Kotaku: only in canada

Canadian Theaters Let You Game On 50 Foot Screens

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:40:31 MDT

Canada's Cineplex theater chain has opened up 29 of its theaters for gamers, letting them have multiplayer gaming sessions on, most likely, the biggest screen they'll ever have access to — some 50-plus feet wide. Going rate is $179 Canadian, plus tax, for up to twelve people.

The CBC report hints that it will only be available for Xbox 360 gaming, at least initially, and that during summer operation, open spots will be limited to the morning, but that night time bookings are possible. We just hope all this big screen gaming doesn't interfere with any showings of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, because that's a tear-jerking adventure with heart.

Cineplex big screens available to Xbox gamers [CBC]

Xbox Badges Of Honour Return

Mike Fahey — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 10:00:02 MDT

Canadian Blockbuster Video stores and Microsoft are once again teaming up for their Badges of Honour program, which features five limited-edition pins, available now through April 7th. As with last year's program, a $2 donation to the Children's Miracle Network nets you one of these five lovely pieces of flair. This year's selection includes Gears of War, Ninja Gaiden II, and Rock Band buttons, while the Guitar Hero II and Halo 3 buttons of last year are only a memory. Disappointing, yes, but you should have been charitable in a more timely fashion. Don't miss out this time!

Badges of Honour [Xbox Canada]

Xbox 360 Gets A Price Drop (In Canada!)

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:20:25 MST

Good news, Canada! You're about to save yourselves a lot of money, if you're in the market for a new Xbox 360. Microsoft announced today that prices have slashed across the board, with the Elite now ringing in at $449, the Pro at $349 and the Arcade at $279. An Arcade for $279? That's Wii pricing, Canucks. Looks like someone noticed the Canadian dollar isn't as lowly as it used to be. Maple whiskey shots for everyone!

The official word, with all of the details for our brothers to the north is right after this.

XBOX 360 CONSOLE PRICE DROP OFFERS EVEN BETTER VALUE TO CANADIAN GAMERS
Xbox Canada is now offering even greater value to Canadians by reducing the price of the Xbox 360 Elite, Xbox 360 and Xbox 360 Arcade consoles!

The Xbox 360 console, reduced from $399 to $349, offers Canadians the most comprehensive entertainment experience right out of the box. The console includes a hard drive, wireless controller, headset as well as HD component cable providing the ultimate high-definition gaming experience.

The Xbox 360 Elite console, reduced from $499 to $449, features a sleek black finish and includes a 120GB hard drive for maximum storage, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port as well as a black wireless controller, black Xbox Live® headset and high-definition cable.

The Xbox 360 Arcade console, reduced from $299 to $279, is an incredible value for hardcore and casual gamers alike. The system includes a wireless controller, Xbox LIVE Arcade Compilation Disc and 256Mb Memory Unit allowing gamers to store their profiles, downloaded content and game progress.

The Xbox 360 Halo 3 Special edition console, reduced from $449 to $399, is inspired by Halo 3, the biggest blockbuster in video game history. The console features an exclusive "Spartan green and gold" finish and comes bundled with a matching Xbox 360 Wireless Controller, 20GB Hard Drive, Headset, Play & Charge Kit, and exclusive Halo 3 Gamer Pics and Theme (available via Xbox LIVE download).

With the largest library of next-generation game titles, Xbox 360 leads the industry with its wireless gaming and entertainment experience. The entire suite of Xbox 360 consoles also include everything gamers need to play online on Xbox LIVE the premiere online gaming and entertainment service.

Oh, Canada, You're Getting The Xbox Live Marketplace Video Store Soon

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:20:00 MST

Soon enough, our Canadian brothers and sisters can download quality hits like Pirates of Ghost Island and Krush Groove, legally, through their Xbox 360s. Microsoft has announced that it will be bringing a slew of high-def and regular-def content to the Canadian Xbox Live Marketplace video store on December 11th. That's right, Canada, the amazingly depressing and stomach-turning Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer will be yours to enjoy in under a week!

No Canadian television programming will be available at launch, sadly, but it sounds like plans are in the works. For a full list of what will be available on day one, with pricing schemes, check out the full interview at Xbox.com.

