3DGamescorp.com
Archive for May, 2010
May 28th
| Game Stats MOST POPULAR GAMES 5-28-10 | ||||||
| Rank This Week | Rank Last Week | Format | Title | Genre | Vendor | Release |
| 1 | 1 | X360 | Red Dead Redemption | Act/Adv | Rockstar Games | 05/18/10 |
| 2 | 2 | X360 | Halo: Reach | Shooter | Microsoft | 09/30/10 |
| 3 | 3 | PS3 | Red Dead Redemption | Act/Adv | Rockstar Games | 05/18/10 |
| 4 | 5 | Wii | Super Mario Galaxy 2 | Platformer | Nintendo | 05/23/10 |
| 5 | New | PS3 | Gears of War 3 | Shooter | Microsoft | 04/30/11 |
| 6 | New | PS3 | Batman: Arkham Asylum 2 | Action | Warner Bros | 12/31/11 |
| 7 | New | PS3 | ModNation Racers | Racing | Sony | 05/25/10 |
| 8 | New | PS3 | Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds | Fighting | Capcom | 06/30/11 |
| 9 | 6 | X360 | Alan Wake | Action | Microsoft | 05/18/10 |
| 10 | New | PC | Star Wars: The Old Republic | RPG | Lucas Arts | 12/31/11 |
| 4 | X360 | Call of Duty: Black Ops | Shooter | Activision | 11/09/10 | |
| 7 | Wii | Metroid: Other M | Action Adv | Nintendo | 08/31/10 | |
| 8 | NDS | Pokemon Black Version | RPG | Nintendo | 12/31/11 | |
| 9 | PS3 | Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands | Action | Ubisoft | 05/18/10 | |
| 10 | X360 | Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands | Action | Ubisoft | 05/18/10 | |
Street Date Changes of Video Games
May 27th
| Date Changes Reported 5-26-10 / 5-27-10 | ||||
| Item | Title | UPC | Release Before | Release Now |
| MAJ01656GM | DSI GHOSTWIRE LINK TO PARANORM | 096427016564 | 10/01/10 | 10/27/10 |
| MAJ01657GM | NDS MONSTER TALE | 096427016571 | 10/01/10 | 12/14/10 |
| MAJ01679GM | WII BABYSITTING MAMA | 096427016793 | 10/01/10 | 11/17/10 |
| MAJ01687GM | WII ZUMBA FITNESS | 096427016878 | 10/01/10 | 10/19/10 |
Retail Video Game Price Changes
May 27th
| Price Changes Reported 5-26-10 / 5-27-10 | ||||||
| Item | Title | UPC | New Retail Price | Old Retail Price | Street Date | Effective Date |
| NINNTRPYDQEGM | NDS DRAGON QUEST IX SENTINELS | <045496740993> | $ 34.99 | TBA | 07/11/10 | 05/26/10 |
| AUI00132GM | PS3 DEMONS SOULS | <730865001323> | $ 39.99 | $ 49.99 | 10/07/09 | 05/26/10 |
| ACT95837GM | PS3 DJ HERO BUNDLE | <047875958371> | $ 79.99 | $ 89.99 | 10/27/09 | 05/26/10 |
| ACT83783GM | PS3 TONY HAWK SKATEBOARD BUNDL | <047875837836> | $ 79.99 | $ 89.99 | 11/17/09 | 05/26/10 |
| ACT95855GM | WII DJ HERO BUNDLE | <047875958555> | $ 79.99 | $ 89.99 | 10/27/09 | 05/26/10 |
| ACT83787GM | WII TONY HAWK SKATEBOARD BUNDL | <047875837874> | $ 79.99 | $ 89.99 | 11/17/09 | 05/26/10 |
| ACT95849GM | X360 DJ HERO BUNDLE | <047875958494> | $ 79.99 | $ 89.99 | 10/27/09 | 05/26/10 |
| ACT83785GM | X360 TONY HAWK SKATEBOARD BUND | <047875837850> | $ 79.99 | $ 89.99 | 11/17/09 | 05/26/10 |
PS3 Slim Was ‘Turning Point’ for Sony, says SCEE Boss
May 27th
Andrew House, President of SCEE, has listed the launch of the PlayStation 3 Slim in September 2009 as a “stand out” moment for the company’s PlayStation hardware strategy. On the official U.K. PlayStation website, House said the release of a smaller, cheaper model is what is driving the PS3 to catch its market rival, Microsoft’s Xbox 360.
“From a business point of view, I have to say that the stand out moment for me has to be the launch of PS3 slim at 299 euros in September 2009,” said House. “We know that for a long time, PS3 was expensive and therefore holding people back. When we launched the slim PS3, sales exploded and haven’t really slowed down since. Obviously it has been helped by the incredible line-up of first party exclusive software such as Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Heavy Rain, MAG and God Of War III. Since that day, momentum has been firmly in our favour and we have no intention of giving that up.”
House commented on Sony’s continuing commitment to digital content delivery, in addition to existing disc-based models.
