Joystiq

VP Joe Biden: 'No legal reason' the US can't tax violent media

Jessica Conditt — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:45:00 EST

Vice President Joe Biden has been on the front lines of the gun violence debate since the mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, in December. In January, Biden led a task force assigned by President Barack Obama to examine possible means of curtailing gun violence in the US, and his findings prompted Obama to call for scientific research into the effects of violent media on young minds.

Earlier in May, Biden met behind closed doors with 20 representatives from faith-based organizations to discuss gun control and immigration, and he briefly addressed video games, Politico reports. Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, proposed to Biden that "media and entertainment that portray violence should be subject to a special tax, with the proceeds going to help victims and their families," according to Rabbi Julie Schonfeld.

Biden replied that there was "no restriction on the ability to do that; there's no legal reason why they couldn't" place a tax on violent media, Sister Marjorie Clark told Politico. Biden again emphasized the need for more research into the subject, Clark added: "He said they really need a good scientific study, which they've done on things like smoking."

During his initial fact-finding meetings in January, Biden expressed particular interest in speaking with inter-faith organizations, though he met with a wide swathe of communities, including entertainment companies, advocacy groups, youth organizations, the mental health community and the NRA.

VP Joe Biden: 'No legal reason' the US can't tax violent media originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 May 2013 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No midnight launch for Wii U at EB Games Canada

David Hinkle — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 20:30:00 EST

Before you pack up the 3DS, blankets and folding chair to go wait in line for Wii U in the Great White North, know that EB Games Canada has decided not to hold midnight openings for Nintendo's new console. Rather than opening in the evening for the Wii U launch, locations in five provinces across Canada plan to open early - at 9am or 10am local time - on Sunday, November 18.

Joystiq has reached out to GameStop for clarification on its Wii U launch strategy stateside after several U.S. readers sent word that their local stores will not open at midnight for the console's arrival. We know of at least 500,000 people here who are directly affected by the uncertainty.

No midnight launch for Wii U at EB Games Canada originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Nov 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut arrives on PS3 in Q1 2013 [update: Move confirmed]

Sinan Kubba — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 11:30:00 EST

Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut is pulling into PlayStation 3 in the first quarter of 2013 for North America and Europe, Rising Star Games announced. The enhanced re-release includes new content, and will receive new downloadable content. It also features a high definition face-lift and reworked controls.

Deadly Premonition creator SWERY65 announced the remastered PS3 edition of his 2010 cult favorite back in March, telling us it would feature new content and Move controls. The press release from Rising Star makes no mention of Move, so we've reached out to the publisher for confirmation.

Update: Rising Star confirmed to us Move support is still planned.

Continue reading Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut arrives on PS3 in Q1 2013 [update: Move confirmed]

Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut arrives on PS3 in Q1 2013 [update: Move confirmed] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Oct 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo maintains region-locking policy with Wii U

Sinan Kubba — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 09:45:00 EST

Nintendo today disclosed that the Wii U is region-locked. Speaking to CVG, the company confirmed the new console won't support games purchased outside of its region, meaning North American Wii U systems can only play games bought in North America. Nintendo then closed its arms and grumbled furiously under its breath, before finally blowing us an unnecessarily long raspberry (or so it seemed to us.)

While Sony and Microsoft leave the decision to region-lock games with publishers, Nintendo typically takes matters into its own hands. The GameCube, Wii, and 3DS are all region-locked, although the DS isn't. We should know, we've played plenty of Ouendan on ours. Such good times (sigh.)

Nintendo maintains region-locking policy with Wii U originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 24 Sep 2012 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Atlus teases new SRPG on Twitter, could be 'Gungnir'

Mike Schramm — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:45:00 EST

There's teasing and then there's just plain teasing. Atlus is engaging in what must certainly be the much more annoying second kind by outright daring its Twitter followers to guess the company's next release, and giving them only three tidbits of information to go on. It's a strategy RPG title (good), it starts with "G," and ends with "R."

Intrepid Atlus followers have two main guesses: First, a new Growlanser game, part of the tactical RPG series which Atlus has published in Japan in the past. Or (and this seems somewhat more likely) a game called Gungnir (subtitled Inferno of the Demon Lance and the War of Heroes), which Atlus published earlier this year in Japan. Most of the titles in the Dept. Heaven series have already been published in the US in some form, so it makes sense that Atlus would be publishing this one as well.

