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SEGA Sees Wii As Hardcore Opportunity
The Wii’s ratio of hardcore games to casual titles is low. SEGA doesn’t see that as a bad thing, but rather, an opportunity. SEGA Europe’s Alan Pritchard explains cites the success of both Resident Evil 4 and Red Steel on the Wii. “But since then, many publishers have migrated towards the more mass-market family titles,”…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 20, 2009 - Uncategorized
Jaleco Holdings Is Leaving The Video Game Business
Jaleco Holdings is leaving the industry. As of January 15, 2009, the company transferred 100 percent of ownership in subsidiary Jaleco, best known for Bases Loaded, to an online game company GAME YAROU. Jaleco has been struggling for the past decade, and Jaleco Holdings was created in 2006 with Jaleco spun off into a separate…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 20, 2009 - Uncategorized
Left 4 Dead Shirt Avoids Tacky Zombies, Arrives Safely In Tasteville
Most gaming shirts are awful (though not all!). Most riffs on the classic “John Paul Ringo George” shirt are awful (though not all!). This shirt is both of those, but is not awful. Designed by bigdukesix over at Zazzle, and lemon colour scheme aside, it’s pretty neat. It’ll also be gone by the time you…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 20, 2009 - Uncategorized
Sony Releases v5.03 Firmware
The latest PSP firmware update, v5.03, is hitting. According to Sony, it’s a small update that improves system software stability during the use of some features. What exactly those feature are, Sony’s PlayStation.Blog would not say. So here’s a picture of Tim Curry. PSP 5.03 Update [PlayStation.Blog]
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 20, 2009 - Uncategorized
Do You Think Nathan Drake Is “Bigger” Than Lara Croft?
Well, do you? We’re curious. Because Naughty Dog’s Bruce Straley thinks the Uncharted star already is, and is a little taken aback that you don’t all think the same. When asked by CVG whether he thought Nathan Drake could ever challenge Lara Croft in the popularity stakes, Straley responds: Why do you think he’s not…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 20, 2009 - Uncategorized
Yes We Are Aware The Front Page Is All Mucked Up [Update: All Fixed!]
Everything has switched to title-only quicklinks from the Day Note and up. Don’t Panic! Tech is working on a fix, and hopefully we’ll be back to (front page) business as usual. Until then, sit tight and drink hot chocolate. Update: And we’re baaaack! Still, we recommend hot chocolate. Cute robots go well with hot chocolate.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 20, 2009 - Uncategorized
No Photography, No Jumping, No Zombies
We already knew that Dead Rising: Chop ‘Til You Drop is lacking in the brain-eating-walking-dead department. But it’s missing more than just zombies — some of it good, some of it very bad. According to the latest Nintendo Power (via Capcom-Unity), there are the differences in Dead Rising: Chop ‘Til You Drop You ready? Cause…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 19, 2009 - Uncategorized
More Gears Of War 2 Achievements? Sure, Why Not
While we don’t yet have a release date for the Gears 2 patch Chocolate Rein promised the other day, we do have a little more information, in the form of seven new achievements. They’ve recently turned up on Xbox.com, and appear certain to go live once the patch is released to the public. In all,…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 19, 2009 - Uncategorized
Dawn Of War II Shipping Early
Last we heard, Relics’ second swing at a Warhammer 40K strategy game was due on February 27. Since then, however, things have changed, and the release has been bumped up a few days. Yes, up. Not delayed. Pushed up. Brilliant. The game “went gold” earlier this week, and instead of hitting shelves on February 27,…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 19, 2009 - Uncategorized
Final Fantasy Legend II Site Launches
Square Enix has launched a SaGa 2 (aka Final Fantasy Legend II) site. It’s bare bones. The story, character info and trailer aren’t yet online — but the website does have a 20th Anniversary trailer and a staff credits list. The team has worked on past SaGa titles. The site is playing the game’s theme…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 19, 2009 - Uncategorized
