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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 28/7/2010: Free L4D2 for Banned users
PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 6:12 am 
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at least they admit to their mistakes unlike apple, and compensate well too :D

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 28/7/2010: Free L4D2 for Banned users
PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 5:10 pm 
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Fable III PC delayed

Windows version of upcoming action role-playing game now "on a different schedule" than Xbox 360 cousin; won't make previously scheduled October 26 debut.

Microsoft and Lionhead Studios surprised many gamers when the two announced that a PC version of Fable III would be released alongside the console version on October 26. However, those awaiting the Windows version of the third installment are going to have to wait longer, as the game has been slapped with a delay.

Microsoft has not confirmed an updated release date for the PC version of Fable III and said only that the game is now on a "different schedule" than the Xbox 360 version.

"The console and PC versions are now on different schedules as we’re focusing on building experiences optimized for each platform," read a statement given to GameSpot. "We aren’t announcing a ship date for the PC SKU at this time, but expect news soon."

Developed by Lionhead Studios, Fable III will cast players as the king or queen of Albion, tasking them with commanding their realm, keeping the peace, and waging war.

In other Fable news, yesterday, Lionhead Studios and Microsoft unleashed the Fable III Villager Maker tool on Xbox.com. The Web-based app lets those who preorder the game create a custom character that can be migrated to the full game.

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 04/8/2010: Fable III PC delayed
PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 8:45 pm 
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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 04/8/2010: Fable III PC delayed
PostPosted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 11:34 pm 
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loled at first post in thread xD
btw is there a fable 2 for PC yet?

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 04/8/2010: Fable III PC delayed
PostPosted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 8:30 am 
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poehalcho wrote:
loled at first post in thread xD
btw is there a fable 2 for PC yet?


no, doubt there will ever be one :soosad:

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 04/8/2010: Fable III PC delayed
PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 9:15 am 
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Dragon Age: Origins 'Witch Hunt' DLC creeping Sept. 7

BioWare announces latest add-on pack for high fantasy role-playing game; content focuses on witch woman Morrigan, concludes Origins narrative.

At Gamescom 2010 in Germany last week, BioWare announced that Dragon Age II would hit the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC on March 8. But the studio hasn’t forgotten about the original installment.

BioWare today announced the Witch Hunt downloadable content pack for Dragon Age: Origins. The expansion will hit the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC on September 7 priced at $7 (560 Microsoft points).

As for the content's narrative, Witch Hunt casts players as a Warden and tasks them with confronting the elusive Morrigan, who disappeared during the events of Dragon Age: Origins. Players will enlist the help of at least three new characters in the fight, the first of which is the gifted Dalish warrior Ariane.

A Web site for Witch Hunt launched today, where two empty character slots sit, a likely indicator that BioWare will reveal the other characters later.

For their efforts in Witch Hunt, players will earn "powerful rewards" that transfer to Origins and prior significant expansion pack Awakening. Additionally, players will be able to import their Awakening or Origins characters into Witch Hunt.

Witch Hunt follows the Golems of Amgarrak add-on that released on August 10, which took players back to the dwarven realm of Orzammar.

As for the upcoming sequel, Dragon Age II is set over a 10-year period, according to BioWare. It will see the player transform Blight survivor Hawke from "a destitute refugee to the revered champion of the land," with new combat mechanics for the game's three classes, as well as "an entirely new cinematic experience."

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 26/8/2010: DA:O'Witch Hunt' DLC
PostPosted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 6:20 am 
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Microsoft raising Xbox Live fees

US annual subscription jumping $10 to $60 as prices go up across North America, UK starting November 1; discounts offered in meantime.

Microsoft gave Xbox Live Gold subscribers some good news and some bad news today. The bad news is that starting November 1, the company is instituting a wave of price hikes in the North American and UK Xbox Live subscription plans. The good news is that until those hikes go through, gamers in the US can sign on to a full year of the program or renew their current subscription at a discount.

Currently, a 12-month subscription to Xbox Live Gold sells for $50 in the US. With the November increase, that same term will cost gamers $60, although Microsoft is offering annual subscriptions for $40 until the new pricing takes effect. The month-by-month plan price is also rising from $8 to $10, with three-month plans going up from $20 to $25.

In the UK and Canada, only the month-by-month plans are being adjusted. Canadians will have to pay $10 a month instead of $9, while their transatlantic counterparts will see the cost of the same term jump from £5 to £6. Finally, Mexico's full-year subscription fee is also being amended, rising from its current 499 pesos to 599 pesos.

