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UFC Undisputed Sells 3.5 Million
Before UFC 2009 Undisputed came out, publisher THQ was in trouble. Now that it’s out, THQ is doing just fine. That’ll happen when a single game sells millions. THQ announced this morning that across the 360 and PS3 the game has sold 3.5 million copies, and to celebrate will now be appearing on both console’s…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 2, 2010 -
Yup, Final Fantasy XIII Is Coming On Three Discs
On the PlayStation 3, Final Fantasy XIII will ship on a single Blu-Ray. Avantage of the format! On the Xbox 360, however, the game will – as expected – ship on three discs. Sources at Square Enix USA have confirmed with Kotaku the reports from yesterday, which have settled a long-running – if ultimately pointless…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 2, 2010 -
How To Make Final Fantasy XIII Sound Like A Broken Record
What are the odds I’d be mentioning the words “Final Fantasy” and “vinyl” in the same sentence two times in one week? This is “Music from Final Fantasy XIII“, an LP (yup, a proper vinyl, long-playing record) set for release in Japan later this month. All eight songs are already available on the game’s soundtrack,…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 2, 2010 -
Civilization: Network Will Be Playable This June
While there’s trepidation amongst many gamers as to the potential for “proper” Facebook games, there’s one series that was born for the social network platform: Civilization. Which is coming to Facebook, and whose beta will open in five month’s time. Civilization publisher Take Two has told Variety that the game’s open beta, which for an…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 2, 2010 -
What’s Happened To Nintendo’s “New Play Control”?
When first announced, Nintendo’s line of “New Play Control” games seemed like a great idea. Repackage games from the criminally unloved GameCube, then sell them onto a massive audience that missed them first time around. So what’s happened? It’s been over a year since the first “New Play Control” title was released in Japan, and…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 2, 2010 -
Playfish Working On A “Well-Known EA Brand” For 2010 Release
Playfish president Kristian Segerstrale, flush with cash after his casual gaming company was bought out by Electronic Arts last year, has told the Wall Street Journal of his plans for the year ahead. Among advice dished out to Playfish’s competitors and predictions of a “rapid maturing” in the casual scene over the next year or…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 2, 2010 -
CBS Not Happy With Dante’s Inferno Super Bowl Commercial [Update]
As with many of the game’s tactless marketing stunts, EA’s big Super Bowl trailer for Dante’s Inferno has run into a problem: broadcaster CBS has demanded edits to the commercial. Not for the dark, mature tone of the ad, nor the graphic scenes of violence which punctuate the clip; it’s because of the tagline used…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 2, 2010 -
The Tester’s Trailer Highlights Need For Quality Assurance
Haven’t yet made up your mind about Sony’s new reality series “The Tester”? Let this trailer help you decide. It makes you wonder whether, through all the tears, man-hugs and witless catch-phrases, these people know what they’re getting themselves in for.
By Luke Plunkett Published February 2, 2010 -
British Sales Charts: Let’s Mass Effect
Just Dance’s reign of terror has finally come to an end, BioWare’s Mass Effect 2 cruising straight into the top spot on the British charts. Ubisoft’s dancing title sits sandwiched between Mass Effect 2 and another impressive debut, Sony’s MAG, which came in at third. Third! For a multiplayer-only game that’s had a lot less…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 1, 2010 -
Capcom Turns A Profit!
It’s been a bad year for video game companies. Big losses, big layoffs. But one company, Capcom, appears to have sailed right on through, announcing today that over the past nine months things are looking just fine. Compared to the same period last year, net sales at the Japanese publisher were up 5.9%, operating income…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 1, 2010 -
Age Of Empires Godfather Working On…Settlers 7
Living legend Bruce Shelley, with Civilization and Age of Empires as notches on his belt, has been out of the limelight since his studio, Ensemble, went bust last year. So, Bruce, been keeping busy? You bet he has. Ubisoft has begun marketing Settlers 7 in the West, and to help boost awareness of the series…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 1, 2010 -
Flotilla, For All The Homeworld Fans Out There
Tired of waiting for Relic to release another Homeworld game? Try waiting for the release of Flotilla instead. An upcoming strategy title by indie outfit Blendo Games, Flotilla will look familiar to anyone who’s played 1999 game Homeworld, as its action takes place using an interface that’s very similar to that used in Relic’s classic…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 1, 2010 -
Final Fantasy VII & Rap Deals 9999 Damage
The same guys behind the brilliant Ocarina of Rhyme, Team Teamwork, have just released another mix of hip-hop and game soundtrack in the form of “Vinyl Fantasy VII”. Just like Ocarina, it takes the original music from the game and overlays it with the tracks from rappers like Murs, Ghostface and MF Doom. Was never…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 1, 2010 -
Pikachu Shrieks Like The Sirens Of Hades
Japanese circuit bender Kaseo loves taking Pikachu toys and doing wonderful things with them. We’ve seen his stuff before, with the legion of singing Pokemon, but his latest work is well worth a look. Witness the Pikatron, a handheld distortion device that’s basically a guitar-looking synthesiser that uses Pikachu as a medium to channel the…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 1, 2010 -
Sony Pleased As Punch With Apple’s iPad
While Nintendo president Satoru Iwata expressed some rather public disappointment with the new Apple iPad yesterday, representatives from rival firm Sony couldn’t be happier. “Apple’s entrance into the portable gaming space has been a net positive for Sony,” Sony’s John Koller, Director Hardware Marketing, told the Wall Street Journal. “When people want a deeper, richer…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 30, 2010 -
LittleWhite Knight Chronicles
Sony & Level 5’s White Knight Chronicles, for the PS3, is a very serious affair. Lots of world-saving, and giant creatures with sharp knees. So it’s refreshing to see the game’s characters presented in a softer light. This White Knight character pack for PS3 platformer LittleBigPlanet will be out on February 25, along with some…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 30, 2010 -
No Mature Games Allowed In Xbox Game Room
One of the biggest potential stumbling points for the 360’s (and PC’s!) Game Room – having to secure an endless stream of ESRB ratings – has been solved in a fairly unique way by Microsoft. Whereas similar platforms – like Nintendo’s Virtual Console for the Wii – submit each game to the ratings board individually,…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 30, 2010 -
EA Improving FIFA Online, Bringing It To The West
FIFA Online, EA’s free-to-play PC version of its blockbuster sports series, has been out in Asia for years. Keen to add some dollars and Euros to its coffers, though, EA will now be bringing the game to the West. Featuring three game modes (World Cup, League and Versus), FIFA Online’s attempt at lowering the bar…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 29, 2010
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