Did we guess right, Atlus? Enough with the teasing!

Atlus teases new SRPG on Twitter, could be 'Gungnir' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DC Universe Online 'Super-Servers' to address queue time issues

James Ransom-Wiley — Mon, 02 May 2011 12:30:00 EST

"Super-Servers" sure sounds like a euphemism for "server merge," a sign that the DC Universe Online community is in rapid decline, but SOE is putting a positive spin on its plan to address "concerns about queue times on the servers." The DCUO operator expects to begin testing "new technology to meld all of our US and European PC and PS3 servers into four Super-Servers" this month, according to a news post on the official game site.

The so-called Super-Servers would be divided into two per region, with the US and Europe each hosting a PC and PS3 server and continuing to segregate the platform communities. "This will allow for more opportunities to queue and participate in other group related game mechanics," SOE explained, without clarifying whether the move would actually reduce the number of servers or instead initiate cross-server queuing to cut down on wait times. The "melding" has also raised questions about how SOE would keep PvP and PvE players separated. "We'll have more details at a future date," said the company.

Editor's note: As of publishing, access to the DCUO site (and game) has been suspended due to a separate issue. We've re-posted SOE's Super-Servers announcement after the break.

Continue reading DC Universe Online 'Super-Servers' to address queue time issues

DC Universe Online 'Super-Servers' to address queue time issues originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 May 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MotorStorm Apocalypse delayed indefinitely in North America

Randy Nelson — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:22:00 EST

Sony has put the brakes on the North American release of MotorStorm Apocalypse, delaying the game indefinitely in the wake of last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The delay, announced on the PlayStation Blog, doesn't exactly come as a surprise, given that the title's launch had previously been postponed in Japan and the UK.

Set in an earthquake-ravaged costal city, the Evolution Studios developed racer had been scheduled for release on April 12. Sony told Joystiq earlier this week that the date still stood. When contacted today, SCEA confirmed the delay and added that there is "no new date at the moment."

MotorStorm Apocalypse delayed indefinitely in North America originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We Dare not daring US release

Richard Mitchell — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST

We assumed as much when we first disovered Ubisoft's kinky We Dare title, but IGN confirms that the game is not planned for release in the US. In IGN's words, Ubisoft "emphatically" declared that We Dare "absolutely" would not be released in the US. The real question is: Do We Care?

The Europe-bound PS3 and Wii minigame collection turned a few heads last week with the debut of its "sexy" advertising campaign on YouTube, which more or less painted the title as a one-way ticket to group sexual encounters (despite the game's PEGI 12 rating). Ubisoft quickly blocked US-based browers from accessing the official trailer on YouTube, though not fast enough to prevent users from remixing it and mocking it with games of their own.

We Dare not daring US release originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nielsen: US spending less on games, more on outdoor activities

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 06:00:00 EST

Bad news, friends: We're losing. That's the only way we can digest the latest Nielsen consumer spending report, in which it was revealed that the US national entertainment budget share for games dropped from 9.3 percent in 2009 to 8.5 percent in 2010. Meanwhile, spending on activities that actually require you to cross the threshold of your home into the horrible, dangerous world (like dining out, going to parks, etc.) increased from 20.4 percent to 25.1 percent year-over-year.

Okay, so the raw dollar-amount spent on games hardly changed between the last two years -- but the average American's budget increased in 2010, and none of that new money was handed over the video game industry. Instead, people spent it on outdoor activities. Outdoors! Can you imagine? That's where animals live, you guys.

[Image credit: Nielson]

Nielsen: US spending less on games, more on outdoor activities originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 19 Feb 2011 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NPD: 2010's bestselling game releases by platform

James Ransom-Wiley — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST

Gamasutra has obtained NPD data that puts a new filter on last year's US box-copy software sales, ranking the top ten bestselling 2010 releases for each console and handheld platform (PC excluded). Like the monthly NPD breakdowns, these rankings don't include actual sales numbers, but they do reveal some interesting trends.

