Amazon U.K. pre-orders of Nintendo Wii U games experienced the largest percentage increase during this year’s Gamescom conference, MCV reports.
According to the publication, Wii U game pre-orders rose by 8.67 percent during the European convention. Comparatively, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One game pre-orders rose by 5.16 percent and 2.81 percent, respectively.
Continue reading Wii U Game has seen large Pre-Order increase during Gamescom (Amazon UK Reports)
The 2010 Electronic Entertainment Expo is just weeks away, and just like you, GameSpot’s editors can’t wait to see what’s on tap in the hallowed halls of the Los Angeles Convention Center. The expo will potentially reveal new games that use Microsoft’s and Sony’s new motion controllers, updates on the new Nintendo 3DS, and new information for upcoming games on all platforms, including PC, console, and handhelds. Read on to get our editors’ picks on some of the most promising games at the show, and join the conversation by leaving us a comment with your top picks. So let’s look at what the editor’s of Gamespot are looking forward too and what are the games they are waiting for…
While there’s a lot to look forward to at this year’s E3 (as evidenced by the small novel I’ve written here), Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is probably my top pick. Yes, I’m sure that probably sounds nuts with all the hot stuff set to hit at the show, but I’ve got an old-school streak in me that loves fighting games, plus I’m still a comic nerd, so in this case, they had me at “hello.” But I also have some very fond memories of fantastic Mickey Mouse games from back in the day, such as Castle of Illusion, Mickey Mania on the Sega CD, and Capcom’s nice run of Mickey games, so I’m very excited to see the mouse get a proper makeover in Epic Mickey for the current crop of consoles. The fact that Warren Spector is involved is icing on the cake. The man is brilliant and has worked on games that I have spent countless hours getting lost in. If anyone could make Mickey the all-ages player he deserves to be in games, it’s Warren and his team, so I cannot wait to see what the results are.
Also, the Golden Sun games on the Game Boy Advance were easily among my favorite role-playing games on the platform. They were a modern take on the classic 16-bit RPGs I cut my teeth on, especially developer Camelot Software Planning’s Shining Force series. So when Golden Sun DS was announced at Nintendo’s E3 press conference last year, complete with some teaser footage, it wound up overshadowing the Metroid and Mario announcements for me. I’ve been patiently waiting for more on the game because I expect something awesome and epic. Oh yes, and I was also a big fan of the original Little Big Planet because of the possibilities the game opened up to aspiring game designers. As someone who still checks up on all the user-generated content that’s still being actively created, I’m eager to see how all the new tools Media Molecule is adding to the mix are going to work and what the story mode is going to be like in Little Big Planet 2.
Finally, I’m also looking forward to some updates on all the motion control hardware that was revealed last year. For instance, while I can’t single out a specific Natal game, outside of maybe Milo, as something I’m looking forward to at E3, I can say I’m very curious to see what Microsoft and other third-party studios are going to bring to the table. We haven’t seen much since last year on the upcoming peripheral, so I’m looking forward to hearing more about what’s going to be done with it. The tech is interesting, without a doubt, but, like all things, the proof is in what gets done with it, so I’m eager to see what will be on display. I’m also looking forward to the PlayStation Move for similar reasons–I can’t single out a specific Move title that’s my must-see at the show (because Sony has kept stuff under wraps since the motion controller’s debut at the Game Developers Conference), but I’m ready for the big guns that Sony and third parties are likely rolling out for it. We’ve had a taste of some of the stuff you’d expect from a controller like this, but I want to see some first- and third-party stuff that sells the hardware.
Which game am I most looking forward to seeing at E3? That’s easy. Civilization V. I’m a big fan of turn-based strategy, and I’ve enjoyed the entire Civilization series. Civ IV was a terrific strategy game that was super-addictive but perhaps not as welcoming for newer players.
Civ V will introduce some of the streamlined interface features from Firaxis’ console game Civilization Revolution, and more interestingly, it’ll shake up the basics of Civ gameplay with a hex-based map and some very different combat mechanics. I was skeptical at first after hearing about some of these changes, but after seeing the game at GDC, I’m a believer, and I can’t wait to see more at E3.
For most E3s, I find myself looking forward to the things I don’t know about, rather than focusing on previously announced games. This year is a bit different. I can’t wait to check out Marvel vs. Capcom 3 .
The second installment in the series is perhaps my favorite fighting game of all time, and I had given up hope of a true sequel because of pesky licensing issues. Now all I want is a roster full of unconventional choices, with new characters added every week through downloadable content.
By: 20th Century Games.
Sports Interactive’s annual juggernaut storms to top place; neither new Bond game shakes or stirs top 10.