Electronic Entertainment Design and Research analyst Jesse Divnich downplayed the importance of the fee hikes, pointing out that the average price of a new game has also jumped from $50 to $60 since Xbox Live's debut in 2002. He said the move would likely do little to impact the Xbox 360's momentum, or even consumers themselves, in the near-term.

"EEDAR does not believe the $10 price increase will fully affect current Xbox Live Gold subscribers until late 2011 and beyond, as Microsoft will likely run numerous promotions allowing users to renew at cheaper rates," Divnich said.

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 31/8/2010: Xbox Live fees raising
PostPosted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 6:31 am 
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They then screwed up (at walmart at least) by A. the cards at first not asking to be swiped through register to actually activate them (lots of exchanges because of that) and B. Then having cards be swiped, but not accepting any of them then as well... Good job microsoft/walmart.

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 31/8/2010: Xbox Live fees raising
PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 12:38 am 
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Just a QQ post from me

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 31/8/2010: Xbox Live fees raising
PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 11:35 pm 
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Luls ^
Only reason I have Live is for Reach. $50 a year doesn't seem like much, but $60 for some reason seems like too much now =\

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 07/10/2010: Dead Rising 2 DLC Oct 12th
PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 11:31 am 
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Dead Rising 2 DLC theme packs lurch out October 12

Capcom's zombie-overrun action adventure getting Psychopath, Soldier of Fortune, Sport, and Ninja packs with new weapons, abilities, clothes starting next week.

Capcom has pursued an aggressive downloadable content strategy with Dead Rising 2, one that began before the game's September 28 launch and will extend at least into November. Thus far, that strategy has included the record-setting prologue episode Case Zero, and Capcom confirmed during this year's Tokyo Game Show that it would also release the epilogue add-on Case West in the near future.

As it would turn out, Capcom also has more traditional DLC in the works, announcing today a quartet of theme packs for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 editions of Dead Rising 2. The first of these packs will be available on October 12, and Capcom will roll out the remainder at the rate of one a week until November 2.

The Psychopath Theme Pack kicks off the new content, removing all doubt of Chuck's mental stability and making him more difficult to kill. The pack also includes new takes on weapons such as chainsaws, cleavers, and axes. On October 19, Capcom will release the Soldier of Fortune pack, allowing Chuck to "Rambo out" with double ammo, increased shooting accuracy, increased damage, and added headshot accuracy.

Capcom's October 26 update will be for sports fans, as it increases the damage of weapons ranging from baseball bats to basketballs. The Sports pack also includes a new charge/tackle attack, presumably meant to imitate a linebacker blitz. The theme packs will conclude on November 2 with the release of the Ninja add-on. The pack includes a new stealth mode, in which zombies must be much closer to Chuck before becoming aggro.

All of the packs also include new costumes and clothing that Chuck can mix and match with other items in the game. Capcom did not provide pricing information for the packs and had not responded to requests for comment as of press time.

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 Post subject: GAME NEWS 19/10/2010: 30 million Steam-ed
PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 3:56 pm 
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30 million Steam-ed

Valve's digital distribution service hits new milestone on the back of 178 percent user growth; unit sales spike 200 percent in last 12 months.

Valve's online portal Steam has become inexorably linked to the ongoing conversation of digital distribution, so it comes as no surprise that the service continues to grow. Today, Valve announced that its game-delivery and community service now boasts more than 30 million active accounts.

The previous 12 months have been fruitful for Steam. According to Valve, user growth is up 178 percent year-over-year during the October 1, 2009, to September 30, 2010, period, and peak simultaneous players reached a high of more than 3 million users. More than 6 million people use Steam daily, the studio noted.

The explosive growth in users has been accompanied by a substantial increase in sales. Although Valve did not provide a specific unit figure, the studio did say that sales increased by more than 200 percent during the past 12 months. The studio also noted that its strong unit-sales growth puts the service on track for achieving more than 100 percent growth for the sixth straight calendar year.

"Steam is on track to record the biggest year in its six year history," Gabe Newell, president of Valve, said in a statement. "The year has marked major development advances to the platform with the introduction of support for Mac titles, the Steam Wallet and in-game item buying support, and more. We believe the growth in accounts, sales, and player numbers is completely tied to this work and we plan to continue to develop the platform to offer more marketing, sales, and design tools for developers and publishers of games and digital entertainment."

Launched in September 2003, Steam currently features more than 1,200 games. Beyond Valve's own catalog of award-winning titles that include the Half-Life, Left 4 Dead, and Portal franchises, Steam includes support from top-tier publishers ranging from Sega to Ubisoft. The service also plays host to a variety of indie-developed titles.

