Video Games Blog

Tips When Playing Video Poker

2009-03-09T15:01:00.003Z

Online video poker does not offer quite the same challenges as traditional poker. However, there are still some important strategic decisions you will need to make if you want to be successful.

Video poker is one of those few casino games in which the House edge if minimal when playing the game correctly.The poker rooms usually offer a bonus for signing up with them and so does the casinos. And if you are playing using a good sign up bonus you can actually turn the odds in your favour. Here are some ideas to keep in mind if you plan to play video poker successfully online.

Know the Right Play for Every Situation

Although which five cards the game deals you is completely random, what you do with those cards is up to you. There is a mathematically correct way to handle any five card hand. If you want to be a winner, you'll have to know how many cards to draw, as well as how to them.

Fortunately, you don’t have to figure out the right moves yourself. Just go online and find a strategy chart for the online video poker game of interest. Keep it with you whenever you log on. You can then be confident of always making the right moves.

Play to Win the Progressive Jackpot

You don't have to go all the way to Las Vegas to hit the jackpot, most online casinos have this feature as well. The progressive jackpot is awarded to a player who gets a royal flush. Usually a regular straight flush awards part of the prize pool. Everyone who plays that type of video poker on the site pays into the pool. The prize pool can be extremely large by the time someone hits it.

The only thing you need to know is that you must have the full amount of coins played on the deal, or you will win a much smaller amount instead. To avoid missing the jackpot, you should play the full amount on every deal.

Play Full Pay Machines

Not all machines have the same pay table. The payouts vary from game to game and site to site. However, there is a standard pay table to confer the best odds.

You should not play on machines that offer less than the standard pay table. On a traditional “Jacks or Better” machine, what this means is that you should be playing on a 9/6 machine. That machine offers nine coins when you make a full house and six when you make a flush. Any lower payout is not favorable.

First Punisher: No Mercy Screens Revealed

2008-09-28T09:10:00.004+01:00

Zen Studios’ Managing Director Zsolt Kigyossy introduced the upcoming Playstation Network exclusive The Punisher: No Mercy. Zen Studios has revealed the game's first screenshots on the official PlayStation Blog.

Zsolt Kigyossy told the PlayStation Blog that the game will check in at 30fps, and leverages the Unreal Engine, licensed from Epic Games. The graphical style will combine modern visuals with a comic book style found in the series. He also revealed the existence of a single-player campaign.

Kigyossy also announced that the recently implemented Trophy System will be supported, and a trailer for the download title will be available within a few weeks.

The approximately 1GB download will also feature weapons, which should be a surprise to no one.

"Creating an impressive arsenal in The Punisher: No Mercy has been one of our top priorities," Kigyossy said. "We've included different categories of weapons that players can choose from (close quarters, long range, and special weapon). As players collect more and more frags or weapon power-ups, the arsenal becomes more and more lethal."

Zen Studios. Ltd is a multimedia and game technology company based in Budapest, Hungary. Zen was founded by a number of experienced game developers in 2000 with the aim of developing innovative new arcade, strategic and action games for the console market.

References:

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2008/09/24/the-punisher-no-mercy-%e2%80%93-your
-questions-answered/

Create Your Own Little Big Planet

2008-09-27T22:09:00.000+01:00

A new videogame allows players to conjure up their own design ideas and create playable content that can be uploaded and shared. And gamers can do it from the privacy of their own home with Sony Computer Entertainment America's LittleBigPlanet.

With LittleBigPlanet, if you think it, you can make it. The game is a collection of intuitive tools that allow players to customize everything from their characters to the levels of game play they'll be challenged with.

LittleBigPlanet will have a huge online component, including team-based multiplayer options for designing levels together, as well as an active community with user feedback on created levels. Media Molecule will continue to support LittleBigPlanet with additional downloadable content moving forward.

