Microsoft boss says Xbox 'needs to do better' in European markets

Michael Hatamoto | Gaming | Jul 1, 2015 1:15 PM CDT

The Microsoft Xbox One is being handily outsold in Europe by the Sony PlayStation 4, with the PS4 holding 70-90 percent market share. Microsoft understands the importance in the European market, and the company is going to try to find ways to better compete against Sony.

"We need to do better in Europe. When I look globally, mainland Europe is definitely an area we want to focus on," said Phil Spencer, Xbox boss, while speaking to Edge magazine. Microsoft hopes to win over some gamers during Gamescom, a gaming-focused trade show in August that will be held in Cologne, Germany.

Spencer said the Xbox One "does really well" in Latin America, and is fighting Sony in the North American market.

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Star Wars Battlefront based on 'absolute core' from the movies

Michael Hatamoto | Gaming | Jul 1, 2015 10:47 AM CDT

DICE is feeling the pressure when it comes to trying to figure out what to include in the new Star Wars Battlefront video game - and it continues to be a major challenge, trying to sort out what makes the cut from the Star Wars universe.

"I wouldn't say that we've designed it by committee. We have a very strong, very competent design lead," said Sigurlina Ingvarsdottir, senior producer of Star Wars Battlefront, in a statement to GameSpot. "But, basically, what we've taken is what to us is the core of Star Wars. Star Wars is so vast, there's so many things in Star Wars that are beloved by so many. And so they are hard choices."

It looks like DICE has decided to support planets such as Endor and Hoth, with characters ranging from Han Solo and Darth Vader - giving gaming fans characters and locations that they will be extremely familiar with.

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Sony raising $4 billion, will go all-in with camera sensors

Anthony Garreffa | Business, Financial & Legal | Jul 1, 2015 5:28 AM CDT

Sony has already said that it wants to lead the smartphone camera sensor market, with the Japanese giant pulling out of most of its other markets, apart from camera sensors and the PlayStation brand.

Now the company is looking to push out new shares, with the new shares to raise the equivalent to 10% of what Sony is worth. With Sony worth around $40 billion, the company will be raising $4 billion, all of which it's going to invest in camera sensors. Sony said in a statement: "In addition to securing funds for active and concentrated investment in businesses that are driving growth. Sony ... aims to secure its ability to make future further investment".

Chief Portfolio Manager Common Assset Management, Takatoshi Itoshima, said: "It's positive that it is investing in the sensor business which is seen promising. But short-term investors may question the strength of its balance sheet, or wonder whether the company could've slashed more of its businesses before raising money from the market".

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Sony dominates Europe, with the PS4 taking up to 90% marketshare

Anthony Garreffa | Gaming | Jul 1, 2015 4:07 AM CDT

Sony is dominating the European market, where during a recent interview with VG247, Sony Europe President Jim Ryan saying that Sony has nothing less than 70% marketshare in every European country.

Ryan explains: "We have a very significant market leadership. We have market leadership in every country in Europe, and have very significant market leadership in continental Europe. Extremely significant. I don't think marketshare's any less than 70 percent, and frequently greater than 90 percent in continental Europe".

During the interview, Ryan said that the PS4 is still seeing "very considerable" momentum at its current price, with the company adding that it has no plans to cut the price anytime soon. Ryan added: "We're happy with the price and we're happy with the value proposition. We'll leave it where it is for now".

Continue reading: Sony dominates Europe, with the PS4 taking up to 90% marketshare (full post)

Minecraft sales on PC hit 20 million units, 70 million units in total

Anthony Garreffa | Gaming | Jul 1, 2015 2:41 AM CDT

Just how popular is Minecraft? Well, very. Mojang has just announced on their website that they've sold over 20 million copies of Minecraft on the PC.

Not just that, but the total sales of Minecraft across all platforms, has passed over 70 million - quite the achievement. In the last 24 hours alone, Mojang has sold over 10,000 copies, proving the game is an unstoppable success. Most people were worried when Microsoft paid $2.5 billion to buy Mojang not too long ago, but with Minecraft being shown off in HoloLens, we can see how big this game is going to be going into the future.

