8, Midway & Tigon's The Wheelman, Kaos Studios' Frontlines: Fuel of War, and Pivotal Games' Crossfire.

Electronic Arts today confirmed expectations that EA Tiburon and EA Canada's Madden NFL 07 and EA Black Box's Need for Speed Carbon will be launching alongside Nintendo's Wii console when launches on November 19, 2006. "Both Madden NFL 07 and Need For Speed Carbon were able to really bring out the innovation in the new FreeMotion Controller on the Wii and will attract a whole new sector of gamers," said EA Canada senior VP and GM John Schappert. "We are honored to be a part of the launch of this new exciting platform and are inspired by the new creative ideas it will let us explore."

X06 coverage is up from GameSpot, IGN, Game Informer, 1UP,