April fools are few and far between, with the games industry having to wait until the 5th of the month for its first proper laugh. According to Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo's executive vice president of sales and marketing, the high level of scepticism surrounding the NDS is unjustified. Speaking to CNN he said, "The gamer needs to see it, to see the games, to see the full functionality of the machine. That's why we're reticent to give details until we can show it. If I was a gamer and I only saw bits and pieces of a platform, I'd be sceptical too.” The DS went on to comprise exactly what Nintendo had always said.
Meanwhile across town, the FBI are knocking on Microsoft’s door, with the bureau making an application to the Federal Communications Commission requesting easy access to all forms of Internet communication, making specific reference to Microsoft’s Xbox Live and online PlayStation 2 servers. "The importance and the urgency of this task cannot be overstated," said the proposal, which was co-sponsored by both the U.S. Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration. "The ability of federal, state and local law enforcement to carry out critical electronic surveillance is being compromised today."
By the sixth, the Xbox 2 is already streaking ahead in the tangibility race, with Microsoft announcing its partner for the machine’s chipset production as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. It is thought that TSMC will use its standard 130-nanometer process for Xbox 2 components.”
The 8th of April sees Electronic Arts COO John Riccitiello leave the massive games outfit. The reasons for the man, dubbed John the Hatchet, leaving remain unclear. "My time at EA was the best work experience in my life", said Riccitiello. "Personally, it is time to do something different and I intend to start a private equity business. I'm leaving EA when the company is enriched with the best people, the best properties and a very bright future." Riccitiello’s departure was somewhat fortuitously timed as in later months a savage backlash against EA’s upper management would see the company shamed on several levels for its treatment of low and mid-level studio staff.
Later that day, Sony Computer Entertainment moves against a certain UK-based games industry site, savaging the bungling publication for an appalling misleading PSP piece.
The initial story spoke of "well-placed sources", confirming that public hotspots would see the PSP download all kind of data on the move, as well as 802.11 providing a link between PlayStation 3 and PSP. However, it emerged today that the 'news' stemmed from a four- month old internal meeting with developers. Sony claimed that as well as the story being out of date, it is entirely wrong. "It is now out-of-date (old news) and does not represent official Sony Computer Entertainment policy," a spokesman said. More sinister than the fact that the story was gathered from various Internet forums is Sony’s indication that the piece was intentionally misleading. "A range of possible future scenarios were discussed. The article has been selectively drawn from comments made." SPOnG’s coverage of the mishap led the editors of the site to call us up in near tears. And a good time was had by all.
The 14th of April brings the unveiling ceremony for the N-Gage QD, arguably the most doomed thing, well... ever. "What do you think we should have done?" a Nokia representative asked us. We answered that in the first place, more hardware consultation with gamers and the industry should have been carried out. We then stated that Nokia should have seen out the life of the original unit giving at least a year on open sale. Then, a full update, complete with new, non-generic technologies should have been released. "It makes sense," conceded the man from Nokia. QD goes on to sell no units.
The next day Ghost Squad is registered by Sega with Japanese patent office. Eight months later, the patent would turn into the hardest light-gun game ever to be released in the arcade.
The 16th and another shock departure hits the games industry, with the news that Vivendi Universal's popular president of North American operations Luc Vanhal has walked with immediate effect overnight. No reason for the resignation was offered.
Three days later and Nintendo’s attempts to brush the issue of its games causing seizures over the last two decades under the carpet come unstuck in a spectacular way. A BBC report plays hosts to claims from a former N staffer that the firm knowingly allowed seizure-inducing product to go on sale. Speaking to SPOnG that day, Nintendo says, “The notion that Nintendo would knowingly include in its games material that it knew could cause seizures is ridiculous. There is nothing more important to us than the health and well-being of our players. We are aware of the Independent Television Commission guidelines for broadcast television. However, in the absence of established guidelines for video games, Nintendo voluntarily prepared and implemented its own internal guidelines for game design and development in 1988.”
On the 20th, SPOnG exclusively reveals that both Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and the new Tomb Raider game, underway at Crystal Dynamics will miss expected E3 showings. No reason is given for either decision.
SNK manages to come to an agreement with Sony over US PlayStation 2 offerings, announcing a series of key IP double packs. SPOnG reports the news cautiously as the year before SNK US president Ben Herman had called up and shouted at us. He sounds like he’s walked off the set of Goodfellas.
A couple of hours later and we publish the complete E3 showing of SNK USA from an exclusive leaked document. We then unplug our phones.
The next day sees a lot of doors hanging off a lot of hinges as the FBI orchestrates 126 raids, carried out by various law enforcement agencies in a crackdown on priated games. 100 individuals were specifically targeted, as well as several game-focused Warez groups, including Fairlight, Kalisto, Echelon, Class, and Project X. "Intellectual property theft is a global problem that hurts economies around the world. To be effective, we must respond globally", said Attorney General John Ashcroft in a statement. "In the past 24 hours, working closely with our foreign law enforcement counterparts, we have moved aggressively to strike at the very core of the international online piracy world."
The 28th and SPOnG receives a leaked document detailing precise Outrun 2 Xbox details, including the unveiling date as penned in by Sega Europe. We are called and asked to remove the piece, which of course, we don’t do. Sega’s Asam Ahmad invents the Sega Blacklist. The only company on the Sega Blacklist is SPOnG. We are also banned for the firm’s E3 booth. “You’ll regret this when you see what we are going to announce at E3. It’s massive!” we are informed.