Vintage Computing Identifies First Black Character In Gaming
Barack Obama will be inaugurated as President of the United States tomorrow, the first black man to take the nation’s highest office. Obviously, that begs the question: Who was the first black video game character? Vintage Computing and Gaming’s Benj Edwards thinks he’s found the man, the “Jackie Robinson of video games,” in Atari’s Basketball…
By Michael McWhertor Published January 19, 2009 - Uncategorized
Massive Wii Game Sales Driven By Only A Handful Of Wii Games
Pareto’s Principle says 80% of effects are brought about by only 20% of causes. It’s a handy rule, and one the NPD Group are busting out to try and explain 2008’s year in software sales. See, over the last few years, video game sales have held true to Pareto’s Principle. In that 20% of games…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 19, 2009 - Uncategorized
Midway’s Wheelman Gets Screens, Release Date, Demo
Seems Wheelman has hit some traffic on the way to store shelves. The Vin Diesel vehicle won’t make its previously scheduled February release date, but is now locked in for a March 20th arrival. The better news for fans of Mr. Diesel and open-world driving games is that a pre-release demo of Wheelman will be…
By Michael McWhertor Published January 19, 2009 - Uncategorized
WipEout Pulse Pegged For PS2 Port, Fat Princess For March
Sony may be planning at least one more PSP to PlayStation 2 port, if a Q1 European release list is accurate. Do you best not to get too excited about the prospect, please. Last year’s Wipeout Pulse may be the latest to jump from the PSP’s wee screen to whatever the PlayStation 2 may be…
By Michael McWhertor Published January 19, 2009 - Uncategorized
The House Of The Dead Overkill Gets A Hand Cannon
When the Wii Zapper simply isn’t hand cannon enough, turn to Sega’s semi-official Wii… Hand Cannon. Released in conjunction with The House of the Dead Overkill, it turns Wii Remotes into something far manlier. The Hand Cannon attachment, from peripheral maker Venom, is available for pre-order for UK customers via retailer Amazon. It looks like…
By Michael McWhertor Published January 19, 2009 - Uncategorized
Max Payne: The Movie Inflicts Viewer Pain On DVD, Blu-ray Tomorrow
If you missed the theatrical release of Mark Wahlberg’s go as Max Payne in Max Payne, you can catch it on DVD and Blu-ray starting tomorrow in one of three flavors. All three editions of Max Payne sport an unrated version of the film not shown in theaters, as well as the theatrical cut. The…
By Michael McWhertor Published January 19, 2009 - Uncategorized
Not A Pretty Day Note
To: Ash From: Crecente Re: Man, it’s been a really bad couple of days. Yesterday we had to rush our greyhound to the emergency vet because she was dripping blood out of places, well places you normally don’t see blood dripping from. They treated her, to the tune of $500, and then sent her home.…
By Brian Crecente Published January 19, 2009 - Uncategorized
Midway Goes A Little iPhone Crazy
You’ve probably heard that Midway’s in a bit of a financial bind right now, a bit hungry for cash. How can they turn it around? Maybe with an iPhone game? Maybe with five of ’em? Well, the Chicago-based developer/publisher is giving it a go, announcing a quintet of iPhone and iPod Touch-bound games for later…
By Michael McWhertor Published January 19, 2009 -
CultureBest. Marble. Madness. Player. Ever. Period.
On my very best day, I can maybe beat the second level of Marble Madness. But to blaze through the entire arcade game in under two minutes, thirty seconds? Just shy of impossible, personally. Not for the subject of the above video, lifted from Japanese video sharing site Nico Nico Douga, making it presumably of…
By Michael McWhertor Published January 19, 2009 - Uncategorized
Welcome To the Family: A Letter From Nintendo’s Cammie Dunaway
Welcome to the Family is a series of three letters that will run this week from the heads of Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo. We asked each of the companies to write up a welcome letter to new owners of their consoles. They did the rest. We are running them in the order they were received.…
By Brian Crecente Published January 19, 2009