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AICN Games: Monki's Weekly Wrap Up!!
Greetings humans, Monki here with more information from the treehouse. I don't know about your neck of the woods, but it is insanely nice outside right now (mid 70s) and it is damn near impossible to not go outside and enjoy this weather. Therefore I will have to put off playing Rainbow Six: Vegas, Gears of War, and Project 8 until tonight when it drops back down to the 40s. So annoying when I have to go enjoy nature! Damnit!
So, not a whole hell of a lot going on this week, there is a wild rumor floating that Doug Lowenstein may be stepping down as the president of the ESA (Electronic Software Association) in the next few weeks. Jack Thompson was on Dateline claiming that he is not, in fact, the devil. (Rockstar is.) And last weekend I got to attend the coolest geek mecca event ever, Butt-Numb-a-Thon.
I won't go into major details, just suffice to say, Black Snake Moan is awesome (I swear that Sam Jackson is playing his character as if Jules from Pulp Fiction retired to a small Tennessee town after walking the Earth) and 300 rocked my ass in all kinds of ways. One little tidbit that Zack Snyder dropped was the fact there is a game being released for the PSP. WHY THE PSP???
Zack, listen to me, make a badass 300 video game and release it on the 360 and PS3. Imagine a game like Dynasty Warriors where it is you vs. hundreds of thousands of enemies. Wandering through massive hordes of baddies just hacking and slashing your way to glory. Talk to KOEI about it!
Or this. Remake GOLDEN AXE but with characters from 300! Anyone else remember that one?? Golden Axe 300! Sometimes I amaze myself.
Press Releases of the Week!
A major step in the "video games are more than toys" drive has been accomplished. Will Wright, creator of "The Sims," "SimCity," and the upcoming "Spore" is being recognized by the Producers Guild of America for his achievements in media and technology. Pretty sweet. First you go on the Colbert Report then get an award. Awesome.
December 14, 2006, Los Angeles--The Producers Guild of America is pleased to announce that the 2007 Vanguard Award will be presented to celebrated game designer Will Wright whose creative vision has inspired some of the most critically acclaimed and popular video games in the short history of the medium. The Vanguard Award, which recognizes outstanding achievement in new media and technology, will be presented to Wright at the 2007 Producers Guild Awards on Saturday, January 20th at the Century Plaza.
Deemed by Entertainment Weekly to be one "the 100 most creative people in entertainment" Wright draws on academic and artistic sources as the original producer of games such as the classic urban planning game, SimCity, and most notably, The Sims, which became the best selling PC game in history. As the originator of the "God Game", Wright introduced the concept of allowing players to control simulated individuals or groups of individuals by serving as an omnipotent entity that influences various scenarios within a game. This innovative perspective changed the face of the video game model and revolutionized the gaming industry. He is currently developing Spore—an epic journey that takes players from the origin and evolution of life through the development of civilization and technology and eventually all the way into the deepest reaches of outer space.
PGA Awards co-chairs, Mark Gordon and Hawk Koch commented, "Will Wright is the icon of the gaming industry and one of the great producers of entertainment content. His creations have transcended into feature films and continue to entertain a global audience. We are proud to have him be the first Vanguard recipient from the gaming universe."
"The PGA's decision to honor a game designer is a big moment for game designers such as myself, and those who would like to follow in our footsteps. The PGA is signaling that games are an integral part of the entertainment industry, and an art form worthy of recognition," said Wright. "For that reason, I am incredibly honored to be the first game designer to receive the Vanguard award."
The PGA will also honor Ron Meyer with their Milestone Award. Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher will receive the David O. Selznick Achievement Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer will receive the Norman Lear Producers Guild Achievement Award in Television. Ken Ehrlich will be honored with the Visionary Award, and the Stanley Kramer Award will be presented to An Inconvenient Truth.
Previous recipients of the Vanguard Award include George Lucas, James Cameron, Pixar Animation Studios and AOL Chairman and CEO Jon Miller.
