The holiday games market is under threat this year from actual, proper Somali pirates who are preying upon cargo ships off the Horn of Africa and beyond. Sadly, this lot seem to be eschewing Cornish accents and peg legs in favor of AK-47s and huge ex-Soviet trawler ships.

Shipping firms are now faced with the choice of braving pirate-infested waters or taking costly detours that can delay goods by several weeks.

"Despite all the publicity over piracy it will really hit home when consumers in the West find they haven't got their Nintendo gifts this Christmas," said Sam Dawson of the International Transport Workers' Federation.

No Nintendo Game This Xmas? Blame Somali Pirates

Among all this unfettered consumerism, Wal-Mart will showing off its nicer side by donating an estimated $20M to local charities around its stores including a $1.25 million grant to The Salvation Army.

As well as the promised discounts, Kotaku readers might wish to know about the $100 Wal-Mart gift card up for grabs when you buy an 80GB PS3 for $399. If that sounds like you kind of thing, the 'series of initiatives' will run for seven weeks from November 8th across North America.

Wal-Mart Launches Aggressive Holiday Price Cut Promotion [TWICE]

"We're producing an unprecedented level of hardware to try to meet demand,” said Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime, “We're flowing products into stores on a very regular basis. Once you see it on the shelf, you ought to buy it.”

Now, cynics might suggest that there is the tiniest possibility this might be a non-too-subtle marketing ruse aimed at encouraging you get down to the shops and buy up an armful of Wiis so that a) you will get one and b) there will then be a newsworthy shortage. Good job we aren't cynics.

"While we're bringing 50% higher level of supply into the market this holiday, we don't know if the demand will be even higher than that."

Hey! Why not buy two! Or even more!

Nintendo: 'We might not satisfy Wii demand this Christmas' [CVG]

Microsoft UK's Regional Director Neil Thompson told MCV that the recent price cuts are just the start of their holiday season campaign and that Microsoft are ready to spend big to ensure the Xbox 360 comes out on top,

“On marketing we’ll spend tens of millions[of pounds] – we’re going to engage in a very bold promotional push from now until Christmas.”

Thompson promised that (in the UK at least) there would be no console shortages this year saying that he had been "very bullish on supply."

Xbox spending ‘tens of millions’ on Xmas [MCV]

Look, I had the Christmas off yesterday, so forgive me for being one day late with the Angry Nintendo Nerd's very special Christian Rock edition of his classic NES game "reviews". This round he curses excessively in the general direction of Bible Adventures, Bible Buffet, Super Noah's Ark 3D, Spiritual Warfare and The King of Kings. In my opinion, hilarious stuff on rare games, only one of which I've ever played. Yeah, you probably have the week off, but this video is not safe for work. Michael McWhertor

Sometimes it's better to give than to annihilate entire nations with thermonuclear bombs. That's the philosophy behind this lovely mod of the PC strategy game DEFCON: Everybody Dies, the WarGames-like Introversion title in which the goal is to destroy your opponent while suffering fewer losses.

From mod author hellcatv, comes this very uplifting description.

Your mission is one of the most important mission that has taken place every year for hundreds of years. This mission requires you to do the impossible: DELIVER PRESENTS TO ALL THE BOYS AND GIRLS ALL OVER THE WORLD. You must position your distribution system before Christmas Eve. It's Christmas, and everybody wins. But maybe - just maybe - you can show your generosity the most.

Fun! If all that global destruction is getting you down, why not give the mod a shot and try distributing presents for massive giftage? Michael McWhertor

Christmas: In this game everybody wins. But maybe... [via Siliconera]

Sony, Nintendo, forget this Christmas. Next year? Maaaybe, but 2006 will be an "Xbox Xmas" says Microsoft marketing person Stephen McGill. Last year, the console launched and was meet with a buying frenzy. Microsoft believes that the 360 juggernaut isn't slowly down, but picking up speed. Big time games like zombie shopping game Dead Rising are out, shoot 'n' hide Gears of War is around the corner and tattoo-inducing Halo 3 has been promised. McGill explains:

Nowhere else have consumers got a better choice of great gaming and entertainment today, tomorrow and long into the future. I'm very confident this is going to be another Xbox Xmas...

Xbox 360 is the only place gamers can have such a great choice of gaming and entertainment and we intend to sing about that very loudly from the roof tops.

That better not mean Xbox 360 Christmas carols. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [MCV] via QJ