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 19/10/2010: 30 million Steam-ed
PostPosted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 7:34 am 
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Kinect cost $56 to make - Report

UBM Tech Insights opens up Microsoft's new motion-control technology and prices out each of the components within.

Microsoft's full-body motion-control tech, the Kinect, was released at the beginning of the month at the $150 price point. The company had previously said that it would sell every Kinect unit at a profit, and now, it appears that margin is in fact quite large.

According to UBM Tech Insights (via EETimes), who tore apart a Kinect unit and priced each of its components, the per-unit cost of a Kinect is roughly $56.

Of that figure, $17 is attributed to Israeli semiconductor company PrimeSense's "reference system," which includes microphones, processors, and cameras.

Previously, the New York Times reported that the first Kinect prototype cost Microsoft a whopping $30,000, some 200 times the price the company is selling the unit for. In that same report, Microsoft expressed its plan to sell each Kinect unit at a profit.

The Kinect is Microsoft's first dive into the motion-control gaming era popularized by the Nintendo Wii. Microsoft believes it will sell 5 million Kinect units this holiday. Kinect is currently available as a stand-alone product for $150 and in Xbox 360 bundles beginning at $299.

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 16/11/2010: Kinect cost $56 to make
PostPosted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 11:42 pm 
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does that $57 only account for hardware? or does it also account for the research, software development, advertisement and so on?

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 16/11/2010: Kinect cost $56 to make
PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 4:12 pm 
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The Kinect costing 56 dollars to make and selling for 100 dollars is a great thing! They have sold over a million units already which is awesome. At the end of the day those who did not wait to get their 360 bundled with the Kinect may be upset but I think the technology overall is a win win. Microsoft with the Christmas win?


Last edited by forumsilk on Sun Dec 05, 2010 7:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 16/11/2010: Kinect cost $56 to make
PostPosted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 6:26 pm 
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forumsilk wrote:
The Kinect costing 56 dollars to make and selling for 100 dollars is a great thing! They have sold over a million units already which is awesome. At the end of the day those who did not wait to get their 360 bundled with the Kinect may be upset but I think the technology overall is a win win. Microsoft with the Christmas win?




Welcome??? odd place to spend ur first post :sohappy:

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 16/11/2010: Kinect cost $56 to make
PostPosted: Fri Nov 26, 2010 11:20 am 
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GTA V unlikely until 2012

Janco Partners' Mike Hickey bullish on Take-Two, believes next installment in series could sell 16 million copies, generate $750 million.

Take-Two recently announced it was shifting its fiscal year to end on March 31 in order to better put it in line with other major game publishers. Today, Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey issued an analyst note, which laid out some predictions for the New York-based publisher. Namely, that it will remain profitable even if the next Grand Theft Auto doesn't come out during its next fiscal year.

Hickey believes that Take-Two's 2011 fiscal year, which runs from April 1, 2011, until March 31, 2012, will feature two major game highlights: Max Payne 3 and L.A. Noire. He thinks those two games will lead a software lineup--which may also include the long-delayed Duke Nukem Forever--that can make the company profitable in a year without a GTA or a Red Dead game.

When GTA V does come out, "likely" in Take-Two's fiscal 2012 (April 2012-March 2013), Hickey believes it will be yet another blockbuster, selling upward of 16 million copies and generating over $750 million by itself. He predicts that year will also see the release of BioShock Infinite, which he estimates will sell over 4 million copies and $182 million in sales.

One major reason for the high sales expectations is the increased combined PlayStation 3/Xbox 360 installed based in the US, which he believes will be 41 million units by the end of calendar year 2010. That compares to just 14 million in April 2008, when Grand Theft Auto IV originally came out.

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 26/11/2010: GTA V unlikely until 2012
PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 2:15 am 
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Hey Gaige, I just wanted to contribute my 2 cents to the thread. This is a ongoing one, but relevant. I am a gaming junkie and am proud of it! As far as GTA V is concerned, what have they NOT done in the series that will keep it cutting edge? IV was awesome and the updates were great but where do we go from here? Interesting to see though...


Last edited by forumsilk on Sun Dec 05, 2010 7:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 26/11/2010: GTA V unlikely until 2012
PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 1:11 pm 
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4.1 million PlayStation Move controllers shipped worldwide

Sony announces new global shipment statistics for LED-capped wand central to motion-sensing system that debuted in September.

Just one day after Microsoft announced it had sold 2.5 million Kinect units in 25 days, Sony has fired back, announcing new sales figures for its motion-control technology, the PlayStation Move.

Since debuting in mid-September in North America and Europe, and in October in Japan, the PlayStation Move controller has sold over 4.1 million units worldwide. Sony did not announce sales numbers for other Move system components, such as the PlayStation Eye or navigation controller.

