According to the latest data released by NPD, the videogame market took a 41% turn for the positive in the month of May and continues to be in regular demand with consumers.
Other firms such as Pacific Crest analyzed data of sales and noted that console hardware sales saw little benefit from the launch of the hotly anticipated title, Grand Theft Auto IV. It was also noted that third party developer titles continue to find it difficult to gain any traction on the Nintendo Wii. The company states that 10 out of the top 15 titles for the Wii are produced by Nintendo which accounts for 78% of unit sales on the Wii.
The top games of the month of May that generated the most revenue were Grand Theft Auto IV, Wii Fit, Mario Kart Wii, Guitar Hero III and Rock Band.
Activision saw a stout 42% drop in sales due to no new releases this year. In June however, they release Kung Fu Panda as well as Guitar Hero: Aerosmith.
Electronic Arts however saw a 43% rise and is expected to have a stellar 78% growth. The growth is driven mostly by their competition to Activision’s Guitar Hero with their own music title, Rock Band. The new-found growth is expected to come mostly from their upcoming Rock Band Wii release.
Take-Two jumped an astounding 544% in sales thanks to GTA IV with 1.3 million units flying off shelves in the month of May. This number, however was below the estimated 1.8 million units that the company set for itself.
THQ remains about stagnant in the month with only a 1% rise in sales and is expected to drop 5% with its only new title releasing in June is Wall-E.
Friday, June 13, 2008
LEGO Batman gets three new characters
Hot on the heels of its recent release, Lego Indiana Jones, Traveler's Tales is set to release Lego Batman: The Videogame. Look to follow the adventures of Batman through just about any medium you can get your hands on. The game will be released simultaneously for the PC, Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PSP, Wii and DS. In Lego Batman: The Videogame, players will explore a very interactive
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
You like me, you really really like me...
Wonders never cease to amaze me, really. After recently cutting ties with one of my outlets for writing, (which I'll get into later) I posted an availability ad on a videogame PR site that truly is a savior in this industry. Basically, its an industry only site that provides an avenue for journalists to get in contact with their counterparts, the PR managers of all the known videogame producers in the land. GamesPress is truly a Godsend for up to date news, unadulterated screenshots and even just general help and support from fellow journalists. At any rate, I put a little blurb on their forums stating that I was available and got an overwhelming amount of replies from people who would like me to write for them. I didn't think other opportunities would present themselves so quickly, but alas, look for my words to pop up around the Internet very soon. I'm still working out the details.
Oh, and there's a certain stalker that is reading these blog posts even when I asked her not to, so I'm calling her out. Lynn, you can stop reading right now. Nothing else pertains to you. Go about your merry way and BE GONE.
Now, onto business. My previous position of three years at the major website I wrote for came to a crashing halt because they attempted to force a Non Disclosure Agreement that had a very poorly written and stifling No Compete Clause within. Allow me to cut and paste the section that I didn't like.
Now, in a previous chapter it stated that each infraction of said agreement that is found in breach, could hold me liable to them for 10,000 Euro. So basically thats saying that if I terminate "employment" with them (mind you, I was freelance from the beginning), that I would be liable for (currently) $15,590 USD per article I wrote for anyone else if it happened within 6 months after rightful termination. Lets just say I wrote 10 news articles for someone. I'm not sure about you, but I don't have that kind of change. What if that were my only skill to earn money as a career? They are saying that I cant work anywhere for a period of 6 months after termination. I'm sorry but I wont be subjected to that type of control over something as vague as "trade secrets".
At any rate, thats water under the bridge now because it appears that I'll be working for a couple of gaming related sites very soon. I'll provide those links later as things get more solidified.
Oh, and there's a certain stalker that is reading these blog posts even when I asked her not to, so I'm calling her out. Lynn, you can stop reading right now. Nothing else pertains to you. Go about your merry way and BE GONE.
