Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[FIFA 14 not coming to Wii U due to poor FIFA 13 sales]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/fifa-14-not-coming-to-wii-u-due-to-poor-fifa-13-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/fifa-14-not-coming-to-wii-u-due-to-poor-fifa-13-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/fifa-14-not-coming-to-wii-u-due-to-poor-fifa-13-sales/#comments With this morning's revelation that EA does not have any Wii U games in development comes the outright confirmation that FIFA 14 will not be appearing on the system as well.

"Although FIFA 13 on Wii U featured our award-winning HD gameplay and innovative new ways to play, the commercial results were disappointing," an EA representative told Joystiq. "We have decided not to develop FIFA 14 on Wii U. We have a strong partnership with Nintendo and will continue to evaluate opportunities for developing FIFA for Nintendo fans in the future."

The game was initially announced for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3, so while Wii U was never in the picture for the game, it still marks a noticeable absence for a series that launches on every major platform each year. It's not the only EA Sports title to avoid the system, as EA confirmed earlier this month that the Madden series will not see a release in 2013 on Wii U either.

JoystiqFIFA 14 not coming to Wii U due to poor FIFA 13 sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 May 2013 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EAEA-CanadaEA-Sportsfifa-13fifa-14fifa-soccer-14nintendosaleswii-uFri, 17 May 2013 17:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo: 3DS software sales up 52% year-on-year in US]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/nintendo-3ds-software-sales-up-52-year-on-year-in-us/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/nintendo-3ds-software-sales-up-52-year-on-year-in-us/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/nintendo-3ds-software-sales-up-52-year-on-year-in-us/#comments Nintendo's 3DS is holding on strong to its place in the hardware charts, backed up by some successful software - and by "some" we mean "2.1 million first-party titles" in the first four months of 2013, in the US only. This is an increase of 52 percent over the same period last year.

Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins sold 94,000 physical and digital copies in the US since its launch on April 24 and hit No. 9 on the April NPD chart. Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon sold 140,000 units in April, for a lifetime total of 530,000 in the states.

Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter expected the 3DS to be the only major console with sales up from April 2012, with the Wii, Xbox 360, PS3 and Vita down year-over-year. Pachter found the Vita down 57 percent, while the 3DS was up 46 percent with 185,000 sales.

Continue reading Nintendo: 3DS software sales up 52% year-on-year in US

JoystiqNintendo: 3DS software sales up 52% year-on-year in US originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 May 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dshardwarenintendosalessoftwareThu, 16 May 2013 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[April NPD: Injustice: Gods Among Us reigns supreme]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/april-npd-injustice-gods-among-us-reigns-supreme/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/april-npd-injustice-gods-among-us-reigns-supreme/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/april-npd-injustice-gods-among-us-reigns-supreme/#comments Another hot, fresh loaf of financial data has been pulled out of The NPD Group's analytical oven, and its buttery goodness contains sales information for the four week period between April 4 and May 7, 2013. During that time, the physical retail sector of the games industry was down 25 percent when compared with its performance over the same four weeks in 2012, pulling in a grand total of $495.2 million. It's worth noting, however, that this figure does not include the sale of PC games.

Hardware sales brought in $109.5 million, a 42 percent decrease from the $187.8 million seen last year, with the Xbox 360 once again enjoying the highest sales with 130,000 units moved. Meanwhile, the brief reprieve from year-over-year decline seen by the Accessories segment last month was short lived, as in April it by dropped 19 percent to a total of $131.4 million.

Software sales (including PC games) topped out at $267.8 million, with NetherRealm Studios' Injustice: Gods Among Us taking top honors as the best-selling game for the period, the first time a fighting game has finished in first since 2011's Mortal Kombat. Dead Island: Riptide and BioShock Infinite rounded out the podium in spots two and three respectively - meanwhile MMO/Syfy series Defiance debuted in fifth. As always, scope the full list after the break.

