News for all games: January 2010

Showing newest 27 of 230 posts from January 2010. Show older posts

Saturday, 30 January 2010

PSP | Disgaea Infinite US-bound this May

The Disgaea series of strategy-role-playing games continues to expand its horizons. Nippon Ichi Software America today confirmed that it will be introducing the franchise to a new genre this May, when it releases a localized version of the "adventure novel" PSP game Disgaea Infinite in North America.

Etna and the rest of the original Disgaea gang will return for the spin-off.

In Disgaea Infinite, players will take on the role of a Prinny, a demonic penguin-like servant in the thrall of original series protagonist Laharl. When an assassination attempt on Laharl is foiled, the young demon lord orders the player to uncover who is responsible. As the Prinny, players can use a magical clock to inhabit other characters' minds and piece together the assassination puzzle in the process.

This is not the first time Nippon Ichi has dedicated a spin-off Disgaea game to the Prinnies. Last year, the publisher released the side-scrolling action game Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero? for the PSP. That game launched to a glowing critical reception, and was nominated for Best PSP Game, Funniest Game, and Best Boss Fights (a category which it won) in GameSpot's Best of 2009 awards.

PC | FIFA Online shoots West in June 2010

In 2006, EA partnered with Korean game distributor Neowiz on an online-only PC version of its popular FIFA soccer simulation. Having achieved considerable success in that venture, EA announced today that it is developing a microtransaction-supported, free-to-play version of FIFA Online for PC gamers based in the West.

Who can forget the scintillating exploits of FIFA_Star403?

EA plans to roll out FIFA Online across the globe in stages. European gamers can sign up to participate in a closed beta test for FIFA Online now through the game's official Web site. The closed beta test, which will involve some 20,000 participants, will continue until June, when EA expects to open up the testing phase to "hundreds of thousands" of gamers.

The English-language version of FIFA Online will be available for the PC worldwide in June. EA plans to release versions of the game in other languages in Europe and North America over the subsequent 12 to 24 months.

As for the game itself, FIFA Online features 30 licensed leagues, 500 clubs, and more than 15,000 players. The game features a variety of modes, including the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa tournament and league play. Gamers will be able to build their own teams by acquiring or training players, upgrading skills, and purchasing in-game items and apparel. Players can earn in-game currency or purchase those funds with real-world money through microtransactions.

This is not EA's only free-to-play online endeavor. Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online recently entered open beta testing, and EA Sports president Peter Moore has called free-to-play business models the future of his division.

PSP | Big in Japan Jan. 18-24: Valkyria Chronicles 2

After two weeks playing second fiddle to Kingdom Hearts' PSP debut, New Super Mario Bros. Wii recaptured the top spot in the weekly sales chart for Japanese tracking firm Media Create . For the week of January 18-24, Nintendo's multiplayer mascot platformer tallied 110,918 sales, good enough to regain the best-seller designation.

Note to self: When designing a tank, don't use brightly colored parts for weak points.

Sega's PSP turn-based strategy game Valkyria Chronicles 2 gave New Super Mario Bros. Wii a run for gamers' money, debuting in second place on the charts with 94,444 copies sold. Trailing in third place with more than 76,000 copies sold was the week's other big new release, Namco Bandai's anime-based 3D fighting game Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A's Portable: The Battle of Aces.

Sales for the best-seller of the previous two weeks, Square Enix's Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep, sagged significantly. The latest entry in the publisher's Disney crossover line fell to fourth place with nearly 60,000 units sold, down more than 65 percent week-over-week. The remainder of the software chart was filled with familiar faces, including a reentry to the charts for Capcom's Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, which was recently rereleased in a budget package.

On the hardware front, there was little change. Every system saw sales declines from the week before, but the pecking order was unchanged. The PSP took first place with nearly 53,000 sold, while its digital distribution-bound cousin the PSP Go was dead last with fewer than 1,800 new systems sold. On the console front, the Wii once again came out on top, with its 45,167 tally easily besting the PlayStation 3's 26,966 systems sold. Meanwhile, Microsoft no doubt can't wait for the recently announced Monster Hunter Frontier to hit Japanese Xbox 360s, as the system sold a relatively meager 3,343 systems for the week.

JAPAN GAME SALES WEEK OF JANUARY 18-24, 2010
Software:
Rank / Title / Publisher / Platform / Unit sales
1) New Super Mario Bros. Wii / Nintendo / Wii / 110,918
2) Valkyria Chronicles 2 / Sega / PSP / 94,444
3) Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A's Portable: The Battle of Aces / Bandai Namco / PSP / 76,088
4) Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep / Square Enix / PSP / 59,566
5) Tomodachi Collection / Nintendo / DS / 45,002
6) Wii Fit Plus / Nintendo / Wii / 33,640
7) Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles / Capcom / Wii / 23,245
8) Monster Hunter Freedom Unite / Capcom / PSP / 16,117
9) Wii Sports Resort / Nintendo / Wii / 15,753
10) Inazuma Eleven 2: Kyoui no Shinryokusha - Fire and Blizzard / Level 5 / DS / 13,951

Hardware:
PSP - 52,909
Wii - 45,167
PS3 - 26,966
DSi XL - 24,059
DSi - 20,373
DS Lite - 4,966
Xbox 360 - 3,343
PS2 - 2,088
PSP Go - 1,773

Xbox 360 | Mass Effect 2 ships 2 million

Mass Effect 2 launched for the Xbox 360 and PC in North America on Tuesday, and the game's European rollout occurred today. Even in that short span of time, retailer interest has been strong, as Electronics Arts announced today that it has shipped more than 2 million copies of BioWare's sci-fi role-playing shooter worldwide.