By omitting Nintendo's so-called "evergreen" titles (i.e., games released before 2010), Gamasutra found that -- perhaps unsurprisingly -- Just Dance 2 was last year's top-selling 2010 release for Wii, and among six additional third-party games that made the top ten in sales for the platform. On DS, however, Nintendo games filled out half of the top ten, and Pokemon SoulSilver and HeartGold were the only titles to surpass sales of one million units each.

At first glance, PSP software sales look even bleaker, with Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep on top and, according to Gamastura, the only PSP title to break 300K units sold; with the other top ten games each falling below 200K. Of course, these rankings don't include digital sales or box-copy games bundled with hardware, so it's unlikely that Birth by Sleep (which isn't available on the PlayStation Store) was the true #1 bestseller among 2010's PSP releases -- let alone the most pirated.

What is certain is that Call of Duty: Black Ops dominated torrents, as well as the games legitimately sold for PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2010. Still, both Sony and Microsoft saw two first-party releases make their console's respective top ten sales charts for the year; though each publisher's most critically-acclaimed release of 2010 -- at least, from Joystiq's perspective -- was not present. Perhaps telling of the two console's core player bases, Madden 11 beat out God of War 3 for the #2 spot on the PS3 chart, but fell to #3 beneath Halo: Reach in the Xbox 360 ranking.

Finally, we have to wonder just what were they thinking? They, of course, being all those Xbox 360 owners that purchased Fable 3 and Fallout: New Vegas instead of Mass Effect 2. Three and a half stars plus four still doesn't add up to the Game of the Year, people.

Check out Gamastutra for the complete breakdown of 2010's bestselling releases by platform.

NPD: 2010's bestselling game releases by platform originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Retailers: 3DS games priced at $40-50 in US; £33-40 in UK; €50-60 in Europe

Richard Mitchell — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:30:00 EST

Nintendo has refuted our attempts to wrangle 3DS game pricing info so far, but retailer listings may be shedding some light on the subject. We hope you weren't hoping for a standard price point, because it looks like there's some wiggle room. A review of GameStop and Amazon listings reveals 3DS prices of either $39.99 or $49.99 in the US. Meanwhile, Eurogamer reports that UK retailer Game has confirmed the standard software price will be £39.99 in the region, though other UK retailers have prices listed as low as £32.99. Finally, we perused Amazon France and spotted prices of €49.95 and €59.95.

The disparate prices between titles matches up with pricing in Japan, though it is a bit more standardized. We'll keep poking Nintendo for official details.

Retailers: 3DS games priced at $40-50 in US; £33-40 in UK; €50-60 in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just Dance series sales have combined for an estimated 5 million units in US & UK

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST

Following up on the estimated 2 million combined unit sales of Just Dance 1 and 2 in the UK, as calculated by MCV, we contacted market research firm NPD to see how the series has performed at US retail. According to NPD data, the Wii-exclusive Just Dance and its sequel have already combined to sell approximately 3 million units in the US.

These sales revelations may be a surprise to anyone who doesn't religiously follow our weekly UK charts post, but the Just Dance franchise has been a stalwart sales leader all year in the UK, and also, it would seem, in the less frequently tracked US market (we have seen it pop up on the charts over the months). It may not capture headlines, but Ubisoft's dance series has consistently performed at a high level on a platform that's not exactly accommodating toward third parties.

Just Dance series sales have combined for an estimated 5 million units in US & UK originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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October NPD: NBA 2K11 tops charts, Xbox 360 'best selling console in 2010'

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 01:20:00 EST

Here is the second edition of the revised (and less informative) monthly NPD report. With the market research group no longer sharing specific hardware figures, it's noteworthy to point out that only Microsoft has (as of writing) released concrete sales numbers. Major Nelson tweeted that Microsoft sold 325K Xbox 360s in October. Although the figure represents a 32-percent drop from the previous month, it was enough to secure Microsoft's spot as best-selling console of the month. Major Nelson also added that the Xbox 360 "is the best selling console in 2010 [with] 3.5 million" sold so far.

Sony's response doesn't offer console sales numbers, but Patrick Seybold commented on increased momentum for the company's PlayStation Move motion controller. "The PS3 Move Bundle had a 15-percent increase in sales since launch last month, and we're working hard to keep the inventory up across the country to meet strong consumer demand." In addition, Seybold reminded us of the impending launch of Sony's big holiday game: "With next week's launch of the industry's most anticipated title, Gran Turismo 5, we're sure to carry the momentum through the holidays."

