New trademark application from World of Warcraft and Diablo developer covers "online computer games," among other things.

World of Warcraft and Diablo developer Blizzard Entertainment has filed a new trademark application for "Heroes of the Storm."

Spotted by MMO Champion, Blizzard Entertainment's main office in Irvine, Calif. filed the trademark application on September 24 with the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO).

The "Heroes of the Storm" trademark covers "online computer games," "computer game software," and "computer game software downloadable from a global computer network," among other things.

No further information about "Heroes of the Storm" is available.

Blizzard Entertainment will discuss the future of its tentpole franchises at BlizzCon 2013, which takes place November 8-9 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California.

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UK managing director Fergal Gara says "format war" is a long-haul effort; PS4 as a platform "can and will evolve."

The battle between PlayStation 4 and Xbox One is a long-haul effort, according to Sony UK managing director Fergal Gara. Speaking with Eurogamer, the executive said Sony is confident in its launch position, but acknowledged that release this November is just the beginning.

"This format war, if you want to call it that, is a marathon, not a sprint," Gara said. "We're coming out of the blocks in a strong position, but we're conscious that is nowhere close to job done, and we have to continually improve the proposition, proving what PS4 represents."

Gara said Sony has a history of doing just that. The PlayStation 3 launched sixteen months after the the Xbox 360 and at a steeper price. Yet over the platform's lifecycle, it has caught up to Microsoft's console in terms of overall shipments worldwide, a process that "took a lot of hard graft," Gara said.

"You've got to start good and keep on your toes. PS4 is a platform that can and will evolve. It will be great on day-one but it will be far better in year two and year three as expectations rise and ideas are generated and these new tools are executed," he said. "That's the way to win. And obviously the gameplay and the core experiences are hugely pivotal to that. They are going to start really strong, but they have to continue to grow and continue to improve."

The PS4 and Xbox One launch worldwide in November. According to a new Reuters poll, more shoppers in the United States are interested in the PS4 than the Xbox One.

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According to new Reuters/Ipsos poll, more shoppers in the United States are interested in Sony's console than Microsoft's; 64 percent not planning to buy any new hardware at all.

The PlayStation 4 has an edge over the Xbox One in terms of interest among United States shoppers, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.

Asked about interest in dedicated game devices, 26 percent of 1,297 people surveyed through an online poll last week said they are likely to purchase a PS4 compared to 15 percent for the Xbox One.

The gulf between the two platforms grows for those below the age of 40, with 41 percent choosing the PS4 versus 27 percent for the Xbox One. The poll was conducted September 23-27.

Reuters acknowledged that poll is based on a "limited sample," but said the results could "potentially point to a lopsided battle during the crucial holiday season."

Sony disclosed at Gamescom last month that the PS4 had seen more than 1 million preorders. Microsoft has not revealed specific figures, but said preorders for the Xbox One have exceeded those of the Xbox 360, which was released eight years ago.

Microsoft and Sony may have a tough time selling consoles at all this holiday, as 64 percent of total respondents said they would not buy any new game-specific hardware at all when presented with options like next-generation hardware, the Nintendo 2DS, and Valve's "Steam Box" prototype.

The PS4 ($400) goes on sales November 15, while the Xbox One ($500) launches November 22.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll also revealed data about the Wii U, which has struggled since launch late last year. Of the 1,297 respondents, just 3 percent said they currently play games on Wii U, compared to 20 percent for Xbox 360, 20 percent for PC, and 18 percent for PS3.

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Latest Nintendo Direct offers information about the company's upcoming Wii U and 3DS titles.

Nintendo has scheduled a Nintendo Direct event for tomorrow, promising more information about Wii U and 3DS games due for release later in 2013.

The Nintendo Direct presentation will be broadcast worldwide on October 1 at 10:00 ET, 07:00 PT, and 15:00 BST.

Upcoming Nintendo titles that might feature in the presentation include The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, Super Mario 3D World, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, and Pokemon X and Y.

The event can be watched tomorrow direct from Nintendo's site.

Last week Nintendo confirmed that Toon Link would feature in its upcoming Super Smash Bros for Wii U and 3DS.

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"We have no regrets," says Precursor Games boss Denis Dyack as spiritual sequel is put on hold.

Shadow of the Eternals, the spiritual successor to Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem on the GameCube, is on hold, developer Precursor Games has said.

Veterans from original Eternal Darkness, Too Human, and X-Men: Destiny developer Silicon Knights formed Precursor Games to work on the proposed survival horror title, including boss Denis Dyack, but the crowdfunding project failed to garner enough interest from the public.

"It is with a heavy heart that we have decided to put the Shadow of the Eternals project on hold," posted Dyack to the Precursor Games forum. "We are very happy with what we have accomplished both as a group and with the community. The community has blown us away and was the one thing that kept us going through it all--we cannot thank you enough.

"Many of us will be taking a break. For those who are not aware, we all worked on this project as a labour of love and self financed 100 percent of everything for a over a year to try to make Shadow of the Eternals a reality. Although we did not succeed on doing this, we succeeded in making many friends and starting something that we hope provided value for those involved."

"We have no regrets," added Dyack.

"Is the project dead? No, but we feel it needs a rest too," he concluded.

"We have all agreed as a group that when and if the time is right we will get together and start it up again. Keep your head high everyone and remember what we have accomplished together."

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