August Console Sales Numbers

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Lost Odyssey expected to ship on 4 DVD's. Game time is roughly the same as BioShock, but the extra CG scenes in Lost Odyssey appear to be the main cause for the increase in number of discs.

If you thought that three DVD's for Blue Dragon was excessive prepare yourself for this. During a meeting at this year's Tokyo Game Show, Hironobu Sakaguchi revealed that his next upcoming title will be epic in many ways. Sakaguchi revealed that Lost Odyssey will span over four DVDs. The game uses a mixture of CG and real-time cut scenes to illustrate the storyline. The game is expected to last between 40-50hrs.

The Lost Odyssey team is planning to ship the title with a multiple language option, including English and Japanese. However, the voice animations for the characters will be synched with the English voice work, even the Japanese version. Sakaguchi stated that the Japanese are use to not having voices matched up to lip movement because of all the western films that have now made there way into Japan. By using English as the main voice work of the title, Sakaguchi wanted to show the English speaking audience his appreciation for their support.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

TGS interview with president of BioWare.........

Dr. Greg Zeschuk, co-founder and president of the mighty BioWare, is always a great interview. It immediately becomes clear as soon as he enters to room that he can't wait to sit down and have a good chat about Mass Effect and where it's going.

Would you say this is BioWare's most challenging game to date in terms of ambition and what you want to achieve with it?

Greg Zeschuk: Every time we do a new game we want to up the ante. Mass effect has probably covered more territory than any other game we've ever done. In terms of technology and design it's certainly been the most challenging. I'd sort of give a qualified 'yes' on that.

Do you feel there's a lot of pressure on you to really deliver with the game?

Zeschuk: Yes, for a few reasons. One is time - we've spent a lot of time on this game. Second is that, along the way, we've picked up a lot in terms of awards, PR and expectations of the game. The third is down to our own desire to be successful and stamp our mark on the next-generation. There are already some great games out there and this is ours.

The menu clearly states there'll be downloadable content at some point. What can you tell us about that?

Zeschuk: It might do (laughs). We certainly have plans with what we want to create for downloadable content and we'll announce them around the time of launch. We have a long history with post release content. For us it's about value and fair trade. If you're going to pay us money we want you to get something that's really cool.

We've been working a lot on what kind of package we'll do. Downloadable content can really help and drive the longevity of a game so we'll be going aggressive on it.

So are we talking about extra missions?

Zeschuk: We haven't absolutely nailed down exactly what we're going to do. Our perspective on it is that the edges on Mass Effect are almost none-existent so you can continue to push. It could be a range of things.

It could be more content it could be new equipment or game features. We're really going to take some time and think about what we can do there.

Any plans for a downloadable demo before release?

Zeschuk: We're still thinking of the exact form the demo could take.

So there is a demo planned then?

Zeschuk: Probably... I'm being particularly non committal... Our goal would defiantly be to have one depending on time challenges and things. I can't remember who said it, I think it was Mark Rein.

I'd hate to quote Mark (laughs), but it's a huge challenge getting a game and demo out around the same time. We're still thinking about how exactly that's going to play out. We're clearly running out time though.

You've already expressed your plans for Mass Effect to be a trilogy. Do you see all three games being released on Xbox 360?

Zeschuk: Certainly out intent is to have all three iterations or instalments of Mass Effect to be on Xbox 360. That's the goal.

Exclusively to 360 all the way?

Zeschuk: Can't really comment on that aspect yet, it's too far into the future. Thinking a year in to the future is a big challenge these days.

The law we can't control is the length of the console cycle. I hope, I hope, I hope that this cycle is longer than the last one. We kind of just got started last cycle and it kind of ended when our second game came out. Downloadable content could also bridge the gap by giving you new little islands of story between the big game releases.

Now you've built the game engine will the sequel be developed much quicker than the original?

Zeschuk: I think that's absolutely true. The guys at BioWare have done a great job of creating all the tools and technology to make game creation easier. That's one of the reasons we cross our fingers and hope that this console cycle lasts a long time because we've created a great suit of tools and tech that allow us to build stuff. What took people to make a year can sometimes now be done in three or four days.

What's your take on the whole DVD versus Blu-ray disc storage issue? Has it made a difference to Mass Effect?



Zeschuk: The DVD format is a trick one. We're on one DVD and we're a truly massive game and that'll speak for itself as far as how we got it all on there. Rendered movies take up a lot of space and we're doing a lot in engine, in real time.

