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  Holiday Greetings From Penny Arcade, Nintendo, Blizzard and Others

  I was out of town for the two weeks surrounding Christmas so despite my best efforts, I didn’t post all of the gaming greeting cards I received over the holidays. Here’s a round up of some of the best ones that made it to my door when I wasn’t home, including cards from David Jaffe’s…

  By Brian Crecente Published January 5, 2009
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  XBLA Kicks Off The New Year With Interpol

  The last few weeks of Xbox Live Arcade games were a boon to the more casual gamer, and the first game of the new year continues the trend with TikiGames’ Interpol: The Trail of Dr. Chaos. Interpol is a puzzle game in which players travel the world, searching amazingly cluttered crime scenes for clues to…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 5, 2009
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  EVE Online Breaks Concurrent User Record

  Five years old and growing! EVE Online celebrated the beginning of the new year by reaching a new record for concurrent users connected to the game, with more than 45,000 players online at once. The exact number is 45,186 users, all going about their business in New Eden. Perhaps not impressive numbers when compared to…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 5, 2009
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  LittleBigJackson: Yes, Sackboys Can Moonwalk

  This may not quite have the lip-syncing down and the level design leaves a bit to be desired, but the idea is wonderful. And let’s not forget how awesome LittleBigJackson looks in sack cloth. Here’s hoping for more LittleBigPlanet Machinima and music videos. [Thanks Harold]

  By Brian Crecente Published January 5, 2009
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  Xbox’s Best Euro Christmas Ever

  Gather round for a rousing bout of back slapping and carousing as the Xbox brand celebrates its best European Christmas season in six years, with 100% growth over last December. The press release is filled with quotes, specifically from the likes of Xbox’s Regional Vice President of Interactive Entertainment Chris Lewis, who could go on…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 5, 2009
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  Microsoft Wants Radiant Silvergun For XBLA

  In an interview with Gamasutra, Treasure CEO Masato Maegawa reveals that Microsoft has requested the classic Saturn shoot-em Radiant Silvergun for Xbox Live Arcade, but Treasure has yet to say yes. Radiant Silvergun is a classic shooter that’s developed a cult following despite the fact that it never saw release here in the states. In…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 5, 2009
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  Lenovo Packs Motion Gaming Controller In With New Desktop

  Lenovo rolled out their new line of computers today in preparation for the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show. Among the list is an “all-in-one” desktop that includes a motion-sensing remote for gaming. The IdeaCentre A600 All-in-One Desktop includes a 21.5-inch frameless screen, integrated speakers, digital TV tuner and a 4-in-1 optional remote controller. “It is the…

  By Brian Crecente Published January 5, 2009
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  Bungie Relaxes Halo 3 Push To Talk Restrictions

  And here I thought no one was listening. In Bungie’s latest weekly update Urk reveals that the push to talk feature in Halo 3 is getting a bit less restrictive. Since the game was launched, any player on a team larger than four had to press the d-pad in order to talk during a match.…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 5, 2009
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  Weekly Wii Update: Kirby And Crab Battles

  It’s a brand new year for Nintendo Wii downloadables, and while this week sees only a game a piece released for the Virtual Console and WiiWare, there’s enough Kirby and crab battles for 20 titles. Yes, I said Crab Battles. Today Konami releases Sandy Beach for WiiWare (500 Wii Points), a title that lets you…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 5, 2009
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  Teen Sucks At Gaming, Torches Warehouse

  A high school student frustrated over a recent gaming session at an internet cafe in South Korea set light to a warehouse Saturday evening. The 15-year-old told police that he torched the warehouse, located at the top of a four-story building, because “his computer games did not go well.” The fire did an estimated four…

  By Brian Crecente Published January 5, 2009
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  Has 2009 Hit You Yet?

  To: Crecente From: Bashcraft Don’t know about you, but it takes me a good month to get used to the year change. Pretty much all of January, I’m still in “2008” mode. Never really hits me until early February. I mean, 2009? That’s close to 2010 — twenty ten. No more of this “two thousand…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 5, 2009
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  Valkyria Chronicles Wants YOU

  Valkyria Chronicles hasn’t done so well. Shame, it’s a gorgeous game. Can’t help but wonder what’d be like if Sega had managed to actually draw our attention to marketing like this before 2009 ticked over. Lovely, yes? No way we could refuse such a tempting offer. [Sega @ Flickr]

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 5, 2009
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  PC Sales Charts

  Holiday’s over, PC sales charts. You had a grand couple weeks off, now get back to work. We need to be shown how Blizzard are able to afford to sprinkle gold dust on the canteen doughnuts. NPD Sales Charts December 14-20 [via Shacknews] 1. World Of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King 2. Spore 3.…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 5, 2009
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  Hideo Kojima Thinks “Way We Make Games Won’t Translate Globally”

  It’s foreign game panic day! Like Jun Takeuchi, Hideo Kojima is worried about Western games and Western developers. He tells Japanese magazine Famitsu what he’s going to do about it. Kojima mentions that he plans to “start from zero” this year in hopes of competing globally. The game creator says that his company Kojima Productions…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 5, 2009
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  360 Finally Gets Mouse & Keyboard Support

  This 360 has mouse & keyboard support! Yay! Except, sadly, it’s not official support. Just the work of a modder. But hey, if he can do it, maybe you can do it too. And if you can’t, you can always buy it from him. XIM, the creator of the workaround, is selling the fix –…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 5, 2009
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  Last Year, Japanese Game Market Experienced Shrinkage

  According to Famitsu‘s publisher Enterbrain, the Japanese game market is, like a frightened turtle, getting smaller compared to last year. But what was the biggest selling game hardware? Games? The data for 2007 reflects the period from January 1, 2007 to December 3, 2007. The data for 2008 reflects the period from December 31, 2007…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 5, 2009
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  Sony To Close “Major Divisions” Next Month

  Times are tough all over right now, but times are especially tough at Sony. They’ve only just announced plans to axe thousands of employees, and already The Times reckon things are about to get worse. While Sony are all “no we’re not” on the speculation/leak, The Times insist that next month (following the Consumer Electronics…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 5, 2009
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  Massive Gundam Pod Arcade Game Getting PSP Version

  Japanese arcade title Gundam Senjou no Kizuna is rumored to be getting a PSP version. Interesting (odd, even) as the original has pod-shaped networked arcade cabinets with panoramic screens. Nothing’s been confirmed by Namco Bandai or the arcade game’s site, this PSP reboot is apparently slated for next March. If this is true, this does…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 5, 2009
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  New Dragon Quest IX Screens

  Dragon Quest IX is coming. Japan shall quake upon its release. While we wait out these last few months before it’s out, then, let’s take a look at about a gazillion new screenshots! Oh, and some new details as well. The game’s main character starts off as an angel. And that tanned girl? She’s tanned…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 5, 2009
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  Resident Evil 5 Producer: “Japan Is Target Of Western Developers”

  Watch out, Japan! Western game developers are out to getcha. This concerns Resident Evil 5 producer Jun Takeuchi a bunch. But should it? Takeuchi confesses to Japanese magazine Famitsu: “I’m worried about the movements of Western developers. Japan is now their target — it’s the last big marketplace. The truth is that Western studios are…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 5, 2009