DRIV3R slips again, from mid-May to the end of June. The impact of the game and what it represents for the industry in UK could not have been guessed by anyone at this point.
The 30th and Sega officially announces Outrun 2 for Xbox. We find out second-hand of course, the Sega Blacklist now in full effect.
Meanwhile across town, the FBI are knocking on Microsoft’s door, with the bureau making an application to the Federal Communications Commission requesting easy access to all forms of Internet communication, making specific reference to Microsoft’s Xbox Live and online PlayStation 2 servers. "The importance and the urgency of this task cannot be overstated," said the proposal, which was co-sponsored by both the U.S. Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration. "The ability of federal, state and local law enforcement to carry out critical electronic surveillance is being compromised today."
By the sixth, the Xbox 2 is already streaking ahead in the tangibility race, with Microsoft announcing its partner for the machine’s chipset production as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. It is thought that TSMC will use its standard 130-nanometer process for Xbox 2 components.”
The 8th of April sees Electronic Arts COO John Riccitiello leave the massive games outfit. The reasons for the man, dubbed John the Hatchet, leaving remain unclear. "My time at EA was the best work experience in my life", said Riccitiello. "Personally, it is time to do something different and I intend to start a private equity business. I'm leaving EA when the company is enriched with the best people, the best properties and a very bright future." Riccitiello’s departure was somewhat fortuitously timed as in later months a savage backlash against EA’s upper management would see the company shamed on several levels for its treatment of low and mid-level studio staff.
Later that day, Sony Computer Entertainment moves against a certain UK-based games industry site, savaging the bungling publication for an appalling misleading PSP piece.
The initial story spoke of "well-placed sources", confirming that public hotspots would see the PSP download all kind of data on the move, as well as 802.11 providing a link between PlayStation 3 and PSP. However, it emerged today that the 'news' stemmed from a four- month old internal meeting with developers. Sony claimed that as well as the story being out of date, it is entirely wrong. "It is now out-of-date (old news) and does not represent official Sony Computer Entertainment policy," a spokesman said. More sinister than the fact that the story was gathered from various Internet forums is Sony’s indication that the piece was intentionally misleading. "A range of possible future scenarios were discussed. The article has been selectively drawn from comments made." SPOnG’s coverage of the mishap led the editors of the site to call us up in near tears. And a good time was had by all.
The 14th of April brings the unveiling ceremony for the N-Gage QD, arguably the most doomed thing, well... ever. "What do you think we should have done?" a Nokia representative asked us. We answered that in the first place, more hardware consultation with gamers and the industry should have been carried out. We then stated that Nokia should have seen out the life of the original unit giving at least a year on open sale. Then, a full update, complete with new, non-generic technologies should have been released. "It makes sense," conceded the man from Nokia. QD goes on to sell no units.
The next day Ghost Squad is registered by Sega with Japanese patent office. Eight months later, the patent would turn into the hardest light-gun game ever to be released in the arcade.
The 16th and another shock departure hits the games industry, with the news that Vivendi Universal's popular president of North American operations Luc Vanhal has walked with immediate effect overnight. No reason for the resignation was offered.
Three days later and Nintendo’s attempts to brush the issue of its games causing seizures over the last two decades under the carpet come unstuck in a spectacular way. A BBC report plays hosts to claims from a former N staffer that the firm knowingly allowed seizure-inducing product to go on sale. Speaking to SPOnG that day, Nintendo says, “The notion that Nintendo would knowingly include in its games material that it knew could cause seizures is ridiculous. There is nothing more important to us than the health and well-being of our players. We are aware of the Independent Television Commission guidelines for broadcast television. However, in the absence of established guidelines for video games, Nintendo voluntarily prepared and implemented its own internal guidelines for game design and development in 1988.”
On the 20th, SPOnG exclusively reveals that both Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and the new Tomb Raider game, underway at Crystal Dynamics will miss expected E3 showings. No reason is given for either decision.
SNK manages to come to an agreement with Sony over US PlayStation 2 offerings, announcing a series of key IP double packs. SPOnG reports the news cautiously as the year before SNK US president Ben Herman had called up and shouted at us. He sounds like he’s walked off the set of Goodfellas.
A couple of hours later and we publish the complete E3 showing of SNK USA from an exclusive leaked document. We then unplug our phones.
The next day sees a lot of doors hanging off a lot of hinges as the FBI orchestrates 126 raids, carried out by various law enforcement agencies in a crackdown on priated games. 100 individuals were specifically targeted, as well as several game-focused Warez groups, including Fairlight, Kalisto, Echelon, Class, and Project X. "Intellectual property theft is a global problem that hurts economies around the world. To be effective, we must respond globally", said Attorney General John Ashcroft in a statement. "In the past 24 hours, working closely with our foreign law enforcement counterparts, we have moved aggressively to strike at the very core of the international online piracy world."
The 28th and SPOnG receives a leaked document detailing precise Outrun 2 Xbox details, including the unveiling date as penned in by Sega Europe. We are called and asked to remove the piece, which of course, we don’t do. Sega’s Asam Ahmad invents the Sega Blacklist. The only company on the Sega Blacklist is SPOnG. We are also banned for the firm’s E3 booth. “You’ll regret this when you see what we are going to announce at E3. It’s massive!” we are informed.
DRIV3R slips again, from mid-May to the end of June. The impact of the game and what it represents for the industry in UK could not have been guessed by anyone at this point.
The 30th and Sega officially announces Outrun 2 for Xbox. We find out second-hand of course, the Sega Blacklist now in full effect.