WE ARE THE WORLD 25

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THE EXPENDABLES

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Rated-M.com's 2006 list!

Posted by Jason Triplett

Since the year has now come to an end, I'd like to share some of the best and worst of 2006 with you, including our choice for 2006 GOTY! Let's get underway!

Biggest mistake of 2006: A lot of you think I'm gonna say "the PS3 launch". However, I think someone screwed up this year a lot more than Sony. You see, the PS3 just needs time to get off the ground. My pick for biggest mistake is Kurt angle leaving the WWE for TNA. Since leaving Vince, his story lines have suffered, and he has to job to an overrated wrestler like Samoa Joe.

Biggest surprise of 2006
: Britney Spears' crotch shots. I wasn't ever expecting to see hew twank, but there it was for the world to see. Thanks for the memories Britney!

Biggest letdown of 2006: Sony's PS3 launch. Notice I said the launch, and not the system. I feel the PS3 has potential. But there is no denying that Sony fucked up real bad this time around, and has paid dearly for it in sales and popularity. The poor design of their kiosk units doesn't help matters much, as it causes systems to overheat and freeze up in stores. This obviously doesn't leave a good impression with Average Joe and Jane Walk-In who may just be in the market for a new system.

Most underrated item of 2006: Microsoft's Zune player. Definately the iPod killer MS promised it to be, but no one knows what the hell a Zune is yet. MS wanted to obviously keep the focus on their 360 console, which has hurt this amazing little piece of machinery. Hopefully their ad campaign will kick into full gear in 2007. This little movie and music player deserves our attention.

Most viewed Rated-M story of 2006: I have a lot of viewers, and with my stat counter, I have tracked the most viewed story of the entire year. I was surprised that this story got as much attention as it did, but you fans have spoken! You all want to know about the WWE's Mickie James' alleged porn career! So for you fans, here are the links to refress your memory:

Original Story / Follow-up

Most controversial Rated-M story of 2006: Without a doubt, this would have to be the leaking of the Transformers teaser, and the posting of it on Digg.com. The story went to the first page in a matter of hours. Again, I never expected so much attention behind this, but Paramount was genuinely pissed. to this day, I will still not reveal my source, but it matters not anyways. Within 48 hours of me posting the leaked trailer, they went ahead and released it officially via their website, and in much better quality. I guess they figured "if you can't beat em, join em". Below, you'll find the links to our Transformers coverage, as well as the original Digg.com story.

Transformers Coverage at Rated-M / Digg.com post

Console of the Year 2006: XBOX 360. Without a doubt. It had a slow start, but to look at the line-up now is intimidating. What sealed the deal for me was the key release of a few strong titles, titles that cemented the 360 as a mainstay in the console world. 2006 saw the release of Saints Row, Dead Rising, Oblivion, Gears of War, Viva Pinata, and WWE Smackdown VS. Raw 2007 (the 07 was cancelled for the PS3!). Also this year, XBL proved to us all how neat the internet can be when integrated into your gaming lifestyle. DLC for games, downloadable demos, and the great XBL Arcade (yes, I know I hated it, but it has really really grown on me). Nearly flawless and very safe, I feel it's worth the fee. Anyways, after a rough start, this system picked up steam to gain the top spot as out 2006 Console of the Year! Can PS3 pull off the same, and take our 2007 honors? We will see!

Game of the Year 2006: Here it is guys, the one you've been waiting for. Our pick for GOTY 2006. A lot came out this year that I feel is worthy. Dead Rising, Oblivion, Gears of War, Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and Final Fantasy XII are my contenders.We have chosen Gears of War as our pick for GOTY 2006. Sure, graphically the game is the best there is at the moment. But the game is much more than that. Great production value, perfect controls, lagless online, fun co-op and SP (though a bit short), and the coming FREE DLC pack are all parts of why we chose this game. Rarely does a game ever live up to the hype. Gears had tremendous hype, and lived up to every single second of it.


Well there ya have it. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all of us at Rated-M!

Kutaragi incident not a big deal? Don't fool yourself!

