Price

Microsoft has announced several changes to file size limits on the Xbox Live Indie Games service. The maximum size of games on the service is now 500MB, up from the previous 150MB. Developers can now charge 80 Microsoft Points for games of up to 150MB in size; previously, games over 50MB had to be priced at 240 or 400 MSP. More >

Japanese retailers are cutting prices of the 3G model PlayStation Vita in a bid to stimulate demand, according to reports. A Playfront report contains an image showing that one retailer has reduced the price of the WiFi/3G model from its RRP of ¥29,980 (£250) to ¥24,999 (£209) - a drop of almost 17 per cent which leaves it costing just ¥19 more than the WiFi-only model. More >

Sony has slashed the price of its Tablet S by $100, barely three months after launch. TechCrunch reports that the 32GB model of Sony's tablet has been reduced from $600 to $500, with the 16GB model cut from $500 to $400. The price drop means Tablet S is now $100 cheaper than Apple's iPad, which remains the runaway market leader. More >

UK videogame retailers are slashing prices of software due to poor sales of new releases. According to MCV, UK retailers have sold 8.77 million games since the launch of Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 on November 8 - 1.4 million fewer than were sold during the same period last year. More >

A pamphlet circulated at a Sony sales briefing in Japan has detailed how PSP owners will be able to continue playing their UMD collection on Vita. News of the pamphlet came from a Japanese retailer who claimed to be in attendance at the event. More >

Microsoft is to manufacture 17,000 Xbox 360 consoles in Brazil every week following the opening of a new factory in Manaus. The move means Microsoft will be able to sell the Xbox 360 for 40 per cent less than in the past. More >

Free until September 20 as part of Valve's Learn With Portals initiative.

The publisher's European head Kunio Neo has said that the UK market will struggle unless retailers stop the aggressive price cutting of recent releases. "UK games pricing is very poor," he told MCV. "Retailers are always reducing prices and the profits for publishers are getting smaller. The UK is really suffering." Konami's European GM of sales, marketing and products, Martin Schneider, gave a rather blunt assessment: "Tell the UK shops to stop the price war."

Back in March, Ultima IP owner EA issued DMCA takedown orders against websites that were hosting downloads of Richard Garriott's 1985 classic Ultima IV. That fuelled speculation that EA was preparing to bring the series back, but we're yet to hear anything of the sort. Those waiting with bated breath are first advised to resume normal breathing, and then head over to Good Old Games, where Ultima IV is currently available for the princely sum of nothing.

The Ambassador Programme - Nintendo's way of compensating early adopters for the 3DS price drop - begins on September 1. We're yet to receive a final list of the games on offer to European gamers, and have sought confirmation, but in the meantime Nintendo has announced the ten NES games that will be available to Japanese users: Super Mario Bros, Donkey Kong Jr, Balloon Fight, Ice Climber, The Legend Of Zelda, Wrecking Crew, Mario Open Golf, Mario & Yoshi, Metroid, and The Legend Of Zelda II.

Sony's decision to drop the UK retail price of the PlayStation 3 to £199.99 last week appears to have reaped immediate dividends, with one "reliable retail source" telling MCV that sales of the system rose 65 per cent week on week. That may further improve this week, with Sony kicking off an extensive marketing campaign to spread awareness of the PS3's new low price.

Sony has revealed that Vita development kits will cost just €1900 plus VAT, making the upcoming portable a viable proposition to smaller studios. Significantly cheaper than the €15,000 cost of a PSP dev kit at launch, Sony even hints it is prepared to lower the price to get independent developers on board. "There is no cost to join the PS Vita Develop Programme," SCEE's George Bain revealed at GDC Europe yesterday. "There's just the cost of the dev kit. If you're a small developer, we [would be] happy to talk to you about this. It will help if you have a games portfolio. There's no reason we won't speak with smaller studios about joining up."

Andriasang brings word from Nikkei that Nintendo's decision to drop the price of the 3DS by 40 per cent in Japan has had an immediate effect: 207,000 units had been sold by the close of business on Sunday. If the figure is correct it would beat the 206,000 units sold in the system's second week on sale. Nikkei cites a market research firm, but doesn't name it; Andriasang suggests it's Enterbrain. We'll know more when the weekly Media Create charts are released later this week.