Kendrick

I would like more transparency in the Gamestop sales figures, please. When calculating sales, how much is new software and how much is used software? Are cash payouts from trade-ins subtracted from the stated figure? If a trade-in is applied towards a new purchase, what portion of that transaction is added to the stated figure?

My perception is that a single sale can and does result in certain figures being added twice or three times to the final revenue figures. This is probably inaccurate, and arguably fraudulent.

It's important to remember that modern yakuza see themselves as a logical successors to the samurai, in a way that the salarymen are not. It's a way of preserving that culture of class difference in a modern Japan, where an occupying United States arguably forced democracy and egalitarianism on people who didn't ask for it. It makes perfect sense to me that one of Kazuma's ancestors might have been a samurai and might have had experiences that are shaping his descendants' fate.

We meant to say 'snubbing' there in place of 'flubbing,' right? Assuming that the meaning is exclusion or omission, as opposed to typographical error or misspoken verbal communication.

That the Xbox version is going offline isn't a surprise. But private servers for the Xbox version aren't an option since the connections are all made through the Xbox Live service. This isn't much of a loss, since Episode III and all of the Plus Pack missions happened only on the Gamecube versions, and Episode IV happened only on the Windows port. People who still want to play online have lots of options available to them and know what platforms to go for.

I still enjoy PSO occasionally, but Phantasy Star Universe has supplanted it in all the functional ways. The fact that many of the PSO dungeons and weapons will soon be available in PSU also makes the old game a little redundant.

Yes, but the article in question appears to be focused on popular MMO games. It's arguable that Final Fantasy XI, Phantasy Star Universe, Tabula Rasa and many others are niche MMOs with only limited appeal. Still, I would have liked some mention of the fact that it's been Christmas continuously in the Xbox server for Phantasy Star Online for the last three years.

Shenmue 2 was great as a Dreamcast release. But as an Xbox exclusive in the United States, it was out-of-date and presented to exactly the wrong audience. I'm the biggest Shenmue fan there is, and even I acknowledge that there was no way for Shenmue 2 to find an honored place in the Xbox library. I do agree with the thought that Yakuza models a decent game for future expansion, if the next Shenmue game ever takes shape.

That EA did not originate the NFL exclusivity contract doesn't negate the effects of it. I think my complaint is still valid, that EA's interest in profits outweigh its desire to serve gamers or produce good games. And that the NFL originated the deal does make me any more willing to buy EA products either. I'm entitled to make my own purchasing decisions here.

I feel very strongly about not spending my money on Electronic Arts products. Anybody out there have a comprehensive list of what companies are presently EA subsidiaries? I'm not touching any of those games, at least not until the NFL exclusivity agreement expires.

This is excellent news. Given the existing N-gage download function that already exists in the EU region, that means more people who get to experience exclusive titles like Pocket Kingdom and Rifts. On the other hand, it looks like Nokia is going with wholly digital distribution, which means no new software on MMC cards for users of the older hardware (or people who use the device for gaming only and not as a phone.) I also worry about software backward compatibility, given that there have been three revisions of the Symbian S60 operating system whose applications are not cross-compatible.

I'll happily pay up to $20 for Pac Man Championship Edition if it's released on traditional disc media. Given the spotty record of Xbox 360 hardware reliability, I don't trust that my purchase will be honored if I have to replace my hardware. Better to have the game in hand.