The weekly trade papers lead with news about some new console or other. Apparently, the hardware specifications for the machine were released last week. Okay, so PlayStation 2 is dominating the headlines, as it should. Developers and publishers alike have been wowed by the specs, and Shiny Entertainment’s Dave Perry commented: “Sony bought my soul today.”

MCV reports that Nintendo’s Howard Lincoln addressed a conference in Italy. “And… ?”, you cry. Lincoln admitted that Nintendo are developing a new console which isn’t cartridge-based. Nintendo say they’ll announce the specs before the end of the year. Sony. Sega. Nintendo. They’re all console daft.

Computer Trade Weekly reports that six games have been withdrawn from sale in France because of their violent content. Resident Evil ll, Unreal, Sanitorium, Wild 9, Grand Theft Auto and Carmageddon ll have all departed the shelves after pressure from French lobby group Familles de France, who object to harmful and violent content in videogames.