Posted by Jason Triplett

So Ken Kutaragi, the "father of the Playstation", was forced to step down. By now, you all have heard the news in some form or another. Some of you (and by some of you I mean the rabid PS3 fanboys sending me hate mail) don't think it's a big deal at all. Just a normal day of operations at Sony. Well not so fast there bucko, this is VERY significant, and I'm about to tell you why.

Ken Kutaragi has been the driving force behind Sony's foray into gaming since the start. Known worldwide as the father of the Paystation, he has had a hand in all of Sony's gaming consoles, including PSP. He has also been the face and mouthpiece of the Playstation, but none moreso than the PS3 and PSP.

In short, he is the man who talked all the shit and couldn't back it up. He is the man that made all the promises that he couldn't keep. Sony finds him responsible not only for the failure of the PSP, but the imminent failure of the PS3.

Now before you go get your panties into a bunch, the PS3 hasn't failed yet, and it still has potential. However, there are some things you need to factor into this equation.

A.) Kutaragi hyped the PSP as the GameBoy killer, when obviously it wasn't. It was pretty, but cost way more than gamers wanted to pay. Even now, the core system itself struggles to sell in the face of Nintendo's juggernaut, the DS.

B.) Again, Kutaragi hyped the PS3 to be Jesus Christ walking on water, there is nothing else. Also pretty and overpriced, the system has failed to live up to the hype created for it.

C.) Then comes the defects. Let's forget that the PS2 laser fiasco never happened. Forget that it took 4 years and a class action lawsuit to fix it. What about the thousands of PS3's beginning to crash worldwide? Well the majority of them are due to the same thing that happened at TGS. The system is overheating in the small space afforded to it in the kiosks. People who walk into GameStop usually walk in to find the PS3 froze up. bad publicity.

This is all the latest in a string of fuck ups from Kutaragi, from the defective PS2's to the millions spent on crappy advertising for the PSP (like the racist ads here in the states calling mexicans dustballs, and the black vs. white ads overseas), to the millions spent on faulty kiosks that are causing false impressions in potential buyers.

3rd Party developers are taking once exclusive titles to the competition, and day by day, things look worse and worse for Sony.

So it's still not a big deal? Well what if Nintendo had fired Miyamoto-san, the father of almost every single popular Nintendo IP? Or what if Microsoft suddenly canned Peter Moore? Well considering that the Playstation is primarily Kutaragi's brainchild, we feel this is a big deal.

Will Sony pull out of this slump and reposition themselves? Or is it simply over for them before it even began? We will just have to wait and see. We here at Rated-M don't have high hopes, though we hope that 1st party games like Lair and Heavenly Sword can restore people's faith in this arrogant company.

Stay tuned for more.

Sony shelves Kutaragi, possibly quitting console business!

Posted by Jason Triplett

We all know the sad truth behind the PS3. It costs too much to make, and there have been so many technical issues with it even after it's rather unseuccessful launch, that Sony was obviously headed into a downward spiral.

Following the failure of the PSP, and the imminent failure of the overhyped PS3, Sony has shelved Ken Kutaragi, the face of the PS3.

Reputable site Financial Times reports the following:

"Ken Kutaragi, the maverick Sony engineer behind all three generations of PlayStation games consoles, will on Friday become chairman of Sony Computer Entertainment in a management reshuffle that could foreshadow the company’s exit from video games hardware.

The surprise move, though technically a promotion, removes Mr Kutaragi from the day-to-day running of Sony’s games division at a critical moment.

With the PlayStation3 only just past its difficult launches in Japan and the US, Sony is desperate to ensure that its complicated machine triumphs in the holiday shopping season. The company described the changes as “strengthening” its management line-up.

In the longer-term, the PS3 faces stiff competition from Microsoft and Nintnedo and a European launch next March for which some analysts fear it is not fully prepared.

Replacing Mr Kutaragi as Sony Computer Entertainment’s global president and chief operating officer will be Kazuo Hirai, a veteran of SCE’s US division, who prematurely claimed four years ago that the era of console wars was over.

