Consoles
Xbox One is the first gaming console to go on sale in China since the 14-year ban was lifted

Today is a very big day for China and the gaming industry because the Xbox One was finally released in the country. Back in 2000, the Chinese government issued a ban on all gaming consoles and that ban has stayed in place until earlier this year. The Xbox One is the first gaming console to launch in China in 14 years, which is why I said that this is a big day for both China and the industry. Around 4,000 retail stores across the country now have the console on their shelves and they’re selling it for 4,299 yuan (the equivalent of about $700). This price is for the version that includes the Kinect, but there is also a version that comes without the sensor and it’s priced at 3,699 yuan (around $600).
By comparison, in the US a new Xbox One costs $499 with the Kinect and $399 without. There is certainly a big difference between the two countries when it comes to the price, but there is literally no competition in China at the moment so Microsoft can afford to sell it at a higher cost. This won’t last forever though, as Sony also announced that it’s going to launch the PS4 in the country at some point. However, the company didn’t give a specific date for when this will happen so the Xbox One will remain the only gaming console in town for the foreseeable future.
As for its launch lineup, the Chinese government only approved 10 games for now, but there are dozens more that are waiting for approval. The current lineup consists of Dance Central Spotlight, Forza Motorsport 5, Kinect Sports Rivals, Max: The Curse of Brotherhood, Naughty Kitties , Neverwinter Online, Powerstar Golf, Rayman Legends, Trials Fusion and Zoo Tycoon.
Consoles
ESA director explains why E3 2023 was cancelled
Only a few hours have passed since the cancellation of E3 2023 was announced, and we are still kind of in shock. Although we were aware that the legendary industry event faced an uphill struggle due to publishers withdrawing left and right, it still feels a little weird, don’t you think?
Stanley Pierre-Louis, executive director of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), discusses what transpired and what to anticipate in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz. Pierre-Louis says that “we were off to a strong start. There was interest among exhibitors, industry players, the media, and certainly the fans. Ultimately, there were challenges that proved too large to surmount.” The ESA partnered with event coordinator ReedPop for the first in-person event in a number of years.
One of these insurmountable difficulties was the current development schedules studios have been dealing with ever since the COVID pandemic started, and another was the global economic turmoil that followed. Some businesses have started to rethink spending on pricey exhibit space and significant marketing events as there is less money available.
When asked about E3 returning in 2024, Pierre-Louis sticks to the script, saying that “at that time, we will have more news to share.” He also adds that “we’re committed to providing an industry platform for marketing and convening, but we want to make sure we find that right balance that meets the needs of the industry.”
As you might anticipate, he gives a completely non-committal response. In our opinion, the E3 period appears to be coming to an end. The writing has been on the wall for a while now, with so many less expensive and more efficient ways of spreading the word about upcoming games and endeavors, not to mention public reluctance in the wake of a horrific pandemic. We can only hope that Sony has been saving the best for the much-anticipated Showcase.
Do you believe E3 will ever come back, or are the heydays of attending conventions really over?
Consoles
Shuhei Yoshida wants to change how independent game developers see PlayStation

Shuhei Yoshida has worked in the video game industry for decades. He was president of SIE Worldwide Studios during a very important time in PlayStation’s history, and his fans love him very much. He was given a BAFTA fellowship for all he has done for the gaming industry and how he has helped it grow.
He is in charge of Sony’s Independent Developer Initiative right now, which helps independent developers bring their projects to life by setting up partnership and marketing deals. But some people think that the PS5 isn’t as friendly to independent developers as previous generations. We’ve written a lot about this in the past.
In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Yoshida talked about the difficulties of getting the word out and what he hopes to accomplish in the future. He said, “We’re trying to change people’s ideas about how hard it is to make and publish games for the PlayStation. This is a communication challenge we’ve been working on.”
Yoshida says that this is being done with a sort of PR blitz: “We’ve been doing conference tours, going to events, giving talks and keynotes, and other things to let developers know that we’re open to having their games on PlayStation.”
Yoshida says, “There are so many great quality games that no one knows about. It’s always been hard to get funding, but there’s more and more money coming into the industry all the time. Digital storefronts can have an unlimited number of games because they’re digital, but there’s only so much space at the front of the storefront.”
Subscription services like PS Plus could help with this problem by giving players another way to get them to try a game they normally wouldn’t. Yoshida says, “People who have subscribed to the service already have access to all these games, so there’s a better chance that your game will be tried by people who didn’t know it existed,” so subscription services can help more people find good games.
We don’t know if Journey will ever get back to its glory days, but we wish Mr. Yoshida the best of luck with this project. How do you feel about the state of indie games on the PS5?
Consoles
Why PS4 and PS5 Owners Should Take Notice of the Tails of Iron DLC for PS Plus

Tails of Iron, a hardass 2D role-playing game, is one of the PlayStation Plus Essentials for the month of April. Don’t worry; we’ll tell you why you should check it out even if you don’t have a PS Plus subscription on April 4th, when it becomes available to those who already have one.
Redgi, the rat prince in Tails of Iron, is on a mission to regain his throne from the imperious toads. The amazing Doug Cockle, who is perhaps best remembered for his role as Geralt in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, narrates the animated video down below, which does an excellent job of setting the mood.
The gameplay is intense, requiring steel nerves since, like in 2D Souls games like Salt & Sanctuary and Hollow Knight, you’ll have to fully commit to every move you make. Redgi employs a deliberate, planned strategy in fighting, changing up his armor and weaponry to keep the odds even.
Despite its pleasant forest setting, Tails of Iron is known for being a difficult game with numerous demanding bosses. After completing the main mission (which should take 8-10 hours), you may dive into the meaty Bloody Whiskers post-game DLC.
Both the calmer 3D adventure game Sackboy: A Great Adventure and the genre-bending horror game Meet Your Creator have worthy companions in Tails of Iron.
In April, you can check out Tails of Iron if you haven’t already.
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