Forget the old phrase "the calm before the storm." Even with US PlayStation 3 and Wii launch whirlwinds next week, this week was packed with news.

　　Microsoft made its last big holiday push to divert interest away from its competitors' new consoles this week with big releases designed to appeal to audiences young and old in the form of Viva Pinata and Gears of War, respectively. And for the Xbox 360 audiences who weren't interested in those titles, Microsoft also unveiled its big push into on-demand film and TV via the Xbox Live Marketplace. The company also gave a little guidance on what Xbox Live Arcade titles 360 owners could expect in the months to come, including a slate of previously unannounced titles from the one-time arcade king, Atari.

　　There was plenty of news surrounding Sony this week, as well. Sony ended the week with the Japanese launch of its PlayStation 3 (which saw long lines of people waiting for hours to get their hands on the system) and the first lines formed for the US release of the PS3 (for which people are waiting for days to get their hands on the system).

　　If those already waiting in line for the US launch don't have Internet access on their chunk of sidewalk, they might have missed news of some expected PS3 "launch window" titles hitting delays. Much like it was late to the Xbox 360 party, Oblivion for the PS3 has been pushed back at the last minute and is now due in the first quarter of 2007. And while Vivendi Games won't confirm it, it appears that the publisher's shooter F.E.A.R. may be similarly delayed.

　　Then there was Electronic Arts' NBA Live 07. The past tense is used to describe the game, as EA this week announced that it was skipping the 2006-2007 PS3 season with its hoops franchise to get a fresh start on Sony's next-gen console with next year's edition.

　　There was less news out of the Nintendo camp, but Buena Vista Games revealed that it was establishing a new studio dedicated to making games for the publisher's DS and Wii, and the Entertainment Software Rating Board apparently blew the lid off another volley of Virtual Console titles. GameStop's online store also started selling preorder bundles for the system that clocked in at nearly $700 and sold out within minutes.

　　Outside of the somewhat narrow view of the industry as one big console war, Microsoft announced that its long-awaited Windows Vista had gone gold; Blizzard Entertainment slapped a release date on the World of Warcraft expansion, The Burning Crusade; and the NPD Group released its sales figures for the month of October. Contrary to analysts' bullish expectations, software sales for the month made slight gains of a little less than 1 percent.

　　MONDAY

　　XBL getting on-demand HDTV, film

　　Game companies controlling E3 invites

　　Take-Two picks up rights to Fantastic 4 sequel

　　Sega assembling next-gen Iron Man

　　Atari preps six for XBLA

　　TUESDAY

　　Sony: XBL HDTV "a disservice"

　　DOA producer slapped with sex suit

　　Gears of War emerges

　　BVG unveils new Wii, DS shop

　　GameStop offering $699 Wii bundle Thursday

　　WEDNESDAY

　　Retail Radar: PS3 F.E.A.R and Oblivion pushed to 2007

　　Nolan Bushnell disses PS3, Sony

　　ESRB reveals more Wii games

　　Former ESA VP to run downsized E3

　　ESA endorses E3 successor

　　THURSDAY

　　PS3 lines already spotted

　　Microsoft: Vista is ready to roll

　　Blizzard dates Burning Crusade

　　PS3 NBA Live swatted to next season

　　Cost-cutting puts Atari in black--barely

　　FRIDAY

　　Midnight PS3 madness in Japan

　　October sales not up to expectations

　　Full Auto 2 crashes PSP

　　Viva Piñata stuffed with DLC

　　RUMORS OF THE WEEK

　　Half-Life 2: Ep. 2 delayed 'til summer '07?

　　Return of the bigger 360 hard drive rumor

　　RELEASES

　　Shippin' Out 11/6-11/10: Gears of War, first PS3 titles

　　CHARTS

　　UK Game Charts: October 29 to November 4

　　Aussie game charts: October 30-November 5

　　US PC game charts: October 22-28