Video Game Industry Thread: Rhymes are for Losers you Sales Thread Users.

Xenogears of Bore

Hello and welcome to the Video Game Industry thread.

What this thread is for: Sales numbers, trends, press releases, fanboy spite, car/movie/food analogies.

What this thread isn't for: VGchartz fake numbers, fans of the Playstation Portable*, movie talk that isn't a stupid videogame analogy. Monsters Inc. is worse than Cars, by the way.

What happened to the NPD Top Ten: Publisher pressure on them changed their single sku by platform monthly top ten into combined SKU, no exact numbers. Platform holders will often release their hardware numbers, but they obviously don't have to.

Things to expect in April: March NPDs and quarterly (in some cases yearly) fiscal reports from various industry members.

MARCH NPD "NUMBERS"

Pokemon White Version (NDS) 1 Nintendo
Pokemon Black Version (NDS) 2 Nintendo
Homefront (360, PS3, PC) 3 THQ
Dragon Age II (360, PS3, PC)** 4 Electronic Arts
Call of Duty: Black Ops (360, PS3, NDS, Wii, PC)** 5 Activision Blizzard
Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (Wii, 360, NDS, PS3, 3DS, PSP, PC) 6 LucasArts
Crysis 2 (360, PS3, PC) 7 Electronic Arts
NBA 2K11 (360, PS3, PS2, Wii, PSP, PC) 8 Take 2 Interactive
MLB 11: The Show (PS3, PSP, PS2) 9 Sony
Fight Night Champion (360, PS3) 10 Electronic Arts







*Sony doesn't like giving numbers for this anymore. Wonder why?

mere_immortal

But.... you're not cloudeagle.

WHAT IS GOING ON.

Cade

Can we say it's not for movie talk as well.

Xenogears of Bore

mere_immortal wrote: »

But.... you're not cloudeagle.

WHAT IS GOING ON.

I've been singing the blues/making Sales threads since cloudeagle was just a dirty speck in his daddy's eye.

I live and breathe sales and stupid thread titles, I'm perfect for making this thread and giving it stupid titles whilst he and his lady friend take a vacation.

Brainiac 8

Xenogears, you forgot the poop jokes and Doom!

In other news, according to Gaf, Nintendo of America has registered TheLastStory.com.

Xenogears of Bore

Last year.

By the way I'm 100% positive that both The Last Story and Xenoblade Chronicles will see a US release.

Hahnsoo1

I click on this thread, and poof, the server is busy.

The server is too busy at the moment. Please try again later.

It's cursed, I tell you!

mere_immortal

Wonder if The Last Story will come to the EU?

Wii is region free right?

Xenogears of Bore

Oh Sony, you lovable scamp you, never change.

Automaticzen

Brainiac 8 wrote: »

Xenogears, you forgot the poop jokes and Doom!

In other news, according to Gaf, Nintendo of America has registered TheLastStory.com.

Sadly, that could just be NOA squatting on the domain. Doesn't mean they'll actually publish it.

I'd just be surprised if NOA ports it over, as it dropped like a stone in its home region. Happy, but surprised.

AZChristopher

Only on Playstation (Wii does not count!)

So, should be fun to see how this game turns out. Wii game ported to the PS3 or PS3 game ported to the Wii. Hopefully Nintendo will get their revenge for all those PS2 ports.

Capt Howdy

Lego Star Wars 3 is selling well. All is right in the (gaming) world.

themightypuck

Seriously. Unpleasant Horse. :oops::oops::oops: but also WTF. There needs to be a videogame industry version of Poe's Law.

UncleSporky

Xenogears of Bore wrote: »

Last year.

By the way I'm 100% positive that both The Last Story and Xenoblade Chronicles will see a US release.

And as GAF also pointed out, they've had the Mother 3 domain since 1998 or so.

What is actually recent news is that both Nintendo Europe and NoA registered Xenoblade recently.

I think both games will see an overseas release at this point too, and will feature heavily in the Wii E3 presentation/lineup. It makes sense because it would be a nice boost to the Wii's 2011 lineup while simultaneously being a bit underwhelming because we already know quite a bit about both games.

Xagarath

I doubt Nintendo will pull a Terranigma on Xenoblade.

Now there's a game that needs re-releasing on something.

