It seems that Ubisoft, the developer of such popular series as Splinter Cell and Prince of Persia, doesn’t seem too concerned about console piracy. Recently Yves Guillemot, CEO and Chairman for Ubisoft went on record stating, “Altogether on console, the piracy is low. On the PC the piracy is quite a lot. We are working on a tool that would allow us to decrease that on the PC starting next year and probably one game this year.”

This isn’t surprising as piracy has plagued PC releases for quite some time, causing developers to shift their development towards safer, and more profitable platforms such as the home console market. As a result, we’ve seen an increased trend of Console games with the occasional PC port, often times following months after the game is initially released. On top of that, many studios that had previously developed exclusively for PCs and Macs have found themselves being sold to larger publishers. A recent example being the classic FPS developer Id Software. 

It’s a sad, but almost inevitable trend, and while some developers have found answers to the piracy problem, only a handful have managed to do well with the measures they’ve taken. Steam is a good example of how to properly market online games for digital distribution, but it can’t be the only method. And, if you look at the DRM issues that Bioware went through with titles like Mass Effect, you almost have to wonder how worth while developing security measures actually is. In the end, I can’t blame Ubisoft for being just the least bit concerned about the market, how about you?

Nobuyuki Oneda, Sony Corp’s CEO and Executive Vice President, recently announced during a conference call that the actual manufacturing costs of the Playstation 3 system have dropped 70%. This is probably the best news Sony’s investors could hope for, considering the original manufacturing costs of the system itself was costing Sony far more than they were making in sales. As a result, Sony had been reporting a loss in previous quarters. However, now that the cost of the consoles themselves have dropped considerably, there might be light at the end of that tunnel for Sony after all.

“The cost reduction since we introduced the PS3 is very substantial and this is on schedule,” Oneda-san replied when asked about manufacturing costs. “We don’t disclose how much of the PS3, specifically the cost deduction was achieved during the past two years. But that is on schedule.”

These statements leave a lot to the imagination, and while it doesn’t exactly confirm the potential for PS2 emulation, anyone could speculate that the cost cuts were achieved through a number of changes to the hardware of the PS3 itself, including the previous removal of PS2 emulation, as well as the rumored changes to the architecture of the cell processor. Either way, I look forward to what Sony has in store for us moving forward into the next financial year.

The latest edition of the most recent Ninja Gaiden installment, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, is set for a North American launch date of September 29th. The game is the first Ninja Gaiden title being produced since the departure of former Team Ninja leader, Tomonobu Itagaki, last year. His departure from the company was a bit of a surprise to many, and didn’t end on very good terms. As a result, many people doubted the future of Team Ninja and Tecmo as a whole. That was, until Tecmo decided to merge with Koei earlier this year. They’ve since reformed Team Ninja under the guidance of Ninja Gaiden Sigma producer, Yosuke Hayashi. Given his impressive performance with his previous PS3 title, Ninja Gaiden Sigma, I have high expectations for any future projects involving him and his team.

Unlike the 360 release, this version will feature new playable characters, such as Ayane from Dead or Alive, and Momiji from Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword. A co-op mode is included this time, voice chat, and over 30 different missions to play through. In addition, there is a challenge mode available that will rank players online according to their total karma points at the end of each mission. With the game itself being marketed as the most definitive version of the series to appear to date, you’ll be sad to learn that it’s only being released for the PS3. It’s also rumored that Team Ninja will be shifting their main development platform from Xbox 360 to PS3 from here on out, so games should be released on that console first. The game is also going to be rated M for mature, so keep that in mind if you’re planning on making it a gift.

You read that right, MTV is reporting that the upcoming Xbox 360 title, Avatar: The Game, will be the one of the first titles that actually require an HDMI connection for the full 3d experience. That means that not only will you need a compatible television, but an Xbox 360 capable of using HDMI. Early adopters of the 360 should take note, as their consoles are not equipped with an HDMI port. This is assuming your Xbox didn’t red ring at some point, causing Microsoft to send you a new system.  Assuming you have a PS3, HDMI, and a TV capable of displaying 1080p, you’ll be able to get the full 3d effects from the get go. Later model 360 users who also have the aforementioned should also be good to go.

The reason the developer is giving for the HDMI requirement has to do with the 1080p aspect ratio. Apparently the only way the 360 will be capable of properly rendering the effects requires that resolution via HDMI out. It should also be noted that the Wii version of the game will not be capable of the full 3d experience. Avatar: The Game is based on the James Cameron movie of the same name and is due out this December.

[Editor’s note: A reader pointed out–rather rudely, mind you–that the 360 is capable of displaying 1080p via RGB. I assume he meant through component, but rather than trying to argue the difference between rendering and upscaling, I’ll merely point out that these were the claims of the developer. I simply reported them. I also clarified as to what I believe he meant by changing the above paragraph to read “rendering” rather than “display.”]

In a recent interview with Kikizo, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction Lead Designer Steven Masters mentioned that his team “could absolutely execute on PS3,” and that the game’s current Xbox 360 exclusivity is merely due to boardroom politics. The obvious conclusion to draw from that statement is that Microsoft inked a deal to prevent the title from being released on other consoles. Smart move, especially considering the amazing reception the game has recieved so far with the press. I even had the pleasure of watching a ShamWow-esque pitchman show off the game at E3 which, all kidding aside, looked spectacular.