The Producers Guild will announce their 2007 nominees for Producer of the Year in Theatrical Motion Picture, Animated Film, Long-Form and Non-Fiction Television on January 4th, 2007.
Congrats Will! Now just release Spore for the 360 and PS3 and all will be happy! Of course, I'll take SimCity on the DS or on the Wii too, that would be pretty sweet.
So, I should have mentioned this a few weeks ago, but to help fix the negative image that predominates the traditional "video game nerd" Penny Arcade has set up a charity organization called Child's Play.
Child's Play has been around for a few years now and has helped raise more than 2 million dollars for children's' hospitals all over the world. Here is a brief snippet from their site:
Here's the deal.
For three years now, we've set up and organized a charity called Child's Play. We set it up because we were angry the media decided to blame all the world's problems on games and gamers. Basically they said that gamers were bad people, and we thought that wasn't right. Apparently, you guys agreed: through Child's Play you sent over a million dollars in toys, games, and cash to the sick kids in children's hospitals around the world.
That was awesome. You guys have proven over and over again that you are an overwhelming force, and you really came through and made a real difference to the millions of kids that children's hospitals care for each year. So we're doing it again this year, only this time we've expanded Child's Play to more hospitals around US and the globe so you can send toys to a hospital a little closer to home.
Child's Play works the same as last year. With the help of hospital staff, we've set up gift wish lists full of video games, toys, and movies. You can go to each hospital's list and buy a toy, and that toy will be sent to the hospital. Some of these kids are in pretty bad shape. Imagine being stuck alone in a hospital over the holidays, getting something from a fellow gamer would really raise their spirits. Some of the stuff the hospital will give away for kids to keep, while other gifts (like consoles) will be kept by the hospital for patients to use throughout the year.
We are arguably the largest community of gamers on the internet. The important word there being community. We are not a faceless corporation and you are not just a number tracked by a database and then relayed to hungry advertisers. You guys have proven yourselves to be a powerful force when stirred into action. Here is your opportunity to use that power to do some real good.
So, do something good with some of that holiday bonus and help a few kids have a better time while they are in the hospital.
DONATE. It will make you feel good and it impresses the ladies.
Pretty Images of the Week!
I'm totally intrigued by this new game Dark Sector. I mentioned this one a few weeks ago in another "Pretty Images..." section with a trailer that blew my ass off. Well here is some gameplay footage that looks absolutely ridiculous. I gotsta get me one of those blades.
Flaming blade of doom!! I'm working with some folks who are involved with the game to try to get you kids more info, so stay tuned.
I know you geeks love your Star Wars, so here is the trailer for a new portable Star Wars game. Star Wars: Lethal Alliance. It seems this one takes place somewhere before Episode IV? All I know is you get to play as a Twi'lek, and those chicks are hot. This trailer on the other hand.... ehhh...
As always, thanks to Game Trailers who have tons of cool stuff to check out.
Christmas Question of the Week!
I have a nephew, or cousin....okay, he's my cousin's kid. 2nd cousin? Anyway, he's about 3 now. I figure it is time for him to start frying his head with video games.
I got my start on Super Mario Bros. when I was about 6 (and I played Ikari Warriors at the local grocery store when I was about 4) and I picked it up pretty quickly. Now here is my question; are games too technical for children nowadays?
Hell, I played Rainbow Six Vegas for about two hours before really grasping controls and I'm in my mid 20s with two decades of gaming experience. (No, I'm not saying I want a 3 year old to play RS:V, I'm just creating an example of difficulty.)
I don't want to get him started on Pokemon cause I know that crap would get old fast...
Thinking about it now, what the hell happened to the ultra-simple ultra-fun video games? Super Mario Bros. had TWO BUTTONS to press. Run and jump. (and the D-Pad too... yeah yeah I know) Do any games exist now on major platforms that are this simple?