You have to be very judicious and smart with compression. I don't think that DVD is going to make the worst game. This is a good game, Bioshock was a good game. I think that speaks for itself.

There's an element of romance in the game. Can you confirm if you can be gay in the game?

Zeschuk: I can't say anything about that at this point. There's some interesting stuff on the game that's a little bit different. I'll leave it at that.

Last question then, when are you going to announce KOTOR III?

Zeschuk: (Big laughs all round) I don't have an answer to that question. It's been talked about for a while. When I played Mass Effect I got a strong KOTOR feel. You know we loved the KOTOR games and it's always been a soft spot in our hearts.

In some ways this could be the spiritual successor to those games, but I'd say it channels some of the feel of those games. Maybe that's because Mass Effect is made by many of the same guys that worked on KOTOR...

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Very interesting market analysis on the console war in North America. Amazing how a PS3 and 360 price drop can reduce Wii demand by 17% in just two months. 360 demand increased by 20% and PS3 demand increased by 40% during those same two months.

http://blog.compete.com/2007/09/19/x...ii-demand-ps3/

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Very interesting market analysis on the console war in North America. Amazing how a PS3 and 360 price drop can reduce Wii demand by 17% in just two months. 360 demand increased by 20% and PS3 demand increased by 40% during those same two months.

http://blog.compete.com/2007/09/19/x...ii-demand-ps3/

Makes sense to me. People knew that 360 and PS3 price cuts were coming, so they waited for them. Now that they are here, demand has increased. Bioshock and Halo 3 have not hurt either.

I don't think that anyone expects the Wii to have a price cut anytime soon, so people have been buying at a constant rate. That might be declining as people either figure that they will get one for Christmas or the market is just naturally drying up.

I still don't know how much what the 360 does changes what people will do with the Wii. They seem like different machines serving different markets.

On a realted note, I wonder how much of a bump the 360 will get once word breaks online that the stock of RROD 360s is off the shelf and all of the new cooler 360s are on the shelf. Are there a lot of people waiting for that moment? Or is the fact that I only talk about this with game obsessed people slanting my view of the situation?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

On a realted note, I wonder how much of a bump the 360 will get once word breaks online that the stock of RROD 360s is off the shelf and all of the new cooler 360s are on the shelf. Are there a lot of people waiting for that moment? Or is the fact that I only talk about this with game obsessed people slanting my view of the situation?

MS is in a pickle in that regard. The 'game obsessed' as you call it will know about it pretty quickly. It's going to be a lot tougher for MS to get that info to the general public and 'casual gamer' (which appears to be the latest catch phrase). They can't openly promote the change to the publice without admitting that there were problems previously, which they've only passively admitted thus far by extending the warranty. However, the general public will never know any different if some form of communication isn't done. They can't rely on word of mouth.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

MS is in a pickle in that regard. The 'game obsessed' as you call it will know about it pretty quickly. It's going to be a lot tougher for MS to get that info to the general public and 'casual gamer' (which appears to be the latest catch phrase). They can't openly promote the change to the publice without admitting that there were problems previously, which they've only passively admitted thus far by extending the warranty. However, the general public will never know any different if some form of communication isn't done. They can't rely on word of mouth.

I agree.

Still, there has to be a group of people who have said to themselves, "I am going to buy a 360, but I will wait for the cooler units." And they are keeping an ear at least half to the ground to see when those will be out. I just wonder how big of a group that is. In the hundreds? The thousands? The tens of thousands?

The "casual gamer" issue is also important for MS, of course. I just wonder about the more in-touch gamer who has made the express choice to wait.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

If the customer base demands something, does it matter whether it's last-gen tech or not?

I happen to think the initial rationale for why there was no rumble is a load of bunk and hooey...but even if it weren't, if the potential customer base is demanding it, and your sales are struggling, doesn't it make sense to include it, even if you consider it "last-gen"?

To be clear (while splitting hairs), the new DualShock 3 controller is different than past 'rumble' controllers. The controller actually has multiple mechanisms in the controller that allow for directional feedback. For example, if someone were to shoot at you from your character's left and you are hit, the left side of the controller will vibrate to give you instant feedback that someone is shooting at you on your left hand side. Here's an article with MGS4 demo impressions where they discuss how the rumble works.......

http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3162991

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

To be clear (while splitting hairs), the new DualShock 3 controller is different than past 'rumble' controllers. The controller actually has multiple mechanisms in the controller that allow for directional feedback. For example, if someone were to shoot at you from your character's left and you are hit, the left side of the controller will vibrate to give you instant feedback that someone is shooting at you on your left hand side. Here's an article with MGS4 demo impressions where they discuss how the rumble works.......

http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3162991

That's cool. Maybe the blind can play some games?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

I agree.