Nintendo, as of the time of publishing, had not offered comment.

Software sales jumped 6 percent year-over-year for the month to $605 million. The multiplatform release of NBA 2K11 helped propel it to the top of the charts, undoubtedly aided by EA Sports' cancellation of NBA Elite 11. Fallout, Medal of Honor and Fable all made strong debuts -- but Rock Band 3's 15th-place position in sales has us concerned. NPD analyst Anita Frazier did make a special note in the report, assuring us that "this game has the potential to perform well over the holidays."

The top-ten software breakdown is posted after the break.

Continue reading October NPD: NBA 2K11 tops charts, Xbox 360 'best selling console in 2010'

October NPD: NBA 2K11 tops charts, Xbox 360 'best selling console in 2010' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 01:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Move sales around 1.5 million in Europe, 300K estimated for US

Richard Mitchell — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 10:56:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

It seems that Sony settled on the right name for its PlayStation Move motion controller, as the company is definitely moving plenty of units in Europe. Speaking to Bloomberg, Sony Europe's Andrew House noted "very significant sales" for the Move, saying that it has sold "somewhere in the region of 1.5 million units for the new controller across just Europe." He added that sales have exceeded Sony's original hopes, and that the company will likely increase production of the peripheral.

Sales may not be as motivated in America, however. In a report released to the media, Wedbush Morgan's Michael Pachter estimated that the motion controller sold around 300,000 units in its US debut, including Move console bundles; though it's important to note that SCEA has not released official sales figures. Despite the sluggish launch estimate, Pachter expects both the Move and Kinect to drive console sales in the US this holiday season.

Move sales around 1.5 million in Europe, 300K estimated for US originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 10:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Obama launches national STEM game design challenge

Richard Mitchell — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 00:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Announced late last year, the National STEM Video Game Challenge is now underway. The challenge asks both established developers and middle schoolers to come up with a video game design that incorporates STEM concepts (science, technology, engineering and math) and encourages learning in its areas of study.

The youth competition offers a prize pool of $50,000, while the developer prize pool offers $100,000 in seed money -- $50,000 for the best developer submission and $25,000 each for the best graduate and undergraduate submissions. Both competitions will begin accepting submissions on October 12. Hit the source links below for more information on both the developer and youth prizes.

[Image credit: Pete Souza]

Continue reading Obama launches national STEM game design challenge

Obama launches national STEM game design challenge originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 Sep 2010 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ESA: Games industry responsible for $5 billion of US economy

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

A study commissioned by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) found that the video game industry added about $5 billion to the US economy in 2009. The report, "Video Games in the 21st Century: The 2010 Report" [PDF link], claims the industry directly employs about 32,000 people in the States and indirectly employs 120,000 (GameStop employees, video game media, manufacturing and distribution). The average industry employee has an annual compensation of $89,781 -- of course, there's a wide range in that average.

A whopping 41 percent, or 13,041 of industry employees, call California home. Texas and Washington are the next closest, with 3,307 and 2,987 (approximately 10 percent apiece), respectively. The annual growth rate of the industry exceeded 10 percent between 2005 and 2009, which is good -- especially when taking the last few years of bad employment news into account.

ESA: Games industry responsible for $5 billion of US economy originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Activision reshuffles execs in US, UK; layoffs result

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 10:31:00 EST

According to "internal memos" acquired by the LA Times, Activision has switched up more of its executive positions, in addition to the change in position for Thomas Tippl, who is currently co-serving CFO/CCO/COO (enough acronyms?). A representative for the company told the LA Times, "We realigned our structure to better reflect our slate and marketing opportunities and direct our resources against the largest, most profitable business segments," without directly confirming a claimed 15 layoffs in the US.

The report claims that, in an email from company head Bobby Kotick, Activision revealed that business head Mike Griffith will now serve as vice chairman and adviser to Kotick, while Thomas Tippl's new job is detailed as "the only executive reporting directly to Kotick" (and overseer of Blizzard head Mike Morhaime). Heading up licensed game properties will now supposedly be Dave Oxford, in addition to Maria Stripp taking over "all internally owned titles besides Call of Duty and Blizzard games" (CTO Steve Pearce and product head Steve Ackrich are temporarily overseeing the CoD franchise).

