John Hight, external production director for SCEA, is the overseer of PS3 games’ digital distribution program, E-Distribution Initiative. He claims that this new distribution project will benefit Sony and open opportunities for game developers. Hight explains that online distribution erases inventory risks while being cost-effective. He asserts that this is Sony’s contribution in the anti-piracy drive because online distribution will curtail the sales of used games and software transfer.

As added benefit for the developers and aspiring developers of PS3 games, the difficulties of breaking in the game publishing industry is minimized by the online platform. Through the online platform new games by big and new developers can be tested with low risks in a medium that encourages quick feedback. There is no need to publish the game and get reviewers to test it. The prototype of the game is uploaded in the online platform where actual PS3 gamers can play it and post their own reviews. Hight asserts, in another dig at Microsoft, that their company is committed to game development in the circle of its own studios. He reminds that Microsoft relies on third party game developers to supply their Live Arcade with games. He even added that Sony opens platform doors for independent publishers who funded their own games. But not just any game can make it to Sony’s online platform. Hight stresses that despite the openness of their platform, Sony is only looking for new and fresh ideas to benefit from the influence of the PS3.

Sony Computer Entertainment’s Ken Kutaragi, amplifies the cost-efficiency of their online platform. He states that they expect high returns from the sales of downloadable PS3 games. He also denies reports about added fees and charges for playing and networking through the E-Distribution Initiative. He explains that all basic services from Sony’s online platform will be free except for the downloads.

SCEA also confirms reports that some of their PS3 games, downloaded or not, are not compatible with Xbox 360. The company gives hardware demands and game designs as reasons behind the incompatibility. This confirmation coincided with the announcement of new game titles developed exclusively for Sony.

From these, Sony makes it clear that it is taking steps to compete with Microsoft even in the online arena. Though the initial information released by SCEA is vague, the online platform clearly has two primary functions: PS3 games download and player interaction. Its basic functions are much like that of Microsoft’s online platform. The PS3 games console is facing a tough challenge from Xbox 360 because of its delayed launch. Whether the E-Distribution Initiative will face the same challenge remains to be seen when it collides with the more established Xbox Live Arcade.

By: Carver Tate

Which are the questions every webmaster is asking himself everyday? How can I get new users? How can I make them come back to my site? How can I make them stay longer?

According to the last rumors, time spent on a site will become the real criterion to understand which are successful sites or not. Nilesen/NetRatings will begin tracking how long visitors spend at the sites. The move by Nielsen/NetRatings comes as online video and new technologies increasingly make page views less meaningful. Very soon “time parameter” will be much more important than page views or unique visitors to award the most popular sites on web.

This new parameter will make necessary users to be entertained as longer as possible on the site. In this article, I’d like to suggest to webmasters one of the most convincing method to increase time spent on a site (and also make them constant users of the site).

The secret lies on contents since content is king: you should give users funny and high quality contents that will be able to involve users on the community of the site, of which he/she will become an important part.

Generally speaking, webmasters should try to give substance to their site: many webmasters take for granted that this is the way to follow, but looking at many online sites, everyone can understand that it is not so clear for everyone. There are thousands of sites without any kind of communicative target or aim, without coherence or essence.

Good webmasters know the great value of community tool used till now: newsletter, chat and forum are the mainly used tools to fidelize users. But now, the same goal can be achieved with less time and in a more effective way using new tools which are having a great develop in the last period.

And what is better than giving users the possibility to play, have fun and challenge many other people directly online?

Online games are extremely good contents to increase widely time spent on a site and, if they are multiplayer games, they are able to create a real community: users play, challenge each other, save their scores and climb charts. Daily online “rendezvous” will become a necessity for them.

There are many and many online games that can be inserted on a site, but today I’d like to suggest to every webmaster a high quality platform with a simple affiliation system, that allows everyone to display many different games on the site.

This affiliation program is offered by the online game site http://www.popyeah.com/ With the program “Popyeah on your site”, you could insert easily and freely (…very good!) all the archive of singleplayer and multiplayer games on your site. Popyeah online games are free, extremely funny, involving and easy to play: there are a hundred of online games divided into different categories – from Word Games to Board Games, from Arcade to Billiards.

Popyeah is a very good example of what I’m sayong above: users needs a gaming experience integrated into a wide and vivid community. They want to become part of a real community that plays, talks, has fun and meets throoughout the games.

On Popyeah, users can have their own players profile, they can insert their photos, search for other players, insert them to their friends list to follow on their favourite games, communicate through the chat, the personal blog and even through Skype. These advanced community features make Popyeah platform really suitable to every site that wants to offer real entertainment to users and build a strong community.

Thanks to this affiliation program, everything is available for those site that want to host new contents dedicated to online entertainment.

Browsing this page you can choose between the different available graphical options. Clicking on the link “Code”, you will go to a page where you can set up some parameters: language, colours, other plaiyng options and then generate the code to insert into your site.

Such a simple system that allows webmaster to have an additional content with a strong impact to make your site a funny place to come and return and where users can spent their saper time enjoying themselves.

By: Grugno Etto

Some of the greatest Pokemon games can now be found online. Today there are more than 490 different monsters to choose from. Each monster has different characteristics that make them unique. Some are good and help others while others are bad. Collectors can collect every single one, and now can enjoy Pokemon games at their best, any time of day.

Pokemon games were invented in 1995, and soon became nearly as popular as the legendary Mario. Today, you can enjoy a Pokemon game around the web. The first video game with a Pokemon character was created in 1995. Nintendo saw the potential for Pokemon and helped make these lovable characters popular with kids around the world. Many kids think that Pokemon games are the greatest Nintendo game ever created.

Now, online games offer Pokemon action in ways that were once only available through video games that were available once a year through releases at Nintendo. Online games offer kids the opportunity to collect not only physical Pokemon, but virtual Pokemon as well. One of the most difficult new Pokemon to find is Manaphy, who can only be had from a Cherish Ball. The Cherish Ball is only found in certain places online. Soon, fans will be able to find Manaphy in their local toy store. This monster can be modified throughout an online game.

True Pokemon fans won’t miss out on trade fairs. A trade fair allows you to meet other fans and see some of the greatest Pokemon characters ever. Fairs are held throughout the year around the United States. To find the nearest trade fair for the next year, check out the official Pokemon games website. Meeting other Pokemon fans from around your area is one of the best ways to really enjoy the hobby of collecting these popular little monsters.

However if you need information now, go to the official website for Pokemon. This website often has updates for new Pokemon characters and a forum for you to interact with other Pokemon fans. The website can also help you find new places on the internet to play the online games that are becoming so popular amongst Pokemon fans.

Play the greatest Pokemon games today in many places around the internet. The online gaming world is changing the interaction that fans can have with their favorite characters, including collecting new Pokemon monsters and meeting other fans.

Both children and adults can enjoy this incredible world of online gaming. A simple search can help you find the newest Pokemon games online and enjoy the endless action of one of the most popular video games in the world. Check out what you’ve been missing today and get online to enjoy the unbeatable entertainment that is the collecting Pokemon monsters.

By: Rose Basile