Still, there has to be a group of people who have said to themselves, "I am going to buy a 360, but I will wait for the cooler units." And they are keeping an ear at least half to the ground to see when those will be out. I just wonder how big of a group that is. In the hundreds? The thousands? The tens of thousands?

The "casual gamer" issue is also important for MS, of course. I just wonder about the more in-touch gamer who has made the express choice to wait.

It's just like the PS2 in that regard. Early release units had some big problems with disc read errors. Those people eventually bought a PS2 to replace their early one, but I don't think there's going to be any sudden jump for a 'second launch day' when the new systems come out. It will just gradually happen over time as the 3 year warranties run out on the old units and they go and buy a new 360 rather than pay to repair the old one. I would guess that people would likely wait to make that jump, assuming the longer they take to replace their old one, the better chance they have of getting a new one that won't have similar problems.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

That's cool. Maybe the blind can play some games?

(insert IGN article detailing how blind gamers will cause PS3 sales to skyrocket)

[Big Fo]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Very interesting market analysis on the console war in North America. Amazing how a PS3 and 360 price drop can reduce Wii demand by 17% in just two months. 360 demand increased by 20% and PS3 demand increased by 40% during those same two months.

http://blog.compete.com/2007/09/19/x...ii-demand-ps3/

If Microsoft couldn't increase demand with a price drop, Madden 08 (being exclusively advertised for 360), and Bioshock both coming out then something would have been terribly wrong.

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

I still don't know how much what the 360 does changes what people will do with the Wii. They seem like different machines serving different markets.

360 - hardcore gamers
PS3 - hardcore gamers
Wii - hardcore and casual gamers

They are competing, Wii just gets some extra sales on the side. Most Wii owners have been playing games for years, a few months ago Nintendo came out and said that 10% of Wiis sold went to first time console owners, 90% had bought a PS2, PS1, SNES, or whatever else at one time or another.

[SackAttack]

Yeah, but I don't think a significant chunk of that 90% buys a Wii as an either/or proposition.

I don't think anybody goes in saying "well, this is it. I'm not going to fool with a PS3 or an Xbox 360, the Wii's got everything I need!"

I mean, some of the 10% probably do. Why not? It's fun, it's easy to play, and it's cheaper than the other options.

But somebody who's a "hardcore" gamer is probably not going to throw away MGS4, FFXIII, Eternal Sonata, Mass Effect, Halo 3, etc because Wii is where it's at.

The competition between Wii and the other two is more for development resources than for market share, IMO. Especially with the discrepancy in costs between the PS3/360 and the Wii. Lots of money for PS3/360 doesn't freeze Wii out, but lots of money in Wii development might cause some hitches in 360/PS3 development if the company in question isn't either huge or aggressively expanding.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

New game announcement.........Motorstorm 2. Will be released in 2008.

As well as content expansions for the off-road racer, Evolution is also working on the next instalment of MotorStorm for release on Blu-ray disc in 2008.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=28820

[twothree]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

Yeah, but I don't think a significant chunk of that 90% buys a Wii as an either/or proposition.

I don't think anybody goes in saying "well, this is it. I'm not going to fool with a PS3 or an Xbox 360, the Wii's got everything I need!"

I mean, some of the 10% probably do. Why not? It's fun, it's easy to play, and it's cheaper than the other options.

But somebody who's a "hardcore" gamer is probably not going to throw away MGS4, FFXIII, Eternal Sonata, Mass Effect, Halo 3, etc because Wii is where it's at.

The competition between Wii and the other two is more for development resources than for market share, IMO. Especially with the discrepancy in costs between the PS3/360 and the Wii. Lots of money for PS3/360 doesn't freeze Wii out, but lots of money in Wii development might cause some hitches in 360/PS3 development if the company in question isn't either huge or aggressively expanding.

I decided the PS3/360 was not for me, and went with the Wii only for this generation. And, I really don't see that changing, but I guess it could happen.