Commander Shepard isn't a man to be trifled with.

Mass Effect 2 resumes the solar-system-hopping adventure of Commander Shepard, which began with the events in the acclaimed original Mass Effect. However, this time out, Shepard finds himself indebted to the pro-human Cerberus Corporation, though his focus remains on ridding the galaxy of the mysterious Reaper threat.

BioWare has bolstered Mass Effect 2's on-disc offerings with a batch of downloadable content through its in-game Cerberus Network. Free for those who purchased the Xbox 360 and PC game new, the DLC currently includes a new crew member who can be recruited as well as a bonus mission. Down the road, BioWare has said that it will introduce new weapons like the M-22 Eviscerator Shotgun as well as the Hammerhead hover tank.

For more on Mass Effect 2, check out GameSpot's spoiler-rich interview with project director Corey Hudson as well as additional coverage.

Xbox 360 | After Burner Climax-ing on 360, PS3

Sega's jet fighting After Burner series has been running on stealth mode for about 15 years. In that stretch, the only new installments of the flight combat franchise have been 2007's PSP-exclusive After Burner: Black Falcon and the rarely seen 2006 arcade game After Burner Climax.

Do a barrel roll!

Now Sega wants the series to resurface on gamers' radars. The publisher has announced downloadable Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of After Burner Climax and a PlayStation Store rerelease for Black Falcon.

Set for launch on the Xbox Live Marketplace and PlayStation Store in the spring, After Burner Climax gives players three planes to choose from and 20 stages with branching paths to blast through. The "Climax" part of the game's name comes from a new gameplay mechanic that lets players slow down time for easier missile locks and evasive maneuvers. In keeping with the series' arcade roots, development duties were entrusted to Sega's AM2 development division, the same studio behind coin-op classics like Space Harrier, Out Run, and Virtua Fighter.

Originally launched to decent reviews, After Burner: Black Falcon sees a terrorist cell dubbed Black Falcon planejacking 13 fighter jets from the CIA. Players are tasked with making the skies friendly again by hopping into the cockpit of 19 licensed planes, including F-14D Tomcats, F-22 Raptors, and F-15E Strike Eagles.

Black Falcon was developed by Planet Moon Studios, the creators of Armed & Dangerous, Giants: Citizen Kabuto, and Infected. After Burner: Black Falcon will be available on the PlayStation Store February 4.

Xbox 360 | Nintendo's Iwata dismisses iPad

On Wednesday, Apple took the lid off its heavily rumored iPad tablet computer. The versatile touch-screen-enabled device is similar to the iPhone and iPod Touch, providing users with Internet access, as well as access to apps and the iTunes store. Notably, Apple confirmed that all App Store programs, including games, can run on the iPad unmodified, with EA and Gameloft headlining support for the device.

Iwata finds little of interest from Apple's new iPad.

Therefore, Apple's latest device is just one more way in which it is challenging current handheld gaming market leader Nintendo. Though, for its part, Nintendo is unimpressed with Apple's newcomer. Speaking to the New York Times, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata marginalized the iPad as "a bigger iPod Touch," saying of the device that ''there were no surprises for me."

Powered by a 1GHz processor that places the CPU, graphics, and memory all on a single chip, the iPad has Bluetooth and a compass built in. It will not, however, include a camera as MacBooks and iPhones do, nor will it support Adobe Flash. Also, the iPad will use the 802.11n wireless standard and will have several models with 3G mobile-network data connectivity.

Ironically, Nintendo just released an upsized version of a previously released device in Japan: The DSi LL. Fundamentally a larger version of the camera-equipped DSi, which debuted in Japan in November 2008, the DSi LL has sold some 700,000 units in the island nation through the end of 2009. It will be released in the West as the DSi XL this spring.

The NYT reports that Iwata also dismissed the prospect of 3D functionality in games. Referencing James Cameron's $1 billion blockbuster Avatar and its underperforming game tie-in from Ubisoft, Iwata said that he doesn't expect 3D gaming to be particularly influential. ''I have doubts whether people will be wearing glasses to play games at home. How is that going to look to other people?" Iwata said.

Beyond Ubisoft's venture into 3D gaming, Nintendo rival Sony has made a significant push into depth-of-field gaming. In November, Sony announced plans to integrate stereoscopic 3D technology into all PlayStation 3s via firmware update beginning this year.

Echoing sentiments expressed by Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime earlier this month, Iwata also dismissed speculation that Nintendo is prepping an upgraded Wii with high-definition graphical capabilities. The company president was equally mum on the prospect of a motion-sensing upgrade to the DS, which has now sold more than 125 million units through the end of 2009.

While Iwata's comments seem definitive, the excutive has a history of dismissing a particular technology at the same time Nintendo is actively developing it. In 2004, Iwata defended the GameCube's anemic online support by declaring that "customers do not want online games." Less than a year later, Nintendo announced that the Wii--then called the Revolution--and the DS would both feature built-in online connectivity.

PlayStation 3 | Heavy Rain gold, demo drops Feb. 11

Heavy Rain won't hit the PlayStation 3 until February 23, but gamers can get a taste of the coming storm weeks earlier. Sony has confirmed that Quantic Dream's upcoming adventure game has gone gold and will have a downloadable demo arrive on the PlayStation Network February 11.