Zerokku

Xenogears of Bore wrote: »

Last year.

By the way I'm 100% positive that both The Last Story and Xenoblade Chronicles will see a US release.

These 2 games + Skyward Sword are the titles that will get me to buy a wii again. Now we just have to wait for some nice E3 announcements.

an_alt

Metacritic currently scores the OP at 42.

Xenogears of Bore

My producer rating is a healthy 167.

Warlock82

UncleSporky wrote: »

Xenogears of Bore wrote: »

Last year.

By the way I'm 100% positive that both The Last Story and Xenoblade Chronicles will see a US release.

And as GAF also pointed out, they've had the Mother 3 domain since 1998 or so.

What is actually recent news is that both Nintendo Europe and NoA registered Xenoblade recently.

I think both games will see an overseas release at this point too, and will feature heavily in the Wii E3 presentation/lineup. It makes sense because it would be a nice boost to the Wii's 2011 lineup while simultaneously being a bit underwhelming because we already know quite a bit about both games.

I don't mind it being old news, I want to see Last Story over here US release announcement at e3 would still make me happy.

Unless it turns out the game sucked, honestly I haven't read post-release impressions yet. I like Mistwalker so I'm guessing it didn't though.

Brainiac 8

My producer rating is a healthy 167.

Not after my user review. :evil:

Cameron_Talley

Is there a website yet to rate websites that rate things by aggregating ratings on websites?

UncleSporky

Warlock82 wrote: »

Unless it turns out the game sucked, honestly I haven't read post-release impressions yet. I like Mistwalker so I'm guessing it didn't though.

I don't know much about Last Story, I don't think it sold too well in Japan. It seemed more of a western style game anyway.

I've read several positive impressions for Xenoblade, though. Particularly regarding its grand scale and sheer amount of content.

Santa Claustrophobia

Brainiac 8 wrote: »

My producer rating is a healthy 167.

Not after my user review. :evil:

SOCKPUPPETS!

Shadowfire

Couscous wrote: »

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/43818/3DS-dizziness-claims-hit-The-Sun?

UK newspaper runs front page story telling tales of customer refunds and feelings of sickness

This morning's copy of UK newspaper The Sun carries a hard-hitting headline for Nintendo – "3DS SOS".

It claims that "record return levels were reported" after "thousands" suffered headaches and dizziness after playing with the device.

It also claims that some retailers have been offering refunds to those affected. One customer, Sundeep Tailor, was offered a £176.99 refund from GAME for his 3DS, leaving him out of pocket to the tune of £30.

HMV apparently if offering full refunds on any 3DS purchased, though only until Thursday. Other retailers are said to be offering refunds anything up to £50 below the price paid at launch.

"When I returned mine to my local GAME in Bexleyheath I had an argument at first but I am someone who knows how to argue and stuck with my guns," one forum user is quoted as saying.

"Once the guy agreed we chatted and he told me hay had had a high return of the 3DS, more than any launch product."

This issue first hit the headlines last week, again with The Sun leading.

Nintendo told MCV last week that it has had "zero calls on this issue in both the UK and across Europe since Nintendo 3DS launch".

NINTENDO, GAME AND HMV REFUTE 3DS CLAIMS

Platform holder says reports are "incorrect"; GAME has had "fewer than five complaints"; HMV has not offered refunds

Nintendo has branded claims about 3DS refunds and dizziness made in The Sun this morning as "incorrect".

In addition, both GAME and HMV have denied issuing refunds to customers.

The paper this morning claimed that "thousands" of users have suffered either dizziness or headaches after using the device and that some retailers are offering refunds on the machine.

"Recent reports are incorrect," a Nintendo UK spokesperson told MCV. "The number of calls and emails with queries on Nintendo 3DS is in fact well below the rate experienced during past hardware launches and having spoken with our retail partners there are only a handful of people who have actually gone into stores to request a refund.

"Nintendo 3DS was designed with a 3D depth slider that lets users adjust the 3D effect so that everyone can still enjoy this product. When viewing any kind of 3D images, including movies and on TV, some people might experience minor discomfort.

"The effects are short term and have no lasting effect; most people can continue after taking a break. Customers with any concerns should contact their local Nintendo Customer Support via www.nintendo.co.uk or on 0870 6060247.”