“At the moment, disc based content is still very much what the consumer is used to and wants,” he said. “However, there has been a change in attitude and technology that is making digital delivery far more feasible and far more attractive. It is our job to ensure that consumers have the choice between the two where possible. How this area will evolve, I can’t really say at this time, as we are relying on many things outside of our control, such as broadband speeds. Things are changing quickly and we have to make sure we are ready for those changes.”
House also lent some credence to the rumors that Sony will be launching a premium PSN service, saying that the company is “looking at a premium [PSN] service to sit alongside the current free service.” He promises that the “current PSN as you know it will remain a free service” and that gamers will learn more “very soon.”
Red Dead Redemption Machinima Going Mainstream
May 27th
Rockstar is using Red Dead Redemption for a machinima that “chronicles a slice-in-time of protagonist John Marston as he tracks down his former fellow outlaw and friend, Bill Williamson. Along the way, Marston encounters many of Red Dead Redemption’s eclectic cast of dreamers, misfits and liars.”
What makes this machinima rather interesting is that the studio is using the actual cast of characters and in-game assets to tell the story. Given that the studio is handling this, it most likely won’t look like today’s better-known machinimas within gaming culture (not for their lack of trying of course). It marks one of the very few times that machinima is directed towards the mainstream audience, as readers might recall the use of World of Warcraft in South Park back in 2006.
Machinima is not something new, and has become its own niche market within the gaming culture. Some machinima series have made leaps and bounds into the ‘legitimate’ visual media market, but the video game machinima penetration has never been this profound.
Perhaps a resurgence of popularity is in store? Red Dead Redemption’s original incarnation did not gain much support from analysts and industry types, and it has been rather evident how that story turned out. With the engaging story and incredible amount of work put into the game, a machinima adds to the already amazing success story that the spaghetti western game has become.
The machinima is around 30 minutes long and was created and directed by John Hillcoat, director of The Road. Check Fox on Saturday night, May 29 at Midnight EST for Hillcoat’s “re-imagining of Marston’s pursuit of justice and salvation.”
PS3 Eating Away at Xbox 360’s Global Share, says Analyst
May 27th
Sony’s PS3 has had a lot of momentum since last fall when the company introduced the slim model and slashed the price to $299. Software like Uncharted 2, God of War III, and MLB 10: The Show has certainly helped too. Reports have shown that Sony’s console has been “steadily increasing” its market share, helping to close the gap on Microsoft’s Xbox 360.
Now, a new report from Strategy Analytics shows that PS3 increased its global market share to 31% for the first quarter of 2010. The research firm’s latest report forecasts that global sales of the PS3 this year will reach 14 million, compared to 17.5 million for Nintendo’s Wii and 10.5 million for Xbox 360. “Our analysis shows that while Wii sales fell relative to Q109, its share in fact remained constant relative to Q409. The main movement in Q1 2010 was the growing share for Sony’s PS3, at the expense of Microsoft’s Xbox 360,” noted David Mercer, Principal Analyst at Strategy Analytics.
He added, “The PS3 continues to benefit from the price cut last September. This should help the PS3 maintain growth momentum throughout 2010. The introduction of the Natal technology should also help re-energize Microsoft’s Xbox 360 platform in the second half of the year.”
Overall, the global games market is facing “major uncertainties” for the rest of 2010, Strategy Analytics said, including the “extent and pace of the Wii’s decline,” and the impact of the upcoming motion devices for PS3 and 360. The research firm believes that total global home games console sales will fall by 9% in 2010.
U.S. Navy Considering Video Games for Boot Camp
May 27th
Video Games are a major part of day-to-day activity for the youth today, and the Navy is facing the challenge head on. The Navy Times today reports that equivalent versions of Wii Fit and Dance Dance Revolution could be used to help get recruits in shape quicker.
[Update: Nintendo of America told us that they're not working with the U.S. military in any official capacity. "Nintendo isn't working with the Navy or any of the Armed Forces to insert Wii products into their basic training camps," said a spokesperson.]
Navy Surgeon General Vice Admiral Adam Robinson states that using such games could help new sailors build better endurance and get them in shape more quickly.
“There are lots of programs now that people can [use to] become very physically active while they’re using interactive computer games,” Robinson said May 18 in an interview with Navy Times reporters and editors. “So, in other words, this isn’t about [starting] with computers and stopping [everything else] — because we’re not going to do that. This is about incorporating those types of activities into something that people can use to become more physically active.”
The Navy is looking into using computer-fitness aids due to the increased health problems inherent with recruits and sedentary lifestyles. Adm. Robinson noted that it takes more time to get sailors into fighting shape than in the past years. “I have no doubt that today’s youth and the people that we’re talking about are capable of becoming physically fit,” Robinson said. “But I think that there has been a definite difference in the amount of time that people have devoted to physical activity, and I think that is a manifestation of physical education in the school systems in America.”
“There is an issue in terms of physical fitness,” he said. “There have been more fractures and femur fractures and long-bone fractures in some of our young female recruits, and that’s related to the amount of activity and a sedentary lifestyle that they’ve had before they’ve entered the service and then the uptick in physical activity after they’re in the service.”