Further, MCV confirmed with Activision that the corporate reshuffling will result in changes in the publisher's UK division as well, though no specifics are available at this time. The site claims to have independently confirmed UK layoffs have already occurred, and we've reached out to Activision for clarification on both reports.

Source - Activision Blizzard quietly hits reset button [latimes.com]
Source - Activision UK to restructure [MCV]

If you're with Activision or a former employee and would like to speak with Joystiq regarding the company's situation, please feel free to contact us. (Your tips will remain confidential. Please leave a valid email address in case we have further questions. Thank you!)

Report: Activision reshuffles execs in US, UK; layoffs result originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Harmonix heads honored in USA 'Character Approved' awards

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST

USA -- the television network, not the nation -- has selected Harmonix founders Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy as the two most important "New Media" figures in its annual Character Approved Awards. According to USA's announcement of the 2010 winners, the awards are designed to "honor the real characters who are changing the face of American culture." Considering we haven't been to a social gathering in two years that didn't turn into an impromptu Rock Band party, we think Rigopulos and Egozy are deserving of the honor.

Check out the pair's award page to find out more about their personal history. We didn't know Egozy is actually a classically-trained clarinetist. Where's that peripheral, guys?

Harmonix heads honored in USA 'Character Approved' awards originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft speaks out on Obama's Xbox remarks

Ben Gilbert — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 22:00:00 EST

President Obama hasn't exactly been known for his positive stance on kids playing tons of video games (even though he owns a Wii and ran campaign ads on Xbox Live, ahem). Recently in a speech given to the NAACP, he pointedly noted that parents should be "putting away the Xbox," as well as other crazy ideas -- like "reading to your children" and "helping them with their homework." What-ever, President Obama.

Microsoft has responded with backhanded diplomacy, dropping knowledge on the US President in a statement released to the AP that says, "We agree with President Obama that it's a time for families to work together so that kids use media in ways that are safe, healthy and balanced ... Xbox 360 is the only console gaming system that has a timer feature allowing parents to set time limits for their kids, as well as parent controls to enable parents to set limits on what their kids are playing and watching." At this time, it's still unclear whether Microsoft followed that up with, "Word to your mother!"

[Via Game Politics]

Microsoft speaks out on Obama's Xbox remarks originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 Jul 2009 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox Live US presidential election poll results

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:20:00 EST

Filed under: Culture

Following up on some presidential election polling results from September, Microsoft has revealed the results of its Xbox Live polling from the Halloween weekend. Obama jumped 10%, garnering 53% of the vote, while McCain gained two points for 33%, with 14% still undecided. Curiously, the Xbox Live poll had a similar Obama result to one done by CNN that same weekend.

On the "issues poll" conducted at the same time, "jobs and the economy" took the top spot with 35%. Meanwhile, education, environment, health care and foreign policy all received percentages in the mid- to high-teens. Microsoft notes that as part of the "Rock the Vote" campaign, a million pieces of election-specific materials were downloaded from Live, along with 80,000 voter registration forms. And, once again, don't forget to vote today!

Xbox Live US presidential election poll results originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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So the paddle isn't coming to North America?

David Hinkle — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: News, Imports

Okay, we're confused.

It looks like, based on a press release that got sent out today, that the paddle controller that came bundled with Arkanoid DS in Japan won't be seeing a release in North America. That is, basically, an unforgiveable crime. Seriously, why would you even want to try to play the game without it?

Another notable tidbit of info from the press release is a confirmation that both games will be budget priced at $19.99, which will help shoulder some of the cost of having to import the paddle controller (sadly, Play Asia only has pink paddles in stock anymore, so you'll have to wait or settle for that color). Both games are slated for a June 17th release this year.

So the paddle isn't coming to North America? originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For every Wii sold in December, 8.1 games were sold with it

David Hinkle — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

Accordng to IGN, the NPD numbers for December hold more worth than just comparing figures for hardware and software sales in the U.S. during that month (or fueling fanboy debate). December's numbers show that the Wii enjoyed a tie ratio of 8:1, meaning that for every console sold, around 8 titles went along with it. Impressive.