Reference:
http://www.littlebigplanet.com/

NHL 2K9 -The First and Only Hockey Games Available For Nintendo's Wii Console

2008-09-24T20:31:00.000+01:00

NHL 2K9 is the first and only hockey games available for Nintendo's Wii console, and EA Sports celebrated the launch of NHL 09, its 18th NHL game by asking six hockey stars to suit up to capture new moves for next year's NHL 10 game. Josh Harding, of the Minnesota Wild, Corey Perry, of the Anaheim Ducks, Jeremy Roenick, of the San Jose Sharks, Patrick O'Sullivan, of the Los Angeles Kings, and Drew Doughty, of the Los Angeles Kings, joined NHL 09 cover athlete Dion Phaneuf from the Calgary Flames on the ice, adorned with reflective balls and Lycra suits that captured every move for their virtual counterparts.

Sean Ramjagsingh, gameplay producer for NHL 09, said this is the first time EA Sports has been able to assemble this many NHL players on the ice at once for a videogame.

The Xbox and Playstation 3 NHL 2K9 allows gamers to use the remote like a hockey stick to send slap shots at the goalie. When fighting on the virtual ice, players can grab both the Nunchuk and Remote controllers and get a workout while pummeling the opposition.

The game offers enhanced visuals, including facial hair that grows throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs. There's also the new Reel Maker 2K9, which jumps on the user-generated content bandwagon by allowing virtual puckheads to create, edit, share and rate in-game highlight reels online. One of the new features in NHL 09 is the EA Sports Hockey League, which allows a team of six players to choose a position, including goalie, and then compete against other teams online in league and tournament play.

Hockey has struggled to compete with the other sports but the NHL videogames have sold well enough to sustain two competing franchises. "Videogames are good for hockey, especially for kids in the states who get exposed to the sport through the game," - said O'Sullivan, who is from North Carolina. "A lot of times that's how kids get interested in sports - through something other than watching it on TV."

References:
http://2ksports.com/games/nhl2k9
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NHL_2K9

The Data of Xbox 360 Sales in Japan

2008-09-21T05:24:00.001+01:00

Cutting prices on the Xbox 360, in Japan, had a great influence on the number of its sales. According to the latest data from Famitsu, the Xbox 360 sold the most units in Japan in the sales week from September 8 to September 14.

As the console was sold out in Japan at first, Microsoft had to ship in more consoles there and it's still doing it. Here is the sales breakdown:

• Xbox 360: 28,681 units

• Wii: 27,057 units

• PLAYSTATON 3: 8,050 units

Last week, only 843 units were sold. It seems that price cut may have won over Japan.

References:

http://kotaku.com/5050976/holy-snot-xbox-360-tops-home-console-sales-in-japan

http://www.famitsu.com/game/news/1218109_1124.html?ref=rss

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

2008-09-20T20:33:00.003+01:00

LucasArts, the gaming division of Lucasfilm Limited, released Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, an installment of the Star Wars saga that falls roughly in between the two film trilogies.

The game begins with players in the role of the iconic Darth Vader, but partway through the focus shifts to a secret Vader apprentice named Starkiller. So far, initial reviews for the game have been mixed, with many arguing that the entire game should be played from Vader's perspective. Some have also expressed disappointment that the game does not allow the Nintendo Wii controller to be used like a lightsaber.

Consumers will have ample options for playing the new game, as LucasArts has released it for every available platform, including Microsoft's Xbox 360; Nintendo's Wii and DS; Sony's PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, and PSP; and even Apple's iPhone and iPod touch. There are also numerous commercial tie-ins for the game, including a novel, a comic book, action figures, and other merchandise.

According to LucasArts, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is the company's first internally developed game for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It also marks the first game collaboration between LucasArts and Industrial Light & Magic, the source of many of the special effects for the more recent Star Wars films.

The release of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed marks the first time a major game franchise has been ported to Apple's iPhone and iPod touch. The tremendous popularity of the devices presents game manufacturers with exciting new opportunities. The iPhone/iPod touch version of The Force Unleashed does offer some game-play experiences specifically tailored to the device's capabilities, particularly with respect to the use of gestures on the touchscreen.

Reference:
http://www.lucasarts.com/company/release/news20080918.html

New Survey - Nearly Every Kid A Video Gamer

2008-09-17T19:13:00.000+01:00

It's a common scenario, according to a new national survey from the Pew Internet & American Life Project that illustrates just how ingrained games have become in youth culture. The survey found that while young Americans don't necessarily play the same thing, nearly all of them - girls included - play video games of one kind or another. And they don't just play by themselves. Nearly two-thirds play video games to socialize face-to-face with friends and family, while just over a quarter said they play with Internet friends.

