Tagged: peripherals

Take-Two Sells Joytech

In a bid to shift its focus to software, Take-Two Interactive has sold Joytech, its video game accessories subsidiary, to Mad Catz Interactive. The sale has been conducted for $3.7 million. “Joytech’s strong presence in Europe and growing presence in North America are expected to complement our current operations and further enhance our worldwide distribution network enabling Mad Catz to more efficiently deliver a larger portfolio of innovative gaming accessories to our customers worldwide,” Mad Catz CEO Darren Richardson said in a statement.

As mentioned above, the sale is part of Take-Two management team’s plan to cut its unessential businesses and increase its focus on software, which it is doing very well currently.

Nyko at GC

Premier peripherals manufacturer Nyko Technologies has announced that it will be present at the Leipzig Games Convention, presenting a lineup of current and upcoming products.

The Zero is Nyko’s premium line of controllers, featuring LED backlit buttons, heat dissipating aluminum panels, full six direction support and a unique ergonomic design perfect for all hand types. The FrontMan Wireless Guitar Controller for Xbox 360 brings much sought after wireless technology to the console allowing players to shred to their favorite songs from up to 30 feet away.

Visitors to Nyko in Hall 3, Booth A11 will also have the chance to see Nyko’s best selling Wii accessories such as the Charge Station for Wii, which recharges two Wii remotes simultaneously, and the Wireless Sensor Bar for Wii, which increases the range and accuracy of Wii remotes while removing inconvenient cables.

In addition, Nyko will be showing several PlayStation 3 peripherals, including the Charge Base, which charges up to four SIXAXIS controllers at once. Nyko will also exhibit the exceedingly popular Xbox 360 Intercooler, and Charge Station, as well as the DS Ultimate Kit, the Nintendo DS carrying case with a suite of essential features.

PS3 Accessories at Launch

In just two days the PS3 will be available across North America, and with it a bunch of accessories from Nyko. The peripherals manufacturer has announced that it will release a Dual Charger AC, HDMI cable and Charge Link for those lucky enough to get the PS3 this year.

The patented Dual Charge AC for the PlayStation 3 features dual-USB inputs, allowing two PlayStation 3 controllers to be charged simultaneously from any standard wall outlet using the two included four foot Mini USB cables. The compact unit features collapsible prongs for easy storage and can also be used to charge any USB compliant electronic devices, such as digital cameras and MP3 players. The Dual Charge AC for the PlayStation 3 will retail for $24.99.

For gamers who want to take advantage of the PlayStation 3’s high-definition capabilities, Nyko offers the HDMI Cable. Capable of full 1080p video output, the HDMI Cable offers true high-definition video and audio quality at an affordable price. Sharper images and more realistic, immersive sound await players craving the most out of their next-generation console. The HDMI Cable will retail for $29.99.

The Charge Link provides a simple charging solution for the SIXAXIS™ wireless controller, allowing gamers to charge and play with the controller simultaneously. The 10 foot cable can not only be used to charge PlayStation 3 controllers but also any other USB-compliant device. The Charge Link will retail for $14.99.

Microsoft's X360 Accessories Announcement at Leipzig

During Leipzig, Microsoft made the surprise announcement that it has gotten Xbox 360 exclusivity for FIFA 07 and Pro Evolution Soccer 6. Basically, these two titles will be exclusive to the Microsoft console for a year before appearing on other next-gen consoles.

The company also announced that Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy and Zoo Tycoon 2: Marine Mania will join the growing list of Windows Vista titles. Both are due for release next year when Vista and DirectX 10 will be readily available.

On the accessories front, Microsoft stated that the Xbox Live Vision camera for the Xbox 360 will be available in US and UK on September 19 and October 6, respectively, in two packages:

Xbox Live Vision. This package includes Xbox Live Vision camera, one-month Xbox Live Gold Membership, Xbox 360 Headset, and free* downloads of two full-version Xbox Live Arcade games: the popular “UNO®” card game and “TotemBall,” the new 3-D platform game from Freeverse and Strange Flavour Ltd. that is a mixture of platform skills and puzzles (estimated retail price (ERP) $39.99 U.S./ €49.99).

Xbox Live Video Chat Gold Kit. This package includes the Xbox Live Vision camera, a 12-month Xbox Live Gold Membership, an Xbox 360 Headset, free* downloads of three full-version Xbox Live Arcade games – the “UNO” card game, “TotemBall,” and the classic “Robotron™” action shooter – and 200 Microsoft Points (ERP $79.99 U.S./€89.99).

The company also announced the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel ($150, available in November), Xbox 360 Wireless Headset ($60, available in November), Xbox 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver for Windows ($20, available late December) and new Xbox 360 Faceplates featuring images from Halo, Viva Pinata and Forza Motorsport ($20, available late December).

Microsoft also revealed that it will launch the next-gen console in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia on November 3, following the South African launch on September 29.