Now Playing! Xbox Live Marketplace Video Store Comes to Canada [Xbox.com]

X07 Open To The Public, Sort Of

Mike Fahey — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 08:20:00 MDT

Yesterday we told you that Microsoft's X07 event that kicks off on the 28th of this month in Toronto was invite only. Not exactly true. Jade of the Xbox forums clarifies.

The event is NOT invitation only, however, you do need to act fast to get your name on the list as I only have a very limited number of spots open for people to attend. X'07 Canada is happening on August 28th in Toronto. Once you have been added to the RSVP list, you will receive an official invitation that is your pass into the event. Sorry, no plus ones. If you have a friend that wants to attend, they have to send their own email request.

What you need to do is drop an email to jade@microsoft.com requesting to attend and hope to god she hasn't run out of invites yet. So technically it still is an invite only event. You just have to invite yourself. Self-service is awesome.

X07 Canada [Xbox Forums]

X07 Canada Kicks Of August 28th (And You're Not Invited)

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 19:20:40 MDT

With no plans for a European X07, why not hit up the next best thing? Say, the Europe of the north, Canada, for example. That's exactly what Microsoft is planning to do, as invites for the exclusive event have already been delivered to an unknown number of attendees. On August 28th, Toronto will host the Canadian X0 event, open to the public the previous year, but now strictly invite-only.

Microsoft promises plenty of Xbox 360 and Games For Windows titles on hand from itself and third party publishers Electronic Arts, Ubisoft and Activision. Going down just a few days after the end of the Leipzig Games Convention, I have to wonder if MS will hold off anything of importance for the Canadian game show but maybe they'll provide delicious maple whiskey to make it feel more exciting.

Microsoft still holding X07 in Canada [Canada.com via Gamespot]

Canadian Butts Hurt Over DLC Pricing

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 17:20:57 MDT

The Canadian gamers at Citizen Game are mad has heck and they're probably not going to take it anymore, barring some genuine apologies and possibly an adjustment pricing schemes more in line with Canadian to US dollar exchange rates!! Why the measured, polite rage? Seems that Canadians are paying an unfair amount for their downloadable content—or in more blogger struck with a case of the hyperboles terminology, financial rape.

While it's questionable whether one should equate uninvited anal sex and a mark up of about $5 Canadian for a batch of Wii Points, one thing is clear: pricing in the Great White North for Microsoft Points and their Wii equivalent are not on par with what gamers in the USA are paying.

Incidentally least offensive from a pricing standpoint for DLC north of the border? Sony and its transparent dollar amounts required to purchase content from the PlayStation Store.

Let's have it, Canucks. Anyone up there need to vent their spleens about the current disparity between Canadian and US pricing?

Canada is Getting Raped On Downloadable Content [Citizen Game]

Canada Loves Wii, Buys Lots Of Them

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 18:40:32 MDT

Wii Fever hasn't slowed in the Great White North as Canadian consumers snapped up over 50,000 units of the lil' white console last month. NPD Group sales data shows that the Wii and Nintendo DS are topping the hardware charts in the nation that tops our own, geographically. The dual-screened sibling clocked in with an equally impressive 45,700 units sold in June. This wasn't so much of a contest as it was a vicious bloodsport, with PlayStation and Xbox hardware sales paling in comparison.

The PlayStation 2 and PSP took spots three and four, selling 21,000 and 18,500 units respectively. The PLAYSTATION 3 continued to struggle, moving only 6,500 consoles, about 1/8 of the Wii's sales.

The Xbox 360 showed a respectable 13,500 unit sales, boosted by Forza Motorsport 2 and Guitar Hero II sales in the norther region. More figures, including some software rankings are at the full Gamespot report.

Wii widens Canadian sales gap [Gamespot]

Nintendo Rules Canadian Sales Charts

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 18:20:32 MDT

Our friends to the north love Nintendo, according to a report from the NPD Group. Canadian games snapped up over 37,000 Wiis last month, with Nintendo DS sales just shy of 36,000. The PlayStation 2 took the third spot, with its successor, the PLAYSTATION 3, just beating out the old Game Boy Advance. The Xbox 360 saw decent sales, almost twice that of the PS3.