Continue reading April NPD: Injustice: Gods Among Us reigns supreme

JoystiqApril NPD: Injustice: Gods Among Us reigns supreme originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 May 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20133dsapril-npdbioshock-infinitedead-island-riptidefinancialinjustice-gods-among-usmicrosoftnintendoNPDpcplaystationps3saleswiiwii-uxboxThu, 16 May 2013 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Pachter: Wii U sales hit 55,000 in April, 20,000 below Wii]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/14/pachter-wii-u-sales-hit-55-000-in-april-20-000-below-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/14/pachter-wii-u-sales-hit-55-000-in-april-20-000-below-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/14/pachter-wii-u-sales-hit-55-000-in-april-20-000-below-wii/#comments Nintendo's Wii U sold 55,000 units in April, down 19 percent from March, while the Wii sold 75,000 in April, down 16 percent from last year, Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter estimates. To compare, he says Microsoft sold 205,000 Xbox 360 units and Sony snagged 165,000 sales of the PlayStation 3 this April. By these numbers, sales of the Xbox 360 are down 13 percent and PS3 sales are down 5 percent year-over-year.

Nintendo hit 185,000 sales of its 3DS last month, a 46 percent jump in sales from the previous year, Pachter says. Sony's Vita is down 57 percent from 2012, selling just 30,000 units this April. These are of course the standard Pachter estimates, which can only mean one thing - the official numbers are on their way, via the NPD. Those figures are expected on Thursday.

As of March 31, the Wii U has sold 3.45 million units since its launch, below Nintendo's initial forecast of 5.5 million, and even January's adjustment to 4 million. Nintendo expects to have sold 9 million Wii U consoles by next fiscal year, ending March 2014, with sales spurred by the release of "key Nintendo titles."

JoystiqPachter: Wii U sales hit 55,000 in April, 20,000 below Wii originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 May 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsestimatesMichael-Pachtermicrosoftnintendoplaystationps3saleswiiwii-uxboxTue, 14 May 2013 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioShock Infinite air-mails 3.7 million units]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/13/bioshock-infinite-air-mails-3-7-million-units/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/13/bioshock-infinite-air-mails-3-7-million-units/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/13/bioshock-infinite-air-mails-3-7-million-units/#commentsImage BioShock Infinite has shipped over 3.7 million units, according to Take-Two interactive's year-end financials released today. The company noted the game experienced "significantly" higher first-month sales than any other BioShock release.

The company also mentioned it has seen solid demand for the BioShock Infinite Season Pass, but did not share any numbers. The Season Pass will include the game's three coming DLC packs.

JoystiqBioShock Infinite air-mails 3.7 million units originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 13 May 2013 16:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bioshock-infiniteIrrational-Gamesmicrosoftpcplaystationps3salesxboxMon, 13 May 2013 16:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Windows 8 sells over 100 million copies]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/windows-8-surpasses-100-million-copies-sold/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/windows-8-surpasses-100-million-copies-sold/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/windows-8-surpasses-100-million-copies-sold/#comments Over 100 million individuals have purchased Windows 8 licenses from Microsoft in roughly six months.

Tami Reller, co-head of Microsoft's Windows division, told Reuters an OS update is due by the end of the year, code-named Windows Blue. "We've considered a lot of different scenarios to help traditional PC users move forward as well as making usability that much better on all devices," she said. One thing the update will do is make Windows 8 more friendly to smaller tablets, such as seven and eight-inch models.

Reller couldn't say exactly what would be in the update, nor could she confirm if Microsoft would manufacturer a smaller version of its Surface tablet. In the first quarter of 2013, Microsoft has sold 900,000 Surface tablets, compared to 19.5 million iPads and 8.8 million Samsung tablets.

JoystiqWindows 8 sells over 100 million copies originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 May 2013 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftmicrosoft-surfacepcsalessurfacewindows-8windows-blueWed, 08 May 2013 04:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EA revenues over $1B in fiscal Q4, down from last year]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/ea-revenues-over-1b-in-fiscal-q4-down-from-last-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/ea-revenues-over-1b-in-fiscal-q4-down-from-last-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/ea-revenues-over-1b-in-fiscal-q4-down-from-last-year/#comments Following a weak third quarter in its fiscal 2013 calendar, EA has reported strong digital sales in the home stretch but an overall decline in revenue. The three months leading to March 31, 2013, generated $1.209 billion for EA, compared to last year's final quarter revenue of $1.368 billion.

