It's a blow to Kiwis who take pride in local ownership and believe that retailing games and consoles isn't a job so complex only American multinational corps get to do it. As far as actual economic impact, Geekpulp says Gamesman staff have been told no job losses are planned. However, there are eight stores in five cities, all of whom also have EB stores. So it's inevitable that some will close down the line. Not happy news for our gamer friends in New Zealand.

The Gamesman Set to be Acquired by EB Games [Geekpulp, thanks Ahmad]

Nintendo Australia has not received official notification regarding any announcement concerning Softprint Interactive (SPI NZ Ltd.), Nintendo’s New Zealand distributor. As a result, we are unable to comment further at this stage.

Don't hold your breath for an immediate trans-tasman rescue package then, Kiwis. Now's probably a good time to look at importing.

NZ - The Land with no Nintendo [Geekpulp]

This footage was taken at a recent SCE New Zealand press event. In the men's bathroom. It's...just...yeah.

Sony’s Automated Potty-Mouth [Geekpulp]

"Warhammer is a world-wide franchise with a strong following in Australia and New Zealand. By placing our own server down under and running customer service out of EA Mythic, we can ensure that when we launch WAR, Oceanic players will experience the same quality of game play and customer service as North American players"

EA ANNOUNCES WARHAMMER ONLINE: AGE OF RECKONING TO SHIP IN AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND IN FALL 2008

Highly Anticipated MMO to Simultaneously Launch with North America & Europe with Dedicated Regional Server

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sydney, Australia, May 16, 2008 - Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced that Warhammer® Online: Age of Reckoning™ (WAR) will ship in Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia simultaneously with the North American and European Fall 2008 release.

In addition, WAR will also feature a dedicated server in Australia, ensuring the best game play experience possible for players in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and other Southeast Asian territories. Players will still have the option of connecting to North American servers.

"Warhammer is a world-wide franchise with a strong following in Australia and New Zealand. By placing our own server down under and running customer service out of EA Mythic, we can ensure that when we launch WAR, Oceanic players will experience the same quality of game play and customer service as North American players" said Mark Jacobs, VP and General Manager of EA Mythic.

Based on Games Workshop's epic and longstanding tabletop fantasy war game, WAR features revolutionary Realm vs. Realm™ (RvR) game play that immerses players in a world of perpetual conflict. WAR is scheduled for launch on the PC in Fall 2008.

To learn more about the game, please visit www.warhammeronline.com.

Now here's a familiar story, modder cooks up something and gets in legal trouble, although it's usually from the software publisher. In this case, "unauthorised use of a police uniform" is an offense under New Zealand's Police Act. And even though it's unclear whether this really fits the definition of that offense, the cops are looking at their options. A cop spokesman said the police are looking into the matter.

Honestly, what the fuck is it with Australasia and Grand Theft Auto? I'll just leave it at that. I've never been to either Australia or New Zealand, but crikey, their collective pants-wetting over American video games, this series in particular, makes them look like the schoolmarms of western democracy.

Gamer's Real Brush with the Law [stuff.co.nz.] [pic by Robert Kitchin, The Dominion Post]

"It hit the victim in the leg, causing a large, red welt and several puncture marks," said Senior Sgt Bruce Jenkins, in the North Island town of Whakatane.

NZ man 'used hedgehog as weapon' [BBC - Ninja Girlden]

If you couldn't tell, Halo Fever is in full force right now. The game may not be perfect (sorry Eurogamer) but it certainly has its selling points and I think Microsoft's boast that they want to dethrone Spider-Man 3's mammoth opening weekend with a mammoth Halo 3 launch day aren't that outlandish.

We've sent our very own Fahey over to New York City to check in on the Halo-mania going on later on tonight. Remember at the stroke of midnight you can pick up a copy of the last in the Halo trilogy... unless you picked it up at one of the many places that seemed to have sold the game early. Once you play through the entire game I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.

In the meantime sit back and check out these pictures from New Zealand, the first place in the world where Halo 3 launched. Nicole Sinclair and Ryan Marsden, both 19, were the first two in the world to pick the game up from a retailer.... who didn't break embargo.

New Zealand Microsoft also celebrated the launch by freezing 50 prize discs in a one ton block of ice. Gamers have until 6 a.m. to melt the ice with water guns and get the prizes.

Peter Jackson's Halo movie may be on ice, but that doesn't mean he's not doing Halo stuff. In an interview with game site GameSpy, Microsoft's Shane Kim apparently said the filmmaker is making an interactive, animated series. Apparently, because Microsoft PR is denying it. Anyway, here's what Kim originally said:

Bungie is working directly with Peter Jackson on the Halo interactive series, and Bungie will definitely be involved, and continue to be involved on Halo... Bungie has their plans well mapped out. You have to, when you have a studio like that, and you need to know what you're moving your people on to. So they have the collaboration with Peter Jackson on the animated series.