"They're called fingers, and yet they don't 'fing.' Whoa."

Heavy Rain follows the pursuit of a mysterious serial murderer called the Origami Killer. Players will be able to assume the role of several characters--a drug-addled FBI agent, a private investigator, and a victim's father--who must collect clues in a film-noir-style setting to crack the case. The demo will give players a close look at a pair of those characters--the Fed and the gumshoe--through two of the game's chapters.

The PS3-exclusive title was developed by Quantic Dream, the Paris-based shop behind 2005's Indigo Prophecy (aka Fahrenheit) for the PC, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. Like that critically acclaimed title, Heavy Rain eschews normal game conventions for a more cinematic approach, focusing on complex storytelling and emotion via realistic graphics.

For more on Heavy Rain, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

Xbox 360 | PlatinumGames Vanquish-ed

When Sega introduced PlatinumGames to the world in May of 2008, the publisher announced that it would be handling the studio's first four titles: MadWorld, Bayonetta, Infinite Space, and a then-untitled game from Resident Evil director Shinji Mikami. That game finally has a name, as PlatinumGames today posted a teaser trailer for the Mikami-directed Vanquish on its Web site.

Space marine guy should probably find some better cover.

The teaser--which is behind an age gate--combines live-action footage with some computer graphics effects to provide a setting for the game. The clip starts with an armored soldier kneeling in a serene field, examining an insect on his finger. The camera pans to reveal a devastated city across a bay as military helicopters fly overhead.

A series of news channel press conference clips show a woman decrying widespread destruction of American cities by "enemy forces" and promising retaliation. Spliced between those shots are glimpses of robotic arms helping the previously glimpsed armored soldier into his equipment. The trailer wraps up with a firefight apparently on a giant orbiting satellite, with the armored soldier taking on a chicken-legged mech.

A credits card at the end of the clip reveals that the Vanquish game will be directed by Shinji Mikami and produced by Atsushi Inaba (Okami, Viewtiful Joe). As for the teaser, it was written and directed by Alexei Tylevich. According to the Internet Movie Database, Tylevich was the visual effects creative lead on last year's Zombieland and wrote and produced the opening movie for Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.

Unfortunately, there's no telling when or where gamers will be able to get their hands on Vanquish. The trailer gave no platforms or release dates for the game.

PC | Third Borderlands DLC loaded with new vehicles, mechs

One week ago, Gearbox Software revealed a third downloadable add-on was in the works for the studio's double-platinum action RPG Borderlands. Without revealing a name, a member of the development staff did say the expansion would raise the game's current level 50 cap and also be the "biggest" downloadable content yet.

A Crimson Lance mech? Uh-oh.

Today, Gearbox named the expansion, which will be called The Secret Armory of General Knoxx. As the name implies, the expansion will focus on providing players with new weapons, presumably from the weapons locker of the aforementioned military officer. Gearbox said the add-on's quests will be geared at players level 34 to 50 but did not give a release date or price for the new content.

New vehicles also appear to be in store.

Two shots accompanying the announcement indicated that General Knoxx is likely a commander of the Crimson Lance, the elite corporate army featured in the latter levels of the original game. One shot shows that the already heavily armed Lance troopers will be backed up by full-blown mechs with thick armor and nasty ranged and melee weapons. Another screen shows players driving a new type of vehicle: a six-wheeled off-road truck battling what appear to be giant spiders in the desert.

Xbox 360 | Codemasters calls off Hei$t - Report

Nearly three years ago, Codemasters announced its entry into the Grand Theft Auto-style crime-action genre with Hei$t. Developed by InXile Entertainment, the game was set in 1969 San Francisco, where players would rob banks and plan violent getaways decked out in funky styles and driving classic muscle cars.

Hei$t's 1960s-flavored San Francisco setting was one of its main selling points.

Hei$t was in development for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC and made a favorable impression on previewers when first displayed to the press in mid-2007. However, since the game missed its originally scheduled December 2007 launch date, it has remained largely out of sight, raising questions about its ultimate fate. The fact InXile's sole other release, the 2004/2005 reboot of The Bard's Tale, drew only middling reviews added to concerns.

Now, it appears the doubters had good reason to be worried. British game site CVG is reporting that Codemasters has informed it that Hei$t has been canceled outright.

"After a much extended development period, Hei$t has been terminated as a project and removed from our release schedule," a Codemasters rep informed CVG. "Codemasters is focusing its future portfolio on high-quality titles that will, in the majority, be developed and produced by our internal studios."

As of press time, e-mails sent to and voicemails left with InXile reps requesting the status of Hei$t had not been returned.

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Friday, 29 January 2010

Wii | Aussie game charts: January 18-24

Aussie consumers gave a lot of love to Nintendo titles last week. Mario Kart--which had been number one in the last two weeks--was dethroned in favour of another House of Mario favourite, the Wii Fit Plus bundle, at the top of the Australian sales charts, according to data trackers GfK Australia.

The games that make up the rest of the game charts this week remains the same as the previous week, albeit slightly shuffled around. Darksiders on the PS3 moved down to number nine, paving the way for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on the Xbox 360 and PS3 to climb up into the eighth and sixth spots, respectively. The only games that didn't change spots were Just Dance at number seven, and Army of Two: The 40th Day closing off the week at number 10.