If we call your definition the "new hardcore" gamer, then I guess I would be an "old hardcore" gamer. I have easily purchased several thousand PC games since 1991 (SimEarth was the first one). And, I have over 150 PS2 games. Those would be my main systems. I don't own an XBOX. I don't have a blue-ray player or HD-DVD player. I don't own a cell phone (I mention this, since you can play games on them.) or a high definition TV. I do have an enhanced TV (480p) which is the highest output for the Wii, PS2, and standard DVDs.

I do see myself having a large library of Wii games once they establish their platium/greatest hits/player's choice/cheap price line-up of games, but at the moment I have less than a handful of games. Though, there are about a dozen games out for the Wii that I would like to get once their price drops.

[MikeVic]

I just have a Wii, and although the 360 has some games I want to play... I can't see myself buying one right now. I have a crappy 19" Citizen TV in my room, and a messed up 36" JVC in the basement. Both are regular tube TVs, so I won't see a huge benefit with the next gen graphics really. Plus no sound systems. If I had a better setup, maybe I'd be a igger next-gen fan.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

I just have a Wii, and although the 360 has some games I want to play... I can't see myself buying one right now. I have a crappy 19" Citizen TV in my room, and a messed up 36" JVC in the basement. Both are regular tube TVs, so I won't see a huge benefit with the next gen graphics really. Plus no sound systems. If I had a better setup, maybe I'd be a igger next-gen fan.

I've always thought the same thing. I never understood why someone would pay so much money to upgrade to a 360 or PS3 if they don't have a HDTV or HD monitor to play it on. You're buying a corvette with a one cylinder engine when you do that.

Especially given the continued support for the PS2 and the Wii, there's really no reason to upgrade without an appropriate TV.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by twothree

If we call your definition the "new hardcore" gamer, then I guess I would be an "old hardcore" gamer. I have easily purchased several thousand PC games since 1991 (SimEarth was the first one). And, I have over 150 PS2 games.

Dear God! That's, ummmmm, a lot of games.

[twothree]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Dear God! That's, ummmmm, a lot of games.

They do take up a lot of shelf space. Especially, the game manuals.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by twothree

They do take up a lot of shelf space. Especially, the game manuals.

You keep them all? Yikes!

I had about 30-40 old PC games that had just been lying around. I just posted them all in one eBay listing and sold them as a group to get rid of them. Pocketed a couple hundred dollars and had a lot more space on my desk as a result.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Trailer released at TGS for new Metal Gear Online game........

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/25132.html

Also, new gameplay footage of MGS4.......

http://www.gamersyde.com/news_5097_en.html

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

I've always thought the same thing. I never understood why someone would pay so much money to upgrade to a 360 or PS3 if they don't have a HDTV or HD monitor to play it on. You're buying a corvette with a one cylinder engine when you do that.

Especially given the continued support for the PS2 and the Wii, there's really no reason to upgrade without an appropriate TV.

I agree 100%. I saw no reason to buy a 360 or PS3... that is, until I bought a 50" plasma this summer, then it made sense. My friends would bring their 360's over sometimes and it was almost frustrating playing on my 27" TV. It was almost worse than playing the Wii or a last-gen system because it was sometimes a struggle to see all the little details that are jammed into the screen.

[MJ4H]

I have an HDTV and still don't want a 360 or PS3

[astrosfan64]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

Who was the one that said something about what it takes to be a hardcore gamer?

Me

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Latest hardware numbers out of Japan. Wii sales continue to plummet, now only a 2:1 sales lead over the PS3 (was 6:1 only 3 months ago).

PSP 95,487
DSL 79,974
Wii 26,181
PS2 13,128
PS3 13,101
Xbox360 1,243

It should be noted that it's not a case of the PS3 making up ground, but when Wii weekly sales fall from around 80,000 to 25,000 in 3 months, that's got to be a concern.

Some have suggested that some Wii's were rerouted to North America. I went hunting for a PSP Daxter pack at multiple stores last night here in Kansas City. I was surprised to find that Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Circuit City all had at least 6 Wii's in stock. Wal-Mart actually had 11. I'm wondering if Nintendo is oversupplying North America in the hopes that there will be enough Wii's to handle at least some of the holiday rush. Regardless, if you want a Wii to give as a gift for X-mas, now is likely the best time to buy it while it's still available.

[gstelmack]

Playstation Home delayed until the spring:

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=8977

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Latest hardware numbers out of Japan. Wii sales continue to plummet, now only a 2:1 sales lead over the PS3 (was 6:1 only 3 months ago).