Digital sales in particular showed a 22 percent increase in cash flow to the tune of $108 million, over $88 million during the same period as last year. In the financial report, EA claimed it was the top global publisher on the iOS App store for the entirety of its fiscal 2013.

As for full fiscal year performance, EA reported net revenue of $3.797 billion, down from $4.143 billion in 2012. FIFA 13 sold 14.5 million copies for EA, a 30 percent increase over last year's game, and Battlefield 3's Premium subscription service generated $120 million. SimCity has sold 1.6 million copies, with half of those sales coming via online purchases.

JoystiqEA revenues over $1B in fiscal Q4, down from last year originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 May 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eafinancialsfiscal-2013q4-2013salesTue, 07 May 2013 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Defiance recruits over one million Ark Hunters]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/defiance-recruits-over-one-million-ark-hunters/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/defiance-recruits-over-one-million-ark-hunters/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/defiance-recruits-over-one-million-ark-hunters/#comments Trion Worlds' persistent-word shooter Defiance has surpassed a million registered users in its first month, the developer announced today.

Players have collectively murdered over 500,000,000 hellbugs to date in Defiance, while the number of slaughtered heavenbugs is currently unknown. Trion also boasts one million triggered instances in the press release past the break.

Defiance is a trans-media project from Trion Worlds and the SyFy network - Trion Worlds launched the video game side of Defiance in early April, while SyFy's television series is currently ongoing. A "Most Wanted" contest was just announced, where players who average the most Ark Salvage per hour are eligible to win a spot on an upcoming episode of the Defiance TV show. The contest ends on May 12.

Continue reading Defiance recruits over one million Ark Hunters

JoystiqDefiance recruits over one million Ark Hunters originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 May 2013 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>defiancemicrosoftmmopcplaystationps3salessyfytrion-worldsxboxThu, 02 May 2013 23:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Minecraft: Pocket Edition sells 10 million, Mojang plans major additions]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/01/minecraft-pocket-edition-sells-10-million-mojang-plans-major-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/01/minecraft-pocket-edition-sells-10-million-mojang-plans-major-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/01/minecraft-pocket-edition-sells-10-million-mojang-plans-major-a/#commentsMinecraft Pocket Edition sells 10 million, Mojang plans major additions Mojang announced that the mobile version of its runaway hit, Minecraft, surpassed 10 million units in sales, and revealed that it will add several major features to the game in the coming months.

Minecraft: Pocket Edition's forthcoming updates range from matters of convenience (players will no longer have to exit to the main menu in order to change settings) to experimental additions that, initially, will be available exclusively to players using high-end mobile devices. Once these unnamed features are sufficiently tested, they will be rolled out in another update for all players.

Mojang is also working on Minecraft Realms, a cloud-based multiplayer service that allows players to collaborate on shared projects without needing to be online at the same time. Minecraft Realms will be launched as a subscription-based mode that can be unlocked in Minecraft: Pocket Edition via an in-app purchase.

Mojang hopes to launch its next Minecraft: Pocket Edition update by the end of May.

JoystiqMinecraft: Pocket Edition sells 10 million, Mojang plans major additions originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 May 2013 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidiosipadiphoneMinecraftminecraft-pocket-editionminecraft-realmsmobilemojangsalesWed, 01 May 2013 21:15:00 EST<![CDATA[The Binding of Isaac reaches two million in sales]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/21/the-binding-of-isaac-reaches-two-million-in-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/21/the-binding-of-isaac-reaches-two-million-in-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/21/the-binding-of-isaac-reaches-two-million-in-sales/#comments Binding of Isaac reaches 2 million in salesTeam Meat co-founder Edmund McMillen recently revealed that The Binding of Isaac has reached 2 million in sales. McMillen noted his surprise at the game's steady success, having first launched in September 2011, on an episode of the Northernlion gaming channel on YouTube.

