He tells GameSpot that "About 2 percent of the entire console market is downloaded today, and that's growing at a rate that's slightly less than the actual boxed product on video games." It's all newfangled microtransactions, really, says Bartel, who adds "there's very little of the full game download that is actually taking place on the console side."

What will help GameStop stem the tide of digital distribution? Helpful GameStop employees of course!

"What we see is that the games are incredibly complex, and with the complexity—and especially with the investment that they actually have as well both in terms of time and money—we actually see that there is an increased need for someone to explain the game," implying that GameStop employees will help you with such matters.

Bartel also says it has game "transferability" on its side. That means trade-ins or flipping it on eBay. It's true; some of do like having a box to house our dust.

He may be right — the company did just pull in $1.69 billion and that sort of quarter doesn't just happen by accident. But we'll see how well the retailer's Black Friday holds up.

Q&A: GameStop illuminates Black Friday strategy [GameSpot]

So how powerful is the bird-armored ancient ruler? His right hand glows red because he is holding the Soul Edge, and his left hand holds the Soul Calibur and a blue glow. He has 10 different weapons built into his body. In short, he's much more of a bad ass than a generic energy being who mimics the other character's styles could ever be. Hit the jump for the full description in somewhat broken English from Hideo Yoshie.

Answered By Hideo Yoshie, Character Designer

We aimed to make a character that is the “king” of an ultra ancient civilization and a character that obviously proves the setting of being the strongest character ever in SC series.

So, he’s wearing a costume from the ancient kingdom that isn’t recorded in history, and it was really difficult and troublesome to make the design of his costume as so just by looking at it.
The final motif of the amour ended up being the “bird,” but there were many other ideas like the lion, cobra, dinosaur and more.
I believe the design combined dynamism and splendor, and is very cool.

His right hand glows red and his left hand glows blue because he holds the Soul Edge in his right and the Soul Calibur in his left.

Also he has 10 kinds of weapons built in his body and shows a variety of fights never seen before, including flying in the air and sitting in the throne.

I want people to have fun by his buzzard actions.

There was an idea for an additional option which he causes an off-site brawl with a pipe chair instead of the throne, but we were not able to put the idea in the game this time.

By the way, the Algol that shows up in the opening demo is Algol when he was still a human.. That’s why his hair has a different color from within the game. There are some more detailed differences, so please go on and find more differences on him for fun through the game.

Enter Apollo Justice! If a recent filing with the US Patent and Trademark Office uncovered by NeoGAFer Aokage is being interpreted correctly, not only does Gyakuten Saiban 4 have a better chance of coming stateside, Apollo may just be the series' new star.

While not set in stone, it looks likely that if Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney 3: Trials and Tribulations is a hit, Apollo Justice may be making his way to DS Lites in the not too distant future. Michael McWhertor

Speculation: Ace Attorney 4: Apollo Justice? [NeoGAF via Game|Life]