"It shows that gamers are social people," - says Amanda Lenhart, a senior researcher at Pew who led the report on the survey. "They communicate just as much. They spend time face-to-face, just as much as other kids. They e-mail and text."

The survey, released Tuesday, combined the telephone responses from a nationally representative sample of 1,102 young people, ages 12 to 17, and their parents. Performed from November 2007 through February of this year, and partly funded by the MacArthur Foundation, it had a margin of error of three percentage points. Among other things, the survey found that:

• Ninety-seven percent of young respondents play video games. That's 99 percent of boys and 94 percent of girls, with little difference in the percentages among various racial and ethnic groups and incomes. In fact, 7 percent of those surveyed said they didn't have a computer at home, but did have a game console, such as Sony Corp.'s PlayStation, Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox or Nintendo Co.'s Wii.

• They play often. When surveyed, half of the respondents said they had played a video game the previous day.

• Their games of choice are as diverse as their tastes in music or TV. Eighty percent of respondents play five or more different game genres, with racing, puzzles, sports and action the most common. Favorites were "Guitar Hero," "Halo 3," "Madden NFL," solitaire and "Dance Dance Revolution."

• Young people are routinely able to get their hands on games that are rated "M" (for mature) or "AO" (adults only). Three-quarters of parents who were surveyed said they "always" or "sometimes" check the ratings on their kids' games. And yet, half of boys who were questioned listed a game with an "M" or "AO" rating as one of their favorites, compared with 14 percent of girls.

The survey did, however, find that those who played games in face-to-face social settings were more likely to say they were committed to civic participation. Also it is important that about a third of parents who were surveyed said they play video games with their children some or all of the time. Most of those parents are younger than 40, part of a generation that grew up playing video games themselves.

Reference:

http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/263/report_display.asp

Ubisoft To Subtitle Its Future Developed Video Games

2008-09-14T05:09:00.003+01:00

In partnership with Handicap International, http://www.ubi.com/US/ Ubisoft announced that all their video games developed in future will include subtitles.

This positive action by Ubisoft was made in order to make games more accessible to the deaf people. It will also allow the company to easily allocate products in countries where the language isn't used widely enough to justify a complete redub.

The first games from the company that'll get subtitles will be Far Cry 2 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC), Prince of Persia (DS, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC) and Shaun White Snowboarding (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC).

It seems likely that a number of other publishers and developers may implement this strategy in the future as well.

Ubisoft Entertainment is an international producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products and has grown considerably through a strong and diversified line-up of products and partnerships. Ubisoft has teams in 28 countries including the United States,Brazil, Morocco, Germany and China. The company distributes games in more than 55 countries around the globe. It is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to consumers. For the 2007-08 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated sales of 928 million euros.

References:

http://gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/F2735938-17A0-46BC-80B6-9A59AB965EFC.htm

US video game sales rise 9 percent in August

2008-09-13T19:01:00.001+01:00

Sales of video game software and hardware in the U.S. rose 9 percent in August to $1.08 billion, the smallest monthly increase in more than two years, according to data released Thursday by market researcher NPD Group.

Hardware sales were up 3 percent to $395 million lead by handheld Nintendo DS, which sold 518,300 units, Nintendo's Wii came in second with 453,000 unit sales, and Microsoft's Xbox 360 claimed the third spot with 195,200 unit sales. Software sales were up 13 percent to nearly $551 million, lead by Electronic Arts' Madden NFL 09 and Nintendo's Wii Fit and Mario Kart. Sales of accessories rose 13 percent to $137 million.

The video game industry has weathered the economic downturn better than most industries, but August's sales increase is the first rise below 10 percent in 27 months. However, she said projections for 2008 are still looking strong overall. "Despite smaller growth this month, the industry is up 32 percent year-to-date and remains on target to achieve annual revenues in the range of $22 billion to $24 billion," - NPD analyst Anita Frazier said.