Sony has since clarified its initial announcement, saying that the 4.1 million figure represents "global sales for the company" to retailers--i.e. units shipped. "While we don't disclose our exact sell-through number, the key is that our retailers continue to ask for more Move units and are taking every unit we can supply them with based on their sales," a rep told GameSpot.

The PlayStation Move launched in Europe on September 15, North America on September 17, and in Japan on October 21. The system consists of the LED-capped wand controller and the PlayStation Eye camera, and it is available in a variety of configurations. Controllers are sold on their own for $50, bundled with the PlayStation Eye camera and minigames compilation Sports Champions for $100, or with all that and a 320GB PlayStation 3 for $400.

Although games like Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 sell for full price, a line of first-party PlayStation Move-specific games sells for just $40 each. There are currently 24 Move-compatible games on the market, with another 16 planned to ship by March 31.

Looking ahead, two of Sony's flagship franchises' latest installments--Killzone 3 and Little Big Planet 2--will ship with PlayStation Move support.

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 01/12/2010: 4.1 million Move controllers shipped
PostPosted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 10:08 pm 
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Next Tomb Raider to be origin story

Crystal Dynamics says "forget everything you know about Tomb Raider"; new game will chronicle Lara Croft's first adventure.

The Tomb Raider franchise is one of the most recognizable in the industry. The series has spawned numerous titles since debuting in the mid 1990s. Also, it has graced the silver screen twice, with Hollywood heroine Angelina Jolie cast as series leading lady Lara Croft.

This year, the series went downloadable with the well-received Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light. However, the franchise's console future has been in limbo, with the most recent release being 2008's underperforming Tomb Raider: Underworld.

Crystal Dynamics today sent word that the next Tomb Raider installment, simply titled Tomb Raider, will be an origin story. It will tell the tale of how Lara Croft came to be the crafty, nimble adventurer at the center of previous games. Details surrounding the title are still extremely few and far between, but developer Crystal Dynamics did offer the following teasing statement.

"After a brutal storm destroys the boat she was travelling on, a frightened young woman is left washed ashore on an unknown beach. On her own but not alone she has only one goal, to survive," reads the description. Crystal Dynamics studio head Darrell Gallagher went one step further, saying, "Forget everything you knew about Tomb Raider."

The new Tomb Raider game will be featured in January's Game Informer magazine, which is due out on newsstands on December 11. Publisher Square Enix has not released any date or platform information for the game thus far.

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 07/12/2010: Next Tomb Raider to be origin story
PostPosted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 8:17 am 
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Mass Effect 3 getting simultaneous PC, PS3, Xbox 360 launch

Just-announced sci-fi RPG will hit three major platforms at once during the 2011 holiday season.

Last Friday, Electronic Arts' online store prematurely revealed the existence of Mass Effect 3, the third installment in BioWare's sci-fi role-playing game trilogy. Though the listing was quickly pulled, it was up long enough to reveal that the game was in development for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

Though development on the three platforms appeared to be concurrent, it was unclear if all versions of the game would be released at the same time. Today, though, publisher Electronic Arts announced that the game will launch in late 2011 on all three platforms simultaneously, a first for the series. Mass Effect 2 was initially released only for the PC and Xbox 360 in 2010, with a PS3 port due out on January 18, 2011.

Though today's announcement had no details on Mass Effect 3's story or gameplay, the official Mass Effect website is listing a brief synopsis of the game similar to that on the now-reposted EA Store product page. It reads: "Earth is burning. Striking from beyond known space, a race of terrifying machines have begun their destruction of the human race. As Commander Shepard, an Alliance Marine, your only hope for saving mankind is to rally the civilizations of the galaxy and launch one final mission to take back the Earth."

Neither Saturday's VGA reveal of Mass Effect 3 nor today's official announcement indicated whether the game would have multiplayer, as had been rumored. An accompanying trailer did show the race of machines to be the Reapers, the sentient spaceships that were central to the plot of the first Mass Effect.

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 15/12/2010: ME3 getting same day PC, 360, PS3
PostPosted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 12:20 am 
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2011: The Road Ahead

Analysts Douglas Creutz, Jesse Divnich, and Michael Pachter lay down their big predictions for the coming year, which may yield more than a few surprises.

Nobody can say that 2010 was an uneventful year for the game industry. Highs included the launches of the Kinect and PlayStation Move and Call of Duty: Black Ops minting $1 billion. Among the lows were the potentially fatal woes of Bizarre Creations, not to mention the increasingly nasty legal war between Activision, ex-Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella, and now Electronic Arts.

