Here we go again. We now have a market analyst reporting to CNN that he expects drops to $129 from Sony and MS very soon and an additional drop to $99 before Labor Day. This analyst is also expecting to see Xbox2 ready in 2005. While I tend to disregard what most people like that spout off, I would love to see some price drops as it would heat up the competition once again. I spent part of the day debating the legitimacy of these claims on the PA forum and I think there were some very good points raised so feel free to read that thread if you want to know what the general consensus is on the topic.

I imagine that we will hear something official in the near future should those rumors have some factual basis to them.

I am beginning to think that North America gets the goods in terms of games for the most part, but we totally get shafted with limited edition consoles. Japan is getting a green xbox and a white xbox and a new crystal xbox is being released in Europe. How hard can it be to take the plastic molding meant for the Japanes e and European limited editions and to slap it around the North American parts? I didn’t think so. I would really appreciate having a crystal Xbox in my house or even a transluscent green one.

In a recent thread on Battle.net, which is being hammered right now due to WoW Beta Signups, Blizzard made it clear that they would be banning users for engaging in a practice called “griefing”. “Griefing” is the process of intentionally causing your team to lose in a team game and apparently Blizzard feels it goes against the spirit of fair play. The solution? Ban the offending player. The cases will be dealt with on as they occur and if it is determined that the user did in fact engage in “griefing”, then the users account and access to ladder games will be subject to removal.

I don’t play much of anything on Battle.net anymore, but I find it strange that Blizzard would be banning users based on something that could be argued is as subjective as the motive behind a loss. What if I just suck really really bad and it gives the appearance that I am “griefing” and my teammates feel I am an unworthy addition to Battle.net and I am banned. What now? I trust Blizzard, but it seems like a very grey area to me.

Beta signups for the upcoming Blizzard game Worlds of Warcraft are set to begin tonight at 8pm CST. If you are interested then you have a week to sign up.

“Testers are not going to be chosen on a first-come, first-served basis, so you will be able to submit an application and receive equal consideration anytime during the signup period, which will end on Wednesday, February 4th at 6:00 pm PST.”

More details are available on Blizzard.com.