References:

http://www.npd.com/corpServlet?nextpage=entertainment-retail-tracking-service_s.html

http://www.easports.com/madden09/fullsite/index.jsp

Harry Potter - delayed until 2009

2008-09-10T14:10:00.000+01:00

Harry Potter’s fans and enthusiasts must be upset but still Electronic Arts Inc has delayed its latest Harry Potter video game until next summer, a title it expected to reap $120 million in revenue and 13 cents a share in profit, the video game publisher said on Monday. EA expects to sell the game "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" in the summer of 2009, coinciding with the release of the film of the same name, whose debut was pushed back by Warner Bros Pictures.

Originally set to debut in November, the movie was shifted to bolster Warner Bros's schedule for the lucrative summer movie season, in the wake of the Hollywood screenwriter’s strike that has forced studios to reconsider release dates.

Electronic Arts previously anticipated the financial returns from the game within its fiscal year ending March 31, 2009. The game will be available for most game platforms including Nintendo's Wii, Sony Corp's PlayStation 3, Microsoft Corp's Xbox 360, and personal computers.

So fans, you have to wait for while…

References:

http://www.ea.com/read/20080908-hpship090808.xml

http://www.warnerbros.com

http://harrypotter.ea.com

Microsoft Cuts Prices of Xbox 360 Models

2008-09-07T08:46:00.004+01:00

Microsoft cut Xbox 360 prices on all three of its console versions. The prices cut from $279 to $199, which means that Microsoft will have the cheapest new console on the market in the form of the Xbox 360 Arcade, which will now cost $199 compared to the $249 Nintendo Wii.

The Xbox 360 with a 60GB hard disk with sells for $299, down from $349. And the Xbox 360 Elite with a 120 GB hard disk will sell for $399, down from $449.Nintendo's Wii is priced at $249, while Sony's 80GB PlayStation 3 is $399.

Microsoft lowered prices of Xbox 360 just a day after it cut prices by 30 percent for the Xbox in Japan.

As of July 1, Electronic Art’s Nintendo sold 10.9 million units in the United States alone, according to the NPD group.

Sony's PlayStation 3 was the second favorite, with estimates of between 9.5 million and 11.5 million units to be sold both in the United States and Europe by the end of the year.

Sony, however, has sold more than 12.85 million PlayStation 3 units worldwide since its 2006 debut.

The Xbox was in last place in EA's predictions, expected to sell between six and eight million units in the United States this year.

References:

http://www.toptechnews.com/story.xhtml?story_id=61698

EA's Spore aims to create new worlds

2008-09-06T08:27:00.003+01:00

Monsters and other virtual creations that entertain us now are available in Electronic Arts Inc's creature-building game "Spore" that offers players a chance to develop new worlds. The new game, which lets players guide the evolution of their creatures, is from Will Wright, the man behind the Sims series of games. The Sims let players guide virtual people and cities, spawning spin-offs, sequels and expansion packs to the tune of more than 100 million units sold worldwide.

Billy Pidgeon, video game analyst for IDC, believes "Spore" is a going to be huge globally, eventually eclipsing the Sims. He says - "This title has billion-dollar potential,”. He expects spin-off games and a host of fan-oriented websites and products, such as custom T-shirts of players' creatures that should boost the value of the game.

Already players trying out early releases are sharing their creatures, adding complexity to the game at no expense to EA. Gamers have been waiting five years to get their hands on "Spore," which will finally launch in North America on September 7, and EA has spent $50 million to develop it, estimated Michael Pachter, video game analyst for Wedbush Morgan Securities.

Pachter estimates EA will ship 3 million copies of "Spore" at $120 million wholesale, and expects it to sell through 2 million this year. With a break-even point of 1.7 million units, EA should be well on its way to a strong new franchise. He says - "Economically, it's not that big of a deal this year, since it cost so much to make, but they made a big bet that this game would pay dividends for years, so they care a lot,".

References:

http://www.spore.com/

http://www.ea.com/read/20080904-sporeship090408.xml

"Mercenaries 2: World in Flames"

2008-09-01T19:54:00.000+01:00

A video game depicting mercenaries storming Venezuela, which has been criticized in the oil-rich South American country as a blueprint for an invasion, was released by a U.S. company this weekend. The release is likely to anger allies of President Hugo Chavez, a Washington foe, who has in the past threatened to cut off oil exports to the United States.