What does 2011 have in store for the industry? Several major developments are already known, foremost among them the launch of the 3DS in March. Many of the year's major game releases have also been announced, from Dragon Age II and Killzone 3 in the beginning of the year to Gears of War 3 and Mass Effect 3 at its end.

However, much of next year is shrouded in uncertainty. Will it hold more and more months of sales declines? How will the new motion systems fare during the first year of their life cycles? Will the PSP2 launch next holiday season, as is rumored? To help dispel the mists shrouding next year in mystery, GameSpot caught up with three leading game analysts--Douglas Creutz, Jesse Divnich, and Michael Pachter--and asked them to offer up some predictions for 2011.

Douglas Creutz--Vice President, Cowen and Company

Retail software sales declines finally abate. US console/handheld software sales grow slightly in 2011 after two consecutive years of declines. With the music bubble fully deflated, Wii software sales already well off their peak, and handheld sales reinvigorated by the 3DS, continued growth in PS3/Xbox 360 software sales is enough to tip total packaged good software growth back into positive territory.

Call of Duty sets another record; Activision begins offering subscription service. The 2011 version of Call of Duty continues the franchise's number-one streak with another record-setting performance. Continued growth in the PS3/Xbox 360 hardware installed base drives an increase in total sales vs. Black Ops as the power of the Call of Duty brand more than offsets any issues with last year's personnel turnover at Infinity Ward. Additionally, Activision debuts a subscription service for Call of Duty that offers "all-you-can-eat" downloadable content plus an even broader online play experience (even more MMOG-like), without changing the basic play experience that has historically been included with the retail purchase.

Nintendo continues to play coy about Wii successor despite falling to number two in console hardware sales. In 2011, sales of Xbox 360 hardware edge out the Wii as Microsoft matches Nintendo's midyear $50 price cut (to $149) with one of its own. Nintendo continues to downplay speculation about a new console, however, preferring to stay on-message about its lead in the overall installed base and the strong initial performance of the 3DS.

Money continues to pour into social/casual gaming, but economics worsen. Companies building games for newer platforms such as Facebook and the iPhone/iPad receive significant venture funding in 2011 as the space continues to be perceived as high-growth, and several significant merger and acquisition transactions take place. However, low barriers to entry drive increasing competition, with lots of "copycat" titles flooding the marketplace. As a result, marketing costs start increasing significantly as companies strive to differentiate their product, while increasing monetization for social/casual games continues to remain somewhat elusive. As a result, there is at least one high-profile writedown/failure in the space in the second half of the year.

Some AAA titles released at lower retail price points...with a catch. Several major PS3/Xbox 360 titles are released at $40-$50 price points vs. the normal $60 but have significant and critical content available at launch only through digital downloads, with gamers enticed into spending an extra $20-$30 to enjoy the full game experience. Gamers grumble about being nickeled-and-dimed by the publishers but spend the money anyway, to the benefit of the publishers.

Jesse Divnich--Vice President, Capital Research and Communications, Electronic Entertainment Design and Research (EEDAR)

Console manufacturers: In 2011, the industry will see console manufacturers continue to increase the value of their hardware by adding additional hardware components (bigger hard drives) and launching new digital services and partnerships. This does not necessarily mean price cuts are coming. As we've seen over the last 12 months, the console manufacturers are attempting to elongate the current cycle, and each round of price cuts only shortens a console's life span.

Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony cannot maintain the profitability of their businesses with the consoles at lower price points (below $150), and anytime a console breaches the $200 mark, it typically spells the end of a cycle within 24 months. And while many continue to demand hardware price cuts, we sometimes forget that each price cut puts us closer to the end of the cycle, and last time I checked, our industry has a notorious track record for cycle transitions.

Continued growth: The video game industry has experienced fragmentation over the past two years, and we should expect this to grow further in 2011. Over the past two years, investment flow into mobile and social network gaming has increased substantially, and we should expect this trend, along with further experimentation, to continue. We should also note that it has been historically difficult to track these numbers, but as further investment in these areas increases, monitoring and analysis will become more in-depth and transparent.

Although traditional console sales have declined in 2010, interactive entertainment grew roughly 5 to 10 percent. While tracking and monitoring sales from these satellite markets is an ongoing challenge, we have no doubt that the industry will grow in 2011 as the industry continues to experiment in both established and emerging markets. The question is, however, will the traditional publishers drive this growth or will new organizations (such as Zynga in 2010) emerge as new market leaders, forcing traditional publishers to acquire their way into these markets.