Investors know Mr Hirai as a slicker, more confident presenter than Mr Kutaragi. He is also understood to have stronger working relationships with American, European and Japanese games makers.

Analysts said that Mr Hirai’s promotion to a global role at SCE could mark a critical shift in management thinking, with Sony changing its emphasis so that the current generation of games console will be its last as a hardware manufacturer.

“The appointment of Hirai could be the start of a shift from hardware to software,” said Yuta Sakurai, an analyst at Nomura. “I cannot now imagine a PlayStation4.”"

So in a nutshell, financial advisors are now predicting that Sony will go the way of Sega, and just make software, which has always been their stronger point. I can't say we didn't see this coming. Sony has been in the red for years, hardly ever turning a profit in the videogame industry. Mark our words, this is the end.

For the full report from Financial Times, please visit the source link below!

SOURCE: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/f6728ed8-8095-11db-9096-0000779e2340.html

The realistic battle between PS3 and Wii! Video included!

Posted by Jason Triplett

G4TV made this parody commercial which pits PS3 vs. Wii in the style of the stupid, lame, retarded, misinformed Mac commercials.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9136575504838642038

I laughed out loud at this one. I really, truly did.

Videogames + heavy metal = RAWK!

Posted by Jason Triplett

Braziliian metal band MegaDriver has based their career on remaking classic video game music in heavy metal. You MUST see this website. Browse the list of free songs, take what you like, and be sure to give these guys props!

http://www.megadriver.com.br/sitev2.html

The hidden dangers of the Wii remote!

Posted by Jason Triplett


Sent to us by a viewer, I submit the below for your curiosities. Ok, what happened here? Well some unlucky chap was playing Wii Sports WITHOUT the wrist strap, and WHOOPS! the Wii remote flew right out of his hand, and right into his new HD projection TV.

That's what you get for not following directions!

EDIT: It seems this problem is quite widespread, I have come across a collection of people who this has happened to. Check HERE for those stories.


Wiimote milkshake!

Posted by Jason Triplett

Enjoy this funny Youtube video of someone making a milkshake with a Wiimote.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IevMrQMp-to

Opinion: Wii Hardware w/ Wii Sports

Posted by Jason Triplett

There has been a lot of talk about the PS3 and the Wii recently. Obviously Nintendo is doing something right, because one look at the tally on http://nexgenwars.com/ tells you that Nintendo has twice as many Wii's in homes as Sony has PS3's, and the poll puts Wii heavily in favor to win the "war".

Everyone has their own opinions, and I have mine. So here we go.

Basically the Wii itself is like any other system out there. Sure, the technology inside the box is unique, as well as the GUI interface. But at the core, it's just a console. The one thing that really sets Wii apart is the controller (ok, and the name...there I said it). The Wii remote supports an astonishing degree of motion sensitivity, and it is very precise in the point and click area as well. The controller is light, and comfortable no matter which way you hold it.

The console itself is very small, about the size of the PSOne mini or smaller. It runs quiet, and never gets warm. The auto-feed disc loading is done well, and the console gives you plenty of room to get your finger in the center hole of the disk for safe removal. It is also very easy to hook up, as Nintendo systems always are. I took it out of the box and was playing Wii sports in no time.

The controller applies well to an in-game environment. In Wii Sports, the Wii remote acts as your baseball bat, bowling ball, golf club, tennis racket, etc. For each sport, you hold the remote like you would the real equipment. Unfortunately, the boxing segment of the game is the only part that uses the nunchuck. The two handed gameplay is exactly the right step in the direction of interactive boxing games. A new Punch-Out would work famously with this control scheme.

Wii Sports has been called a demo to some, but it's not really. It is more like the limited gameplay these same titles would have had back on NES. Wii Sports really feels like Classic Nintendo. The game inspires people to get off their lazy ass and actually PLAY with your system, and for that I love it. There are even a training mode and a fitness mode (think Brain Age) to keep you busy. There is stat tracking, and to keep your score, you have to stay consistant in your skill. Yes, you can lose points.