All sales stats, including console-by-console breakdowns, can be found below:

Top 10 Full-Priced Games
1. Wii Fit Plus bundle, Wii
2. Mario Kart Wii, Wii
3. Wii Sports Resort bundle, Wii
4. New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Nintendo Wii
5. Wii Play bundle, Wii
6. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, PlayStation 3
7. Just Dance, Wii
8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Xbox 360
9. Darksiders, PlayStation 3
10. Army of Two: The 40th Day, Xbox 360

Top 10 PS3 Games (over A$60)
1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
2. Darksiders
3. Army of Two: The 40th Day
4. Assassin's Creed 2
5. James Cameron's Avatar: The Game
6. Bayonetta
7. FIFA Soccer 10
8. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
9. Ashes Cricket 2009
10. MX vs. ATV Reflex

Top 10 Xbox 360 Games (over A$50)
1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
2. Army of Two: The 40th Day
3. Darksiders
4. James Cameron's Avatar: The Game
5. Assassin's Creed 2
6. Bayonetta
7. Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City
8. Borderlands
9. Forza Motorsport 3
10. FIFA 10

Top 10 Wii Games (over A$50)
1. Wii Fit Plus bundle
2. Mario Kart Wii
3. Wii Play bundle
4. New Super Mario Bros. Wii
5. Wii Sports Resort bundle
6. Just Dance
7. Mario & Sonic At The Olympics
8. James Cameron's Avatar: The Game
9. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
10. Biggest Loser

Top 10 PC Games (over A$20)
1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
2. The Sims 3
3. The Sims 3: World Adventures
4. World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
5. The Sims 2: Double Deluxe
6. World of Warcraft
7. World of Warcraft Battlechest
8. The Sims 2: Seasons
9. Age of Empires III
10. World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade

Top 10 Nintendo DS Games (over A$40)
1. More Brain Training from Dr Kawashima: How Old is Your Brain
2. New Super Mario Bros.
3. Mario Kart DS
4. Kageyama's Math Training: The Hundred Cell Calculation Method
5. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
6. James Cameron's Avatar: The Game
7. Hasbro Family Game Night
8. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
9. Style Boutique
10. My Japanese Coach

Top 10 PS2 Games (over A$50)
1. WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010
2. Need for Speed Undercover
3. SingStar Rock Ballads
4. SingStar Boy Bands vs. Girl Bands
5. FIFA Soccer 10
6. Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier
7. Ben 10: Alien Force Vilgax Attacks
8. Marvel Super Hero Squad
9. TMNT Smash-Up
10. Buzz! Brain of Oz bundle

Top 10 PSP games (over A$40)
1. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
2. Invizimals
3. Little Big Planet
4. Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines
5. James Cameron's Avatar: The Game
6. Gran Turismo
7. Tekken 6
8. FIFA Soccer 10
9. MotorStorm Arctic Edge
10. Need for Speed: Shift

All data supplied by GfK Australia.

PlayStation 3 | GTAIV: Episodes from Liberty City PS3, PC bound

Welcome to the party, PS3 and PC owners.

Back in 2006, then Xbox marketing chief Peter Moore surprised the gaming world by brandishing a mock tattoo of the Grand Theft Auto IV logo and announcing that not only would the open-world sequel launch on the 360 at the same time as the PlayStation 3, but that Xbox owners would be getting exclusive downloadable content. That content ended up being two lengthy episodes that debuted on Xbox Live--The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony--before being later bundled onto one retail disc dubbed Episodes From Liberty City. But now it seems the $25 million Microsoft paid for this 360 exclusive was for a set time and not in perpetuity, with Sony and Rockstar today confirming both episodes will be heading to PS3s and PCs this March.

Just as with the 360 version, PS3 and PC owners will have the option of buying both episodes on one retail disc, or buy them separately through either the PlayStation Network or Games for Windows Live. In a press statement, Rockstar president and co-founder Sam Houser said: "We appreciate the patience of our PlayStation 3 and PC fans worldwide, and we look forward to putting the games in your hands this March."

Both The Ballad of Gay Tony and The Lost and Damned were critically acclaimed when they were released in October and February 2009, respectively. Episodes From Liberty City for the PS3 and the PC will hit North American stores on March 30, 2010, while The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony will be available on the same day on the PSN and Games for Windows Live. PS3 owners will have to shell out $39.99 for the retail disc, or $19.99 for each of the episodes online.

PlayStation 3 | Uncharted 2 demo now exploring PSN

Perhaps the biggest addition to the PlayStation Network Store this week won't cost PlayStation 3 gamers a thing. Those not yet convinced that Naughty Dog's highly acclaimed, multi-award nominated Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is worth their time can pick up a free single-player demo for the game beginning today. The multiplayer-centric PlayStation Heroes pack, which contains seven character skins from other high-profile PS3 exclusives such as Killzone 2 and Resistance 2, is also available for $4.99.

The PS3 has a trio of original games added to its downloadable library this week as well. VooFoo Studios' Hustle Kings brings billiards to the PS3 for $9.99. Thexder Neo, from Square Enix, is a revamp of the classic PC side-scrolling shooter and features new graphics, features, and modes, as well as six-player online action, for $9.99. Having previously released the game for the Xbox 360 and PC, Wanako Studios will be bringing its top-down shooter Assault Heroes to the PSN this week for $9.99.

PS3 gamers shouldn't need much convincing to at least try Uncharted 2.

