Stories by Matt Peckham

PSN purchases won't transfer to Xperia Play phone

Gamers with vast PlayStation Network software libraries won't catch a break if they opt to pick up Sony Ericsson's forthcoming Xperia Play when it ships in March. While the slide-bottom Android Phone plays PlayStation Suite-compatible games as well as PlayStation-original oldies, they'll only be available as new purchases from a separate Sony Ericsson online store.

Sony Unveils PlayStation-Friendly 'Xperia Play'

Sony popped the lid on the industry's worst kept secret this afternoon, trotting out its Xperia Play Android phone at Mobile World Congress 2011 in Barcelona, Spain. You probably know all there is to say about the device at this point, except for one little thing.

Final Fantasy IV remake to appear on PSP

Final Fantasy II was my first Final Fantasy. Back in 1991 when it was on the Super Nintendo and still called Final Fantasy II, anyway. Today it's Final Fantasy IV, because it was actually fourth in Japan. And for its 20th birthday bash, it's getting a "complete" treatment -- an updated and upgraded PSP version of the original and its recent sequel set to ship this spring.

Mammoth StarCraft II patch in the wild

From Battle.net chat channels to master leagues, stalemate detection, and a new 'extreme' graphics option, the latest StarCraft II patch is here and it's a doozy.

Kinect-like peripheral for PCs coming this year

I'm betting most of you don't know Kinect's 3D sensing technology isn't owned by Microsoft. The company that does resides in Israel, and they're called PrimeSense. They've been around since 2005, and describe themselves as "a fabless semiconductor company that revolutionizes the way digital devices see the world." Their fancy name for that 3D sensing tech? "PrimeSense Immersive Natural Interaction."

The Top 10 Video Games of 2010

Here's my obligatory list of 2010's top 10 video games, in no particular order. Yours would no doubt look different. That's the point of lists, after all: To throw our favorites out there, then stand around comparing and critiquing.

Nielsen: Xbox 360 Most Used Console, Wii Most Played

Microsoft's Xbox 360 is the most used console among users aged 13 or older, according to a new survey from media tracker Nielsen. "Most used", meaning everything from playing games to watching movies or catching some tunes to surfing the internet.

Microsoft flip-flops on Kinect computer 'hack'

Shortly after Kinect's launch, it was either hacked or "accessed in a way not facilitated by the designer," depending on your definition of the term. Microsoft's response was swift and disapproving, stating it "does not condone the modification of its products" and implying legal action (or law enforcement) might be in the offing.

If the PlayStation phone is real, why is it so ugly?

Defending its sources as "multiple" and "trusted," tech blog Engadget's gone on the defensive, claiming the PlayStation Phone is indeed real and citing a few scoops they got right. Of course they won't tell you about the ones they got wrong, but then that's how the game's played, and for all we know, they're spot-on here. Who are we to judge?

Microsoft suspends Xbox gamer for living in Fort Gay

You've just signed up for Xbox LIVE. You're entering your personal information, and when you get to the city and state fields, you tap in 'Intercourse, Pennsylvania'. A couple days later you get an email from Microsoft notifying you that your account's been suspended. Why? Because you violated the online gaming service's code of conduct by using a term with overtly sexual connotations.

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