Also I should mention that I played with my mom, sister, and wife. We all had a blast as a family. I think the fact that the Wii can bring people together like that is something that more people should talk about.

As for the Wii online, there isn't much as of yet. I really like the way their marketplace is set up, and I think the pricing of classic games is fair. I like the fact that the Cube controller works well with almost all the classic games, meaning that you won't have to track down one of the elusive classic controllers this holiday. Cube controllers are cheap and abundant. I suggest a Wavebird.

The Wii does support the USB dongle for wireless access, but be cautioned that the dongle won't work for all PC set-ups. For the same price as the USB adapter, you can get a wireless router at Wal-Mart. The Wii was surprisingly easy to set up for online with a router, and I give kudos to Nintendo for making it so simple.

I have two complaints. One, Wii Sports should have came in a clamshell DVD case. I know it's not much of a big deal, but the first time I removed my disk from the package, the staples on the instruction booklet made a small scratch. This pissed me off of course, so I keep my disk in a seperate clamshell right now. Second, they promote ease of hook-up with the USB adapter, yet if you have problems getting hooked up, the website is not a good place to go for help. You are better off calling Nintendo directly. Microsoft definately has the edge with their website, but that really doesn't hamper the Wii system one bit.

Overall, the Wii is an impressive hardware. We all know that it's graphical power isn't as high as the competitors...who cares. Nintendo did one thing that the other guys did not. They give you a new way to play the same old games. Gaming hasn't evolved (graphics aside) in a very long time. I think the last evolutions that were as significant as the Wii's controls would be Super Mario 64 and the SegaNet/XBL online infrastructure. Finally gaming can feel fresh and new again.

If you can find one of these systems this holiday, please do yourself and your whole family a favor. Buy it, and perhaps pick up Red Steel, Zelda, and/or Excite Truck.

Verdict: BUY

No good games on the PS3? Cook your lunch on it!

Posted by Jason Triplett

Thanks to some crazy Koreans (I love yall!), the PS3 can now live up to the inflated price tag. For $600 the damn thing better cook your lunch! Well that's just what it does! See the below link to find out what I'm talking about! If this doesn't make you laugh, you need the stick surgically removed from your ass.

PS3 Grill

Opinion: Red Steel

Posted by Jason Triplett


You know, I'm not really sure what people were expecting from this game. The horrible reviews state-side kind of confuse me. The game is not THAT bad. The number one thing I hear people bitching and moaning about is the controls. So let me start there.

Some say this game has a steep learning curve. It is not in the slightest bit steep. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that this game is one of the easiest controlling shooters ever. The point and click shooting is absolutely the coolest thing about this game. If ever the arcade rail shooter genre (Area 51) and the traditional FPS genre (Halo, Half-Life) could blend, this is most certainly the way to do it. The pointer is very acurate if you calibrate it right, and mixed with the strafing and ducking behind cover, you can have a very satisfying shootout...particularly if you know what explosive environmental objects are in your area!

The nunchuck half of the controls work well too. It's basically the left stick from any controller ever made, with two extra buttons. One button jumps, the other ducks. Jumping is used occassionally, but ducking behind cover is a necessity. Perhaps that is the part that people just don't get. If you run into a room full of people with machine guns, expect to get shot. Another great feature of the nunchuck is the ability to interact with the environment by flipping tables for cover, picking up weapons, and opening doors.

The sword fighting. This deserves it's own section. Just like you can't run into a room ful of people with machineguns and expect to not get shot, you can't wildly swing your sword and expect not to get hit. The sword fighting in Red Steel feels more like a mini-game, which is unfortunate because it's so fun. The block/parry style of sword fighting really impressed me, and the fact that the nunchuck is used to the fullest extent also impresses me. You just don't get as many sword fights as you want, as this is primarily a shooter. But one thing kept crossing my mind...the Dynasty Warriors first person sword game from Koei. I can't wait.

