Nintendo Network will include a lot of the features gamers are used to having from an online network, like multiple accounts and a personal interface.

Unlike Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, which has been focused upon specific functionalities and concepts, we are aiming to establish a platform where various services available through the network for our consumers shall be connected via Nintendo Network service so that the company can make comprehensive proposals to consumers.” – Nintendo Company President Satoru Iwata

This comes, of course, before Nintendo has announced the official release date for the “Wii U”, Nintendo’s next generation gaming console. It’ll be interesting to see if Nintendo’s network can measure up to enhancements that Sony and Microsoft make to their online service before their next-generation consoles are released.

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Well, a personality makeover, that is. Bioware could possibly be called the behemoth of the gaming world when it comes to writing, and they’ve decided to rewrite Shepherd’s character to be more appealing. Most notably, players will feel more emotionally involved in the decisions their Shepherd character makes throughout the game.

Stylistically, Mass Effect 3 will feel more like a movie than past titles, which could further enhance the game’s immersion aspect.

If you haven’t played past Mass Effect games, don’t worry. Bioware assured the public that the storyline in Mass Effect 3 can be enjoyed even by new players.

More info at the source link.

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Well, it looks like Microsoft may be taking a controversial stance against used games — if these rumors are true. According to a “source”, the next Xbox will use some type of anti-used game technology.

If this is true, Microsoft risks alienating a substantial number of consumers who have expressed negative feelings about this rumor.

Would gamers really boycott the next Xbox if it couldn’t play used games?

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Sites such as “hiddenninjagames.com” and “cutearcade.com” are just two of the websites that could put your computer at risk. Last month, cutearcade.com infected over 12,600 computers (according to statistics posted by virus scanner Avast).

While your child plays a harmless-looking cartoon game, software from these sites is installed on your computer. This software could steal your personal information, delete your files and spy on your internet activity.

As always, the best defense against this type of attack is to have a current, updated version of your virus scanning software running at all times.

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Despite a price drop on the 3DS mere months after it was released, Nintendo’s 2011 sales figures for the 3DS stand at around 4 million units. By comparison, the Nintendo Wii (which has been out for five years) sold 4.5 million units in 2011.

It looks like Nintendo’s past success with handheld consoles isn’t going to continue with the Nintendo 3DS. Despite having a “revolutionary” scaling 3D display, the 3DS has fallen victim to a market that’s moving in the direction of inexpensive mobile gaming.

It’ll be interesting to see what Nintendo has planned for 2012.

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It’s been two days since the Playstation Vita officially launched in Japan. Sony has reported that they’ve currently sold over 321,000 units so far. While this doesn’t match the two-day sales of Nintendo’s 3DS (which sold around 50,000 more units in 48 hours), it’s still great news for Sony’s bottom line.

Considering that some US residents have been planning to import the Japanese Vita, it would be interesting to know how many of these sales were to customers outside of Japan.

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As we mentioned before, early access to SWTOR is being granted based on when customers redeemed their preorder codes. Right now, early access emails have been sent out to customers who pre-ordered the game through mid-October.

As of last night, 106 servers were operational, with plans for additional servers to be opening up before the game is officially released.

This “rolling” early access is designed to help the team behind SWTOR manage server loads, and ensure that the game is running smoothly for its official launch on December 20th.

The SWTOR Twitter account is regularly updating with the latest information about early access for preorder customers.

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However, it’s only open to players that have been previously notified about acceptance into the beta. So, you can stop hammering F5 on your email inboxes — if you were included in this beta, you’d already know.

Here’s the official statement from the AreaNet team:

We will officially enter Closed Beta Testing this Friday. It will be marked with an increase in our pool of testers. To clarify, this phase of testing is still under NDA and is not open to the public. Based on the feedback we get from our current Closed Beta Testing, we will determine the next phases of our beta program in which we will open beta access to more people.” – AreaNet, in a Reddit Post

As of right now, there hasn’t been a finalized release date set for Guild Wars 2.

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In case you didn’t know, early access is a period of pre-release gameplay given to customers who pre-ordered the game. Early access will apparently be granted to players in “waves”, which will be released depending on when a customer placed their preorder.

So, if you preordered Star Wars: The Old Republic back in July, chances are that you’ll be able to play starting tomorrow.

Right now, early access to the game will end on December 19th, as the servers will be briefly taken down to prepare for the game’s official launch.

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This is from the official announcement:

Thank you for your loyalty, support, and participation in the GamePro.com community. At noon on December 5, 2011, the U.S. version of GamePro online will shut down as an independent site. GamePro will become part of PCWorld.com, offering gaming news, reviews, and how-tos from the PCWorld team. Thank you to the entire GamePro staff for their hard work and dedication.” – GamePro Website

When asked why they were shutting down their magazine and website, GamePro only cited a loss in advertising revenue. Some sources say that most (if not all) of GamePro’s current staff will be laid off, while a few members will become PCWorld employees.

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