Dance games: 2010 will be the peak year for dance titles. Beginning in late 2011 we will see a decline in revenues in the dance genre. Mainstream consumers act differently than core gamers such that brand stamina is much lower. If there is anything we learned from the success of Guitar Hero, it is that the casual and mainstream base gets their fill on these types of products much quicker than a core consumer. The question becomes, if dance replaced music, what will replace dance? While I have the highest hopes for Move and Kinect becoming established peripherals, it does scare me when I begin to think about the next big "thing" that will drive casual and mainstream consumers to retail in the 2011 holiday season.

Michael Pachter--Managing Director, Equity Research, Wedbush Securities

I think that the biggest trend to watch for in 2011 is premium multiplayer services. I expect the publishers to follow the free-to-play precedent by offering a host of virtual items for sale and think that you will see virtual goods combined with DLC offerings in an attempt to maximize profit. I also think that we may see hosted tournaments on the consoles in exchange for modest entry fees, with virtual goods or DLC as prizes. Offering virtual items for money allows advertisers to sponsor different items, keeping the cost low for the gamer and generating revenue for the publisher.

On the hardware side, I think Nintendo will introduce a console that is HD and that has a faster CPU than the Wii. However, I don't think that they will put a CPU or GPU in there that is more expensive than current commodity CPU/GPU combinations, so don't expect them to spend more than $100 or so on the processors. It's just not like them to build a $350-$400 console, and that's what it would take for them to advance the technology beyond the current capabilities of the PS3. I don't expect them to lose money on the launch, and I think they will price it at $250 or so.

I don't expect anything new from Microsoft or Sony on the console side and am as curious about the PSP2 as anybody. If Sony packs it full of features and prices it competitively, it has a chance, but they haven't launched anything at a competitive price since the PS2.

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 04/1/2011: 2011: The Road Ahead:!:
PostPosted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 10:40 pm 
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Black Ops UK's top game of 2010

Latest Call of Duty game tops British charts for last year; FIFA 11, Just Dance, Red Dead Redemption, Just Dance 2, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Wii Sports Resort follow.

Though NPD won't release the US 2010 sales rankings until later on this week, last year's top-selling games in Britain were ranked today. According to GfK Chart Track figures provided by the Association for UK Interactive Entertainment, the top-selling game in the island nation's all-formats chart was Call of Duty: Black Ops from Activision. In second place was Electronic Arts' FIFA 11, followed by Ubisoft's Wii-exclusive Just Dance.

Coming in fourth place was GameSpot's 2010 Game of the Year, Red Dead Redemption. Behind it was Nintendo's enduring hit Wii Fit Plus, followed by the latest iteration of Ubisoft's Wii-only dance sensation, Just Dance 2. Another Ubi title, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, came in seventh, just ahead of Wii Sports Resort (eighth) and the Xbox 360-exclusive Halo: Reach (ninth). Bringing up the rear was EA's multiplatform shooter Battlefield: Bad Company 2.

GfK Chart Track also listed the top five selling games on each platform, which also saw FIFA and Black Ops make several appearances. Also released were the top five PC games, which saw Sega's Football Manager games outsell such heavy-hitters as Starcraft II and World of Warcraft: Cataclysm.

2010 All Formats Chart
1. Call of Duty: Black Ops
2. FIFA 11
3. Just Dance
4. Red Dead Redemption
5. Wii Fit Plus
6. Just Dance 2
7. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
8. Wii Sports Resort
9. Halo: Reach
10. Battlefield: Bad Company 2

2010 Nintendo Wii Chart
1. Just Dance
2. Wii Fit Plus
3. Just Dance 2
4. Wii Sports Resort
5. New Super Mario Bros. WII

2010 Sony PlayStation 3 Chart
1. Call of Duty: Black Ops
2. FIFA 11
3. Gran Turismo 5
4. Red Dead Redemption
5. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

2010 Xbox 360 Chart
1. Call of Duty: Black Ops
2. FIFA 11
3. Halo: Reach
4. Red Dead Redemption
5. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

2010 Nintendo DS Chart
1. Professor Layton and The Lost Future
2. New Super Mario Bros.
3. Art Academy
4. Pokemon Soulsilver
5. Mario Kart DS

2010 Sony PSP Chart
1. FIFA 11
2. Little Big Planet
3. Gran Turismo
4. Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines
5. FIFA 10

2010 PC Chart
1. Football Manager 2011
2. Football Manager 2010
3. The Sims 3
4. World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
5. Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 11/1/2011: Pokemon Black/White sell 5 million
PostPosted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 10:53 pm 
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Pokemon Black/White sell 5 million, set record

Nintendo's latest monster-catching RPG becomes fastest to reach quintuple-platinum milestone on DS in Japan.