The game, "Mercenaries 2: World in Flames," was released on Sunday by a division of Electronic Arts Inc and is set in a "fully destructible Venezuela,".

In 2006, when the game was first announced, lawmakers from Chavez's coalition called it an example of a U.S. government-inspired propaganda campaign against Chavez that could even help lay the psychological groundwork for an actual invasion.

"All the controversy around this is kind of comical," - Electronic Arts spokesman Jeff Brown said. "At the end of the day you have to remind yourself it's a damned video game."

References:

http://www.ea.com/read/20080829-mercs2ship.xml

http://www.pandemicstudios.com/mercenaries/index.php

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts Pre- Order Bonuses

2008-08-31T04:59:00.002+01:00

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts will hit U.S. store shelves on November 14, but pre-orders have already begun. The retail price of the game is $39.99. As a special bonus, you'll also receive a free download code for the original Banjo-Kazooie,

The gamers who pre-order Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts will receive, as a special bonus a free Banjo-Kazooie Xbox LIVE Arcade redeems code with pre-order at participating retailers, launching on Xbox LIVE® Arcade later this fall.

The XBLA title will include something called Stop N' Swop, which rewards players' accomplishments in the new game with extra content and features in the Live arcade game.

For additional information on the “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts” pre-order program, visit.

References:
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/b/bknutsandbolts/20080820-preorder.htm

Games Convention Announced Winners At Leipzig Exhibition Centre

2008-08-27T08:25:00.007+01:00

The Leipzig Exhibition Centre hosted the seventh GC - Games Convention. GC – Games Convention announced winners in nine categories: The best PC game, Best Xbox 360 Game, Best PSP Game, Best PS3 Game, Best Wii Game, Best NDS Game, Best Mobile Game, Best Online Game, Best Hardware and Best PS2 Game.

Here is the list of happy winners:

Best PC game: SPORE - Electronic Arts (EA);

Best Xbox 360 Game: MIRROR’S EDGE - Electronic Arts (EA);

Best PSP Game: RESISTANCE: RETRIBUTION -Sony Computer Entertainment Deutschland;

Best PS3 Game: LITTLE BIG PLANET - Sony Computer Entertainment Deutschland;

Best Wii Game: SKATE IT - Electronic Arts (EA);

Best NDS Game: SONIC CHRONICLES: Die Dunkle Bruderschaft - SEGA;

Best Mobile Game: PES 2009 - Konami;

Best Online Game: Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning - GOA GOA (developed by Mythic Entertainment);

Best Hardware: PlayTV - Sony Computer Entertainment Deutschland;

Best PS2 Game: As well as there were too few entrants no award was made in this category.

GC 2008's success is proven by the sheer number of visitors who dropped in: over the four-day period, some 203,000 people came in. Compared to last year, the number of software and hardware companies from around the world who participated in the Leipzig event has increased, from 189 to 234.

This Games Convention in Leipzig was held from 20-24 august. GC 2009 will be held from August 19 to 23, also in Leipzig.

References:
http://www.leipziger-messe.de/LeMMon/PRESSE.NSF/html_
newstickerger/E0F89F3A1531AADBC12574AD003EE79B?OpenDocument

New WiiWare Game: Swords & Soldiers

2008-08-17T05:07:00.004+01:00

The developers of the original version of 'de Blob' announce their new game studio Ronimo Games and their first title: Swords & Soldiers.

Swords & Soldiers is a side-scrolling RTS game, in which you play as one of three distinct factions that are battling for the powers of the gods. From the screenshots you can easily make out two of the factions. One seems to be a Viking/Nordic faction with large axes and buxom ladies commanding the powers of the cold arctic winds. Another faction looks to be a Mayan/Incan race complete with blow darts and shamans caring with them the power of poison.

Swords & Soldiers will be the first competitive strategy game on Wii Ware and is scheduled for European, Australian and American release in Q4 2008.

Ronimo games is a new developer, founded by the original creators of “de Blob” in October 2007. The Ronimo games team focuses on creating innovative games for a broad audience. Ronimo Games now consists of 9 people, all striving to create new, innovative and exciting games. Ronimo Games is a licensed developer for Nintendo Wii and is currently working on fun games for both Wii and WiiWare.