Now, onto business. My previous position of three years at the major website I wrote for came to a crashing halt because they attempted to force a Non Disclosure Agreement that had a very poorly written and stifling No Compete Clause within. Allow me to cut and paste the section that I didn't like.
10. Non-Competition
During the six (6) months following the termination of the employment
relationship, the employee shall not:
1. commence an employment relationship in a company which operates
in a field of business competing with the employer and it is to be
feared that such company may make use of the trade secrets of the
employer or other companies operating in the same field which have
been disclosed to the employee during his/her employment
relationship, or
2. be an owner of, or otherwise assist and consult such company, or
3. himself/herself or with another found or become engaged in a
business which competes with the employer.
If a competing company is engaged in two or more fields of business, all
fields shall be considered as an obstacle to enter into an employment
relationship while applying paragraph 1. of this section.
If the employee, either intentionally or due to gross negligence, violates
the non-competition provisions, he/she shall be obliged to pay the
amount equaling the employee's gross salary for the last six months for
each breach, in addition to which the employee shall pay the damage
incurred by each breach to the employer in full.
Now, in a previous chapter it stated that each infraction of said agreement that is found in breach, could hold me liable to them for 10,000 Euro. So basically thats saying that if I terminate "employment" with them (mind you, I was freelance from the beginning), that I would be liable for (currently) $15,590 USD per article I wrote for anyone else if it happened within 6 months after rightful termination. Lets just say I wrote 10 news articles for someone. I'm not sure about you, but I don't have that kind of change. What if that were my only skill to earn money as a career? They are saying that I cant work anywhere for a period of 6 months after termination. I'm sorry but I wont be subjected to that type of control over something as vague as "trade secrets".
At any rate, thats water under the bridge now because it appears that I'll be working for a couple of gaming related sites very soon. I'll provide those links later as things get more solidified.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Review: Lego Indiana Jones (PSP)
The folks over at Traveler's Tales must have spent a good portion of their youth stacking those colored blocks on top of each other endlessly to form great landscapes, because they have yet again brought a fun an exciting world into the magical realm of Lego's. After previously tackling the galaxy with Lego Star Wars, the team has decided to capture the world of Indiana Jones in their latest endeavor. Lego Indiana Jones is a stand-alone game for the PSP which encapsulates all three of the original movies showcasing everyone's favorite adventurer. Bringing the Indy universe into a blocky Lego world ensures plenty of laughs, fun and clever puzzles, even amidst the poor camera, sluggish controls and lackluster detail.
You begin the game as you should by following the misadventures of Indy and his compadres through the jungles of South America as if watching Raiders of the Lost Ark. You'll follow along the Lego shenanigans solving puzzles, engaging in some light combat and otherwise progressing through the story much like you would the movie. After the introduction sequence, and a few light-hearted cutscenes, you'll eventually end up in Barlett University, which serves as your central hub for the game. Any of the episodes can be accessed straight away from this point, so it
becomes up to the gamer as to which branch of the story they'd like to play first. Each story captures the feel of the Indiana Jones movies and the quirkiness of Lego's with great effect. One cant help but smile at the screen while watching your favorite scenes from Temple of Doom act out in front of you in Lego style. The team at Traveler's Tales have gone to great lengths to recreate the movies quite accurately. Fans and non-fans alike would be able to follow the story without much effort at all.
Gameplay mirrors that of what gamers did in Lego Star Wars. The game emphasises keen puzzle solving over combat,even though light combat situations are thrown in to keep the game exciting. You'll spend most of your time in the game attempting to figure out just how to get Indy and crew out of their particular predicament. These puzzles however are not always apparent and often lead to aimlessly wandering around the board hoping the clue to the next stage of the puzzle will jump out. A fault made widely apparent when compared to the same game on larger consoles.