In addition, retailer GAME has confirmed to MCV that it has had "fewer than five complaints" about feelings of dizziness from 3DS users.

MCV understands that as the returned devices are not technically faulty many retailers aren't offering full refunds, though most are able to accept the machine as a trade-in.

HMV has told MCV that it has not issued any refunds on the 3DS. Indeed, The Sun has since amended the story online.

"Contrary to a report in today's media – which has since been corrected – we would like to make clear that we are not aware of any manufacturing fault with the 3DS console – which we have seen huge demand for, and that we have not issued any refunds for it and nor are we doing.

"A relatively small number of customers are, however, choosing to take us up on our pre-played games offer – which is a totally different thing, where they can trade-in previously purchased games products, including the 3DS if they so choose, against any other products that we stock in-store up to a pre-determined set value.

"We are currently offering a trade-in value of up to £200 on the 3DS – but trade-in values are reviewed all the time and this may well change after April 7th. Games trade-ins have become increasingly popular with gamers in recent years, and are a standard feature of the UK games market, with many retailers making them available to their customers."

Now for a bunch of idiot gaming journalists to take everything in the paper at face value and write about how Nintendo is doomed.

So... is The Sun in the U.K. just like The Sun in the U.S? Because that's some crazy tabloid shit there.

mere_immortal

UK Sun is a shitrag of the highest order.

Mattnyx

... And adding to the Xenoblade and the Last Story speculation, here is the first trailer that actually gives a hint into what that mysterious Pandora's Tower game is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WUk7q5rJKw&feature=player_embedded

For those that don't remember, Pandora's Tower was a game that suddenly popped up during Nintendo's last financial address as a title it was publishing for the Wii.

Dritz

The Wii as JRPG machine is something I never would have imagined. I'm a bit more sceptical then you fellows about any of it reaching here. Then again Nintendo doesn't have terrible recording of bring stuff over compared to other companies (Namco?).

Zerokku

Dritz wrote: »

The Wii as JRPG machine is something I never would have imagined.

Lower development costs. A lot of the studios out there who make JRPGs are not particularly large. Which was fine in the PS1 and PS2 days, but with development costs skyrocketting this gen, a lot of JRPGs now end up on the wii and handhelds.

Dragkonias

Wii isn't the JRPG machine.

DS is...

That being said, it's nice to see that they haven't dropped off of consoles forever.

But yeah, I'm guessing the main reason you see such a shift is development costs.

Opty

I've seen commercials for Portal 2 as well as bus ads. Valve seems to be going all out with it, which I find kinda weird with how relatively niche the first one was.

Hahnsoo1

Opty wrote: »

I've seen commercials for Portal 2 as well as bus ads. Valve seems to be going all out with it, which I find kinda weird with how relatively niche the first one was.

Are you kidding? The Orange Box AND Left 4 Dead (one and two) had a huge media blitz during their respective releases. When the first Left 4 Dead came out, I couldn't throw a stone without hitting a billboard with a four fingered hand.

Portal wasn't some sort of hidden gamer secret. It was a best-selling game secondary to the fact that it was part of a best-selling Valve game package.

Unco-ordinated

Dragkonias wrote: »

Wii isn't the JRPG machine.

Yeah, I was about to say, in what deluded world would the Wii ever be considered a JRPG machine? It has what, like 5 JRPG's total? Not even remotely close to the 360, let alone the PS3, PSP or DS.

Anyway, terrible OP is terrible. Never thought I'd say it, but bring back cloudeagle. I've long thought I could improve upon his OP's (including old sales data or even links to old sales threads/posts would be a nice start) but damn...

plufim

Dude's on a holiday, man. Can't expect him to make OPs when he's away!

As for JRPGs, I'll give you PSP and DS certainly, and 360 did OK, but the PS3 situation is pretty dire too. When you compare it to how much was on the PS2, it's not great!

Sheep

Do we even know that's an RPG? Looks like DMC/Madworld.

plufim

Yeah, also that. I think people assumed it was an RPG based upon the logo alone. Although a DMC styled game with some RPG sensibilities could be pretty neat!

Couscous

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/296926/news/sony-price-doesnt-make-or-kill-a-platform/

Sony Computer Entertainment America president Jack Tretton has said that the success of a platform is not reliant on price but in the value of its features.

