What's happened in the business of video games this past week ...
QUOTE | "There is a dark underbelly to Xbox Live."—Rob Fahey, former editor of GamesIndustry.biz, talking about what can be done to rescue Xbox Live and online gaming from abusive bullies.
QUOTE | "The idea that Microsoft would make a game console was so f***king nuts that it was just a joke."—Seamus Blackley, one of the co-creators of the Xbox, talking about the early days of the console and Xbox Live.
QUOTE | "Gamers have been hungry for new and better ways to play and this is it."—Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America's VP of sales and marketing, talking about the Wii U and why it's going to be successful.
STAT | $1.4 billion—Amount spent on digital game sales (games, DLC, subs, mobile and social) in the third quarter, according to NPD; this beats the $1.07 billion spent on physical games in the US.
QUOTE | "Technology will drive gameplay, always." —Cevat Yerli, Crytek founder and CEO, talking about the latest edition of CryEngine and the upcoming Crysis 3.
QUOTE | "I always prefer lower pricing, so I can't say I'm happy."—Yves Guillemot, CEO of Ubisoft, talking about the Wii U's pricing, though he thinks it's cheap compared to an iPad.
QUOTE | "Differences in polygon count and frame rate may be hard to see, but anyone can spot the difference between $60 up front and free-to-play."—Steve Peterson, West Coast Editor for GamesIndustry International, on why next-gen consoles need next-gen business models.
QUOTE | "As we look to 2013, we relish the opportunities and challenges we face." —J. Paul Raines, CEO of GameStop, discussing the tough road ahead for the retailer in a shrinking market.
QUOTE | "Activision Blizzard's primary liability could be World of Warcraft, which appears to be past its peak and could see declining subscriptions" —Billy Pidgeon, analyst for Inside Social Network, talking along with other analysts about why Activision's stock is dropping despite reporting record earnings.
STAT | 8 million —Number of Minecraft sales on the PC so far; Minecraft hit 7 million in sales only two months ago
QUOTE | "Arguably, the most fun this year is the e-sports angle. It's already fun to play and now it's fun to watch." —Peter Hepworth, managing director of Activision UK, talking about Call of Duty: Black Ops II and its incredibly loyal fans.
STAT | $100 million—The amount US game sales at retail dropped in October from September levels; analysts think that this year's sales overall could be 20 percent lower than last year.
This Week in the Business courtesy of GamesIndustry International
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