References:
http://www.swordsandsoldiers.com/

Video game sales rise 28 percent in July

2008-08-16T13:22:00.000+01:00

U.S. video game sales rose 28 percent in July from a year earlier, boosted by continued strong demand for Nintendo Co Ltd's Wii console, according to data from research firm NPD. U.S. sales of video game hardware, software and accessories totaled $1.19 billion in July, with software sales growing 41 percent and hardware sales rising 17 percent.

Sony Corp's PlayStation 3 outsold Microsoft Corp's Xbox 360 game console in July, selling 224,900 PS3 versus 204,800 Xbox 360 machines in the United States. The Wii outsold both systems combined, tallying 555,000 units sold during the month. Among the handhelds, Nintendo's DS sold 608,400 units in the United States in July, compared with 221,700 units for Sony's PlayStation Portable.

The top selling game in July was Electronic Arts' (ERTS.O) "NCAA Football 09," which debuted during the month. It sold nearly 400,000 units in the United States. Nintendo's "Wii Fit" exercise game, which comes with a "balance board" that senses tiny shifts in a person's posture and is used to control a cartoonish character on the screen, came in second with 369,600 units. Activision Blizzard's "Guitar Hero" game for the Nintendo DS, Nintendo's "Wii Play" and EA's "NCAA Football 09" for the PS3 rounded out the top five best-selling games.

Reference:

http://www.npd.com/press/releases/press_080811.html

http://npd.com/corpServlet?nextpage=corp_welcome.html

Star Trek Online

2008-08-13T18:05:00.000+01:00

Star Trek Online massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) was previewed at the annual Star Trek convention in Las Vegas. The preview, Webcast live from the Gene Roddenberry Theater, was hosted by Mr. Spock himself, actor Leonard Nimoy, as well as Jack Emmert, chief creative officer of Cryptic Studios, which developed the game.

In Star Trek Online, players can command a starship as a Federation or Klingon captain, customize it with systems, and recruit and train a crew for exploration and combat. Missions involve space battles, on-planet adventures, and intrigue inside starships. Emmert said users can send commands to "send security to deck five" or "divert power to shields," for instance, as well as other starship commands familiar to fans. "We want to be sure that all the things you've seen in various episodes and movies, you'll be able to do as a player," - he said.

At launch, players are part of either the Klingon Empire or Star Fleet, but Cryptic expects to add new forces for players to join. A bridge crew can beam down to tackle challenges on a planet, complete with phasers shooting and, if you're a Klingon, hand-to-hand combat. There will also be extensive customization, such as creating your own captain from known Star Trek alien races -- or even creating your own race. Customization also applies to your ship, within a certain range, with ships becoming more extensive as the captain gains more experience.

Mike Goodman, an analyst for industry research firm Yankee Group, said there were "lots of reasons to be optimistic" about the possible success of an MMORPG like Star Trek Online. He pointed out that three of the most successful games - Age of Conan, Lord of the Rings, and World of Warcraft (WoW) -- are all fantasy-based, medieval-themed games. To broaden the market, he noted, it will be necessary to get a greater variety of game genres, and Star Trek could fit that bill. Star Trek also has a substantial, built-in fan base, which, Goodman noted, points to the potential drawback of the Star Trek franchise as an MMORPG. Whereas WoW invents its own set of characters and rules of behavior, Star Trek builds on existing ones and therefore has relatively less room to maneuver. "There are some things that Star Trek fans will accept, and others they will not," - he said.

References:

http://crypticstudios.com/

http://www.startrekonline.com/

http://www.treknation.com/articles/las_vegas_con_report_july_30_2004.shtml

http://www.creationent.com/cal/stlv.htm

Wal-Mart's US sales chill in July

2008-08-09T15:19:00.003+01:00

Seems that gamers feel convenient with Wal-Mart and help it to sell more video games. Those who have to buy a new one mostly go there and not directly to the corporation shop. According to Wal-Mart’s report the results are obvious.

Global retail giant Wal-Mart said Thursday its US sales chilled in July as bargain-hunting consumers focused on food and entertainment items like flat-screen televisions and video games. Sales by subsidiary Wal-Mart US rose 3.0 percent in July from June on a same-store basis, the company said, slowing from a 5.8 percent increase in June.