Two PSone Classics also surface on Sony's store this week. Originally released for Sony's first gaming console in 1996, Epic Games' Extreme Pinball is available for $5.99. Bullfrog Productions' futuristic racer Hi-Octane: The Track Fights Back also zips in at the $6 price point.

There's a dearth of content on the PSP store this week, though four new PSP minis will see release. The new micro games released this week are Dracula - Undead Awakening ($4.99), Pinball Dreams ($6.99), Route 66 ($3.99), and Deflector ($3.99).

A full list of the week's deals and new PlayStation Store content, including themes, wallpapers, demos, and add-on content, is available on the official PlayStation Blog.

Xbox 360 | Third Borderlands DLC loaded with new vehicles, mechs

One week ago, Gearbox Software revealed a third downloadable add-on was in the works for the studio's double-platinum action-RPG Borderlands. Without revealing a name, a member of the development staff did say the expansion would raise the game's current level 50 cap and also be the "biggest" DLC yet.

A Crimson Lance mech? Uh-oh.

Today, Gearbox named the expansion, which will be called The Secret Armory of General Knoxx. As the name implies, the expansion will focus on providing players with new weapons, presumably from the weapons locker of the aforementioned military officer. Gearbox said the add-on's quests will be geared at players level 34-50, but did not give a release date or price for the new content.

New vehicles also appear to be in store.

Two shots accompanying the announcement indicated that General Knoxx is likely a commander of the Crimson Lance, the elite corporate army featured in the latter levels of the original game. One shot shows that the already heavily armed Lance troopers will be backed up by full-blown mechs with thick armor and nasty ranged and melee weapons. Another screen shows players driving a new type of vehicle, a six-wheeled off-road truck, battling what appear to be giant spiders in the desert.

Xbox 360 | Codemasters ¢alls off Hei$t - Report

Hei$t's 1960s-flavored San Francisco setting was one of its main selling points.

Now, it appears the doubters had good reason to be worried. British game site CVG is reporting that Codemasters has informed it that Hei$t has been canceled outright.

As of press time, e-mails sent to and voicemails left with InXile reps requesting the status of Hei$t had not been returned.

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PlayStation 3 | 2K offers $1 million for perfect MLB 2K10 pitching game

Take-Two seemed to be looking for a mercy rule call in December, when it laid the blame for its sagging end-of-the-year financials largely at the feet of its Major League Baseball franchise. But, with its third-party exclusivity deal with the MLB Players Association not set to expire until 2012, the publisher is locked into another season of games devoted to America's pastime, even if it expects to lose $30 million to $35 million on the venture.

In an apparent bid to spur sales of its baseball sim, 2K Games announced today that it would be handing out $1 million to the first person to throw a "verified" perfect game in MLB 2K10. The contest for the game, which goes on sale March 2, only applies to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 editions of MLB 2K10. The Evan Longoria-fronted baseball sim will also be released on the PlayStation 2, PSP, and PC.

Pro tip: If this happens, hit the reset button.

The contest begins on March 2 at 12:01 a.m. PST and runs through May 1, 2010, at 11:59 p.m. PDT. The feat must be performed in the game's MLB Today mode, and players must select the "Major League Baseball 2K10 contest" option to participate. From there, gamers must video-record the successful completion of the perfect game, in which no players of the opposing team reach a base.

2K Games' Web site has more information on the MLB 2K10 $1 million challenge.

Xbox 360 | Metro 2033 ticketed for March 16

Three years after it introduced the world to S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, THQ will unleash another postapocalyptic action/role-playing game hybrid set and developed in the former Soviet Union. The company today announced that Metro 2033 will ship for the Xbox 360 and PC on March 16 in North America, where it is rated M for Mature. In Europe, where it has been rated 18 by PEGI, the game will launch March 19.

Protagonist Artyom, sporting the latest in postapocalyptic respirator fashion.

Based on Russian author Dmitry Glukhovsky's 2002 novel of the same name, Metro 2033 depicts a near-future Earth where human civilization was obliterated by an apocalyptic tragedy in 2013. With the planet's surface now an inhospitable wasteland, humanity's few survivors have taken shelter in Moscow's labyrinthine underground subway system.

As the title indicates, the game picks up 20 years after the global cataclysm, as players assume the role of the soldier Artyom, who has spent his entire life underground. Though THQ was light on gameplay details, the publisher did say that players will battle mutants and fellow survivors in hostile environments both above- and belowground. Ukrainian developer 4A Games has said that the game includes elements from both the first-person shooter and role-playing genres (a la Borderlands), but with a survival element akin to more horror-centric games.

For more on Metro 2033, check out GameSpot's recent hands-on preview.

DS | Mega Man Zero collecting on DS

The Mega Man Zero series enjoyed significant critical acclaim and commercial success on the Game Boy Advance in the early-to-mid 2000s. Now, Capcom is giving the franchise a second run by rereleasing all four original GBA games on one Nintendo DS cart. The Mega Man Zero Collection is expected to arrive for the DS early this summer.

Neo Arcadia has a giant spiky ball infestation.

Released for the GBA in 2002, the original Mega Man Zero takes place 100 years after the events in the Mega Man X series. The 2D spin-off platformer swaps out the Blue Bomber for new hero Zero, a robot with weapons that range from the Z-sabor sword and Buster Shot hand cannon. The game introduces the diabolic Neo Arcadia government, and Zero embarks on a quest to save robot-kind.

