Games

Microsoft's Xbox 360 was the top-selling console in May, but its sales figures weren't all that impressive.

According to the software giant, it sold 114,000 Xbox 360 units in the U.S. in May, leading all other console makers. By beating its competitors, Microsoft was able to nab its 29th consecutive month as the leading console seller in the U.S.

Perhaps the more surprising point there, though, is that Nintendo's Wii U, which came out just last year, sold fewer than 114,000 units. It's to be expected that the Xbox 360 and PlayStation … Read more

Stop me if you've heard this one before: company plans to release a "micro-console" in 2013 as an alternative to the mainstream consoles from Sony and Microsoft. Said console to run Android.

The Mad Catz MOJO Android Micro-Console is the latest such device to be deemed press-release-worthy and hopefully worth your attention as a gamer. Micro-console is a name given to a number of alternative video game systems using the Android operation system although that's not necessarily a requirement. The consoles have thus far featured much smaller-than-usual form factors. Hence the term.

If you've been … Read more

Where last year's show felt empty, E3 2013 was anything but. Show-goers were treated to a barrage of new software to gawk over, a lot of which are brand-new franchises. Taking into consideration criticism from my past lists, I'll be highlighting only games that featured gameplay of some kind. As long as someone played it at E3, it's fair game. Sorry, trailers and teasers won't cut it this year!

Even if you've seen a plethora of images and videos showing the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 from every possible angle, the following high-quality 3D renders, with 360-degree pan and zoom, give you a fuller impression of each console.

Using modeling programs like Blender and Maya, designers JC Volumic and Sylvain Bernard created very accurate 3D renders of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. The interactive experience, hosted on Sketchfab, lets you check out just about every conceivable angle of the two highly anticipated gaming devices. Most modern smartphones should be able to view these renders, too.… Read more

When the iPhone arrived six years ago, it was the hot commodity. It didn't take long for Apple's sleek, powerful smartphone to dominate the mobile phone market -- and one of its greatest draws was a rapidly growing software marketplace, curated and quality controlled, bringing extraordinarily useful features to what was essentially a pocket-size computer.

However, competitors weren't far behind. Some have continued on, others have failed, but by far the biggest is Internet giant Google's mobile operating system, Android. In fact, the number of Android devices activated outnumbers iOS devices by a mile -- 750 million Android to 600 million iOS.

Nevertheless, as we and many of you well know, the iTunes app marketplace seems vastly superior in quality of content, in spite of Apple's barriers to entry, such as a registration fee for app sellers, and the fact that Google Play is rapidly catching up in terms of quantity and downloads. Apple has pipped 50 billion downloads across over 900,000 apps, while Google Play is currently counting down to that number across 750,000 apps. But there's an even greater discrepancy in app revenue. A massive 76 percent of the entire revenue generated by apps goes to iOS -- leaving the other 24 percent of the pie to all other operating systems.… Read more

This year is one of the most exciting years for the video game industry in recent memory. Two new consoles are launching this year, which is exciting for the industry and gamers alike. This drastic upheaval of the current video-gaming status quo gives us an opportunity to predict where the industry is headed over the next few years.

At E3 2013, we tracked the major (but maybe not so obvious) trends happening within the console industry. Here's what we learned.

People are passionate about their digital rights This week, Sony pushed in the knife Microsoft had already slipped and … Read more

iPhone and iPad users can now do battle as SHIELD agents, courtesy of Avengers Alliance.

Launching Thursday for iOS devices, the free game first requires that you qualify as an operative of SHIELD, the not-so-secret government agency made famous in Marvel comic books and movies. You then move on to recruit your team of heroes, including Iron Man, the Black Widow, Captain America, Thor, Hawkeye, and the Hulk. From there, you and your super-powered teammates face off against the bad guys in a series of 60 hazardous missions.

As you polish off each mission by defeating your foes, you can … Read more

If you're hoping to preorder the PlayStation 4, turning to Amazon might not be your best bet.

The company's initial supply of "Launch Edition" PlayStation 4 units has been exhausted. Amazon has now resorted to selling the "Standard Edition," which won't be available until December 31. When clicking on the "Launch Edition" option on Amazon's page, the company indicates that it's unsure "when or if this item will be back in stock."

Luckily, those looking for a PlayStation 4 on launch day -- which Sony is keeping … Read more

LOS ANGELES -- Nintendo isn't fazed by disappointing sales of its Wii U system, and expects a sharp rebound for the holidays.

"We know the power of great software driving hardware," Scott Moffitt, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Nintendo of America, said in an interview with CNET on Wednesday. "We have powerhouse titles that will drive hardware sales this holiday season."

Moffitt is referring to Tuesday's unveiling of several new Wii U games, including Super Mario 3D World, two Zelda games in Legend of Zelda: Link Between Worlds and an HD … Read more