Graphically, this game is not bad. Really. We all know the Wii's power, and there is no arguing that other next-gen games look better. But in 480p, this game has it's moments. I think with a little more time to polish this game, it could have truly looked better. I absolutely believe that the Wii can do so much better in this department.

However, graphics aside, I experienced a very unique and fun shooter. Red Steel feels a lot like Golden-Eye 64 in the way that combat is played out. Even the multi-player beckons memories of that classic. The story isn't enthralling, the graphics lack polish...but if you pass this game up for those reasons, you may miss out on one of the better Wii games. If you go into this game with ducking for cover and parrying with your sword in mind, you may really enjoy the deep combat system. This is a very great start for shooters on the Wii, and if anything, Red Steel proves that the Metroid game is going to work very well with these new controlls.

Oh, and for those of you complaining that your arms get tired, not only does Red Steel not require over exertion, it even has a setting in the menu that recognizes small sword strokes instead of large ones. But since most of the complainers probably never read the manual or bothered to adjust settings, they would never have known this.

My verdict: BUY

Seriously impressed with Viva Pinata!

Posted by Jason Triplett


You know, there are a lot of people I talk to that won't bother with this game because of the kid-toned outer shell. But what they miss is one of the better sim creation games to ever hit a console.

For those of you who don't know much about the game, and want to know what it's like, it basically combines elements of these great games:

Sim City
The Sims
Harvest Moon
Black & White
Animal Crossing

But while it has elements of all those great games, it still manages to stay fresh and unique.
Rare has also done an outstanding job or recreating the feel of the Nintendo-era Rareware. This feels very much like a Nintendo product. The musical score is IMO the third best of the year (Gears Of War and FFXII round out the top 3). Done by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, it definately creates a feel all it's own. This is great news to those that didn't want to hear "cartoon style" music through the whole game.

While this seems very much like a kids game it is very complex. Maybe I don't give kids enough credit, but I can't imagine the 10 and under crowd being able to handle this. On the flip side, this game's appeal can reach far and wide. Any age can find a way to enjoy this, as long as you have an open mind going into it. Parents, this game IS kid safe, and if your youn ones like it, you can hook up a second controller and help them out through a sort of co-op.

I'm not going to bother giving this game a number. Numbers confuse people and muddle up what is truly good about a game. Instead, I will just say that I am seriously impressed with this game, far more than I ever thought I would be. Take that as you will, but in my eyes this is a keeper.

New PDZ Map Pack! Does anyone care?

Posted by Justin Gain

A new mappack for Perfect Dark Zero has just been released onto the marketplace. Map Pack 2 humourously contains 2 maps, titled Ruins and Facility. If these map names sound somewhat familiar, then they should......as they are from none other than Goldeneye 007 for n64! THAT'S RIGHT RATED M READERS, Rare really does care about fan requests, and let me say that the maps are GORGEOUS. I barely recognized the redesigned levels. My only complaint is that the levels are extremely dark, however I guess that makes sense seeing as how the two areas have been abandoned for ...1o(!?!)years just about.

One other thing, the map pack 2 is free to Gold Members, so what are you waiting for...DOWNLOAD IT NOW!

More bad news for European gamers

Posted by Allen Hudson

The BBC is reporting that Sony is set to block attempts to import the PlayStation 3 before the March 2007 European launch. A Sony spokesman quoted in the article says they are "trying to protect consumers from being sold hardware that does not conform to strict EU or UK consumer safety standards."

It's good to know that they're really looking out for your safety, Europe, and not other things. Like your money.

Gears of War to hit shelves early!

Posted by Jason Triplett

According to recent marketing GameStop received, they will be allowed to sell Gears of War early! I quote:

"Since Gears of War is not street dated, you may begin to sell the game as soon as it hits your stores on 11/8."

We have known for some time now that the game shipped on the 7th. However, this news is new to us, and is great news!

Tons of problems for Sony may mean a bankruptcy claim.

Posted by Jason Triplett

It is no secret that Sony has been losing a lot of money in their gaming department since they decided to enter the market with the PS1. Two class action lawsuits, enourmous production costs, and the failure of the PSP serve to hurt them, not help them.