I may end up just having to buy a Wii for the kid and get him started on the virtual console classics. That is kind of sad, really. Although teaching him how to play Super Mario Bros. or Joust or 1941 will be fun. Have developers completely abandoned this market?
I propose a challenge to developers. Create a game that can be played by both an adult and a child at the exact same time. A cooperative video game where the child is in control of a very very simple aspect of the game (he/she has to open doors or just provides simple assistance and cannot be harmed) and the adult (or experienced gamer) actually can play along and have a bit more difficult of a time getting through some stages. Varying levels of difficulty for both players so that both can enjoy. How awesome would it be to sit down with your kid and actively play a video game together?
Come on developers, this could be very cool. Hell, it might already exist. If so, email me and I'd love to take a look at it.
Your Last Chance Wrap-Up of the Week!
How many of you are still running around trying to find consoles for Christmas? You've got a little less than two weeks left to get your hands on the Wii or the elusive PLAYSTATION 3. Best of luck to all of you shoppers.
I will be holing up over the next couple of weeks catching up on my game playing. I have got a lot to get through and I'm also trying to buy a house at the same time. Loads of fun.
Until next week though, I leave you with something that made me laugh. I would embed the video, but I know how Harry doesn't like looking at women in anything other than cheerleader outfits, so I'll just give you the link instead.
Is that a cue ball in your pocket?. Totally awesome. Check out the trailer. Maybe gamers are just pervs? Oh well.
Until next week, back up the tree I go!
-Monki
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What, these games are too good to be released on the Wii or something? I'd like the system to get more adult-themed games on it, and this is the type of attitude that leads to it not getting anything.
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Katamari? Lego Star Wars? Kids and adults can enjoy these games. In Monki's scenario kids are gonna sit around waiting to push a button. And kids love to wait around.
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That's seriously one of the most pathetically cynical attempts to market bullshit since BMX-XXX and Leisure Suit Larry. On a similar topic, if tits and blood are what attract you to a game (or, more to the point, if their absence puts you off good games) you deserve the steaming piles of shit constanty shovelled down your throat. It's the fuckers who go out and buy this crap that ensure that developers and publishers completely bastardize classic franchises like Sonic and Bomberman. I mean, have you even seen the cover for Act Zero? It's embarassing. Granted, Sonic and Bomberman went downhill before making them "mature" (a word that should never be used in gaming unless you're a complete hypocrite) but the guns and edgy imagery aren't the means of salvaging the game.
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Well there are plenty of simple one-two button LCD Tiger Electronics devices in gumball vending machines... all kinds of franchises... Basically you want a simple game with cool graphics? Because there are one two button games but they can also be complex and complicated, in fact a lot of old school games were either too hard or awfully developed... frankly, a lot of the 3D stuff is easier. Well either purchase an old NES or get them on the virtual console and buy a retro controller that I'm certain they'll roll out... BUt honestly though, maybe it's not a god idea to give a 3 year old a game yet and let him develop his visual spatial motor reflex skillls on his own, then when he's older get him into a simple game on the new consoles...
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Have also recognized other game producers, including Hideo kojima
http://tinyurl.com/vxtx8 -
I bought Zelda Twilight Princess for the Gamecube. I can't stop playing it! I'm ten years old again. Nintendo never fails. Every few years they release a magical game that harkins back to a time when games were an adventure and not just machine guns, explosions and violence.
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It looks amazing! http://tinyurl.com/wyaur
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Kids will adapt to today's control methods,they always do,it's a natural evolution.Many people I know stopped playing after the N64 controller had too many buttons to learn quickly so you do have a point(though to me they were lightweights anyway).As far as the Wii(titter ye not) virtual console goes,where I live Nintendo are offering PAL conversions with big arse borders and slower speeds than Japanese and American versions so thet don't have to spend time(and money)putting on European language options but thats ok,it justifies the time I spent getting the ROMs years ago.Nintendo wiil never get me spending money on substandard products and I hope euro players feel the same way and won't waste their money(virtual or real)until this situation is sorted(Don't hold your breath you wiil die waiting).Monki= Like GoonF said, Lego Star Wars I+II is good for all,Most DS games etc,come on mate,spread your wings gameswise,its all there if u know where to look or do u need brain training too =).http://tinyurl.com/tlzu2
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what type of site is this?
