Sony is getting absolutely hammered on the Tokyo Stock Exchange today… It has lost 14% of its value, and that puts the market cap at something like 20 billion USD (at the hasn’t-been-see-in-13-years-thank-god-I’m-paid-in-yen-rate of 95 yen to the dollar).
20 Billion.
Apple, Nintendo, Microsoft all carry nearly all of that sum or more in cash reserves. If the downturn continues, is it not unreasonable to think that Sony could become a takeover target for a large multinational.
Could a GE or a Vivendi try to snipe off the entertainment business?
Could Apple take a shot at the pc/consumer electronics?
Could Nintendo or MS try to take a step towards the “one-console-future”?
I don’t think it is likely, but it is interesting to think out loud about.
Gamasutra – ESA Confirms Details Of ‘Expanded’ June E3
I noticed some of the press complaining about the size, or how there should be public days like TGS.
I think returning to the old E3 is absolutely the right idea.
- Retailers will care again.
- Mainstream media will care again.
- Publishers will care again.
Sure, the press won’t like having to fight through crowds… But crowds are good. Crowds playing games are good for the team to get a wide cross section of reactions to their games. Pictures of crowds playing games are good for media coverage. Hordes of crowds lined up to play a game sends a big signal to buyers. Crowds are good.
I also think the idea that public days are the way to induce crowds is actually counter-productive. What you can show/include in a public demo versus what you can show/include in demos for a more restricted audience are fundamentally different. Full-on public crowds are also harder to manage.
Either way, I am happy to have the old E3 back for the attack.
Cheap and Cheerful | Beatportal
The remixes of this track are absolutely insane. Great stuff.
As seems to be envogue at present, here is my list of games to purchase by the end of the year. I won’t buy them all, but I will consider it.
-Shooters-
Gears of War 2
Call of Duty: World at War
Quantum of Solace (2 Treyarch games!?)
Resistance 2
Dead Space (Will borrow from a friend this week)
Left 4 Dead
-Non-Shooters-
Fallout 3
LittleBigPlanet
Rock Band 2
Patapon 2
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom
Guitar Hero World Tour
I think thats about it. I might buy some PC games since I got a MacBook Pro; however, I am a console gamer through and through, so I shouldn’t forget that.