The PSP's limited screen size makes finding certain objects on screen quite difficult at times. If the developers had taken their time to grant camera controls to the gamer, some of these aspects may have been a lot easier to deal with. Instead, the developers simply ported the same game from the larger console counterparts, leaving the aspect ratio the same and in turn making puzzle solving more annoying than fun at times. The game does benefit from unique puzzles for every board. Gamers will be treated to new obstacles to figure out during each step of their progression. Other platforming aspects of the game do keep the game fresh though as swinging from ropes, using your teammate's unique skills and figuring out creative ways to crack Indy's whip all add to the experience.
In a game focused so intently on teamwork, we expected this one to have some sort of multiplayer capabilities to it, be it Ad-hoc or infrastructure, but sadly the game has none. The title would have definitely benefited from linking up with friends to take the roll of Short Round or any of the other many teammates available during the course of the game. Instead you're left with solo micromanagement of rather ignorant in-game AI to deal with the complex puzzles and action sequences. At many different points during the game, it isn't uncommon to notice your AI
controller characters plummet off the side of a cliff because they didn't remember they cant jump as far as Indy can with his whip. Many puzzle aspects require multiple people to stand on a switch to activate. Beckoning your AI friends to your location quickly becomes a trial in patience in some instances.
Lego Indiana Jones performs well graphically on the PSP by bringing the Lego world to life in a comical and colorful display. Unfortunately you can only enjoy the Lego graphics during the cutscenes as the level of detail is zoomed too far out to really pick out anything specific. Backgrounds are particularly well done, but don't always offer enough differentiation to discern what is an important element and what is just fodder. The limitations however lie on the PSP's small size and not the game itself. It does, however lead one to believe that had the developers taken their time with the camera elements of the game, these issues would be null and void. From a platforming aspect, often the graphics don't give the gamer enough detail to be consistent with jumping and swinging. While your character can often die in one ill-fated leap, it can make platforming rather frustrating when the nonsensical camera inhibits your judgement on exactly how far you need to jump. These aspects however only penalize the player with the amount of Lego pieces they have accumulated and offers a retry rather quickly. This aspect doesn't take away from the overall experience, but does make it a bit frustrating at times.
Traveler's Tales has gone to great lengths to deliver a soundtrack that contains all the excitement and nostalgia of the original movie tracks. All the famous tracks from the movies are instantly recognizable and completely fitting with what's happening in the game. When action ramps up, you'll hear the classic Indiana Jones theme music swell up as if to cheer you on towards your goal. The developers painstakingly got every score dead accurate on this game and is really one of its high points.
The game does offer collectors a virtual mecca of things to do. One simple playthrough of the story mode will net approximately a 45% or less completion percentage. For gamers who love to collect things in games, several playthroughs of each scene with different characters you pick up along the way are almost a must to even come close to the sheer replayability of this title. Even such humorous homage to their earlier works with a C3P0 cameo and other hidden Star Wars references make replaying levels worth it. If fans can forgive the horrendous camera angle, stupid AI and lack of cooperative play, there's fun to be had here. 7.4/10
You begin the game as you should by following the misadventures of Indy and his compadres through the jungles of South America as if watching Raiders of the Lost Ark. You'll follow along the Lego shenanigans solving puzzles, engaging in some light combat and otherwise progressing through the story much like you would the movie. After the introduction sequence, and a few light-hearted cutscenes, you'll eventually end up in Barlett University, which serves as your central hub for the game. Any of the episodes can be accessed straight away from this point, so it
becomes up to the gamer as to which branch of the story they'd like to play first. Each story captures the feel of the Indiana Jones movies and the quirkiness of Lego's with great effect. One cant help but smile at the screen while watching your favorite scenes from Temple of Doom act out in front of you in Lego style. The team at Traveler's Tales have gone to great lengths to recreate the movies quite accurately. Fans and non-fans alike would be able to follow the story without much effort at all.
Gameplay mirrors that of what gamers did in Lego Star Wars. The game emphasises keen puzzle solving over combat,even though light combat situations are thrown in to keep the game exciting. You'll spend most of your time in the game attempting to figure out just how to get Indy and crew out of their particular predicament. These puzzles however are not always apparent and often lead to aimlessly wandering around the board hoping the clue to the next stage of the puzzle will jump out. A fault made widely apparent when compared to the same game on larger consoles.