In Zero 2, picks up after the events in the first game, with Neo Arcadia continuing to cause strife between humans and robots. By the third installment in the series, the Neo Arcadia regime has been overthrown, but the region faces a new threat due to the machinations of an evil, brainwashing robot. Mega Man Zero 4 concludes the series, as Zero fights to restore balance to Neo Arcadia, again, for the final time.

Capcom did not reveal pricing information for the Mega Man Zero Collection. However, the publisher did promise that the DS installment will have new, unspecified modes.

Xbox 360 | Xbox division revs down 11%, 5.2 million 360s sold in Q4

Less than 24 hours after Nintendo reported revenues for the last nine months of 2009, Microsoft announced its earnings for the October-December quarter of last year. Overall, the software giant saw record revenues of $19.02 billion, an increase of 14 percent. Net income--aka profit--was an impressive $6.66 billion for the quarter, a figure company officials credited to the rapid adoption of Windows 7 and brisk PC sales.

Despite being cheaper, holiday quarter Xbox 360 unit sales fell 13% to 5.2 million.

Unfortunately, Microsoft's overall success did not carry over to its Entertainment and Devices Division, which makes the Xbox 360 and Zune multimedia player. Year over year, the department's revenues fell 11 percent from $3.26 billion to $2.90 billion, with Xbox 360 and PC game revenue dropping by 12 percent, or $295 million. (Non-gaming revenue, including the Zune, fell 8 percent, or $59 million.) Part of the reason for the decline was the Xbox 360, which saw quarterly unit sales fall 13 percent to 5.2 million consoles despite price cuts to both its Elite (now $300) and Arcade (now $200) models.

Microsoft also repeatedly blamed the lower game earnings on unfavorable year-on-year comparisons "due primarily to the release of two significant games in the [holiday] quarter of the prior year." While never identified by name, the two titles were likely the first-party 360 exclusives Fable II and Gears of War 2, released in October and November of 2008. Major 360 exclusives for the 2009 holiday season included Forza Motorsport 3 and carryover sales of Halo 3: ODST, which launched in late September.

Microsoft also still claims its Xbox 360's software attach rate is an industry-high of 8.8 games per Xbox 360. However, it conceded that "attach revenue declined [from Oct.-Dec.], given the challenging year-over-year comparison."

That said, Microsoft's report had some bright spots for the Xbox 360 platform. The company announced it decreased "cost of revenue" by 23 percent, or $478 million, mainly due to lower 360 production costs. That figure was somewhat offset by increased royalties to Xbox Live business partners, which were brought about in turn by a surge in popularity of the 360's online service. Some 23 million people have signed up for Xbox Live, an increase of 35 percent year over year, according to Microsoft. The company did not break out how many of the 23 million were paying Xbox Live Gold subscribers.

PC | Battlefield: Bad Company 2 demo hits XBL, PC beta begins

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 doesn't ship out until March 2, but Electronic Arts is already pulling out all the stops to promote it. The financially troubled publisher announced that starting today, a multiplayer demo for the DICE-developed military shooter is available on Xbox Live. Free to Gold-level subscribers, the 1GB demo will feature a large map based on the Alaskan oil port of Valdez (see below) in which up to 24 players must secure resources in the game's Rush mode. The demo, which lasts until February 25, will feature infantry and vehicular combat, including such vehicles as the main battle tanks, quad bikes, mobile armored antiaircraft guns, and helicopters.

PlayStation 3 owners will get access to the BF: Bad Company 2 demo on February 4 in North America and February 11 in Europe. Owners of Sony's console already had the opportunity to participate in a beta test last November. Now, a similar open beta has begun for those who preorder the PC version of the game from GameStop. They will get a chance to get a beta key from the game's official site, which has a list of mirrors to download the PC beta client from.

PlayStation 3 | 'About 10' PS3 motion-control games planned for launch - Report

Last week, Sony announced that it had pushed back the launch of the PlayStation 3 Motion Controller to the fall from a previously announced spring launch. Commenting on the delay, Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Kaz Hirai implied that the reason for the delay was so that his company could finalize a robust launch lineup for the system, rumored to be called the "PlayStation Arc."

The PS3 Motion Controller will likely have at least 10 launch titles.

"We will continue to work to have a comprehensive portfolio of attractive and innovative games for the motion controller, not only from SCE Worldwide Studios but also from the third-party developers and publishers, whom we have been working closely with," explained Hirai.

Yesterday, a short article on the Tokyo-based Nikkei news service's English edition reported that "about 10" games will support the PS3 Motion Controller on day one. Though the article offered no further details, the expanded Japanese version of the same article said that "pet training games and other sports [titles]" would be amongst the system's launch lineup.

Nikkei did not reveal how many of the PS3 Motion Controller games would be from Sony or other publishers. To date, only two third-party publishers, Capcom and Electronic Arts, have announced support for the PS3 Motion Controller. Capcom has confirmed the Japan-only Resident Evil 5: Alternative Edition will use the light wand- and PlayStation Eye camera-based control scheme. (The Western version of the Alternative Edition, March's Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition, will not support the new technology.) The latter has not specified any titles, although a leaked EA Canada developer's resume indicated a PS3 Motion Controller-based edition of EA Sports Active is in development.