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the fact that you believe the only gaming tasks a child can perform are opening doors, etc., shows how little you know about young gamers. Unless you mean 5 years I think you seriously underestimate how well children can play. If you disagree, take it up with the 12 year old I was playing Gears of War with over Xbox Live last night. The same kid who won the match for us when the rest of us 20+ year olds had gone down.
also, spore has less potential on the 360 and the ps3. think of how few people playing online would be for the ps3. there would be that many less worlds for you to visit online. and for the 360, its gamepad just doesn't cut it. the wiimote was made for RTS gaming.
but oh well. you go on with your "game playing". -
Harry, whoever...shut this column down unless you fix it up. It's obvious this guy knows very, very little about the actual game industry outside of press releases...
I also agree with the guy who mentioned XBOX or PS3 only. Is the Wii somehow not considered a real system? Last time I checked the whole damn world was in love with it, publishers are lining up, and everyone's losing licenses to it.
Where was the amazingly HUGE Squaresoft news about Dragon Quest 9? HELLO...??!!
What about the Wii strap news? What about ANYTHING relevant to gaming at all? Videogames are very cool but they need a better column than this, cuz there are other sites. if this guy cant do it than have someone else do it.
The best game-sites? Absolutely gotta be www.kotaku.com and www.popzart.com
Both sites beat the shit out of this one. Sorry Harry I love you, but learn from THOSE guys. They do what this is SUPPOSED to do but much, much better. -
Just had to say it again, but for REAL gaming news, goto:
www.kotaku.com
www.popzart.com
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I've now played the Wiimote. I've been through every controller and I'm still gaming. I adapted. I evolved with gaming. Some people couldn't and they left the scene.
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Don't think i'm outta touch and thought the wii was called the wiimote, hehe
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It's only one of the most seminal arcade game sin history. WHo does this guy think he is writing for? A bunch of 15 year old PSP owners?
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What makes this all the more ironic is that the original game (or Genesis version, anyway) was just released a few weeks ago for the Wii Virtual console. That's right...Golden Axe, just released, weeks ago.
SOrry, but this column needs to go. It's embarrassing to the aintitcool name..if that means anything. it's nothing personal monki guy, but you simply don't know enough to write about games. -
If Monki actually had a fucking clue about the medium he's supposed he'd know that Will Wright has already stated that Spore will be out on *all* systems, including mobile phones.
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Have any of you ever wanted to download soundtracks to some of your favourite games? - Now you can...and it's totally free...no catches and no viruses here. This website has access to thousands of soundtracks - all complete.
Before someone removes the site download fast!!!!
You need to click on the links (below):
http://gh.ffshrine.org?r=25716
http://gh.ffshrine.org/soundtracks.php?r=25716
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Have any of you ever wanted to download soundtracks to some of your favourite games? - Now you can...and it's totally free...no catches and no viruses here. This website has access to thousands of soundtracks - all complete.
Before someone removes the site download fast!!!!
You need to click on the links (below):
http://gh.ffshrine.org?r=25716
http://gh.ffshrine.org/soundtracks.php?r=25716
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"Sometimes I amaze myself." You know what would amaze your readers? One tiny tidbit of useful fucking information. You must be really good friends with someone on the AICN staff for this crap to continue.
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Let me be the first member of the game industry to confirm how terrible this column is. I mean, I don't come to AICN for my gaming news in the first place, but from the looks of it, I won't ever be.
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Get rid of this column...it's...just....so sad.
