Features// SPOnG's Review Of 2006: November

SPOnG's PS3 Get! Tokyo Launch Special
11/11/2006

That’s the Japanese PS3 launch, not the current situation in the Middle East.

Yup, the console wars began in earnest in November with launches of the Wii and PS3. No more of this console Cold War crap, dominated by PR and online fanboy rantings. The hardware had finally arrived.

But first some other things happened. Predominantly of the above-mentioned console Cold War type. November began with Nintendo’s announcement of plans to shift four-million Wiis within six weeks of launch; bold words. Threatening too, in the face of Sony’s much lamented hardware issues.

The opening days of November saw problems for Microsoft as it turned 1% of 360s into expensive door stops. The problem came courtesy of their Autumn Dashboard Update which produced “System Error E71”, killing affected consoles dead… as door stops. To its credit Microsoft was on the ball quickly, pledging to either fix or replace all affected systems.

Microsoft also managed to further counteract its cock-up, PR-wise at least (which we all know is the only ‘wise’ that matters), with the announcement of downloadable TV and film content via Xbox Live. The service was swiftly and predictably derided by Sony, which highlighted the fact that the move splits Microsoft’s user base, as those with the Core System will be unable to use the service due to their lack of a hard drive.

The Scandal of the Gizmondo Gangster reached a fitting conclusion in the form of three years jail time for Stefan Eriksson. As we were quick to report in February the former Gizmondo executive had been doing some interesting things with other people’s money. The former gangster (that’s ‘gangster’ not ‘gangsta’ – but he still took the rap… oh, stop me. I mean, it’s New Year and here I am still at work…) pleaded guilty to charges of embezzlement and being a felon in possession of a firearm.