It didn't take long for Nintendo's Pokemon Black and White Versions to set records upon their launch in Japan last September. Within the DS games' first week on Japan store shelves, industry-leading stat trackers Enterbrain and Media Create pegged the game's sales at 2.6 million--the best opening of any Pokemon title to date. Now, the monster-catching role-playing game has added a new record to its name, one that encompasses more than just the Pokemon franchise.

According to Enterbrain (relayed by Andria Sang), Pokemon Black and White have sold more than 5 million units, the fastest games to have done so on the DS. The feat was achieved as of January 9. Though Black and White are technically two different SKUs, Nintendo traditionally releases near-identical editions of the same Pokemon game under slightly different monikers, encouraging players to exchange captured monsters between versions.

Pokemon Black and White introduce a handful of changes to the established gotta-catch-'em-all formula. Developer Game Freak has expanded the game's online functionality through features, such as Global Link, where players can access special content by uploading their save files to a website. Black and White also introduce more than 150 new Pokemon that players can add to their Pokedexes, as well as changing seasons.

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 13/1/2011: Pokemon Black/White sell 5 million!!
PostPosted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 1:29 pm 
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PSP2 to have 3G support, OELD screen

Sony's yet-to-be-announced handheld will connect to 3G networks for game downloads, according to Nikkei. Paper also reporting publisher is developing a chip to enable high-res images to be downloaded and displayed quicker.

Despite Sony's continued silence over the existence of the new PSP2 system, rumours of the device have been circulating around the industry for more than a year now.

The evidence for the existence of a new PSP has been piling up, with development kits, leaked photos, rumours of a touch-sensitive pad, and even a few verbal slip-ups by Sony Computer Entertainment president Kaz Hirai all supporting the fact that Sony is indeed developing the handheld.

Japanese newspaper Nikkei is now reporting (gated link) that Sony is planning to make the PSP2 the "world's first game machine to connect to the 3G cell phone network", instead of the current system's wireless LAN functionality.

According to the report, 3G will allow users to download games and software over the Internet and play with others, although Nikkei made mention of the fact that voice communication will not be a feature of the PSP2.

The report also stated that the new system will feature a larger OELD (organic electroluminescent display) and touch-panel functions, and that Sony is also planning to develop a chip that enables high-resolution images to be displayed quickly.

The rumoured PlayStation Phone also made a brief appearance in the Nikkei report. The paper states that the phone will run on Google's Android operating system, with a variety of software, "including gaming and schedule management" to be available to users.

Finally, Nikkei reports Sony intends to release the PSP2 by the end of the year, with an expected higher price than the current PSP model, whose global sales came to around 2.7 million units in the April to September period (down 37 percent from last year, according to Nikkei).

In January this year, US Sony representatives confirmed that the publisher will be holding a press event in Tokyo on January 27 to share "business overview and strategy", but refused to comment on any other topics that will be discussed after several sites reported the publisher planned to use the event to officially unveil the PSP2.

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 04/1/2011: 2011: The Road Ahead:!:
PostPosted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 4:39 pm 
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Spoiler!


Is it me, or is everything that players said about Black Ops is wrong?

Spoiler!


Thats why I have PC :D

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 24/1/2011: PSP2 to have 3G support, OELD screen
PostPosted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 11:20 pm 
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3DS eShop to open in May, offer 3D Classics

Online storefront, Web browser DSi game transfers won't launch until first system update in late May; Nintendo confirms multidimensional face-lift for older games.

The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time isn't the only old game getting a 3D overhaul for Nintendo's new handheld. In an investor presentation today, company president Satoru Iwata revealed that Nintendo has a new 3D Classics line that it will make available through the system's eShop online storefront.

The downloadable titles will be given "a new 3D look," according to Iwata. He did not mention any specific games that would be included in the line.

Unfortunately, early adopters of the 3DS will need to wait some time before they can get their hands on the 3D Classics, or any downloadable titles, for that matter. Iwata said that the eShop and related features like the system's Web browser and DSi game transfers won't launch until Nintendo releases the first system update for the 3DS in late May.

Iwata also addressed a handful of other logistical details for the 3DS. The system will allow users to transfer purchased software from one 3DS to another, but Iwata said the number of transfers allowed would be limited. Like DSi game transfers, the operation will be conducted through the eShop and, so, won't launch before late May.

Finally, Iwata discussed the Street Pass functionality, which allows 3DS systems in sleep mode to swap game-specific information when near each other. The 3DS will allow a maximum of 12 games to be active with the Street Pass functionality at any given time, Iwata said. Launch window games using the functionality will include Nintendogs + Cats, Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition, Ridge Racer, Dead or Alive: Dimensions, and Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D.