Tretton discussed the value of gaming in an interview with Fast Company. "I think that consumers respond to value. If you're passionate about something you find a way to go out and get it and gamers are very passionate," he said.

Tretton makes the common comparison between the cost of a game - an experience of dozens of hours for around $60 - and the total expense of seeing a movie at cinema, which usually provides two hours of entertainment at a similar cost.

"When you're buying a platform, when you're buying technology, you're hopefully buying a device that you're going to enjoy for many years. If you look at an investment comparable to a game device be it a system or a portable - whether it's an iPod or cell phone - people are used to spending several hundred dollars to get a portable device," he goes on to say.

"Typically it comes down to; 'how good is the system and how bad do I want it?' And it's not to say that the price of the platform isn't a consideration, but I don't think price makes or kills a platform. Something that's lousy and very inexpensive is not going to be successful. Something that's pricey will ultimately find its audience if there's enough value there."

Tretton makes no specific reference to the price of its next portable, codenamed NGP. However, rumours suggest the console will cost between $250 and $350.

Meanwhile Sony has warned NGP could be subject to delays after suffering production problems during the Japan crisis that has devastated the country.

[ Source: Fast Company ]

I still hate comparisons to the cost of a movie ticket and the cost of games. I could just watch the movies a few months later on Netflix or some other rental service.

Leitner

The main problem with comparing it to films is that consumers pretty much never work that way.

There aren't a meaningful number of people out there going 'will this new coat give me nine point five tickets worth of value?', it's want for a product, overall budget, and comparative price (in regards to its direct competitors vs value) that gets measured.

Usually in that order.

darleysam

Shadowfire wrote: »

Couscous wrote: »

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/43818/3DS-dizziness-claims-hit-The-Sun?

UK newspaper runs front page story telling tales of customer refunds and feelings of sickness

This morning's copy of UK newspaper The Sun carries a hard-hitting headline for Nintendo – "3DS SOS".

It claims that "record return levels were reported" after "thousands" suffered headaches and dizziness after playing with the device.

It also claims that some retailers have been offering refunds to those affected. One customer, Sundeep Tailor, was offered a £176.99 refund from GAME for his 3DS, leaving him out of pocket to the tune of £30.

HMV apparently if offering full refunds on any 3DS purchased, though only until Thursday. Other retailers are said to be offering refunds anything up to £50 below the price paid at launch.

"When I returned mine to my local GAME in Bexleyheath I had an argument at first but I am someone who knows how to argue and stuck with my guns," one forum user is quoted as saying.

"Once the guy agreed we chatted and he told me hay had had a high return of the 3DS, more than any launch product."

This issue first hit the headlines last week, again with The Sun leading.

Nintendo told MCV last week that it has had "zero calls on this issue in both the UK and across Europe since Nintendo 3DS launch".

NINTENDO, GAME AND HMV REFUTE 3DS CLAIMS

Platform holder says reports are "incorrect"; GAME has had "fewer than five complaints"; HMV has not offered refunds

Nintendo has branded claims about 3DS refunds and dizziness made in The Sun this morning as "incorrect".

In addition, both GAME and HMV have denied issuing refunds to customers.

The paper this morning claimed that "thousands" of users have suffered either dizziness or headaches after using the device and that some retailers are offering refunds on the machine.

"Recent reports are incorrect," a Nintendo UK spokesperson told MCV. "The number of calls and emails with queries on Nintendo 3DS is in fact well below the rate experienced during past hardware launches and having spoken with our retail partners there are only a handful of people who have actually gone into stores to request a refund.

"Nintendo 3DS was designed with a 3D depth slider that lets users adjust the 3D effect so that everyone can still enjoy this product. When viewing any kind of 3D images, including movies and on TV, some people might experience minor discomfort.

"The effects are short term and have no lasting effect; most people can continue after taking a break. Customers with any concerns should contact their local Nintendo Customer Support via www.nintendo.co.uk or on 0870 6060247.”

In addition, retailer GAME has confirmed to MCV that it has had "fewer than five complaints" about feelings of dizziness from 3DS users.

MCV understands that as the returned devices are not technically faulty many retailers aren't offering full refunds, though most are able to accept the machine as a trade-in.

HMV has told MCV that it has not issued any refunds on the 3DS. Indeed, The Sun has since amended the story online.