The PSP's limited screen size makes finding certain objects on screen quite difficult at times. If the developers had taken their time to grant camera controls to the gamer, some of these aspects may have been a lot easier to deal with. Instead, the developers simply ported the same game from the larger console counterparts, leaving the aspect ratio the same and in turn making puzzle solving more annoying than fun at times. The game does benefit from unique puzzles for every board. Gamers will be treated to new obstacles to figure out during each step of their progression. Other platforming aspects of the game do keep the game fresh though as swinging from ropes, using your teammate's unique skills and figuring out creative ways to crack Indy's whip all add to the experience.
In a game focused so intently on teamwork, we expected this one to have some sort of multiplayer capabilities to it, be it Ad-hoc or infrastructure, but sadly the game has none. The title would have definitely benefited from linking up with friends to take the roll of Short Round or any of the other many teammates available during the course of the game. Instead you're left with solo micromanagement of rather ignorant in-game AI to deal with the complex puzzles and action sequences. At many different points during the game, it isn't uncommon to notice your AI
controller characters plummet off the side of a cliff because they didn't remember they cant jump as far as Indy can with his whip. Many puzzle aspects require multiple people to stand on a switch to activate. Beckoning your AI friends to your location quickly becomes a trial in patience in some instances.
Lego Indiana Jones performs well graphically on the PSP by bringing the Lego world to life in a comical and colorful display. Unfortunately you can only enjoy the Lego graphics during the cutscenes as the level of detail is zoomed too far out to really pick out anything specific. Backgrounds are particularly well done, but don't always offer enough differentiation to discern what is an important element and what is just fodder. The limitations however lie on the PSP's small size and not the game itself. It does, however lead one to believe that had the developers taken their time with the camera elements of the game, these issues would be null and void. From a platforming aspect, often the graphics don't give the gamer enough detail to be consistent with jumping and swinging. While your character can often die in one ill-fated leap, it can make platforming rather frustrating when the nonsensical camera inhibits your judgement on exactly how far you need to jump. These aspects however only penalize the player with the amount of Lego pieces they have accumulated and offers a retry rather quickly. This aspect doesn't take away from the overall experience, but does make it a bit frustrating at times.
Traveler's Tales has gone to great lengths to deliver a soundtrack that contains all the excitement and nostalgia of the original movie tracks. All the famous tracks from the movies are instantly recognizable and completely fitting with what's happening in the game. When action ramps up, you'll hear the classic Indiana Jones theme music swell up as if to cheer you on towards your goal. The developers painstakingly got every score dead accurate on this game and is really one of its high points.
The game does offer collectors a virtual mecca of things to do. One simple playthrough of the story mode will net approximately a 45% or less completion percentage. For gamers who love to collect things in games, several playthroughs of each scene with different characters you pick up along the way are almost a must to even come close to the sheer replayability of this title. Even such humorous homage to their earlier works with a C3P0 cameo and other hidden Star Wars references make replaying levels worth it. If fans can forgive the horrendous camera angle, stupid AI and lack of cooperative play, there's fun to be had here. 7.4/10
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Tomonobu Itagaki resigns from Tecmo and files suit
In a surprising announcement today, representatives close to Tomonobu Itagaki, developer of such titles as Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive, have stated that the iconic developer is leaving Tecmo and Team Ninja studios. He was the head of Team Ninja and well renowned developer for Tecmo for many years.
The representative confirmed in a release that Itagaki has resigned and filed a complaint in the Tokyo District Court against Tecmo for unpaid completion bonuses and against the Tecmo president Yoshimi Yasuda for "such unlawful acts as unreasonable and disingenuous statements made towards me, claiming damages in total of 148 million yen" ($1.42 million USD).
