Category Archives: Australia

Home Affairs minister Jason Clare has made good on his promise to move quickly on Australia’s proposed R18+ ratings category for games.

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Oh happy day, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Singapore. BioWare delivers unto you the biggest MMORPG of 2011.

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Vodafone Australia has opened pre-orders for the 3G-enabled Vita, offering 12 month contracts and pre-paid plans.

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Job cuts at Sega’s Brisbane studio have hit 37 staffers as the studio shifts focus to the digital sphere.

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Microsoft has issued its own response to the NPD Group Australia’s 2011 report, highlighting data in opposition to Sony’s claim to have won the year.

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The NPD Group Australia has revealed a 12.8% year-on-year decrease in traditional retail in 2011, but local industry expects digital revenue to climb.

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NPD Group Australia has revealed Sony took the greatest slice of market share at Australian retail over 2011.

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GAME’s board of directors has announced it has “concluded discussions with its lending syndicate” and has agreed it will revise “terms for its facilities”, which will allow the firm to continue operations.

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Major Nelson advises streaming video services CinemaNow and Crackle have both been activated on Xbox Live. CinemaNow is only available within the US, but Crackle has also been pushed out to Australia, Canada and the UK. The new additions join a growing collection of entertainment services available from the Metro-style Xbox 360 dashboard update, which Microsoft has touted as “the future of TV”.

Thanks, Engadget.

THQ Australia has confirmed the publisher’s ongoing restructuring has affected Australian staff, although the fate of its Japanese office remains unknown.

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Nintendo Australia has slapped a released date on Tekken 3D Prime Edition: February 23. Elsewhere in the world, the US expects the game on February 14, and Europeans should mark their calendars for February 17. Tekken 3D Prime Edition is in fact the only edition, being the franchise’s first foray onto the new-ish handheld, and only its second ever onto a Nintendo console. It comes with a 3D version of the CG film Tekken: Blood Vengeance, too.

Australian pre-orders for Sony’s Personal 3D Viewer will open on January 27, for an unspecified launch date. The $899 personal viewer will be available from Sony Centre stores and online through Sony Style. The headset is already available in the US; provides private audio, 2D and 3D video; and is compatible with the PlayStation 3, Sony Blu Ray players, and Vaio notebooks.

An EB Games Australia representative said a whopping local price tag for the Wii U added to the retailer’s website in December is a placeholder.

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Newly incumbent minister for home affairs Jason Clare has been quick to pick up Brendan O’Conner’s reins, aiming to secure a vote on Australia’s proposed R18+ games rating in February.

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Cynaide’s RPG based on George RR Martin’s explosively popular fantasy series may be further along than expected.

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Australians will reportedly have a choice of over 25 games when the Vita releases next month.

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Kotaku reports JB HiFi has decided not to sell the 3G version of the PlayStation Vita when it launches in February. The retail chain explained its decision with reference to an exclusivity deal as a Telstra on-seller, which clashes with Sony’s preferred partner choice of Vodafone (although any 3G data sim will work with the handheld). Pre-orders have been cancelled as a result. The Vita arrives on February 23 in two fun flavours – WiFi only for AUD $350, or 3G-enabled for $450.

In July, the Australian Classificaiton Board awarded Digital Extremes’ The Darkness II an MA15+ rating – and then did it again in December. A 2K spokesperson told MCV Pacific the game had to be re-classified after the addition of a sex scene. No content has been cut or edited beyond the new addition, but the game now carries an additional content warning. The Darkness II is due on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in early February.

Early results from an Australian study show those who game to excess report greater levels of depression and anxiety.

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Previously restricted to Japan and the US, it looks like Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Towns may arrive in PAL territories.

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