Masters went on to elaborate by saying “…Ubisoft as a company now has a lot of experience with PS3. Our processes, tools, techniques are very well-developed– we could absolutely execute on the PS3 if we had the opportunity, but like I said it was a business decision.” At least that means that we can expect Assassin’s Creed 2 to look amazing, despite the fact that we won’t be seeing Conviction released on the system. On the bright side, I own an Xbox 360, so I’ll be buying the game any ways. If you own one, I suggest you do the same. After all, it’s been awhile since we’ve seen any Splinter Cell titles as good as this, and if you’re a fan of the series, you won’t be disappointed.

Microsoft recently reiterated it’s long time stance on Blu-ray, bluntly stating that it still isn’t even being considered. These statements come after Toshiba announced that they’re looking into Blu-ray development, having previously supported their own HD-DVD format, which failed to secure a market during the brief format war. In a statement released by Microsoft, they went on record to defend their current strategy of distribution with digital downloads and streaming via Netflix. They pounded their proverbial chest, going on to mention the overwhelming number of titles available on their Xbox Live! network, which is currently around 20,000, 5,000 of which are currently available in high definition.

I find it sad, considering they were so quick to jump on the HD-DVD bandwagon when it was first introduced to the market. I even own one of their HD-DVD players. I don’t really regret it, considering I’m one of those guys who just has to have everything. How else was I going to watch Serenity in HD– at the time, it was exclusive to the format. With so many shows and movies going Blu-ray these days, you’d think that’d be a market that’d be easy to tap. It’s not like introducing the drive as an add-on would actually hurt their sales numbers. If anything, it’d hurt their competition even more, as being a Blu-ray player is one of the major selling points for the PS3. Am I alone on this one?

[Image Source: Microsoft]

LucasArts announced today that big things are in store for The Force Unleashed later this fall. In addition to a new level that continues the story, they will be releasing a special edition of the game dubbed The Force Unleashed: Ultimate Sith Edition. In addition to the previous levels released in the original version of the game, this new title claims to “show gamers the deepest, darkest side of the Force in a story that puts them on a collision course with Luke Skywalker himself.” It will also include the DLC and an all-new exclusive bonus level.

It was unclear if the new level they plan on releasing is the same as the one included in this special retail version of the game, however the way they worded the press release leads me to believe that they’ll be different. The new downloadable level they mentioned takes place on Tatooine, and involves the Emperor sending you to dispatch Obi-Wan Kenobi, leading you to Jabba’s palace, and a show down with the infamous Boba Fett. It sounds pretty exciting so I hope that you haven’t sold your copy of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. If you have, or you just want it, you can a buy a copy for relatively cheap if you look in the right places.

It’s been confirmed that Halo 3: ODST, like it’s predecessor Halo 3, will not be running at full HD. Instead it will use the same 1152×640 resolution that Halo 3 employs, though I can hardly see how this will keep anyone from buying the game. Having had more than one opportunity to sit down with the title at E3 and again this weekend at San Diego Comic Con, I can verify that any Halo fan will absolutely love it. The game features the same amazing game play, and the new levels will satisfy anyone who has been craving more, since Halo 3 launched last year.

Bungie went on record stating that the graphical enhancements were due to the hard work of their artists and not the  engine itself, which is borrowed from the previous title. This means they used the same tools to go back and really add some extra finish to the engine which they have already had quite a bit experience working with. No doubt we’ll all get to see how that pays off when Halo 3: ODST launches this September. Until then, you can always sharpen your skills online.

So in the US last month, both the DS and DSi systems combined sold more than 766,000 units. That’s more than all current-generation consoles combined. The NPD Group, which tracks video game sales in the United States, released the numbers the other week clearly showing the hand-held systems’ domination over the competition. While I don’t have the exact numbers, the break down had nearly 424,000 DSi systems and more than 342,000 DS systems sold. 

“More consumers continued to gravitate toward products that offer quality experiences and great value for the whole family,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “Consumers again selected Nintendo systems for those experiences, particularly our hand-helds.” Their other systems weren’t doing bad by any means either. Wii Motion Plus accessories also seem to be doing very well, and the system itself is still going strong despite the intial craze starting to die down. Of course, that leaves me wondering, how many people are still having a hard time finding the console? I’d think by now there really shouldn’t be any sort of shortage.

Microsoft’s Aaron Greenberg recently comments on the potential success of the PS3, or lack thereof. His belief was that Sony has spent way too much time focusing on the Blu-Ray, believing that what happened with the Playstation 2’s DVD player would repeat itself. For those of you who may not be aware, the PS2 quickly became one of the cheapest DVD players on the market, and served a dual purpose for many households. While these are actually pretty good observations, I think it’d be safe to say that Sony simply didn’t know what they wanted to promote when they presented the PS3 to the market.

There’s no question that the system has amazing graphics, powerful exclusives and the ability to play Blu-Rays, but I’m not sure Sony really knows how to market those features effectively myself. My thoughts aside, Greenberg went on to state that Sony is now headed in the right direction, capturing the early adopters in the core market and now shooting for triple-A titles.  This is evident by their lineup for the next year, and I agree as I’m looking forward to such games as Uncharted 2.

[via Gamasutra]