"In the first year we sold a million copies, and now we're already up to two million," McMillen said. He also discussed the Nicalis "demake" of the game, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, and the definite inclusion of the Mystery Man unlockable character. The Mystery Man will use randomly-generated items and stats, offering a new challenge to players each time he's selected. McMillen also elaborated on the constraints that Flash presented in developing the game, and how Rebirth would benefit from fewer performance issues.

JoystiqThe Binding of Isaac reaches two million in sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 21 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>demakeedmund-mcmillenpcsalesteam-meatthe-binding-of-isaacthe-binding-of-isaac-rebirthSun, 21 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[March NPD: BioShock Infinite rises to the top, Tomb Raider in second]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/18/march-npd-bioshock-infinite-rises-to-the-top-tomb-raider-in-se/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/18/march-npd-bioshock-infinite-rises-to-the-top-tomb-raider-in-se/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/18/march-npd-bioshock-infinite-rises-to-the-top-tomb-raider-in-se/#comments The sales-tracking data hounds at NPD have released their figures for March 2013, which collectively place hardware sales down, physical software sales slightly up, and BioShock Infinite at the top of the best-selling pile.

The physical retail sales sector of the U.S. video game industry pulled in 10 percent less coin than it did during the same five-week period in 2012, amassing a total of $992.5 million between March 3 and April 6, 2013. Hardware sales took the biggest hit out of the three monitored retail sub-categories, bringing in a total of $221.6 million, a 32 percent year-over-year decrease. Microsoft's Xbox 360 claimed its 27th month as the best-selling console in America, selling 261,000 units, down 13.5 percent from last month.

Meanwhile, overall physical software sales (console, portable and PC games) outperformed March 2012 by two percent: $602.4 million in 2013, as compared with last a total of $592.2 million in sales last March.

BioShock Infinite took an immediate victory over the rest of the period's release calendar, with Tomb Raider and Gears of War: Judgment rounding out the podium lineup. Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon placed sixth overall; we learned yesterday it has sold 415,000 units. Though that figure's retail-to-digital ratio remains undefined, the "vast majority" of sales took place at retail, according to Nintendo's Scott Moffit.

As always, jump on through for the top 10 best-selling games of March, 2013.

Continue reading March NPD: BioShock Infinite rises to the top, Tomb Raider in second

JoystiqMarch NPD: BioShock Infinite rises to the top, Tomb Raider in second originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Apr 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsfinancialsmarch-2013March-NPDmicrosoftnintendoNPDNPD-marchpcplaystationps3pspsalessales-figuressonywiiwii-uxboxThu, 18 Apr 2013 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo: 30% of Fire Emblem sales on eShop, Luigi does better at retail]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/17/nintendo-30-of-fire-emblem-sales-on-eshop-luigi-does-better-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/17/nintendo-30-of-fire-emblem-sales-on-eshop-luigi-does-better-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/17/nintendo-30-of-fire-emblem-sales-on-eshop-luigi-does-better-a/#comments
Nintendo's executive vice president of sales and marketing, Scott Moffit, revealed during a Nintendo event in San Francisco that Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon has sold 415,000 copies in the US, while 3DS RPG Fire Emblem: Awakening has sold 240,000. This data will be reflected in tomorrow's NPD report.

According to Moffit, "the vast majority" of Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon sales have come through retail. More than a third of Fire Emblem's sales (80,000) have been through the eShop, with over half of those individuals coming back to purchase a map pack. Moffitt says nine more map packs are planned for Fire Emblem: Awakening, with three of those nine due later this month.