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French official says Assange, Snowden could be allowed in France

Michael Hatamoto | Hacking, Security & Privacy | Jun 30, 2015 10:14 PM CDT

French Justice Minister Christiane Taubira said it's not up to her, but she "wouldn't be surprised" if WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and former NSA contractor Edward Snowden were offered asylum in France. Ultimately, it'd be up to French Prime Minister Manuel Valls and President Francois Hollande to make a final determination - however, trying to get both men to France would be a rather unique logistical challenge.

"If France decides to offer asylum to Edward Snowden and Julian Assange, I wouldn't be surprised. It's a possibility," Taubira recently told BFMTV.

Snowden is wanted by US authorities for espionage and numerous other charges after leaking NSA documents to the public. Meanwhile, Assange has taken up residence in the Ecuadorian consulate in London, in an effort to avoid extradition to Sweden on alleged sexual assault charges. He's afraid if he's extradited back to Sweden, he'd be sent to the United States.

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Don't expect Edward Snowden to leave Russia anytime soon

Michael Hatamoto | Hacking, Security & Privacy | Jun 30, 2015 6:04 PM CDT

Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden has said multiple times he would like to return home to the United States, but has become comfortable living in Russia. Over the past two years, Snowden has adapted to his temporary home as best as he could, learning to live his life away from political scrutiny and intense media attention.

"Edward and all of us hope that, sooner or later, all absurd charges against him will be lifted and the questions for him put on the legal track, without insults and name-calling. This is when he can return home," said Anatoly Kucherena, Snowden's attorney, in a statement to Interfax.

The idea that Snowden will one day be able to return to his homeland seems like nothing more than a fantasy at this point - it seems highly doubtful the Obama Administration, and other members of the government would be able to leave him alone.

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Microsoft unveils the Minecraft in Education initiative

Michael Hatamoto | Gaming | Jun 30, 2015 4:30 PM CDT

Microsoft hopes teachers use Minecraft to help stimulate students in the classroom, allowing them to think creatively - and have fun while doing it.

Microsoft unveils the Minecraft in Education initiative

After the game originally launched in 2011, some teachers found unique ways to embrace Minecraft. It has been used to help teach students about Japanese-American internment camps, DNA extraction, architecture, all while helping grow leadership and digital citizenship.

"Many of the most fun parts of Minecraft, including the collaborative nature of play, the need to experiment, the open world, the earning of achievements, and the growth of players' in-game characters as well as their personal skill sets, are also key to excellent learning environments," according to a recent blog post on the Minecraft Education website.

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Bethesda hesitant on offers for Fallout or Elder Scrolls movies

Michael Hatamoto | Gaming | Jun 30, 2015 2:53 PM CDT

It looks like film studios have asked Bethesda about creating movies based off of Elder Scrolls and Fallout, but the gaming studio is more focused on creating great video games. The Bethesda board of directors has two TV and movie industry executives, so there is a "really good window" available - but gamers shouldn't hold their breath.

Bethesda believes video games are the "best form of entertainment in the world," according to Pete Hines, marketing executive at Bethesda, in a statement to GameSpot. "Generally speaking, we view ourselves as a video game company. We make video games. Movies and TV shows are an entirely different thing."

The added insight from CBS President Leslie Moonves, former MGM CEO Harry Loan and other people close to Bethesda has offered unique insight into trying to create something away from games: "We've gotten a lot of very good advice about, 'There's way more things that can go wrong than can go right with this. The concern is always... do you want the world's view of The Elder Scrolls to be what [director Todd Howard] envisions in Skyrim or do you want it to be some other director who decides to make a movie that looks like Cats?"

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You can legally listen to AC/DC, now on Spotify, Rdio, Apple Music

Michael Hatamoto | Business, Financial & Legal | Jun 30, 2015 2:00 PM CDT

Rock band AC/DC is now embracing streaming music, allowing its music to be shared on Spotify, Apple Music, and Rdio. The popular band has sold more than 72 million albums in the United States, and apparently hasn't liked the idea of streaming music for quite some time.

AC/DC only started to allow its music to be sold on iTunes just three years ago, so digital change isn't something the band has been quick to embrace. Remember, Metallica, Led Zeppelin and the Beatles all managed to finally come to terms with iTunes - but AC/DC continued to avoid joining the digital revolution.

"When the latest thing comes along, everyone wants to be the first to jump in. But we were hesitant," said Angus Young, AC/DC guitarist, in a statement to the Wall Street Journal last year. "It was only later on that people said, hey, you were pretty clever. We were doing better because people were still buying the physical product."

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