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The Lego Star Wars games are pretty much a 2 button affair. But I agree with most other posters, thinking a kid is not as skilled as an adult is pretty naive. I was about 12 when I beat the first Legend Of Zelda. My 6 year old brother used to beat the first Super Mario Brothers over and over trying to beat his best time. As for complicated control schemes, if the game is good the controls are not a big deal. It's when the layout is counter-intuitive and you can't change it that you run into problems.
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Will first and formost be for the talkbacks where we can bitch about the same stuff like in every other one... As long as that works, it's all good...
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I know nowhere NEAR as much as others do about games, and even I find this collumn uninteresting. Where are the reviews? Why can't I know what's going on with games? I want to know what's fun,what's not, what's a good deal. I like the stuff on gamespot.com - they actually play the games and tell you pros and cons. I like this site for the movie/tv stuff a whole lot - opinions and all. But a list of games being released this week is hardly a game collumn. Sorry Monki - I know one guy can't play and review all these games by release times, but can't we at least get one review?
And aside from the Lego STar Wars, I think Okami is a very beautiful and innovative game - but also very easy , with a great environmental theme going on that makes it perfect for kids. -
How does it feel to completely fail as a newswriter?
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i dont see anything wrong with the column. You guys are asking for game reviews from a MOVIE SITE, i mean comon. whats important is that we(movie fans not gaming nerds) actually get a chance to discuss these games.
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jesus christ everyone needs to chill. until recently, we haven't had a place to post about games, and now we do. so everyone shut the fuck up. the column will improve over time.
peace out -
Firstly to those apologists that argue that this section is a light take on the world of videogames, let me inform you that there are a group of people who feel that electronic entertainment is just as important as movies. As such they give the subject matter the reverence that they believe that it deserves. It pitiful excuse for a videogame section is made all the more pathetic due to the fact that IGN approaches movies BETTER than AICN covers videogames. IGN started off in videogame news. Every week I check this section out in the hopes that it will provide something valuable.....I am still waiting...
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He needs a PS2/PS3 guy, and Xbox360 guy, a Wii guy, a PC guy, a PSP guy and a DS guy. And together they divide an conquer... I'm sure some gamers on AICN wouldn't mind helping out... just as Harry puts up reviews from various people and contributors, Monki ought to get some insiders or take e-mail from various people who have played and can give a good comprehensive review... doesn't have to be out on day 1 either... Maybe those complaining ought to help out a bit? If you find some good interesting little known news that's verifiable, send it in! Contribute! I wouldn't mind, but I'm fucking busy at the moment and have none of the next gen systems...
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He needs to take some fucking journalism classes.
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Marvel: Ultimate Alliance was actually a decent game.
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You're right I never played them.I'm just full of lies. Here, let me lie about some ratings for this game.
IGN
Lego Star Wars: 8.0
Lego Star Wars 2: 8.2
Gamespot
Lego Star Wars: 7.6
Lego Star Wars 2: 7.7
Gamespy
Lego Star Wars: 4.5 out of 5
Lego Star Wars 2: 4.5 out of 5
GamePro
Lego Star Wars: 4 out of 5
Lego Star Wars 2: 4.5 out of 5
Yep, them there sure is some sucky reviews -
I always felt that AICN would be a good place to provide some detailed critique on the world of videogames. IGN, 1UP, Gamespot, etc... provide enough reviews already. We could talk about some of the thematic or storytelling issues of electronic entertainment. Let's go into detail that after stripping all those snazzy cutscenes and stylish presentation, the Metal Gear Solid series really does not have innovative gameplay. Agree or Disagree, that would provide for a stimulating Talkback. How about the idea that games such as Double Dragon and Final Fight are racist in their negative presentation of coloured people? Again, these ideas would definitely stimulate this section.