"Contrary to a report in today's media – which has since been corrected – we would like to make clear that we are not aware of any manufacturing fault with the 3DS console – which we have seen huge demand for, and that we have not issued any refunds for it and nor are we doing.

"A relatively small number of customers are, however, choosing to take us up on our pre-played games offer – which is a totally different thing, where they can trade-in previously purchased games products, including the 3DS if they so choose, against any other products that we stock in-store up to a pre-determined set value.

"We are currently offering a trade-in value of up to £200 on the 3DS – but trade-in values are reviewed all the time and this may well change after April 7th. Games trade-ins have become increasingly popular with gamers in recent years, and are a standard feature of the UK games market, with many retailers making them available to their customers."

Now for a bunch of idiot gaming journalists to take everything in the paper at face value and write about how Nintendo is doomed.

So... is The Sun in the U.K. just like The Sun in the U.S? Because that's some crazy tabloid shit there.

You know Rupert Murdoch? It's his flagship tabloid.

That should be all you really need to know about its integrity and quality of reporting.

Couscous

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/297033/news/id-like-to-infiltrate-nintendo-create-an-fps-for-activision-or-ubisoft-yoshinori-ono/?cid=OTC-RSS&attr=CVG-General-RSS

Over the last few years Capcom's Yoshinori Ono has been toiling away on the Street Fighter IV series of games.

In a recent interview with Ono-san, CVG asked the Street Fighter man what non-Capcom game he'd like to work on given the option, and his quick response indicated he'd given the hypothetical situation some prior thought.

"I think the first thing I'd do is infiltrate Nintendo. I've been wanting to do that for a decade. I want to see how they work, especially on their idea of compromise and cut-off points. Most developers are always having to compromise with set timers but Nintendo never seem to do that.

"I want to see how they're allowed to do that and how they're allowed to put more and more in until they're fully satisfied," he added. "I really want the know-how."

After that, he described a first-person shooter he'd like to create at either Activision or Ubisoft.

"The other one is more personal, I'm a big fan of first-person shooters and I've been playing them since the old days of Rainbow Six on the PC. I'd like to join either Activision or Ubisoft and make my own mega-realistic, aiming oriented FPS. Auto-aiming would be banned for life.

"But I'd bring all those back to Capcom. Personally speaking, there's nowhere else that I fit more perfectly than at Capcom. I'd come back to Capcom, but I wouldn't mind going off to those places for a while.

Check out CVG's full interview with Yoshinori Ono here.

More on the new Popcap group:
http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/36106/New-Battery-of-games-from-PopCap

Casual games developer PopCap has created a new experimental label – 4th & Battery - where its designers and developers will be able to create ‘edgier’ games.

4th & Battery is expected to produce several games per year, primarily small-scale, arcade-style games for platforms including PC, Facebook and iPhone.

Ed Allard, executive vice president of studios at PopCap, said: “4th & Battery is a pressure valve intended to keep our heads from exploding. The PopCap brand has become closely associated with ultra-high quality, polish and attention to detail — which is a great thing. But our standard game development process is therefore long and involved, and doesn’t really accommodate all of the creativity pumping through our collective veins. 4th & Battery gives us a way to quickly try really strange or marginal ideas, and to give our designers a safe area to hone their chops.”

Unlike PopCap franchises, some titles coming from the new offshoot will have mature content.

“4th & Battery is a purely experimental, creative label with none of the typical concerns like schedules, profitability, or even target audience. It’s kind of the video game equivalent of B-side or short films,” explained Jason Kapalka, co-founder and chief creative officer at PopCap. “Expect weirdness.”

For an example of such weirdness, look no further than Unpleasant Horse, in which you get to play a horse with wings. A horrible horse with wings that advances in the game by destroying birds and landing on top of other horses, sending them downward into a meat grinder for special bonuses. Lovely!

Unpleasant Horse will be on iPhone and iPod Touch later this month through the Apple App Store and will be available for free.

RidleySaria

Mattnyx wrote: »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WUk7q5rJKw&feature=player_embedded

Ewww. Looks bad even for a Wii game. Graphics aren't everything, but damn.

Sheep

Pachter: West, Zampella have no chance of getting Modern Warfare rights

Okay. Good to know that West and Zampella most definitely have a good chance of getting the MW rights.