(Reuters, Quoted)
"LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp has slashed the price of the Xbox game console by 33 percent in the United States and will cut it 29 percent in Japan, industry sources said on Wednesday, a move that will intensify the price war between console makers jostling for share in the $20 billion global video game market.

The Xbox price cut, to $199 from $299 in the United States immediately and to 24,800 yen ($193.12) from 34,800 yen ($271) in Japan effective May 22, comes two days after Sony Corp. said it would cut the U.S. price of its market-leading PlayStation 2, which came out a year before Xbox, to $199."

(GameSpot Japan) Sony Computer Entertainment's popular Playstation series game, "Saru Gecchu" (Ape Escape) has been announced to become a movie.

No details on the motion picture have been released as of yet. The Ape Escape movie is scheduled to play in theaters in Japan, starting August 17.

(Nikkei Net B2O, Nikkei Journal- 5/14) Sony Music Entertainment (SME) will enter the restaurant business, contracting with world famous French chef Joel Robuchon.

Sony plans to open a series of affordable restaurants next year in Japan, following with marketing of food products, publication of books and creation of food shows.

The restaurants -which will carry the name of the famed chef, will first open in the Roppongi district of tokyo in May. Three to five additional restaurants will open in 3-5 years following the Roppongi store.

Special thanks to Namae no nai Heya for the news.

Short Comment- And for some reason, I'm not too surprised if some of it reaches Sony's broadband contents. mmm. Food is good. - "Madman" Henry Moriarty

Japanese PCB/Arcade board retailer G-front has released the latest operator's leaflet distributed by Playmore's Sun Amusement.

In the leaflet, Sun Amusement announces that the release date for Evoga's "Rage of the Dragons" has been decided as June 6th, retail priced 178,000 Yen.

Sun Amusement also reports that the average income on the game during beta testing in Tokyo was 22,400 Yen a day, and 16,800 Yen in Kanagawa prefecture. For the operator's leaflet, check the site's section.

Special thanks to Sha-v for the news.

(Reuters, Quoted)
"LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - He's won Oscars and his films have made millions upon millions of dollars and now -- after what he calls the "longest post-production schedule" of his life -- Steven Spielberg is going to achieve an honor that has eluded him: he is going to graduate from college.

Spielberg, 55, said on Tuesday that he will graduate from California State College at Long Beach, with a major in film and electronic arts, on May 31, more than three decades after dropping out to pursue his now legendary Hollywood career."

For the full article, check Reuters.