The Admiral did state that this solution is in early and conceptualization stages, and the retail versions of the games would certainly be tailored to the Navy’s purposes.
Video games and the military are nothing new, as all branches have used video games in some form or fashion to the public’s knowledge. The United States Air Force recently utilized the PlayStation 3 as a super computer for various research opportunities.
As for the U.S. Navy adding video games to their repertoire of fitness regimes? The Marines are probably having a real good laugh right now.
Game Developer Ogmento Raises $3.5 Million for Augmented Reality Gaming
May 27th
Augmented Reality Gaming is something of a new concept in the gaming space. The Wii became the first console to adapt the system to home, and perhaps some arcade fans might remember Police 911 as being a game that used motion control to allow players to get to cover and dodge bullets.
Ogmento is looking to develop the space even further with the onset of the PlayStation Move and Xbox 360 Natal. Ogmento will use the funding to build out development teams and expand their business.
“This investment allows us to expand our operations to support our growth while putting development resources into our own intellectual property,” said Ori Inbar, co-founder and CEO of Ogmento. “Chart and CNF bring a strong track record of identifying disruptive technologies early, and working with founders to build strong companies.”
“We’re thrilled to have this level of support from our investment partners,” said co-founder and President Brian Selzer. “Given Chart’s investment activity in hardware and software areas related to AR, they understand the true potential of this technology. Adding a partner to our management team is an exciting endorsement of our business.”
“We’ve been evaluating the fast evolving AR industry for over a year, and believe that Ogmento is uniquely positioned to lead the charge for the industry. It has an incredibly unique mix of mainstream video game industry executives, AR industry thought leaders, and world-class researchers and scientists,” said Cole VanNice, a partner at Chart Venture Partners. “We’re delighted to be the first VC to provide funding to a company focused on Augmented Reality games, and I’m confident that together we can help Ogmento continue to build on its position as a market leader.”
Ogmento took the time to discuss possibilities with the Move and Natal, and they are rather confident that they will be releasing several games by the end of the year. “Sony’s EyeToy camera is basically enabling a whole set of augmented reality games … and Project Natal will enable something similar. Then of course there is the DSi/3DSi and PSP platforms, which are already embracing AR. When you see a game like LittleBigPlanet include AR into its development, you know this is a technology with some serious potential,” said Inbar to Joystiq.
As part of the financing, Matthew McCooe of Chart Venture Partners and Joe Del Guercio of CNF will join Ogmento’s board of directors, along with founders Brad Foxhoven, Brian Selzer, and Inbar. Cole Van Nice, a partner with Chart, will also join Ogmento’s management team directly as COO to help drive strategic planning.
Ogmento has not yet announced any specific titles or games, but Inbar has stated that we’ll “hear more soon.”
Square Enix Calls for More Heavy Rain
May 27th
With 1 million copies sold so far and a possible Hollywood film waiting in the wings, Quantic Dream’s interactive “journey” Heavy Rain is doing pretty well for itself. In a recent interview with Famitsu, Square Enix President and CEO Yoichi Wada admitted he was a fan of the title.
“It would be good if they made more games like Heavy Rain,” said Wada to Famitsu [thanks Kotaku].
Perhaps, Square Enix has more experimental titles in its future? In the meantime, Quantic Dream founder David Cage says he’s turned his focus towards online gaming.
Star Wars: The Old Republic is EA’s Biggest Spend for a Game Ever
May 27th
The Old Republic is EA’s new MMO hope, with their previously launched Warhammer game sitting with only “a couple hundred thousand subscribers to date”. EA has high expectations for the game, previously noting that they need 1 million subscribers just to break even. At the Janney Capital Markets’ 2010 Consumer Conference, EA CFO Eric Brown said that The Old Republic was “the largest R&D project EA has ever undertaken in terms of total dollars that we expect to spend bringing the title to market.”
EA and BioWare are moving forward at a pace like current MMO market leader Blizzard, stating the game is “done when it’s done.” Brown noted, “We’re not expecting it to ship in fiscal 2010, nor have we given a specific ship date thereafter. We’re intentionally being nonspecific on the ship date.”
EA is pulling out all the stops to make Old Republic as successful as possible. Star Wars is an immense IP, one of the largest made into an MMO since Turbine’s Lord of the Rings Online. Brown noted that most of the conference’s attendees were familiar with the property. “We think it has very broad appeal,” he said.
“In the past, for MMOs, the type of fiction that has resonated most broadly is fiction based on swords and knights and sorcery, et cetera,” the CFO explained. “Star Wars is analogous to that — instead of the swords, you have the lightsabers; instead of the knights you have the Jedi — we think it’s a fiction that does very well, we think it’s a fiction that spans the decades.”
EA retains full confidence in BioWare’s ability to deliver, noting that the studio’s Mass Effect 2 was “the highest-quality title EA ever released,” with a Metacritic score of 96. “BioWare is one of the highest-rated studios in terms of quality overall,” Brown adds. Bioware’s MMO magnum opus will represent EA’s “principal investment and commitment vis a vis the MMO space.”