Considering the top titles for the month were Super Mario Galaxy, Wii Play and Sonic & Mario at the Olympics, it's a safe bet that copies of them went off the shelves with the consoles. Of course, this isn't meant to be taken as a literal statistic, as should 7 individuals walk into a store and pick up a copy of Super Mario Galaxy and 1 individual buys a console with the game, the statistic would still hold true.

[Via Joystiq]

For every Wii sold in December, 8.1 games were sold with it originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wii Warm Up: Our worst NiGHTmare

Adam Holisky — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Features, Wii Warm Up

Brought to you by our good friends at 2-P Start, this image highlights exactly how Sonic Team USA, responsible for such crap as Shadow the Hedgehog, could crush the beautiful NiGHTs franchise into the ground.

You've voted on the polls, but more specifically, what do you think Sonic Team USA can do to screw this up? What should they change, what shouldn't they, and will cult-classic status translate into prolific sales figures? Is the main character a guy or a girl? Hmmmm.

Wii Warm Up: Our worst NiGHTmare originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Apr 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Game addiction on the rise, but 'stable' genes should prevent violent outbursts

James Ransom-Wiley — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Politics

When combined, a pair of new studies (conveniently stacked on GamePolitics.com) suggests that game addiction is a rising concern among American youth, but, if we also trust Aussie researchers, violent side effects are not. According to a new Harris poll, 8.5% of the US's youngsters are now clinically addicted to games, and as many as 23% have felt the jonesing itch for a fix. Thankfully, Australia's Swinburne University of Technology has published findings which indicate that violent games ('cause let's face it, violent games are the only kind American tweens get lifted on) don't increase the likelihood of a "stable" child becoming more aggressive.

The Swinburne study seems to define "stable" as non-hyper. So, considering that about 7% of children are currently diagnosed with ADHD, presumably about 0.6% of America's young people (percentage of ADHD-diagnosed kids addicted to games) pose a potential threat to society. A small percentage no doubt, but with a reported 73.5 million children in the US in 2005, we could be living among something like 450,000 latent killer gamers -- hit the panic button!

[Disclosure: blogger's math skills have not been evaluated since December 1999; some calculations may be inaccurate. Call for panic still very real!]

Read - Poll Indicates Game Addiction on the Rise Among Youth
Read - Study Says Stable Kids Unaffected by Game Violence

Game addiction on the rise, but 'stable' genes should prevent violent outbursts originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Apr 2007 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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And lo, the angels hath smiled upon thee: NiGHTS 2 confirmed

Adam Holisky — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

This isn't some sick, delayed April Fool's joke. After endless rumors and speculation, Japanese gaming mag Famitsu has finally confirmed ONM's "world exclusive": the official sequel to NiGHTS into Dreams, tentatively titled NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams, is coming to the Wii this winter. The Wiimote will be heavily utilized in the flying mechanics, which include soaring, tumbling, and freewheeling through an endless diamond sky. The producer of the title, Takashi Izuka of Sonic Team USA, has this to say about the title:

"In 1996, we created the NiGHTS character to achieve a concept of 'being refreshed from being able to fly in the sky'. 11 years later, at last, we have broken our silence. NiGHTS will now fly in a new dream world: new stages, new story, and on the new Wii platform. Please look forward to NiGHTS and friends exploring this brand new adventure."

Better news in the world of Wii does not exist, friends. What is it now, like, 264 days till the Winter Solstice?

[via Joystiq]

[Thanks to Dias and Creamsugar!]

And lo, the angels hath smiled upon thee: NiGHTS 2 confirmed originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 Apr 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SimCity DS not just for the Japanese anymore

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 01:00:00 EST

Filed under: Simulations

We've been waiting for this announcement a while now. In a very irregular press release from EA Japan this morning, originally causing us to think this was a hoax or accidental release, we contacted an equally confused EA rep and confirmed SimCity DS is going global. She let us know that the information distribution is being handled outside of EA's corporate HQ -- hence the confusion. The rep only had one screen to show us of the English version and told us that the game will be out in June.

