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PS3, PS2, PSP Software Sales Down
Across the board, Sony posted lower software sales on all three of its platforms: PS3, PSP and the PS2. The PS3 software sales were the highest at 14.8 million during the April – June 2009 quarter, but that’s down from 18.9 from the previous quarter and down from 40.8 million from the quarter before that.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 30, 2009 - Uncategorized
Sony Game Business Sales Down 18 Percent
Electronics giant Sony has released its April – June 2009 quarter financial earnings. Like most corporations operating in this sluggish global economy, Sony’s sales are down. According to a report issued by the company, “Game business sales and operating revenue declined 18.0 percent year on year, to ¥1,053.1 billion.” One of the main causes of…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 30, 2009 - Uncategorized
PS3, PSP Sales Down, PS2 Sales Up (?!)
You know it, we know it: times are tough. And Sony, Sony definitely know it, with the company’s freshly-released quarterly report highlighting declining sales for both the PS3 and PSP. But good news first! In the first quarter of the 2008 fiscal year, Sony sold 1.5 million PlayStation 2 consoles worldwide. In Q1 2009? That…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 30, 2009 - Uncategorized
Final Fantasy Anecdote Dated for Japan
DS title The Four Warriors of Light: A Final Fantasy Anecdote is a traditional turn-based roleplaying game for the Nintendo DS that tells the story of a boy trying to save a princess. It’s coming out in Japan! The game is dated for October 29 and is priced for ¥5,980 (US$63). Check out game play…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 30, 2009 - Uncategorized
Red Faction Guerrilla: 1 Million Served
More reasons for THQ to count their cash and keep on smiling: open-world hammer sim Red Faction Guerrilla has sold over a million copies since it launched early last month. And good for it! While the game has its problems with AI and endless spawning, the physics engine and emphasis on demolitions have made it…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 30, 2009 - Uncategorized
With Mr. T, This Could Have Been The Next Big Thing
Pandemic Studios was working on a Wii game called The Next Big Thing. It’s been canned, but here’s a trailer of what could’ve have been, well, the next big thing. Pandemic Studios Brisbane closed earlier this year. The embedded clip features the game’s working title, No Limits Racing. Pandemic’s Next Big Thing [Australian Gamer News…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 30, 2009 - Uncategorized
Left 4 Dead Meets The Sims, Francis Looks…Different
It had to happen. Somebody – in this case Ben Borthwick – has recreated Left 4 Dead in The Sims 3. Complete with a household narrative. I’ll spare you the story (you can read up on that yourself if you’re interested), and instead just focus on what he’s done to the characters. Well, what The…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 30, 2009 - Uncategorized
New Final Fantasy XIII Field Screens
A trio of gorgeous screens showing Final Fantasy XIII characters Lightning, Snow and Oerba in three very different FFXIII field settings. Beautiful stuff. Final Fantasy XIII is coming to the PS3 in Japan sometime this winter. スクエニ、PS3「FFXIII」情報総まとめ【後編】。バトルシステムや召喚獣、イベントシーンを公開 [Game Watch]
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 30, 2009 - Uncategorized
Sega: Fixing Sonic Is Going To Take Time
Once was a time Sonic games were just as good as Mario games. Some may even say better. That time, however, was back in the 1990’s. And it’s been a while since the 1990’s. Yet the blue hedgehog is still Sega’s most prominent mascot, and Sega keep on churning out Sonic games, even though they…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 30, 2009 - Uncategorized
Hey Nintendo, Why Aren’t Core Third Party Games Selling?
Third party Wii titles like MadWorld and The Conduit are aimed towards core gamers. And…they’re not selling so hot. Why the heck not? Tons of people own Nintendo Wii consoles. According to Nintendo’s Denise Kaigler, “You know, I don’t know. It’s hard to say. It could be titles have the same type of sales curve…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 30, 2009 - Uncategorized
Punch Sackboy, Right In His Goofy Little Face
The tables, they have been turned. Rather than having other characters appear in his game, Sackboy is making the leap into somebody else’s. The game in question is Rag Doll Kung-Fu, and he’ll be made available as a playable character as part of tomorrow’s PlayStation Store update, where he’ll join the game’s unlockable characters in…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 29, 2009 - Uncategorized
PaRappa Creator Exploring Platform Options
The DS has been a juggernaut in Japan, racking up amazing sales. But nothing lasts forever, not even strong platform sales. PaRappa The Rapper creator Masaya Matsuura is looking for a new option for platform development. “I think many developers and publishers are just focusing on DS but everybody understands [DS’ significance in the market]…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 29, 2009 - Uncategorized
Happy Birthday ESRB!
Happy Birthday ESRB! Fifteen years ago to the day, SEGA and Nintendo proposed the Entertainment Software Rating Board in the wake of the Mortal Kombat gore game controversy. As Wired points out, the original ratings were: • Early Childhood (eC): Suitable for ages 3 and over, usually educational in nature. • Kids to Adults (K-A):…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 29, 2009 - Uncategorized
Yakuza 3 So Not Coming To America
I’ve played the demo for Yakuza 3. It’s pretty good! I loved the way it revels in the minutiae of Japanese culture, right down to the fully-stocked convenience stores. Sadly, the demo is as close as I’m going to get. Sega America’s Ray Almeda has told The Examiner that the game won’t be released in…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 29, 2009 - Uncategorized
Dreamcast, NES Ported to Papercraft
Sure, they don’t work, but these cardboard consoles definitely start more conversations. Best part, you don’t even need tape or glue. Thicker paper is recommended, as is a nice printer that can handle 150dpi printouts. You don’t technically even need color, like these old-school pals. (There is a little bit of red, in the logos;…
By Owen Good Published July 29, 2009 - Uncategorized
Punch-Out!! Developer Envisions, Wants Sequel
Unsurprisingly, the developer of the critically acclaimed Wii re-imagining of Nintendo’s Punch-Out!! would like to make a sequel. Yes, Next Level Games enjoys steady work and continued paychecks apparently. But the proposed ideas for a sequel are what’s interesting. Next Level Games’ gameplay lead Bryce Holliday tells the Official Nitnendo Magazine UK that the developer…
By Michael McWhertor Published July 29, 2009 - Uncategorized
Your 360 Needs HDMI for Avatar’s 3D Effects
If you ponied up for a 3D-enabled TV because you want to take advantage of 3D-enabled games, you need to make sure you have an HDMI-enabled console to go with that. Ubisoft reminds us that James Cameron’s Avatar: The Video Game will need 1080p resolution from an HDMI cable if you’re grabbing up that game…
By Owen Good Published July 29, 2009 - Uncategorized
Report: Games Underserve, Underrepresent Minorities
A report from the USC Annenberg School for Communication finds that the video game racial landscape has a long way to go to match that of American society, fairing about as well or worse than that of television. The study surveyed the “top 150 games in a year across nine platforms and all rating levels”…
By Michael McWhertor Published July 29, 2009 - Uncategorized
See The GLAAD On Games Panel For Yourself
If your Kotaku comment made it into the talking points of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation panel a couple of weeks ago, this video immortalizes your screen name. Even if you weren’t one of the chosen few, you can still get a lot from watching what went on at the panel. I pulled…
By AJ Glasser Published July 29, 2009 - Uncategorized
The Bachelor, The Bachelorette Find Video Game Love
Good news, lonely gamers. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has signed on with Ludia to pump out games based on ABC’s The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, letting you experience the romantic thrill of combing through scores of suitors from your couch. Expect games based on both dating games to ship “across multiple platforms” following the conclusion…
By Michael McWhertor Published July 29, 2009