In a statement, Itagaki said, "Before the start of development on Dead or Alive 4, Tecmo Co., Ltd. had agreed to pay a completion bonus to me for this Xbox 360 title, which I produced. However, when the time came for the actual payment, Tecmo Co., Ltd. went against its previous agreement and refused payment."
"President Yoshimi Yasuda chose not only to violate this agreement, but also turned defiant," he continued, "telling me 'if you are dissatisfied with the decision not to pay the bonuses, either quit the company or sue it.' In addition, he made demeaning remarks about me to my subordinates and colleagues, causing me significant emotional distress and worsening my personal relationships and work environment."
In recent press releases, Itagaki had continually stated that Ninja Gaiden II would be the last game in the series he would work on. At the same time, he began hinting at beginning work on a new action title completely unrelated to the Ninja Gaiden universe.
The representative confirmed in a release that Itagaki has resigned and filed a complaint in the Tokyo District Court against Tecmo for unpaid completion bonuses and against the Tecmo president Yoshimi Yasuda for "such unlawful acts as unreasonable and disingenuous statements made towards me, claiming damages in total of 148 million yen" ($1.42 million USD).
In a statement, Itagaki said, "Before the start of development on Dead or Alive 4, Tecmo Co., Ltd. had agreed to pay a completion bonus to me for this Xbox 360 title, which I produced. However, when the time came for the actual payment, Tecmo Co., Ltd. went against its previous agreement and refused payment."
"President Yoshimi Yasuda chose not only to violate this agreement, but also turned defiant," he continued, "telling me 'if you are dissatisfied with the decision not to pay the bonuses, either quit the company or sue it.' In addition, he made demeaning remarks about me to my subordinates and colleagues, causing me significant emotional distress and worsening my personal relationships and work environment."
In recent press releases, Itagaki had continually stated that Ninja Gaiden II would be the last game in the series he would work on. At the same time, he began hinting at beginning work on a new action title completely unrelated to the Ninja Gaiden universe.
Sony announces interactive video dubbed Qore
Sony announced today a new way for owners of their flagship console to interact with behind the scenes views of what goes into the PlayStation 3. On June 5th, Sony will unveil the details behind their new service called Qore. Qore is being dubbed as a "highly interactive, monthly original program that covers the world inside PlayStation."
The main idea behind Qore is to offer anyone who wants a more in depth look at the environment surrounding the PlayStation a glance at what's going on with its development. Information is said to range from future enhancements of the console itself, to developers of PlayStation titles talking about the games that are coming out in the near future. This feature, however, will not be available to anyone and everyone. It will only be available on the PlayStation Store. Owners of the console that may want to watch these episodes will be asked to pay either a $2.99 fee for each or a $24.99 yearly subscription.
Sony states that Qore is being designed as an interactive offering that gives viewers the ability to control the camera angles on much of what they're watching or view content in a picture-in-picture frame. The episodes, although paid for by the consumer, will also have interactive advertisements interlaced with the broadcast.
The first episode of Qore will feature previously unseen content from upcoming titles such as Socom: US Navy SEALs Confrontation and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. More details are said to be released on June 5th.
The main idea behind Qore is to offer anyone who wants a more in depth look at the environment surrounding the PlayStation a glance at what's going on with its development. Information is said to range from future enhancements of the console itself, to developers of PlayStation titles talking about the games that are coming out in the near future. This feature, however, will not be available to anyone and everyone. It will only be available on the PlayStation Store. Owners of the console that may want to watch these episodes will be asked to pay either a $2.99 fee for each or a $24.99 yearly subscription.
Sony states that Qore is being designed as an interactive offering that gives viewers the ability to control the camera angles on much of what they're watching or view content in a picture-in-picture frame. The episodes, although paid for by the consumer, will also have interactive advertisements interlaced with the broadcast.
The first episode of Qore will feature previously unseen content from upcoming titles such as Socom: US Navy SEALs Confrontation and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. More details are said to be released on June 5th.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