Today, some new news arises that may mean Sony could file for bankruptcy.

First, let's talk about the raw numbers. If you look at the following picture, you can see a graph of Sony's cumulative losses directly from Sony's investor relations.

http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20061019/sony04.jpg

Basically, this is a work-up of Sony's cumulative losses for the year and into the next year:

PS3 semiconductor production delay loss : $330 million
PS3 Japan price drop loss : $160 million
PS3 HDMI inclusion loss : $140 million
SCEI's present platform loss(namely PSP) : $300 million
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SCEI's total new loss : $930 million
SCEI's already accounted PS3 loss : $1.8 billion
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Total SCEI loss by March 31st 2007 : $2.73 billion

Next, let's talk about a pending lawsuit between Sony and Microsoft. Sony recently announced that the 360 core unit REQUIRED the HD-DVD drive to even work. Microsoft took offense to this and is taking this matter to court. This defamation and misrepresentation suit could cost Sony millions more. FYI, lawsuits of this kind are common, and usually happen between competing products like automobiles, laundry detergents, and food stuffs.

http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/19/sony-claims-xbox-360-requires-hd-dvd-etc-thus-costs-700/

Finally, let's talk about Sony's confidence in their own product. Today, IGN reports that Sony is unsure if they can even meet the already reduced shipment allocations, touting "obvious production issues" as the reasoning.

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/740/740720p1.html

Now rumors hit the net that Sony may even delay the PS3 until next year so they can have a stronger launch, both with better titles and more systems on the shelves. This would also allow the Nintendo hype to die down a bit. This is as of yet unconfirmed, but at this point would be the smartest move Sony could make.

Stay tuned as we cover this story.

Actor Wesley Snipes is now a wanted criminal!

Posted by Jason Triplett

Yes folks, you heard that correctly. CNN reports that actor Wesley Snipes is now a wanted man. He was brought up on federal tax evasion charges today, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. He could do anywhere between 16-40 years in prison if convicted!

Wesley is nowhere to be found, however it is expected that he will turn himself in tomorrow. Stay tuned for more on this breaking story!

Discuss this in our fourms:

http://s2.excoboard.com/exco/thread.php?forumid=127505&threadid=993861

PS3 and Wii kiosks begin to roll out!

Posted by Jason Triplett

We have received info that Wii and PS3 kiosks are on their way to stores, some arriving as early as tomorrow! Look for these kiosks at your local Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and GameStop/EB stores, but be sure to call them first to make sure it has arrived. Different locations and chains may receive them on different days, though they are all expected to be in place and running playable demos by the end of next week at the latest!

A local BestBuy in my area says that they expect their PS3 tomorrow when their Sony rep arrives. They did not know about the Wii, but they had heard it was coming very soon.

To see what the kiosks look like, and find out more about them, visit the link below to our previous coverage!

http://rated-m.blogspot.com/2006/09/exclusive-first-look-at-wii-and-ps3.html

Phantasy Star Universe Soundtrack info & track list!

Posted by Jason Triplett

For those that don't know, the PSU official sundtrack is FREE! That's right, free! For reserving with GameStop/EBGames, you get the entire 9 track official soundtrack absolutely free. Best part is, you can go pick up the disk now!

Track listing:

1.) Save The World - Orchestra Short Version
2.) Clyez City - Guardians Colony
3.) Holtes City - Parum
4.) Ohtoku City - Neudaiz
5.) Dagora City - Moatoob
6.) Result 01
7.) Result 02
8.) G March - Long Version
9.) Save This World - Vocal

For more on this disk, see your local GameStop or EB store now or click the link below!

Source: http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=B200176A

Smackdown VS. Raw 07 Special Edition box art!

Posted by Jason Triplett

We recently brought you a first look at the Special Edition for the upcoming Smackdown VS. Raw 07 for XB360. Today, we bring you a first look at the official box art for the Special Edition. We warn you, IT'S UGLY!