...he [Shane Kim] was misquoted (or possibly misspoke) during the GameSpy interview, but either way, it was an error.

Peter Jackson [1Up]

Ah, New Zealand. Kiwi fruit, Peter Jackson and, above, rugby. Pencil in "Sony-lovers" for another thing the island nation is famous for. Last November and December, Sony moved 21,800 PS2s units, which accounts for 70 percent of the consoles sold. Says Sony Computer Entertainment New Zealand's Warwick Light (killer name!):

It is no surprise to us that PlayStation 2 was the number one selling gaming platform for Christmas. As the PlayStation 2 offering goes from strength to strength, more consumers are buying into the value proposition of the hardware and the unrivalled range of software on offer. Consumers obviously saw exceptional value in PlayStation 2.

Okay. That's not such a big deal. The PS2 is and has been a big seller. But what is interesting is that the PSP sold 9,560 units and captured 73 percent of the handheld market during November and December 2006. Wow, what the DS is to Japan, the PSP is to New Zealand. Brian Ashcraft

New Zealand Is PlayStation Territory [Gameplanet, Thanks psychobadger!]

National's transport spokesman Maurice Williamson says today's young people think they are bullet-proof. He blames Playstations and X-boxes for making teens think they can drive stupidly and just push the reset button if anything goes wrong.

Well, we thought we'd squeezed the last squidge of meconium-like Wii launch announcements out of the Internet's communal bowel, but it seems that's not the case.

Kiwis! Put down that amorous sheep. The Wii is coming to you on December 7th. It will come with Wii Sports. It will cost $499 of your New Zealand dollars. That is all.

Actually, wait, that's not all. NZ $499? That's 261 euros or 330 American Cowboyos. You guys are even paying more for it than Australia. How many sheep do you have to herd for that kind of change? A million?

You guys sure are getting boned. I'm not sure if Nintendo's being all that smart here: if there's anything that Once Were Warriors taught me, it's that you don't fuck with the M ?ori. Florian Eckhardt

Nintendo's Wii heads to New Zealand [Aussie-Nintendo]

Don't live in America or Japan? Want a PLAYSTATION 3? This post is for you. Gadget exporter Audio Cubes has opened the flood gates on pre-order for the 20GB Sony PS3. The unit will set customers back a cool US $699, which is at a $70 premium when compared to the European pricing for the same model. The site does not yet have pricing on the bells and whistles 60GB console. Expect it to be somewhere between expensive and expensive. (But probably better than anything on eBay.) Brian Ashcraft

More Here [I4U]

New Zealand effects company and production studio Weta Workshop brought us optical magic for Xena and Lord of the Rings, and it is working on Peter Jackson's Halo film. The workshop commissioned a large public sculpture in downtown Wellington called "Tripod" to celebrate the Kiwi film industry. Seems innocuous enough, but up close, the statue reveals the truth: Halo or not, Weta are hardcore Ninty fanboys. Hit the jump for the picture proof and just wait for a pic of Peter Jackson's "secret" Mario ass tatt to surface. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [NZ Gamer] Thanks, Steve!

Wired News reports that researchers in New Zealand are working on turning Nokia cell phones into AR (augmented reality) controllers. In a game called AR Tennis, a piece of paper is laid on a table to provide framework for the virtual space. To serve, hit the #2 key on the phone. When the ball is in play, players swing their phones like real tennis rackets. A sound and a vibration let them know when they've hit the ball.

Okay, wait.

If you are swinging your cell phone around, how are you supposed to see the screen? I guess you could swat the controller, then look at the display, then swat again and look at the display. Sounds kinda stressful. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [Wired News]

On March 23rd, the Xbox 360 finally launches in idyllic New Zealand. To promote the event, a custom metallic bus is bringing 360 goodness to all Kiwis. Inside the bus, there are playable demos of Project Gotham Racing 3, Fight Night Round 3, Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, Call of Duty 3, Perfect Dark Zero, Dead or Alive 4, Kameo: Elements of Power and Amped 3. The bus will be touring Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington and loads of other cities throughout the North and South islands. Kiwis, you have no excuse not to get your game on!

Full Story Here [VG NZ] Thanks, Raja!

Just how much will Peter Jackson and his wife, Fran Walsh, get to executive produce, not direct, Halo the movie? According to Variety the rotund Kiwi will land a seven-figure (as in one more than six) advance against gross points. Yowsa, did you say advance? On a side note: The thing will be filmed in New Zealand, home of Hobbits and Xena.

More Halo News [EEG News]