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Blu-Ray beats out HDDVD thanks to PS3, Microsoft's HDDVD add on has sold 42,000 compared to Sony's sold out PS3s numbering close to 200,000 and that's not including stand alone players of either Blu-Ray or HD-DVD. So currently there is a very large install base for Blu-Ray that will only get bigger as Sony has finally managed to get production issues under control and can manufacture 1 million consoles a month. However, is this going to be the death knell for HDDVD? Certainly Sony now has the advantage, but we know that people who buy the HD-DVD add on for Xbox 360 are getting it because they want to watch HD movies... Will PS3 owners now pony up for Blu-Ray movies?
Sony has updated the PS3 so you can use your old PS2 harddrive data so you can finallly play FFXI on your PS3...
PS3 gets a massive firmware update that includes: "Multi-tasking- included will be audio/video conferencing while browsing the XMB and its features/ gameplay. (It wasn’t a stretch to assume this would come sooner rather than later. The PS3 can already multitask to an extent...you can play music while viewing photos, press the PS button and the XMB would display over it...heck, even videos can run in the background...and Sony will just have to tie a few loose ends to get it fully multi-tasking. I really hope this includes downloads for the PS Store as well...)
New XMB display options (consider this a confirmation of wallpapers and themes!)
New animations for audio playback. (I think there’s only one random one right now, so it’s nice to have a few new options)
New photo album options. (Not sure if this means new ways of displaying pics or more options for the current choices)
Playstation Store auto resume. (Thank goodness. Currently if you lose your download midway, you have to start all over again.)
PSP Remote Play advanced access option- allows for remote access to your PS3 anywhere in the world via hotspot. (Awesome. I didn’t think we’d get this so soon! The only concern I have about this is how the PS3 is accessed currently...you need to leave your PS3 on and tuned to Remote Play before you can access it. This just won’t work if, say, you’re leaving on a two week trip and forgot to set up your PS3 before you go. It’ll be interesting to see how this turns out.)
There was talk of a TiVo-like service for the PS3 in the later fall, but Sony has gone on to say they don’t have any promises on that one. It sounds a bit less likely that it will happen, but there’s still that chance. From the original site: “The Tivo functionality in Q3 2007. Seems it’s certainly technically possible to do that with PS3, but they’re not making any guarantees about if or when they’d add that functionality.”"
"Now that the PS3 has been out on the market for a while, analysts can get a firm grasp of exactly what the shortages are doing to, both hardware and software, the various alternatives. The actual results are surprising to most of us "logical" thinkers. According to analyst groups, the biggest winner in the PS3 shortages is actually Sony. The displaced PS3 money is going to purchase PS2 software. Few are opting for an Xbox 360 as an alternative to not getting a PS3, though analysts believe the push will be enough to help Microsoft hit the 10 million goal. The biggest loser is EA, which focused too much effort on the PS3 and overextended themselves. Activision and THQ are in good positions as they focused more on the Xbox 360 and PS2. There seems to be some method behind the PS3 madness at Sony. While they are losing potential PS3 customers, either to the Xbox 360 -- the Wii is not even considered an alternative and stands by itself -- or just won't buy it at all, the money is getting filtered into the PS2 business. However, these short term gains are going to kill third party relationships as it is expected that few, if any, PS3 games will reach profitability before 2007 is over and done with. If developers chose to focus on the established Xbox 360 while waiting for PS3 shipments to rise, they may be waiting forever; the PS3 won't continue to sell without the games to go along with it.""INteresting Wii story here about Nintendo fanboy enthusiasm for gettting a console: http://tinyurl.com/ybur8n and people continue to hurt themselves and break stuff while playing the Wii: http://tinyurl.com/yhzrkh"Ladies and gentlemen, you might want to sit down; flagship Xbox 360 RPG Blue Dragon has outsold the recently released Zelda: Twilight Princess - and all other Wii software - in Japan. The latest Media Create Japanese chart puts the Mistwalker RPG at number four in the top selling titles in Japan for December 4 through 10, which has managed to shift a respectable 80,000 copies in the country giving it the number two all-time 360 sales record behind Dead or Alive 4. Blue Dragon has received a considerable level of hype in Japan, largely thanks to the fanbase surrounding Dragon Ball Z artist Akira Toriyama who designed the characters in the game, and a special edition Japanese Blue Dragon 360 bundle which some Japanese retailers reported to have sold out of within minutes of opening pre-orders. Meanwhile Nintendo's latest Zelda has shockingly dwindled all the way to number 17 in Japan, only a week after it was bested by mini-game titles Wii Sports and Wii Play during the Far Eastern console launch. You could speculate that perhaps quantaties of the game - and especially the Wii hardware - have become near-impossible to secure in Japan, but we'll have to wait and see how the numbers perk up in the following weeks. So could this be a turning point for Microsoft's console in the Far East? We'll let you know how far it is up the top ten next week.""In an interview published on CVG today GRAW 2 content producer Olivier Dauba discussed 360 competitor Gears of War, saying it's "it's an absolutely awesome ten minutes," but "if you play 20 minutes it doesn't bring anything new." "We try to go beyond that and making something that lasts for quite a few hours," Dauba continues. "It's a different game maybe but in my opinion we're aiming for something deeper and wider with a bigger scope." "We're designing our game as a more long-term experience." The GRAW 2 producer continues saying that he thinks Gears is a very good game, but "the core gameplay is very simple" adding, "you take cover, you aim and basically that's it. Ghost Recon in my opinion has a much deeper layer of tactical choices and the environments are actually different as well; Gears of War looks more or less the same to me - this type of destroyed city and destroyed environment.""
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It's way, WAY off mark.Given that Sony won't even reach its target number of 600'000 units before year end, it's hardly a confirmed victory for Blu-Ray. Microsoft however will have 10 MILLION!! units in homes around the world by year end; that's an awful lot of prospective buyers who might decide to opt for that £100 HD-DVD unit this christmas or at any time they feel they're ready to upgrade to high definition/high density movies.If Microsoft has just a 20% take up for its drive, (which is selling out), it will have nearly 4 times the number of HD DVD drives in consumer homes. Also, if you go to a site like PLAY.COM and peruse their HD-DVD titles and compare it to Blu-Ray, you'll see the library is much bigger; another reason people would go for HD-DVD.Quite embarrasing for the self declared masters of the videogame industry but nowhere near as humiliating than being outdone by NINTENDO, who will actually ship 1 million units by year end, who have great forecasts for next year, (so it's not just an xmas fad), and will actually, unlike Sony and Microsoft, be in profit from hardware sales alone.Finally, the word on the grapevine is that Sony will be pushing back the European launch of PS3 until September, makes sense as this is the month they've launched all of their systems in Europe. Bear in mind, PSP came out a YEAR after Japan and the US and still did very well. Obviously they want to hype it up for next christmas. I've been saying it for a long time now, Sony have made a massive gamble using Blu-Ray and for the most part it's backfired. Late shipping, poor production levels and tech issues have been the bane of the PS3. To quote one analyst "PS3 should have assured the success of Blu-ray, Blu-ray may have assured the failure of the PS3 -- at least for 2006"
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That info is not way way off the mark... Sony has gotten production issues taken care off and PS3s are in full production of 1,000,000 a month. Knowing that amount should sell out, they expect to sell at least that many by years end.
The source for sales of Blu-ray PS3s versus 360 HDDVD drives is here: http://tinyurl.com/vc7v7 Blu-Ray outnumbers HDDVD drives, but we've yet to see if those PS3 owners will actually start purchasing Blu-Ray movies, otherwise curently HD-DVDs are selling because those who buy HD-DVD drives for 360 obviously want movies.