PlayStation 3 | Sony shares spike on profit expectations

Sony Corp. is expected to announce its third-quarter earnings next Thursday, and investors appear to be optimistic about the results. Reuters reports today that shares in the Japanese electronics giant gained nearly 5 percent on the Tokyo Stock Exchange to close at ?3,085 ($34). The bump came after the Japan's business daily Nikkei forecast that Sony will post a ?100 billion ($1.1 billion) operating profit for its October-December quarter on the strength of its games and LCD TV segments.

Booming PS3 Slim sales have lifted Sony's financials.

Reuters notes that while Sony had been expected to break its five-quarter streak of operating losses during the period, Nikkei's forecast was substantially higher than previous market expectations. Thomson Reuters' analyst poll indicated that the electronics company would post a ?74.2 billion ($826 million) operating profit during the quarter.

According to the Japanese business daily, Sony Computer Entertainment is expected to achieve third-quarter profitability thanks to surging PlayStation 3 sales in the wake of the introduction of the 120GB PS3 Slim. As part of its CES 2010 press conference, Sony said that it sold some 3.8 million PS3s worldwide during the five-week holiday period. The publisher has also seen strong performances from console exclusives, such as Infamous and Uncharted 2, both of which have surpassed the million-unit milestone.

Sony debuted the redesigned console in late August at the $299 price point--$100 less than the old model. The price cut was facilitated by Sony's ability to cut PS3 manufacturing costs by some 70 percent. However, an iSuppli report in December indicated that the publisher still loses $36 per console sold.

Nikkei also reports that Sony's bottom line has been buoyed by its sweeping restructuring efforts that resulted in a company-wide culling of 16,000 positions, as well as facility closures.

Wii | Wii sales top 67 million, DS over 125 million

As part of its nine-month earnings release this morning, Nintendo also revealed its life-to-date sales for its uber-popular Wii console and DS handheld. Though slowing sales of both platforms contributed to the company's 23.1 percent sales decline from April to December 2009, the two platforms continue to widen their lead over competitors in the current hardware generation.

After years in third place with the GameCube, Nintendo is now the current-generation king.

As of December 31, 2009, some 67.45 million Wiis had been sold worldwide, solidifying Nintendo's console dominance in a way that was unimaginable during the third-place GameCube era. By region, the console has sold 9.72 million units in Japan, 32.02 million units in North and South America, and 25.71 million units in Europe and elsewhere.

Wii software hasn't fared too badly either, with 509.66 million games for the console sold worldwide through December. Of those, 46.57 million games were sold in Japan, 275.84 million in the Americas, and 187.24 million in Europe and other territories. According to Nintendo's earnings report today, the top new Wii games last year were Wii Sports Resort (13.58 million units through December), New Super Mario Bros. Wii (10.55 million), and Wii Fit Plus (10.16 million).

Meanwhile, the DS further cemented itself as the all-time best-selling game platform by topping the 125-million-unit mark--125.13 million units, to be exact. Of those, 29.2 million were sold in Japan, 44.99 million in the Americas, and 50.23 million in Europe and other territories.

The DSi has sold more than 16.43 million units by itself.

From the DS total, Nintendo broke out sales of the DSi, introduced last year. The camera-equipped portable has sold 16.43 million units through December, including 4.66 million in Japan, 6.16 million in the Americas, and 5.61 million elsewhere. The supersized DSi XL is available only in Japan, where it sold 700,000 units (and is called the DSi LL).

On the software side, the DS also reigns supreme, with a whopping 688.29 million games sold worldwide as of the end of 2009. 171.99 million of those games were bought in Japan and 261.90 million were bought in North and South America. The remaining 254.41 million were picked up in the UK, the rest of Europe, Australia, and other regions. Top new DS games last year included Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver (3.74 million units), Tomodachi Collection (2.74 million), and The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (2.45 million).

LIFETIME WII SALES - HARDWARE (Through Dec. 2009, in units)
Worldwide: 67.45 million
Japan: 9.72 million
North & South America: 32.02 million
Europe & Elsewhere: 25.71 million

LIFETIME WII SALES - SOFTWARE (Through Dec. 2009, in units)
Worldwide: 509.66 million
Japan: 46.57 million
North & South America: 275.84 million
Europe & Elsewhere: 187.24 million

LIFETIME DS SALES - HARDWARE (Through Dec. 2009, in units)
Worldwide: 125.13 million
Japan: 29.2 million
North & South America: 44.99 million
Europe & Elsewhere: 50.23 million

LIFETIME DS SALES - SOFTWARE (Through Dec. 2009, in units)
Worldwide: 688.29 million
Japan: 171.99 million
North & South America: 261.90 million
Europe & Elsewhere: 254.41 million

PlayStation 3 | God of War III reigning March 16

Kratos made his debut on the PlayStation 3 with the God of War Collection in November, but the compilation pack is just a substitute for what fans of the franchise have really been waiting for. With God of War III carrying a March release window since the 2009 Electronic Entertainment Expo, Sony Computer Entertainment announced today that the franchise's first all-new installment for the PlayStation 3 would arrive on March 16.

The Ultimate Edition opens up March 16.

God of War III marks the conclusion of Kratos' current story arc to bring about the fall of Olympus. As in previous installments, the visceral gameplay sees Kratos dismembering, decapitating, eviscerating, mutilating, and otherwise doing grievous bodily harm to a variety of mythological beasts. For this installment, gameplay will emphasis fighting on monolithic Titans and mounting enemies, as well as gaining new weapons and additional attacks.