It should be noted that it's not a case of the PS3 making up ground, but when Wii weekly sales fall from around 80,000 to 25,000 in 3 months, that's got to be a concern.

Some have suggested that some Wii's were rerouted to North America. I went hunting for a PSP Daxter pack at multiple stores last night here in Kansas City. I was surprised to find that Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Circuit City all had at least 6 Wii's in stock. Wal-Mart actually had 11. I'm wondering if Nintendo is oversupplying North America in the hopes that there will be enough Wii's to handle at least some of the holiday rush. Regardless, if you want a Wii to give as a gift for X-mas, now is likely the best time to buy it while it's still available.

We got 90 Wii's in late last week, prior to the Sunday ad. We got another 18 on Tuesday (I'm told we actually got 24, but I can only visually account for 18), and another 15 or so yesterday.

I'm guessing that, yeah, there is significant diversion going on. Only 21k Wii's may have sold in Japan, but hey, how many are still on the shelves over there? That's the bigger question before the word 'concern' trickles in.

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by astrosfan64

Me

Oh ok. It rang a bell... did you consider yourself a hardcore gamer? If so, I think that should be revoked since you didn't know what MGS4 stood for.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

We got 90 Wii's in late last week, prior to the Sunday ad. We got another 18 on Tuesday (I'm told we actually got 24, but I can only visually account for 18), and another 15 or so yesterday.

I'm guessing that, yeah, there is significant diversion going on. Only 21k Wii's may have sold in Japan, but hey, how many are still on the shelves over there? That's the bigger question before the word 'concern' trickles in.

There are limited numbers in stock in Japan, but nothing like the large stock we're currently seeing in the U.S. As I mentioned, the surplus will be be sucked up as we move towards the holidays. It will be interesting to see how stock numbers change over the next month or two in both regions.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Good move here by Microsoft. Moving their focus to Europe as Japan appears to be a lost cause. Only question here is why it took so long to move those resources to Europe.......

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=a0FYuTjLAMec

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

To be clear (while splitting hairs), the new DualShock 3 controller is different than past 'rumble' controllers. The controller actually has multiple mechanisms in the controller that allow for directional feedback. For example, if someone were to shoot at you from your character's left and you are hit, the left side of the controller will vibrate to give you instant feedback that someone is shooting at you on your left hand side. Here's an article with MGS4 demo impressions where they discuss how the rumble works.......

http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3162991

Phil Harrison says that the rumble tech is the same as in the Dual Shock 2.

http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=17519

Not sure if that means the stuff discussed in the preview has been technically doable on the PS2, or if this is just an expansion of how the DualShock 2 tech is used.

Also, apparently Beautiful Katamari isn't coming to PS3, but PS3 will be getting a Katamari game of its own.

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3163131

Exclusives for everybody!

(Yes, I'm bored. Waiting for my umpire clothes to be ready to go into the dryer so I can sleeeeeeeeeeeeep.)

[Big Fo]

I don't think the declining Wii sales in Japan are all to do with supply. There hasn't been much released on the Wii over there in the last month or two. If gamefaqs.com is right October won't have any big games either but count on Wii sales shooting back up when Galaxy, Smash Bros., and WiiFit come out.

More important than Japanese sales is that MLB Power Pros is coming out next week, right in time for the beginning of the playoffs. If anyone reading this is somewhat interested but not fully convinced the game will cost $40 instead of $50. I hope they tack on a player editor because I'm sure I'll find some issues with the player ratings but that's my only big concern with the game. Hopefully this game sells enough that this North American release isn't a one-time thing, the more competition in sports games the better.

This week at TGS a trailer was released for King's Story, formerly Project O, a Wii game that kind of reminds me of the Settlers with some RPG elements. I really like the art style and the game's music should be good going by the Bolero variation in the trailer. This game won't be out for awhile even in Japan but it looks great.

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/25389.html

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

More info about the new Tecmo Bowl game. Editable jerseys, helmets, and player names.........

http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Sto...0851.49147.htm

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

Phil Harrison says that the rumble tech is the same as in the Dual Shock 2.

http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=17519

Yep, was confirmed on another site. That's what I get for reading a IGN opinion.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Pachter believes Little Big Planet will be a system seller for the PS3:

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=28926

LittleBigPlanet is a system seller, says analyst
Matt Martin 11:03 (BST) 24/09/2007
But Sony must cut PS3 price to reach March '08 targets

Media Molecule's LittleBigPlanet could be a driving force in improving PlayStation 3 sales early next year, according to Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter.