The world's largest retailer's slowing sales reflects a broader pullback in US consumer spending amid housing and credit crises, rising unemployment and high food and energy prices. Wal-Mart forecast a weaker August, with US sales excluding fuel between 1.0 and 2.0 percent, despite traditional back-to-school shopping.

US sales in July were led by food, entertainment, and health and personal care products. Home and apparel sales declined slightly, the Bentonville, Arkansas-based parent company said.

Reference:

http://walmartstores.com/FactsNews/

Game That Kills…

2008-08-05T21:33:00.000+01:00

While being a video game player just think over it because it could raise too many problems. Chain of addictions that you can not to get rid of them, so pay more attention at your habits; actually you will notice some things you have been never doing it before. You may not but after a time you will, like a guy from Thailand who have been trying to recreate a scene from the controversial game and the end of that idea was that he’s murdered a taxi driver with a knife from his mom’s kitchen. So moms please pay attention what your children play while you cook or at work.

According to local police the youth, an obsessive player of "Grand Theft Auto," showed no sign of mental problems during questioning and had confessed to committing the crime because of the game. They say that He said he wanted to find out if it was as easy in real life to rob a taxi as it was in the game.

The youth, described by his parents as polite and diligent, was arrested late on Saturday after he was found trying to steer a cab backwards out of a Bangkok street with the severely wounded driver in the back seat, newspapers reported.

The suspect told police he did not mean to kill the driver, whom he had chosen as a possible victim because of his age, but that he stabbed him to death when he fought back, newspapers reported.

"Grand Theft Auto," now available in its fourth edition, has been criticized for depicting violence including beatings, carjacking, drive-by shootings, drunk driving and prostitution.

A senior official at Thailand's Culture Ministry said the murder was a wake-up call for authorities to tackle the issue of violent video games, and urged parents to pay closer attention to what their children played.

A multi-million dollar lawsuit was filed in the U.S. state of Alabama against the makers and marketers of Grand Theft Auto in 2005, claiming that months of playing the game led a teenager to kill two police officers and a 911 dispatcher.

Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty To Be Available On August 21

2008-08-03T05:03:00.003+01:00

James Stevenson, community relations manager for Insomniac Games, announced on the PlayStation Blog that Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty will be available on PSN on August 21, 2008.

The game would be downloadable and packs all the intensity that Insomniac’s triple AAA had. It would be sold at a price of $14.99 and the gamers can enjoy a shorter game play at a lower price. The game was first unveiled at Sony’s E3 2008 press conference. Looks like gamers have a lot of exciting days ahead in store.

"We think Quest for Booty is perfect for existing Ratchet & Clank fans and players new to the franchise," writes Stevenson in the blog post. "If you've been a fan over the years, you'll be compelled to help solve the mystery of Clank's kidnapping and if you're just getting started, Quest for Booty offers a great entry point with an action-packed 3-4 hour experience for almost the same price as a movie ticket. Plus, Q4B has pirates... and booty... and it's really fun to say 'Quest for Booty' out loud with a pirate accent."

Insomniac Games is an independent videogame developer that has released award-winning hits the PlayStation family of consoles for 14 years.

Insomniac created the first three Spyro the Dragon games and the Ratchet & Clank franchise, which have combined to sell over 25 million copies worldwide and have won dozens of awards. It also released Resistance: Fall of Man in 2006, a gritty first-person shooter and PlayStation 3 launch title.

References:
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2008/08/01/set-course-for-booty-this-august/

Nintendo Wii outsells PS3

2008-08-02T15:17:00.000+01:00

Nintendo Co Ltd's Wii video game console outsold Sony Corp's PlayStation 3 by more than 3-to-1 in Japan in July.

Nintendo sold 171,851 units of the Wii in the four weeks ending July 27, compared with 54,823 units of the PS3, Enterbrain said on Friday.

In the handheld game market, Sony sold 256,765 units of its PlayStation Portable in the month, while sales of Nintendo's DS came to 217,639 units.