The game will be available in both a $59.99 standard edition and a $99.99 God of War III Ultimate Edition. In addition to the game and decorative Pandora's box packaging, players of the Ultimate Edition will receive an art book as well as access to downloadable content and in-game bonuses. Gamers will also get a feature-length retrospective on the franchise, the trilogy soundtrack, and a selection of heavy metal tracks inspired by God of War.

Lastly, Sony also announced through the PlayStation Blog today that it would be cutting the price of the God of War Collection to $29.99. The collection includes the first two highly acclaimed God of War titles for the PlayStation 2, with remastered 720p high-definition graphics and added trophy support. The package also includes a playable demo for God of War III.

For more information, check out GameSpot's previous coverage of God of War III.

Thursday, 28 January 2010

Wii | Nintendo nine-month sales sink 23.1%, Wii Sports Resort sells 13.58 million

Following a rough 2009, Nintendo today issued its earnings report for the nine months ending December 31. The April-December period saw sales of ?1,182.1 billion ($13.06 billion), a decline of 23.1 percent compared to the same timeframe in 2008. Nintendo's nine-month net profit was ?192.6 billion ($2.13 billion), down 9.4 percent year over year.

Wii Sports Resort was flying high with 13.58 million units sold.

Though Nintendo blamed appreciation of the yen for much of the downfall, another reason for the decline was slowing sales of the DS. From April-December 2009, Nintendo sold 23.35 million units of the dual-screen handheld worldwide, down from 25.62 million during the same period in 2008. The 2009 total included 13.51 million DSis and 700,000 large-screen DSi XLs (currently available only in Japan as the DSi LL).

Wii sales also fell during the nine-month period, going from 20.5 million in 2008 to 17.05 million in 2009. The shortfall came despite Nintendo cutting the Wii's price in September from $250 to $200 in the US, from ?250 to ?200 in the EU, and from ?25,000 to ?20,000 in Japan. (In the UK, the Wii's recommended retail price of ?180 remained unchanged, but Nintendo began bundling the console with Wii Sports Resort and the Wii MotionPlus accessory, along with the already standard Wii Sports pack-in.)

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks has sold 2.45 million units since its December launch.

In terms of software, some 121.38 million DS games were sold from April to December 2009, down from 163.78 million the year prior. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver was the top new title, selling 3.74 million units in Japan. (The game launches in March in North America and Europe.) Its forbearer, Pokemon Platinum Version, sold 3.1 million globally, followed by Tomodachi Collection's 2.74 million units. Finally, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks sold 2.45 million copies following its worldwide launch in December.

New Wii games posted higher totals, with Wii Sports Resort selling 13.58 million units worldwide from April to December. Global consumers also scooped up 10.55 million units of New Super Mario Bros. Wii and 10.16 million copies of Wii Fit Plus, the recently introduced reworking of Wii Fit.

PC | Command & Conquer 4 open beta begins Thursday

With less than two months until Command & Conquer 4's launch in North America (March 16) and Europe (March 19), EA and GameSpot have partnered to launch its international open beta. Starting at 9 a.m. PST on Thursday, January 28, any registered GameSpot user can sign up for the public test via its official page. Everyone who signs up will get a beta key, although demand may cause some applications to be temporarily waitlisted.

Mr. Kane is ready to see you now.

Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight will be set in the year 2062, when Earth becomes so completely covered with the toxic (yet energy-rich) mineral known as Tiberium that the human race is in peril of extinction. In the face of this threat, the longtime enemy factions join forces against a common foe. EA has suggested that this uneasy truce will lead to an explanation of the long-term plans set forth by Nod leader Kane in previous games, such as Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars and its expansion, Kane's Wrath.

C&C4 will offer two different campaigns for each faction, which can be played solo or in cooperative mode. In addition, the game will have a brand-new, five-versus-five, objective-based multiplayer mode for online play. The game is currently PC only.

Wii | Mortal Kombat film advancing, Mass Effect movie still being mulled

The past week has seen new updates on two major game-to-film adaptations. First up, the proposed reboot of the Mortal Kombat film franchise seems to be moving ahead, albeit ever so slowly. First revealed via a proucer's lawsuit against now-defunct publisher Midway, the project would be the first Mortal Kombat movie since 1997's Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. It would also be the first big-screen adaptation of the fighting franchise since Warner Bros. bought the Mortal Kombat IP from Midway last July.

Liu Kang is limbering up for his next movie appearance?

Although the Mortal Kombat movie's production appears to have missed a rumored September start date, horror-film blog Bloody Disgusting reports that screenwriter Oren Uziel has been tapped by Warner Bros. to pen its script. Though none of his screenplays have been turned into feature films, Uziel's Shimmer Lake was on the 2009 "Black List" of top unproduced scripts in Hollywood.

?but the Krogans aren't ready for their closeup.

Meanwhile, the big-screen adaptation of Mass Effect has resurfaced a year and a half after reports of its existence appeared. Last week, Mass Effect 2 project director Casey Hudson told MTV Movies that, "Obviously we have a tremendous amount of interest from people in Hollywood to make a major motion picture about Mass Effect."

Appearing to contradict a 2008 Variety report (linked above), Hudson made it sound as if any deal to license a Mass Effect film production was a ways off. "We're just looking at our options there, but waiting to make sure we have something really right before we do it," he said. "The most important thing for us is, we don't just want to see a movie get made. We want to see a great movie get made, if it's going to get done at all."

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