On the softer side of Canada, game sales were similarly topped by Nintendo products. Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl outsold everything, with Wii software siblings Mario Party 8 and Wii Play taking spots three and four. The rest of the top 10 was very Xbox 360 heavy, indicating that high 360 attach rate isn't just a fad.

I'm sure the question we're all asking ourselves is, "Is Wii the new hockey?" Michael McWhertor

Canadian game sales up in May [Gamespot]

HistoriCanada Combines Fun With Canadian History

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 18:40:20 MDT

Think Canadian history is boring? I guess you haven't played HistoriCanada: The New World yet! That's understandable, though, as I haven't either. Yet, thousands upon thousands of Canadian schoolchildren will have the opportunity to do just that, as 2K Games is donating some 100,000 copies of the Civilization III mod to Canadian students for educational purposes. It doesn't hurt that the game comes with Civilization III: Conquests, either.

If you've got a hankering for some Canadian history and have a copy of Civ III, you can download the mod for free at the official HistoriCanada site. You can even score yourself some free MP3s of the game's soundtrack. Sorry, no Rush OR Bryan Adams. Michael McWhertor

2K donates Canada-specific Civ III mod to students [GameSpot]

Zoe, The EA Escort

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 07 May 2007 18:20:28 MDT

With "Booth Babes" a non-factor at E3 2007, EA Canada opted to up the cheesecake at their recent press event by introducing a new product, Limo Babes. For the brief stretch Excursion ride from EA's Burnaby, British Columbia offices to the Opus Hotel, where the press were shown new software, we were graced with the presence of our lovely "escort", Zoe, whose only purpose was chatting us up. She was one of three ladies hired for the trip, a move that inspired some raised eyebrows and (a real rarity) non-gaming conversation among my gaming press pals.

As one of them said later that night, after our rented limo passengers moved on to bigger and less nerdy things, "Maybe they don't realize some of us do get laid now and then." Hey, it was a first for me and she was very helpful with the luggage. Michael McWhertor

Xbox "Badges Of Honour" For Charity

Michael McWhertor — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 18:00:18 MST

Canadian Xbox fans can wear their nerd cred and their charitable nature on their sleeve with these limited edition Xbox buttons, now on sale at Blockbuster locations nation-wide. They're only two dollars Canadian (like, 3 cents American) and the proceeds go to the Children's Miracle Network charity. You can't lose!

Hey Canadian Kotaku readers! How about hooking up some of your fellow nerds to the south? We'll let you keep the coveted hockey badge. Michael McWhertor

Xbox Badges Of Honour [Xbox.com]

Some Scalpers Give Up, Return PS3s To Stores

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 18:40:38 MST

What are scalpers to do when they can't hock their once white-hot PlayStation 3s on eBay for massive profit? Eh, just return them to the store and get a refund. It seems that PlayStation 3 fever has cooled considerably, if the Hamilton Spectator is to be believed. eBay opportunists looking for a quick buck are having a hard time commanding more than 10% to 20% profit on their PS3s.

Restocked consoles will surely make gamers desperate for a PS3 happy, but retailers probably won't be pleased. And poor scalpers, they'll be making a 0% return on their investment, after sitting on hundreds of dollars of electronics, bundled accessories and games for six weeks.

Awww. I'm going to go clean up this mess caused by the excessive bleeding of my heart. Michael McWhertor

Scalpers returning PS3s to stores [Hamilton Spectator]

Maid Cafes Jump The Pond

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 23:00:04 MST

You know, it's late, so let's put the otaku back in Kotaku. Normally, the maid cafe thing is Ashcraft's beat, but when a maid cafe opens up in North America, I'm forced to report on it. It looks like the Ontarian population of Canada can enjoy the questionable noodles and haphazardly fried katsu pork the Akihabara crowd has been choking down for years. But now the lonely and dumpy can dine on unremarkable food with maid uniform clad cuties willing to make conversation.

If I ever make it back to Canada, I'm definitely trying the Garoupa Cutlet and the Love Season. Sounds delicious! Michael McWhertor

I Maid Cafe [via BoingBoing]