And the rumors about delaying the European launch are simply rumors, Sony knows about these rumors and has reaffirmed that the European launch is still on for March and is allowing Europeans to register their online IDs ahead of time, the fact that PS3 production is in full swing without problems is also reassuring... -
PS3 owners are STILL purchasing Blu-Ray discs! They might not be movies, but the Blu-Ray disc is still being used more and selling far more than HD-DVD discs... So, from Sony's standpoint, it's fine, however, for the studios it's far too early to tell... least it end up like UMD. But seeing as how other hardware manufacturers are making other Blu-Ray players, stand alone or for PCs, it's in a far different and better category than PSP's UMD.
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Looking good there, ace. Hope you snagged a Wii and will let me play. Especially since I can get my gf interested in one enough that she would go in halvies with me for one....even though $250 isn't that much...but I be poor!
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What you have totally ignored is the size of already installed 360's out there. Big difference between 600'000 PS3's and 10 Million. The point i was trying to make, was that the agressive price point Microsoft have fixed on their unit is a much more appealing option to ALOT more people than a stand alone Blu-Ray or HD-DVD system. To say that Blu-Ray has won the format war is a little more than hopeful optimism. As for the September launch of PS3, don't hold your breath for a spring release in Europe, Sony have had a massive executive shake up, (PS3 hasn't been their only debacle this year), so there'll be delays on that side of their business but more importantly, it's the wrong time of year to launch a system. Just watch and see.
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And I didn't announce victory for Blu-Ray, I said currently Sony has the advantage, HD-DVD movies are still selling more than Blu-Ray movies at this current time... The 360 install base is big, but as you can see, currently the numbers indicate that only a small percentage have bothered picking up the HD-DVD add-on. Those who will buy PS3 will get Blu-Ray whether they want it or not... also the price of a 360+HDDVD drive comes to about the same as a PS3 with Blu-Ray built in... So whether people are comparing the 360 bundle or the PS3 to stand alone systems, is moot. Hardware people know better to look into the stand alone units, although word is that the PS3 is a more competent blu-ray player than one of the stand alone units currently out due to a chip defect. As for the European launch, things seem fine at the moment. The big executive changes within the Sony corporation aren't anything negative, I don't know why people see it that way... what will that do? And why is it the wrong time of year to launch? Sure, the Christmas shopping season will be over, but the system will still sell out... so launch dates for these systems aren't anything to be concerned over (though long delays can cause mass dissappointment which is why Sony cannot afford to do this again), what matters is having enough supply for the shopping seasons after launch.
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It is never a good idea for your videogame system to double up as your Blu-Ray player because of all the wear and tear that occurs. Sony had experienced this complaint in the past with their PS2. However, they want to force Blu-Ray down our throats. That is why the PS 3 is so bloody expensive. And I think that is why the PS3 will fail to enjoy the success of its father, the PS2. This idea that this is the cheapest Blu-Ray player on the market is perhaps moot. There are only 200 titles available for these HD players. This number will have to increase drastically before HD-DVD or Blu-Ray becomes mainstream. And when that happens, these players may become hybrid players, and or selling for $100 at your local supermarket. But of course, videophiles must have what they want now I suppose. But still they will not be buying a PS3, but a dedicated system.
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According to reviews, Sony's PS3 is a very competent Blu-Ray player, so far, even superior to some of the dedicated systems out on teh market... And I doubt it will kill it, but perhaps it's possible that early launch consoles might experience problems. PS2s that my friends use extensively for games and DVDs til today run fine...As for complaints abotu price, I don't tihnk average consumers are going to wonder about it, they will see taht it's costly, sure, but then they pretty much expect new consoles to be costly... so it no surprise for them. In fact, on Ebay, people are making bids on Wiis that cost more than a PS3! As it turns out price isn't that big an issue until much further down the road. I personally expected the consoles to retail at close to $700-800, that what I was prepared to pay, so frankly the price ranges now are only good news to me and I'd hope they drop further by next year which is when I'm going to pick one up...
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