Football Manager 2011, the latest iteration of Sega’s football management sim, debuted in first place in the UK sales chart for the week ending November 6, with FIFA 11 holding in second and Fable III dipping from first to third.
Neither of Activision’s just-released James Bond duo, GoldenEye 007 for the Wii and the multiformat 007 Blood Stone, landed in the top 10. Blood Stone, an action adventure game with driving segments, came in at number 18. GoldenEye, a shooter based on the classic 1997 Nintendo 64 game, fared better, entering the chart at 13.
Blood Stone’s muted reception comes after a relatively low-key marketing campaign, without the benefit of being a tie-in product for a high-profile movie; though it features Daniel Craig as 007, Blood Stone isn’t connected to any Bond film. By comparison, the tie-in game for 2008’s Quantum of Solace, released in late October 2008, entered the UK chart at number seven. GoldenEye, on the other hand, enjoys the recognition of being a “reimagining” of the well-loved N64 title.
Top 10 Entertainment Software (All Prices), Week Ending November 6, 2010
1. Football Manager 2011 (SEGA)
2. FIFA 11 (EA Sports)
3. Fable III (Microsoft)
4. Just Dance 2 (Ubisoft)
5. Professor Layton and the Lost Future (Nintendo)
6. New Super Mario Bros Wii (Nintendo)
7. Fallout: New Vegas (Bethesda Softworks)
8. Medal of Honor (EA Games)
9. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II (LucasArts)
10. The Sims 3 (EA Games)
Source : Gamespot
By : 20th CGN.
In a quarterly financial briefing, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick had this to say about the upcoming 2013 fiscal year, which runs from April 1st 2012 to March 31st 2013.
“While it is still very early to discuss fiscal 2013, we have a very strong pipeline of titles in development and currently expect to achieve substantial earnings growth, including Non-GAAP earnings per share in excess of $2.00.”
— Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two
While it is still too early to tell if this means we will be seeing Grand Theft Auto V in 2012/early 2013, one thing is clear; Take-Two definitely has something big planned, as the last time Take-Two made such profits was in 2008, right after the release of Grand Theft Auto IV.
By : 20th CGN.
Western game hits new sales milestone as publisher names Undead Nightmare expansion a major hit; NBA 2K11, Civilization V also solid holiday players; next GTA missing from release calendar.
Nearly nine months after its release, the Red Dead Redemption money train keeps on rolling. Today, Rockstar Games parent Take-Two Interactive revealed the Western action adventure has shipped 8 million units to date, just under half of Grand Theft Auto: IV’s total haul as of last June. The game’s zombie expansion, Undead Nightmare, was also named as one of the publisher’s biggest hits during its October-December quarter.
Take-Two also reported its earnings for the aforementioned quarter. The company took in $334.3 million in net revenue, down 7 percent from the $360.4 million during the same period the year prior. Profits were $40.8 million, essentially flat from the $39.4 million in profits from the same quarter the year before.
That said, the bigger picture proved much rosier. For the nine months ending December 31, Take-Two’s net revenue increased 80 percent to $954.6 million. Income during the period went from a $98.4 million loss to a $76.2 million profit year-over-year, thanks again in large part to Red Dead Redemption. Other major hits for the period included the quadruple platinum NBA 2K11, Grand Theft Auto IV: Complete, Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition, and Sid Meier’s Civilization V.
Looking ahead, Take-Two predicts it will take in $130 million to $150 million in revenue during the current quarter, with earnings totaling $1.08 billion to $1.10 billion for the year ending March 31, 2011. The company recently shifted its fiscal year, which used to end on October 31.
During the current quarter, the company’s two major releases are Major League Baseball 2K11 and Top Spin 4. Looking out to the next year, the company plans to ship Duke Nukem Forever on May 3 and L.A. Noire on May 17. Beyond that, the just-announced Darkness II is due out in the fall, with Spec Ops: The Line and XCOM due out during the company’s next fiscal year. Calendar 2012 will bring BioShock: Infinite, the sky-set semi-sequel to the popular first-person action series.
Missing from Take-Two’s release schedule was any mention of Max Payne 3, the reportedly troubled next installment in the dark shooter series. Speaking with analysts after the report, Take-Two CFO Lainie Goldstein would only say, “There’s no update on that title as of this time.” Also missing from the schedule was any mention of the next installment in the Grand Theft Auto series, which analysts don’t expect until sometime next year.
By : 20th CGN
Publisher and toy maker posts $45.3 million profit as acclaimed action adventure game underperforms.