SimCity DS will allow players to put out fires by blowing on the DS's microphone, "wireless data exchange," sign off on proclamations using the stylus and do all the other things that urban planning junkies have been experiencing with the series for 20 years. The game is expected to be rated AO due to intense scenes of sexuality and violence -- oh please, it's SimCity!

SimCity DS not just for the Japanese anymore originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Mar 2007 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MLG goes FTW on USA TV [update 1]

Kyle Orland — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox, Microsoft Xbox 360, First Person Shooters, Competitive Gaming

[Update: Commenter Ben found a second part of the preview, which interviews pro gamer Walshy and shows some more in game action. Part 2 is now also embedded below Thanks Ben.]

Months ago, when Major League Gaming and the USA cable network announced plans to air seven hour-long programs on the MLG national tour, we begged the powers-that-be at the network to "please keep the cheese factor low." It looks like somebody up there was listening, because a new five-minute trailer for the program is low on cheese and high on production values.

From the quick-paced jump cuts to the well-placed crowd shots and the respectful interviews with the gamers themselves, most everything in the trailer shows that this is a well thought-out, professional production and not some fly-by-night "Xtreme Gamerz" marketing stunt. The introduction strikes a good balance in being informative without being condescending, making the audience care about the players and the competition without forcing some manufactured personalities down our throats. Our only major concern is the announcers and commentators, some of whom still seem a little uncomfortable on camera, but this will likely improve as the season continues.

Despite the slick production, it still remains to be seen whether U.S. gamers will want to watch Halo 2 instead of playing it themselves. We'll find out when MLG on USA premieres at 10 a.m. (EST/PST) on Nov. 11.

Continue reading MLG goes FTW on USA TV [update 1]

MLG goes FTW on USA TV [update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Trauma Center interview

David Hinkle — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 14:45:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews

Tomm Hulett of Atlus USA recently sat down with IGN to discuss his project Trauma Center: Second Opinion on the Wii. During the interview, Tomm discusses such things as how the name of the game was decided, the difference between remakes and ports, and how the new doctor's "Healing Touch" is unique. Nothing much was said in regards to improvements or new features in the game, however Tomm did at least reveal one new tool:

"I think the coolest new tool is the Defibrillator. It just seemed like a natural fit for the Wii, so we really argued for its inclusion. You move your controllers forward to place the paddles on the patient, then you see a voltage meter. You have to press the Z Button and B Button at the same time when the voltage is at the right level."

Turns out Progressive Scan support is still up in the air and 16:9 is a no-go for the game. On top of that, Tomm sees the rumble-enhanced control scheme of the nunchuk-Wiimote combo superior to the already-amazing controls of Trauma Center: Under the Knife on the DS.

Trauma Center interview originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Sep 2006 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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USA Today checks out next-gen systems

David Hinkle — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, Fan stuff, Interviews

USA Today, a respected and widely-read newspaper, recently took an objective look at the next-gen lineup of systems. While they summarize each system into fairly short "blurbs," a majority of the piece centers around wondering who will end up on top after the dust is settled. The piece points out several key factors such as Sony's choice to go Blu-ray, as well as Microsoft's year-long head start in the market.

The content is somewhat lacking in speculating on where Nintendo will be at through all of this, but we at The Fanboy don't see this as being such a bad thing. Even after Nintendo's failure to provide launch date and price info for the Wii at Leipzig, buzz surrounding the system is still strong.

USA Today checks out next-gen systems originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Sep 2006 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pro gaming tournament sets sights on U.S.

Jennie Lees — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 21:30:00 EST

Filed under: First Person Shooters, Strategy, Competitive Gaming, Business

The news that the World Cyber Games is headed for Seattle in 2007 goes hand-in-hand with this recent announcement of a new U.S. office for the WCG. Headed up by Michael Arzt, the office serves to show quite how much faith pro gaming leagues like the WCG have in the American market.

While professional gaming as a career is mostly associated with Eastern countries, especially Korea, it's been rising in profile in the West recently. As well as the World Cyber Games, the Major League Gaming (MLG) and Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL) tournaments are going strong--if you've got the skill and the dedication, there's some serious money to be won in gaming nowadays.

Pro gaming tournament sets sights on U.S. originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Mar 2006 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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