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This week Nintendo unveiled its lineup of upcoming titles for the year. Sony CEO Howard Stringer did some executive shuffling in an apparent effort to re-energize the consumer electronics company. Also, Microsoft got some good news from Japan, scoring a hit with its latest exclusive title, “Star Ocean: The Last Hope.” There was some bad news for Gibson and THQ.
It was another mixed bag of news for the gaming industry over the past week. Financial papers filed with the Internal Revenue Service revealed that while 2007 and 2008 were strong years for the U.S. gaming industry, the Entertainment Software Association, the industry’s trade association, did not fare as well. Also, Sony reached a milestone with its PlayStation Network.
Cable operators Time Warner and Comcast are reportedly in talks with the owners of major cable television networks to organize a plan that will bring a large amount of cable programming online and made accessible only to the providers’ subscribers. The cable companies have met with Viacom, Time Warner, General Electric and others.
IBM and Internet service provider International Broadband Electric Communications announced plans Wednesday to begin deploying broadband over power line networks in Alabama, Indiana, Michigan and Virginia. The two companies are establishing the BPL networks for nearly 200,000 rural residents currently served by seven electrical cooperatives.
The gaming industry was the recipient of news both good and bad this past week. On the up side, the monthly NPD Group sales report for January indicated gaming continues to be relatively recession-resistant. Gamers also have something to cheer now that Nintendo has announced the U.S. release date for its Nintendo DSi handheld gaming machine. Activision, however, announced losses in its fourth fiscal quarter.