Speaking exclusively to GamesIndustry.biz from the Tokyo Game Show, Pachter said the highly-anticipated game from the makers of Rag Doll Kung Fu should appeal to a family audience - something that Sony and rival Microsoft have so far failed to capture with their next-generation machines.

"After seeing LittleBigPlanet at TGS, I believe it could be a console mover," commented Pachter.

"The game is really innovative, and I think it adds a family element that is so far missing from both the Xbox 360 and the PS3. If they can accompany that game's launch with a price cut (or a lower priced SKU), I think we'll see a spike in sales," he added.

Although Sony stated there are no immediate plans for a price cut of the PlayStation 3 at last week's event, Pachter believes the company needs to drop the RRP of the console if it's to meet its 11 million shipment targets by March 2008.

"If Sony doesn't cut price at all during its fiscal year, they will probably miss their 11 million shipment target," he said. "However, a price cut early in 2008 should spark sales, and their line-up of LittleBigPlanet, Gran Turismo 5, Metal Gear Solid 4 and Grand Theft Auto 4 should help move consoles."

"If they don't cut price, they'll probably sell through around 7 million for the fiscal year, and will probably ship no more than 8 - 9 million," he added.

Sony unveiled LittleBigPlanet earlier this year at the Game Developers Conference and it has quickly become one of the PS3's most anticipated titles, along with the 3D social networking service Home and the latest iteration of SingStar.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

New details on Saints Row 2...........

http://www.thq-games.com/uk/news/show/2750

The entire single player campaign will be playable in an online co-op mode; and there'll also be an all-new open world competitive multiplayer mode that's never been seen before.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Halo 3 likely to gross around $300M on opening day...........

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/...881838207.html

A COMPUTER game about a rebel group of humans fighting back against evil aliens who have taken control of the Earth could this week become the biggest phenomenon in entertainment history.

Microsoft is confident worldwide sales could top $300 million by the end of its release day on Tuesday.

Australian gamers will be the first to try the latest evolution in the mega-successful Halo series. Some game retail outlets are opening their doors at midnight tomorrow for fans desperate for the next stage in the adventure of lead character Master Chief and his band of heavily armed marines as they fight for survival against the Covenant.

More than 42,000 pre-orders have been lodged for the M-rated game in Australia, which will retail at $99.95 for the standard edition.

When Halo 2 came on the market in 2004 it racked up $US125 million in sales in the first 24 hours of its release in North America.

EB Games Australian director of store operations, Brad Harker, said the retail chain planned to open most of its stores for the midnight release.

"We love the fun of it, and we're going to make it as entertaining for our customers as possible," Mr Harker said. Microsoft will also be releasing a special Xbox 360 Halo 3 games console to coincide with the launch as part of its battle with the popular Nintendo Wii gaming system.

Master Chief's helmeted image is expected to appear on everything from soft-drink bottles to collectible figurines so Microsoft can cash in on Halo's following.

Comic giant Marvel already publishes Halo comic books, and Peter Jackson, of The Lord Of The Rings film fame, has signed on to produce a Halo movie.

Halo 3's developer, Bungie Studios, has said the third instalment of the series will be better, faster and feature more advanced game play than its predecessors. David McLean, Xbox regional director in Australia, said the company expected to sell more Xbox 360s once Halo 3 was released.

He said Halo 3 would be Microsoft's biggest entertainment launch in terms of revenue.

Geoff Larsen, a 23-year-old gamer, said the latest instalment of the game was sure to take the crown as the No.1 "shooter" on Xbox.

"From what I've heard Halo 3 is going to be a blast to play, especially with the excellent physics, squad-based co-operative play and an in-depth campaign," Mr Larsen said.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

More info about the new Tecmo Bowl game. Editable jerseys, helmets, and player names.........

http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Sto...0851.49147.htm

"Tecmo Bowl is straying from the sim-type game, and it will be an arcade-style game"

Hm...

SI

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

"Tecmo Bowl is straying from the sim-type game, and it will be an arcade-style game"

Hm...

SI

Let's be honest. I'm not sure how much of a sim it was before. Anyone who's seen the Bo Jackson 5 minute touchdown run (which was the entire quarter in a Tecmo Bowl game) would probably note that it was always arcade-style. The fun in Tecmo Bowl was that you could get some relatively accurate stats in head-to-head matchups without giving up the 'fun factor' in the game.