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 29/1/2011: 3DS eShop to open in May, 3D Classics!
PostPosted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 10:07 am 
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Dragon Age II demo dropping Feb. 22

http://dragonage.bioware.com/da2/demo

Gamers on all platforms should be able to experience the first few
stages of the game. Being able to play from one of three classes and
being able to unlock a weapon for the full game upon completion on
the demo.

From demo website
Quote:
In the demo, players will venture through the game's prologue, choosing from three different character classes. They'll also learn more about Hawke and hone their skills and abilities that will make them the ultimate hero. After finishing the prologue, players will enter a key new location in the world of Dragon Age, Kirkwall, befriending Isabela, a romantic interest in the game who is also a deadly smuggler. Upon completion of the demo, players will unlock a special weapon, Hayder's Razor, an ancient dwarven blade which increases health, mana, and combat abilities, in the full release of Dragon Age 2.*

This demo represents just a small taste of what Dragon Age 2 has to offer. With a whole new realm to discover, and an all-new hero to become, players will go deeper into the world of Dragon Age unlike ever before in an adventure that shapes itself around every decision you make. The time has now come to engage in action-packed, dynamic combat that allows you to think like a general and fight like a Spartan! The legend of your rise to power, begins now!

Dragon Age 2 will be available on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and PC on March 8, 2011 in North America and March 11, 2011 in Europe.

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 07/2/2011: Dragon Age II demo dropping Feb. 22
PostPosted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 1:06 pm 
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PS3 hacker bans begin

Sony is apparently already dropping the banhammer on PS3 jailbreakers and pirates in Europe and the US.

Yesterday, Sony announced that it would soon be dropping permanent bans on all PlayStation 3 jailbreak users or those who have pirated software on their computers. The bans would permanently lock out the aforementioned offenders from the PlayStation Network, as well as Sony's Qriocity media network.

Now, users of hacker site PS3Hax are reporting that Sony's banhammer is already dropping in Europe and the US. First, those running custom firmware or using pirated software receive the following e-mail:
Quote:
"A circumvention device and/or unauthorized or pirated software currently resides on your PlayStation(R)3 system. Immediately cease use and remove all circumvention devices and delete all unauthorized or pirated software from your PlayStation(R)3 system. Failure to do so will result in termination of your access to the PlayStation(R)Network and access to Qriocity(TM) services through your PlayStation(R)3 system."


If offenders do not reformat their hard drives and reinstall the official v3.56 PS3 firmware, they then receive this subsequent e-mail--which some have reportedly received with no warning at all:

"Notice: Access to the PlayStation(R)Network and access to Qriocity(TM) services through your PlayStation (R)3 system has been terminated permanently due to the use of unauthorized circumvention devices and unauthorized or pirated software on your PlayStation(R)3 system. This use violates the terms of both the "System Software License Agreement for the PlayStation(R)3 System" and the "Terms of Services and User Agreement" for the PlayStation(R)Network/Qriocity(TM) and its Community Code of Conduct provision."

Those so banned will then receive error code 8002A227 telling them "You cannot use PlayStation Network with this account" and see the pictured screen (above) when trying to log into PSN.

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 Post subject: Re: GAME NEWS 18/2/2011: PS3 hacker bans begin
PostPosted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 2:19 pm 
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Devil May Cry film rights scooped up

Sony's Screen Gems to develop big-screen adaptation of Capcom's fantastical action series; Kane & Lynch screenwriter on board.

In 2002, Sony's Screen Gems label released Resident Evil, the first live-action film based on Capcom's blockbuster horror survival series. The series proved a hit, with three more films following: Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004), Resident Evil: Extinction (2007), and Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010). According to Variety, the series, which stars Milla Jovovich, has grossed over $580 million worldwide to date.

This week, the Hollywood trade reported that another Capcom franchise is headed to the big screen. According to Variety, the film rights to the Devil May Cry series have been scooped up by Sony, which will once again release the series under its Screen Gems label. The company has hired screenwriter Kyle Ward, who also wrote the screenplay for the forthcoming big-screen version of Kane & Lynch, to pen the film's script.

It is unclear if the first Devil May Cry film will be based on the first game in the series. Released in 2001 for the PlayStation 2, the original installment told the tale of Dante, a demon hunter seeking to avenge the murder of his brother and mother. Three games followed in the series: Devil May Cry 2 (2003), Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening (2005), and Devil May Cry 4 (2008).

A fifth game, simply titled DMC, is in development at Ninja Theory. it will reset the series in the present day, with a new-look Dante sporting new weapons.

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