Although originally pegged for a spring 2010 release, Sony has delayed the release of its motion controller until some unspecified point at the end of this year. “We have decided to release the Motion Controller in Fall 2010 when we will be able to offer an exciting and varied line-up of software titles that will deliver the new entertainment experience to PS3 users,” said a Sony spokesperson.

However, that hasn’t stopped game developers from working on products to utilize the new motion controller (strongly believed to be called ‘Arc’). It will receive 10 dedicated titles for the PS3 before the end of this year, including sports and pet raising games. The push back date may now mean that Sony and Microsoft might just have brand new motion detection peripherals launching at the same time. So this will be PS3 v Xbox 360 round two! What do you think? Has Sony been planning to go head-to-head with Project Natal all along in the hopes of getting some revenge?

Tecmo has announced that Fret Nice will arrive on PSN tomorrow, February 4. Fret Nice harmonizes the unity between music and the 2D platformer. As you control your character through the various stages, you play the game as if it were a jammin’ rock song. Rock out by blasting enemies with riff combos and creating your own soundtracks with each “strum” of a chord.

Up to 400 Take-Two employees might soon end up laid off by the publisher. According to MCV’s sources, the company has to make some tough decisions as it prepares a restructuring effort that would improve the company’s finances. 20 per cent of its 2,000-strong global workforce would face the axe under the plans. While Take-Two denies that any development jobs are in jeopardy, they have confirmed that a corporate restructure is in progress. The firm’s next big release is the long-awaited BioShock 2, which has a global launch set for next week.

Source: MCV

According to a recent British study, people who spend a lot of time surfing the Net are more likely to show signs of depression. It is not clear, however, from their research if the Internet causes depression or whether depressed people are drawn to it.

Psychologists from Leeds University found what they said was “striking” evidence that some avid net users develop compulsive Internet habits in which they replace real-life social interaction with online chat rooms and social networking sites. In the first large-scale study of Western young people to look at this issue, the researchers analyzed internet use and depression levels of 1,319 Britons between 16 and 51. Of these, they concluded that 1.2 percent were “Internet addicted”. These “Internet addicts” spent proportionately more time browsing sexually gratifying websites, online gaming sites and online communities. They also had a higher incidence of moderate to severe depression than normal users.

As one of the few gaming sites (if not the only one) with a bona fide Psychologist on staff, we have asked Dr. Moore to comment on this, and hope to hear from him soon.

Source: MSNBC

While Sony still plans to release more PS and PS2 games on the PlayStation Network, there may not be more PS3 games made available for download. According to PlayStation senior VP Peter Dille when asked about more full PS3 titles, “no, I don’t think so. At least, not any time soon. Part of the reason for that is broadband. We have an advantage with PlayStation 3 from an optical media perspective because a Blu-ray disc contains 50 gigs. Maybe this point will come at some time, but today to download 50 gigs of data before you play a game, you could probably go buy a car, bring it home, put your family into it, drive to the store by and bring the game home by the time you [could download it].”

Source: IGN

Previously, Namco Bandai had estimated that net income was going to be $93 million in the black by next month. That figure has changed, however, from profit to loss, as the company now estimates that it will be posting a $342 million loss in March. Namco Bandai attributes the loss to poor performance of key titles. To counteract these losses, Namco Bandai has announced that it will undergo restructuring. By the end of the 2010 fiscal year, the company plans to cut 630 of its over 7,000 employees.

Source: Kotaku

You have ample chance to fortify your home, stock up on food and practice your zombie dispatching skills! Capcom revealed that Dead Rising 2 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC will arrive in stores towards the end of 2010. Think of how many cans of beans and bottles of water you can stock up on in 10 months. Am I alone in wondering if the combination of cans of beans and a confined area is a good thing? Anyway, back to the game. Dead Rising 2 will be set in a city very similar in looks to Las Vegas, called Fortune City. Set several years after the original game it will also feature a four-person multiplayer mode, with tongue-in-cheek zombie slaughtering competitions set up like a TV game show. If that wasn’t enough to make you drool with anticipation, Capcom Japan also confirmed that it is making a live-action film based on the game. The company obviously feels the zombie film genre is seriously under represented! Now where are my old golf clubs?

The possible end of an era for a UK development powerhouse is in the wind, as insiders say restructuring will lead to many layoffs. Sources at Sony’s Liverpool, UK studio say that its head-count will ultimately be reduced by about half. The news comes after the format-holder confirmed last week that the development team was to be ‘restructured’ following project cancellations.

One affected staff member stated that Sony’s layoff operation was “looking heavy,” estimating that “around half us may be gone.” That estimate remains unconfirmed as Sony has declined to comment.

Source: Develop

The DS demo for Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth is now available for download. Users can download it directly from the Nintendo Channel and DS download stations at participating retailers. This will give fans a sample of what to expect when the game comes out on February 16 across North America.

Ace Attorney Investigations sheds light on the other side of the judicial system with a whole new gameplay dynamic for the world of Ace Attorney. As Miles Edgeworth, players will investigate various locations, work directly with characters on the scene, find contradictions, and get to the truth by presenting decisive evidence. Miles Edgeworth can also make use of the all-new “Logic” system, in which he chooses two pieces of information out of the various pieces he has collected and “combines” them to discover new information. Ace Attorney Investigations features several lengthy, interrelated episodes that will challenge players to use their minds to solve a series of crimes.

In Jane’s Hotel, players guide Jane as she begins her hospitality career with a simple 2-star hotel on the outskirts of town. Quick wits and reflexes will be required if Jane’s hotel is to reach its full potential. Players must keep visitors satisfied with clean rooms, exquisite drinks and tasty meals. As the cash rolls in throughout the 40 levels, accommodations can be upgraded until Jane is running a sophisticated five-star operation.