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  Japanese Hardware Sales Tally

  Tally ho! So to speak. Famitsu publisher Enterbrain has released hardware sales figures for Japan. The data was collected between December 29, 2008 and December 27, 2009, and the data is for Japan. The numbers for the DS include all variations — the same for the PSP and the PS3. Nintendo DS 2009 estimated sales:…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 5, 2010
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  In Europe, Monster Hunter Is Now Nintendo’s Baby

  In Japan and North America, Monster Hunter Tri is a Capcom game, developed, published and distributed by the company. But in Europe and Australia? It’s now Nintendo’s problem. The announcement was made earlier today by Capcom, who say that while they’ll still technically be acting as publisher, Nintendo will be “responsible for the sales, marketing…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 5, 2010
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  Kenka Bancho, The Badass Nationwide Dominating Movie

  School tough guys, punching and kicking. The tongue-planted-firmly-in-cheek fighting game Kenka Bancho isn’t only getting a new PSP game in Japan this February, but a feature length motion picture. This March, Kenka Bancho ~ Zenkoku Seiha (Nationwide Domination) gets a theatrical release. Hero Takashi Sakamoto gets in, well, a fight during a school trip after…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 5, 2010
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  WoW’s Chinese Future Still Up In The Air

  Having been suspended from operating in the country since November, it appears that World of Warcraft’s future in China has been decided, and will be announced sometime this month. That’s according to Chinese media giants Sohu, who say that the two government agencies engaged in a territorial dispute over the title – the General Administration…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 5, 2010
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  2009’s Top Five Selling Games in Japan

  Last year is so…last year. This being January, it is time to look back at some numbers Famitsu publisher Enterbrain has crunched. The data, just released today, was collected between December 29, 2008 and December 27, 2009. 5. Final Fantasy XIII Launch: December 17, 2009 Estimated Sales Tally: 1,698,256 copies 4. Tomodachi Collection Launch: June…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 5, 2010
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  Well, Guitar Hero: Van Halen Did Need Better Box Art

  Guitar Hero: Van Halen couldn’t be more underwhelming as a product if it had “UNDERWHELMING!” as a bullet point on the back of the box. But with the right box art…hmm… Seizing upon a rare moment’s peace, a bored GameStop employee came up with this. Which is not only an amazingly life-like portrait of the…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 5, 2010
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  In 2009, Japanese Game Market Shrinkage Continued

  In the West, the video game market is growing. In Japan, it is not. As with 2008, the domestic Japanese market size has been on a downward slide, getting smaller and smaller. In data collected by Famitsu publisher Enterbrain between December 12, 2008 and December 27, 2009, both hardware and software sales were down. Software…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 5, 2010
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  Dare You Object To Some Phoenix Wright: Wii Videos?

  Just like the handheld versions, lawyer adventure series Phoenix Wright on WiiWare is shipping in Japan with English language support included. Which means we can watch some gameplay clips and know what the hell’s going on! Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney WiiWare First Look! [Capcom]

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 5, 2010
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  D3 Publisher Spelling Mistake Explained

  Japanese game company D3 Publisher chalked up one of the most embarrassing misspellings of 2009: That of the company’s own name, D3 Publisher, in a game trailer. There is a reason for that, says the company. According to a spokesperson, “It was supposed to be ‘PURLISHER’ with a ‘R’ there and not a ‘P’.” The…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 5, 2010
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  Be An Australian Games Censor For A Day!

  Ever wanted to be a trigger-happy member of the Australian Classification Board, decide what’s fit for public consumption and what’s not? Today’s your lucky day, as "Ban This Game!" lets you do just that. Put together by Conor O’Kane, who also did the excellent Harpooned, BTG!’s premise is simple. If a game “crosses the line”,…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 5, 2010
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  This Final Fantasy XIII Bug Jumps For Joy

  Since first being shown at the 2006 E3 gaming expo in Los Angeles, gamers have been eagerly looking forward to Final Fantasy XIII. They have not been looking forward to the in-game bugs. Add this interminable jumping bug to the list of bugs that, like the LSD bug, apparently slipped past Square Enix quality control.…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 5, 2010
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  What Will Be Gaming’s Next Hot Destination?

  The movie business tends to run with trends. It’s why in one year you can get two movies about vampires, or Houdini, or Sherlock Holmes. The video game business is no different. Take Africa, for example. For years, the continent – and, let’s not forget, the continent’s inhabitants – had been largely ignored by an…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 5, 2010
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  Modern Warfare 2 Soundtrack Album Oscar Mike!

  Hans Zimmer, who has composed movie soundtracks for Hollywood flicks like Rain Man and Crimson Tide, scored Infinity Ward‘s blockbuster shooter Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Zimmer’s Facebook fan page announces that an MW2 original soundtrack is in the works — no word yet on a release date or release formats. Last fall, Zimmer…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 5, 2010
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  What Kind Of Man Would Steal His Mother’s Wii?

  A 23 year-old man from Spring Hill, Florida has been charged with theft and dealing in stolen property after he nicked his mother’s Nintendo Wii and sold it to buy cigarettes and booze. Christopher Bayko allegedly stole the Wii last month then sold it to a local pawn shop. When his mother noticed her console…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 5, 2010
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  A Week In Comments

  OnLive Boss Gives Live (And Long) OnLive Presentation Comment by: Evdor Nominated by: (Starman) NONAME I have no investment in the thing’s current success—hell, if it somehow makes it, it does, and he could be fooling all of us. With that said: What they’re really looking for right now is money, investments. If you’re that…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 5, 2010
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  Dragon Age: Origins Won’t Return To Ostagar On Time

  BioWare’s plans to release the Return to Ostagar downloadable content pack for Dragon Age: Origins have been put on hold at the eleventh hour, with no new ETA revealed for the expansion. Previously planned to release on the Xbox 360 and PC on Tuesday, January 5th, BioWare will instead not release it on Tuesday, January…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 4, 2010
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  Kotaku Off Topic: Jack’s Back

  It’s not really fair. The Kotaku morning crew gets Talk Amongst Yourselves, the open thread that commenters control, where (almost) anything goes. What does the Kotaku night crew get? The vastly superior Off Topic, starting today. What is Off Topic? Well, it’s not really about video games, but it’s also open to video game discussion.…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 4, 2010
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  Family Guy Teaches Us How to Drive — Using Grand Theft Auto

  Last night on a very special Family Guy: When Peter loses his memory, he needs to re-learn everything. That includes driving. Trouble follows when Lois hooks him up to the murder simulator. By the way, can you tell that’s a hooker? It’s a hooker. Look how she’s dressed. Peter Uses Grand Theft Auto as a…

  By Owen Good Published January 4, 2010
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  Muscle March Seems A Little More Than E10+ Described This Way

  When the bizarre, oiled-up bodybuilders of Namco Bandai‘s WiiWare racing-puzzler Muscle March meet the in-depth, often clinical descriptions of the ESRB, sometimes we see games in a whole new light. And maybe it’s just the exposed flesh to “super-tight Speedos” ratio, but Muscle March seems somehow a little more deserving of something beyond an E10+…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 4, 2010
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  EA Sticks with Tiger Woods Online; Mum on Console Games

  Announcing an open beta of EA Sports‘ browser-based PGA Tour game later this month, Peter Moore says EA Sports is sticking with embattled golfer Tiger Woods “on the masthead of this game.” “Our relationship with Tiger has always been rooted in golf,” Moore wrote on his official blog late Monday. “We didn’t form a relationship…

  By Owen Good Published January 4, 2010