References:

http://www.enterbrain.co.jp/en/c_outline/mark.html#

http://www.nintendo.com/wii

Revolutionary Rock Titles in Modern Video Games

2008-07-29T18:55:00.000+01:00

Record first-half sales of video and computer games got a big boost from Rockstar Games' "Grand Theft Auto IV" and Activision's "Guitar Hero III." Previewed at the E3 game industry conference July 16-18 in Los Angeles, music game titles due by year's end promise to kick annual sales to new highs, among them Konami's new "Rock Revolution," Harmonix/MTV/Electronic Arts' "Rock Band 2," Activision/Red Octane's "Guitar Hero: World Tour," THQ's "Saints Row 2" and EA's "Madden NFL '09."

U.S. sales of videogame hardware, software and accessories through the end of June totaled $8.27 billion, surging 36 percent from $6.1 billion during the same period last year.

Videogame software sales topped $4.3 billion, soaring 49 percent from $2.9 billion from a year earlier on record unit sales of 107.6 million, up 25 percent from 85.9 million a year earlier.

In one of the conference's biggest announcements, Konami said it has entered a partnership with rock band Linkin Park under which "Rock Revolution," the newest franchise in the music game market, will be the official videogame of the group's 25-date Project Revolution tour. At each tour stop, Konami will set up a demonstration tent that will feature "Rock Revolution" as well as new demos of "Dance Dance Revolution" and "Karaoke Revolution American Idol Presents Encore," - according to Konami marketing director Rozita Tolouey.

The band's single "Given Up" is one of 40 tracks featured in "Rock Revolution," a multi-instrument music game that will compete head to head with the "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" franchises.

Reference:

http://www.npd.com/corpServlet?nextpage=corp_welcome.html

http://www.gametrailers.com/e32k8.php?show=Press+Conferences

http://www.e3expo.com/

500,000 Wiis Sold In Australia

2008-07-27T05:17:00.001+01:00

Nintendo Australia is claiming 500,000 sales of their Wii console in the territory, officially making the Wii the fastest selling home console to sell through 500,000 units in Australia. The console sold over half a million units in just 84 weeks after it hit the market. The previous record holders, Sony’s PlayStation 2 and the Nintendo DS handheld, both reached the figure in 107 weeks of sale.

According to Nintendo, the week commencing 6 July was the highest individual week of sell through for Nintendo DS hardware in Australia, with more than 49,000 units sold. This is the largest single week sell through ever, for any console in Australia.

Nintendo DS currently has an install base of more than 1.2 million units, which demonstrates that Nintendo DS continues to be the popular choice for all consumers.

Several titles are also on their way, just to make sure both console continue to keep up the pace in sales. In the DS department we have Etrian Odyssey on August 14, Trauma Center: Second Opinion scheduled for August 28, Make 10: A Journey of Numbers is set for a September 4 and Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir will have to wait its turn in October.

The Wii will have to settle for Wario Land: The Shake Dimension set to arrive on September 25.

References:
http://www.nintendo.com.au/nintendo/news/index.php

Episodic Video Game – “Wallace & Gromit”

2008-07-26T17:31:00.000+01:00

Telltale Games is creating an episodic video game based on Aardman Animations' Oscar-winning animated film series titled "Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures." The popular stop-motion clay animated franchise stars the cheese-loving, hair-brained inventor Wallace and his long-suffering loyal pooch, Gromit.

"We're certainly going for the clay look with this. Clay presents a challenge if you really get into the detail of it. For example, adding fingerprints in a medium where there aren't any is one of the discussions of how far we should go with the game's detail." – said Telltale Games CEO Dan Connors.

"Grand Adventures" will allow gamers to play as both Wallace and Gromit, engaging in zany entrepreneurial schemes and tinkering with kooky contraptions. It will feature more physical and situation-based comedy and would likely follow the distribution model of Telltale's episodic video game series "Sam & Max."

Aardman Animations has produced three Academy Award-winning "Wallace & Gromit" animated short films as well as the full-length feature film "The Curse of The Were-Rabbit," which won an animated film Oscar in 2006. "A Matter of Loaf and Death," a fourth animated short starring the twosome, is currently in production.

The characters previously appeared in the standalone games "Cracking Contraptions," "Project Zoo" and "Curse of The Were-Rabbit."Connors hopes the new take on "Wallace & Gromit" will be more true to the franchise than previous games.

Reference:

http://www.telltalegames.com/community/blogs/id-360