Following Sony, Konami, Electronic Arts, Square Enix, and THQ, Namco Bandai became the latest game company to post earnings results this week. For the nine months ending December 31, 2010, the publisher and toy maker reported net sales of ¥288 billion ($3.5 billion), up from ¥282.8 billion ($3.4 billion) the year prior. Net income–aka profit–was ¥3.7 billion ($45.3 million), way up from the ¥11.7 billion loss ($143.3 million) the company posted the year prior.
In terms of games, the company’s best-selling title for the current fiscal year remains Tekken 6. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 fighting game sold 1.08 million copies during the nine months ending December 31, more than double Namco Bandai’s highest profile new release, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. Despite solid marks from critics, the action adventure, loosely inspired by the Chinese classic novel Journey to the West, sold just 460,000 units on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 after shipping in October.
Other best sellers called out by Namco Bandai were Ben 10: Ultimate Alien, with 490,000 units in nine-month sales, Gods Eater Burst with 460,000 units, and Gundam Musou 3, with 430,000 units. The company released 64 new titles during the nine-month period selling a total of 13.8 million units of software. Overall software sales were 21.8 million units for the time frame.
By : 20th CGN
Premium edition to include “Back to Karkand” expansion according to leaked ad; content bundles updated weapons, vehicles, and maps from Battlefield 2.
Source: A leaked ad for the limited edition of Battlefield 3, as seen on Battlefield fansite EnterBF3.
What we heard: Last week Battlefield series developer DICE officially lifted the veil on the latest entry in the series, Battlefield 3. The Swedish studio said the title would arrive this fall in standard and limited edition iterations. Now, some new intel on the LE has crept out.
According to a leaked ad for Battlefield 3 (pictured at top), the limited edition of the new shooter will come bundled with the “Back to Karkand” expansion, which will contain a heap of Battlefield 2 content including weapons, vehicles, and four multiplayer environments.
The ad did not reveal which four maps will be included with the pack, however, Strike at Karkand was a popular multiplayer environment in Battlefield 2, and would seem a likely fit for the “Back to Karkand” expansion.
The ad only shows the PC version of the title, but according to additional wording, it looks like the limited edition is coming to consoles. The ad says the limited edition will include additional trophies and achievements for players to unlock, which is a likely indicator that the edition will land on the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360.
Additionally, those who do not purchase a limited edition copy of Battlefield 3 can purchase and download the “Back to Karkand” expansion content about a month after the title releases, according to the leaked advertisement. Neither a price nor a more exact release date has been affixed to the content thus far.
The official story: As of press time DICE has not responded to 20th CGN’s request for comment or clarification on the matter.
Bogus or not bogus?: Looking very much not bogus that EA is planning a multiplatform limited edition for Battlefield 3. But whatever the case, answers will arrive soon, as DICE has said it will unveil the limited edition properly at this year’s Game Developers Conference, which is set for the end of the month.
By : 20th CGN
Title: Prototype 2
Release Date: TBA 2011
Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC
Label: Activision
Genre: Action
Age Rating: M
By : 20th CGN.
Title: X-Men Destiny
Release Date: TBA 2011
Platforms: Xbox 360
Label: Activision
Genre: Action
Age Rating: T
By : 20th CGN.
Treyarch’s latest first-person shooter tops Modern Warfare 2’s launch day total by $50 million in North America and UK alone to claim “biggest entertainment launch in history” title.
Last year, Activision touted the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 as the biggest launch in entertainment history. The Infinity Ward-developed military shooter launched November 10, 2009, and racked up North American and UK sales of $310 million in its first 24 hours on sale.
That record stood for slightly less than a year, as Activision COO and CFO Thomas Tippl today announced at the BMO Capital Markets 18th Annual Digital Entertainment Conference that Call of Duty: Black Ops racked up day-one sales of $360 million at North American and UK retailers. Activision later revealed unit sales for the game, saying Black Ops sold through 5.6 million copies in those markets, compared to 4.7 million for Modern Warfare 2.
“I have every confidence that Tuesday’s sales are just the first milestone in what will be a tremendous year for Call of Duty and for our company,” Tippl told the conference.
While Black Ops has enjoyed a strong debut, its longer-term prospects have been the subject of speculation. Pacific Crest analyst Evan Wilson said the game wouldn’t be able to match Modern Warfare 2’s holiday quarter sales of 16 million copies, “due to competition, weaker marketing, and the Infinity Ward situation.” Activision fired Infinity Ward cofounders Jason West and Vince Zampella in March, prompting a wave of Infinity Ward developers to jump ship to West and Zampella’s newly formed Respawn Entertainment.
Set in the middle of the Cold War, Black Ops depicts a number of Cold War-era covert operations in countries like Russia, Vietnam, and Cuba. The game represents new territory for the series, which has previously focused on more familiar World War II and modern-day settings.
Source : Gamespot
By : 20th CGN.
20th CNetwork: 