[spleen1015]

Unsurprisingly, Gamespot gives Halo a 9.5.

The Bad

* Rewinding saved films doesn't work quite like you'd expect it to
* AI-controlled Marines can't drive to save their lives (or yours)
* Inevitable flood of prepubescent online players sure to hamper your enjoyment of the online modes.


LOL

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

For those looking for a HDTV and a Xbox 360, Best Buy is offering a free Xbox 360 with any Samsung DLP TV this week.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

"Tecmo Bowl is straying from the sim-type game, and it will be an arcade-style game"

Hm...

SI

The first 2 games that were on the NES were definitely arcade and what people remember the most, however, when it ported over to the SNES the game was becoming more and more of a sim that included a fairly impressive franchise mode for the time.

[SirFozzie]

Interesting. Seems to me like Sony's giving up on pitching it as a game machine, and still trying to push it as the crossover box.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/723678f8-67a...%3DPlaystation

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

Interesting. Seems to me like Sony's giving up on pitching it as a game machine, and still trying to push it as the crossover box.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/723678f8-67a...%3DPlaystation

'giving up on pitching it as a game machine'

They don't have to do one exclusive of the other. There's plenty to offer on both sides. Right now, it's accepted by most video review sites that the PS3 is the best Blu-ray player on the market. I certainly don't think it's a terrible move to emphasize the strength on that front. If it gets more PS3's sold, great. But they're not downplaying the gaming end by any means and the article doesn't say anything in that regard.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Sony released it's quarterly financials today. Overall game division sales are up 60%. Fiscal year-end goals for all Sony consoles remain unchanged.

http://www.123jump.com/earnings-call...gs-Call/23285/

The games-and-electronics producer and financial services provider said its first-quarter profit more than doubled on a weaker yen and higher sales of LCD televisions. The electronics and the financial services segments drove the increase in operating profit. Consolidated operating income increased to 99.3 billion yen from 27 billion yen a year ago. Consolidated sales rose 13% due to the large increase of sales of all segments. Full-year profit forecast of 320 billion yen remains unchanged.

....Sales in the game segment increased 60%, or 49% on a local currency basis.

- Approximately 70% of sales came from hardware and accessories, and the balance from software.
- PS2 recorded an increase in sales. PSP hardware sales increased due to a significant increase in unit sales year-on-year. PS3 sales came in slightly below expectations.

....Sales forecast remains unchanged.

- Software unit sales are expected to be 250 million units.
- PS2 hardware unit sales are expected to be 10 million units;
- PSP hardware unit sales are expected to be 9 million units;
- PS3 hardware unit sales are expected to be 11 million units.

[stevew]

They can push it all they want as a Blu Ray player, but they are going to undoubtedly piss off retailers who sell actual blu ray players in the process. There's virtually no margin on a game console, whereas there is an okay one on the stand alone players.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by stevew

They can push it all they want as a Blu Ray player, but they are going to undoubtedly piss off retailers who sell actual blu ray players in the process. There's virtually no margin on a game console, whereas there is an okay one on the stand alone players.

The PS3 is prominently displayed in the 'Video Games' section of all stores. When it is moved to the 'Home Entertainment' section, then we can have this conversation. It's still a gaming console and I would guess that few would hear 'Playstation 3' and think anything other than gaming.

[stevew]

You don't know how many times I hear a week, "well, I want a blu ray player, but i'll probably just buy a PS3"

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by stevew

You don't know how many times I hear a week, "well, I want a blu ray player, but i'll probably just buy a PS3"

Isn't that a win for Sony in that case? If they sell the console by means other than gaming, that would seem to be a positive. Granted, some people don't like the decision to include BR in the console, but now that they've already gone down that road, I would think that any sales via BR are good for Sony. The vast majority of sales are still for gaming in regards to the PS3.

Your comment would seem to make perfect sense when combined with the article that Fozzie posted. They know that there are some people who are buying it as a BR player. Pushing that as an advantage with a marketing campaign makes perfect sense. It still doesn't mean that they are doing it by disregarding the gaming part of the system as Fozzie implied.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Another Wii game with no online gameplay. This time, it's Table Tennis........

http://loot-ninja.com/2007/09/24/tab...o-online-love/

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Another Wii game with no online gameplay. This time, it's Table Tennis........

http://loot-ninja.com/2007/09/24/tab...o-online-love/

The Wii has shown how important online play is.