Sony making a bit less of a loss on PS3 - console now costs $448.73 to build

An investigation by tech research company iSuppli has estimated that it costs Sony $448.73 to build a single PlayStation3. The standard price of the entry level machine is the US is $399.

We are not businessmen, but that doesn't sound like the sort of deal Alan Sugar would sign off with much enthusiasm.

This is at least a staggering drop from the estimated $800-or-so it's believed to have cost Sony to stuff a blu-ray drive and all other electronic bits into PS3 back in 2006 when it launched in the US and Japan, so there's something Sony executives can put on a graph and make look impressive - "We are now losing less money than ever!"

Feminists hate Fat Princess PSN game

Fat Princess is an upcoming PSN game that's a kind of cutesy capture the flag game, set in a Zelda-like fantasy world. In Fat Princess, players attempt to capture their rival's 'flag' to win the round; the twist is that the opposing team can collect 'resources' to make the 'flag' harder to capture.

The fact I've been dancing around is that, in a fantastical, whimsical way, the 'resources' are actually cakes, and the 'flag' is a tubby wee princess. Hence the game's title.

It sounds innocent enough to me, but this is apparently pushing some feminist bloggers over the edge. "I'm positively thrilled to see such unyielding dedication to creating a new generation of fat-hating, heteronormative assholes," writes one decidedly angry young feminist (as reported by SlashGear), who I'm not going to link to on account of the fact that I own some pets. "It's not often I have the opportunity to congratulate a cutting-edge tech company on such splendiferous retrofuck jackholery".

Retrofuck, huh. Ouch.

UK Government plans for action following Byron Review

After getting psychologist Dr. Tanya Byron to write such an even-handed evaluation of the games industry and its rating's system, the government has published an action plan for how it intends to making video games and the internet safe for children.

"By taking forward Dr Byron's recommendations we will help children to safely navigate the internet and allow parents to make informed decisions about what is appropriate for their child," said Margaret Hodge, Culture Minister.

Trading Standards will be working closely games retailers to monitor sale of games and promote safety, as well as helping to ensure adult rated games don't fall into the hands of minors. Unfortunately, this week alone the retail market has earned itself a couple of black marks on that count.

Meanwhile, the Committee on Advertising Practice and the Broadcast Committee on Advertising Practices will be making sure that everything is kosher on the video game marketing end.

Anti-games MP offered knighthood over 42 days terror legislation?

It is now widely rumoured throughout the British press that Gordon Brown's embarrassing 'victory' (so embarrassing I had to put it in inverted commas) on the extremely controversial anti-terror legislation voted on yesterday, was secured less through convincing debate as much as outright bribery. I should stress that these allegations have been strongly denied by everyone concerned. But still: smoke, fire, etc.

Setting aside my own strongly held belief that passing such a law is an attempt to shamelessly circumvent those pesky 'human rights' that everyone keeps whining on about. If the terrorists' goal is to reduce their targets liberties and coerce them into living in a state of fear, then hats off to them: it looks like we're well on the way.

Anyway, this whole row has quite an interesting gaming connection. One of the names on the list of people-who-have-denied-being-bribed is Keith 'What facts?' Vaz. Mr Vaz is a long time opponent of video games since he latched onto the notion that Manhunt was in some way responsible for the tragic death of 14 year old Stefan Pakeerah back in 2004.