Bonus Round Talks E3 Nintendo with Croal, Totilo and Crecente

Nintendo has monster sales and two popular systems on their hands, so what now? Nothing, at least that's what N'Gai Croal, Stephen Totilo and I think. Nintendo doesn't need to shake things up at E3 to continue their success. Totilo mentions Animal Crossing, which fits in well with a winter release. I mention peripherals. Maybe both? I could see Nintendo's answer to Webkinz being a blend of Animal Crossing and stuffed animals. Think of the audience, the endless stuffed animals with unlock codes, the potential for more money printing! Is that's Reggie's big surprise?

I also got a chance to float my new Nintendo theory: That Nintendo's new razor blade is the peripheral, not the game. If you recall, back in the day when Nintendo released the NES, they did so with the idea of making money off of the games not the consoles. I think the Wii is a refinement of that idea. Now they're making their money off of peripherals not the games or the consoles. Well, more money.

Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results

Thanks to the immense success of Rock Band, Harmonix has received a $208.7 million bonus in "performance based earnouts" from MTV Games and parent company Viacom. According to Viacom's most recent financial statement, Harmonix was set to receive a bonus in the event of exceeding the expectations of MTV Games. The condition was a part of MTV Games' acquisition agreement with Harmonix back in 2006. Since MTV Games payed $175 million for Harmonix, I'm thinking that they've definitely made their money's worth on both sides of the deal.

Harmonix Earns $208.7 Million Bonus From Viacom [Gamasutra]

Cooking Mama 2 Brings Free Tupperware

What happens when companies make boatloads yachtloads of money off of relatively simple to program DS games? They make sequels, and sometimes, they pass out free 50's Tupperware, too. Japanese pre-orders of Cooking Mama 2 will include some sweet retro Tupperware (knock-off?) that's loaded with plastic fruits and veggies. But something about storing plastic food in plastic containers messes with my head, like grocery cannibalism or something.

50's Tupperware Invades Cooking Mama 2 Japanese Pre-Order Bonus [jnintendo]

Capcom Adds "Golden Ticket" Bonus To Devil May Cry 4 CE

Were you one of the ungrateful, stingy saps who thought that the Devil May Cry 4 Collector's Edition version wasn't worth your hard-earned $79.99 US? What, four anime episodes, a making of DVD with loads of digital content and a special Steelbook case aren't enough for you? Hmph! Hmph, I say. Well, maybe this will entice you to drop the extra twenty big ones on the limited package. According to Capcom themselves, 100 total copies of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the action game will come personally signed by the game's producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi. Not a bad bonus, really, especially when you consider it's written in shiny, silvery ink.

And if you aren't lucky enough to be one of the hundred with a genuine Kobayashi signature on your copy of DMC4, you can always make your own. Silver Sharpies are only $5.19 per 4-pack at Staples!

Thinking Of You... (aka Announcing the signed DMC4 Collector's Edition "Golden Ticket") [Capcom Blogs]

Uwe Boll Further Explains Himself To Geoff

Our telegenic guest editor Geoff Keighley was lucky enough to spend some man-to-man time with German director Uwe Boll in the latest Bonus Round, part one of which we showed you earlier this week. In the second part, Geoff tackles the tough questions with Boll. Does Uwe understand the criticism of his work? Is this stuff getting any better? Uwe thinks so. In fact, he goes far enough to compare his movie adaptation of Postal to comedy classics like Monty Python's The Life of Brian and The Naked Gun.

The biggest concession Uwe seems to make about his work in this portion is that plastic surgery disaster Tara Reid "was not optimum actress for Alone In Ze Dark." Ouch. Dogged by Uwe Boll? Poor Tara.

Uwe Boll Chats Up The Bonus Round

The German director of multiple video game licensed stinkers, Uwe Boll, sat down with our current guest editor Geoff Keighley to talk about all things Uwe recently. In part one of Geoff's sit down with the esteemed director of Bloodrayne and House of the Dead, Uwe explains exactly how his cinematic schlock reaches profitability, discloses his director's fee and reveals why he's so focused on gaming. Does Boll come across as more likable? Less? We'll call it a wash.

I was little excited over Orcs & Elves, if only because I watched McWhertor guiltily enjoy the game for an extended period of time at EA's press area while empty, mirage-like Rock Band boxes called my name in the background. Now I'm excited about Orcs & Elves on the DS because early buyers will get a Limited Edition version that includes a free, Nintendo-approved stylus. My cynical side realizes that you really should get something free for playing cellphone games that have been ported to your DS, but that side of me would never have played this game if it didn't leave the cellphone.

Orcs & Elves Freebie [via digitalbattle]

South Park Season 10 DVD Set Includes World of Warcraft Trial

The sloppy wet Blizzard-South Park smooches will continue as Comedy Central has announced that the DVD set collecting the tenth season of South Park will contain a 14-day trial for World of Warcraft. The crudely animated comedy prominently featured the Blizzard MMO in its tenth season in the episode titled "Make Love, Not Warcraft" an effort recently nominated for an Emmy.

The DVD collection goes on sale August 21 for a manufacturer suggested price of $49.99, but can be had for far less at the right retailers. No word on when Blizzard will finally seal that deal with God himself to imprint trial versions of WoW on our DNA. Keep reading for an extremely rare press release.

Clip: Jaffe Drops the F-Bomb(s)

Clip: Keighly, Sierra, GameFly, Pachter Talk Game Prices

Unlockable Costumes of God of War II

Phoenix Wright Finger Schwag Returns For Sequel

Capcom Shipping DPad Covers West