E-Bay PR speaks on PS3/Wii auctions!

Posted by Jason Triplett

So I finally got word back from E-Bay this morning concerning PS3/Wii auctions on E-Bay. Why were they getting pulled? Will they continue to get pulled? Is the 90 day deal with Sony true? We finally got the e-mail we've been waiting for, and now we will share it with you all, along with some of the questions we sent along to them.

--------------------------
RM: "What can you tell us, if anything about the PS3/Wii situation on E-Bay?"

E-BAY: "I want to first clear up some confusion surrounding the Playstation 3 auctions, as per your questions via e-mail. There is no "90 day deal" between E-Bay and Sony. I understand that many game store employees were told this during meetings of some sort, but it is not entirely true. There is certainly a deal though, but it is not what you think. Sony asked us to cancel PS3 auctions for the sole protection of the consumer. I am sure you are aware of what happened last year with the Xbox 360 console. We didn't stop any auctions, even ones with reservations mind you, and what happened was a disaster. People bought what they thought was an Xbox 360, and instead received a picture of one.

Neither Sony nor E-Bay wanted this to happen this time around. Therefore we came to the agreement that our terms of service be altered in this case. We will be continuously pulling auctions down until launch."

RM: "How come you have allowed some PS3 auctions to go through, and others are cancelled immediately?"

E-BAY: "Quite simply, we were overwhelmed. I'm sure you noticed that when the auctions first started coming up, we pulled every single one of them. Then about mid-day, we were hit with a flood of auctions. Our staff worked very hard to get through them, and still does to this day. The ratio of completed auctions is far lower than the number you mentioned in the e-mail, and we have cancelled about 65% of all the auctions that have been up so far. This is a rough number.

We have put a block on the accounts of nearly a hundred users, and had about that many fraud claims both with us and PayPal. The bans are due to people reposting the console after it has been pulled, and in most cases is unrelated to the fraud claims."

RM: "Have you been to various internet sites that are talking about this situation to see what the public says?

E-BAY: "I personally have not. I can tell you though that colleagues of mine have been to a few popular forums, and the general public is just as misinformed as you were. This is a special case, and the original TOS does not apply here. Between Sony and ourselves, we decided to do it this specific way. For the safety of our consumers, and nothing more, we will continue to pull down a healthy number of auctions every day. Keep in mind also that just because a few auctions make it through, it does not mean it is ok to post them. Our official stance is that placing the PS3 auctions on E-Bay is considered a violation, and they will be removed if we catch them.

Do not place your Playstation 3 reserve on E-Bay. We require that you actually have the console in your possession, and request that you take an original photo of that console with your E-Bay user name in the photo somewhere. Make sure to list your auctions clearly. Auctions will be allowed once the console has been launched, but we will still be watching them very closely to prevent cases of fraud."

RM: "How will Wii auctions be handled?"

E-BAY: "As of yet we are not removing Wii auctions. Nintendo hasn't spoken with us regarding the matter, and we didn't really see the inflation that the PS3 was getting. If you happen to remember, we allowed reserve auctions for almost every console to date, including the Xbox 360. We also allowed reserve auctions for the Elmo TMX as far away as 6 months from it's launch. I will say it again, the Playstation 3 situation is unique within itself. If you are a seller, DO NOT POST IT. If you are a buyer, DO NOT BUY IT. Sellers run the risk of losing their E-Bay account, and buyers run the risk of fraud. Please wait until November 17th to post or buy the Playstation 3."
-------------------------------

So there you have it. Stay tuned as we bring you the freshest news daily!

Blog Archive

Spider-Man reboot gets a date...and 3-D!

Posted by Jason Triplett
02-10-10

Toy Story 3 gets a full trailer!

Posted by Jason Triplett
02-11-10

New shots from the set of Predators!

Posted by Jason Triplett
02-11-10

Tyrese to Transform once more!

Posted by Jason Triplett
02-11-10

Star Trek Online gets HUGE endgame update!

Posted by Jason Triplett
02-11-10