JoystiqNintendo: 30% of Fire Emblem sales on eShop, Luigi does better at retail originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Apr 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsfire-emblem-awakeningluigis-mansion-dark-moonnintendonpdsalesscott-moffittWed, 17 Apr 2013 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Analyst: Gears of War: Judgment, God of War: Ascension weak in March]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/16/analyst-gears-of-war-judgment-god-of-war-ascension-weak-in-m/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/16/analyst-gears-of-war-judgment-god-of-war-ascension-weak-in-m/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/16/analyst-gears-of-war-judgment-god-of-war-ascension-weak-in-m/#comments Analyst firm Cowen & Company estimates high-profile March launches God of War: Ascension and Gears of War: Judgment both sold far less than their predecessors. The firm projects (via GI.biz) that Ascension sold 360,000 in the US during March and Judgment moved 425,000, down from first-month sales of 1.1 million for God of War 3 and over three million in Gears of War 3's first week of availability.

A much better March for Tomb Raider and BioShock Infinite is predicted. The Crystal Dynamics reboot has amassed 696,000 sales in the US over March, while the firm says BioShock Infinite is near 665,000 in just 10 days.

Cowen & Company predicts NPD data for March will show a decline in software and hardware spend compared to last year, though the firm is hopeful the launches of StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm and SimCity will help contribute to a substantial increase in PC game sales.

JoystiqAnalyst: Gears of War: Judgment, God of War: Ascension weak in March originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Apr 2013 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analystcowen-and-companygod-of-war-ascensionmicrosoftnpdpcplaystationps3salesxboxTue, 16 Apr 2013 18:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Fez sold 200,000 copies on XBLA to date]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/13/fez-sold-200-000-copies-on-xbla-to-date/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/13/fez-sold-200-000-copies-on-xbla-to-date/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/13/fez-sold-200-000-copies-on-xbla-to-date/#comments Fez, Polytron Corporation's cute platforming game that made it into Joystiq's Top Ten of 2012 list, has sold over 200,000 copies on XBLA to date. The game crossed the 100,000 copies mark in late May 2012.

The figures come from creator Phil Fish, who took to Polytron's blog today to discuss the one year anniversary of Fez's release. Fish recently noted during a Reddit AMA that the game "should eventually be out on pretty much everything." Fez will arrive on PC on May 1.

JoystiqFez sold 200,000 copies on XBLA to date originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 13 Apr 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fezmicrosoftphil-fishpolytronpolytron-corporationsalesXBLAxboxSat, 13 Apr 2013 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Tekken Card Tournament crests 1 million downloads, celebrates with discounts]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/tekken-card-tournament-crests-1-million-downloads-celebrates-wi/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/tekken-card-tournament-crests-1-million-downloads-celebrates-wi/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/tekken-card-tournament-crests-1-million-downloads-celebrates-wi/#comments Tekken Card Tournament crests 1 million downloads, celebrates with discountsTekken Card Tournament was downloaded over a million times (in aggregate) within the first four days of its availability on the App Store, Google Play and Amazon's Appstore for Android, Namco Bandai has announced. That's not counting however many people played the game directly in their browser, either.

To signify the occasion, Namco Bandai has enacted a 48 hour, 30 percent off sale for all in-game booster packs, as of 11 a.m. Eastern this morning. Do note: this discount applies to the packs of cards themselves, which must be purchased using in-game currency. The purchase price of the in-game currency itself, however, has not been discounted, though you'll still get more for your credits while the sale is in effect.

You can always earn credits by winning matches and stuff too, but who has time for that in this modern age?

Continue reading Tekken Card Tournament crests 1 million downloads, celebrates with discounts

JoystiqTekken Card Tournament crests 1 million downloads, celebrates with discounts originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Apr 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androiddownloadsfree-to-playiosipadiphonemacmobileNamco-Bandaipcsalessales-figuresstatsTekken-Card-TournamentFri, 12 Apr 2013 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Steam offers Limbo for $2.50 today, Dishonored for $30 this weekend]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/11/steam-offers-limbo-for-2-50-today-dishonored-for-30-this-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/11/steam-offers-limbo-for-2-50-today-dishonored-for-30-this-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/11/steam-offers-limbo-for-2-50-today-dishonored-for-30-this-week/#comments Dishonored for $30 on Steam this weekend, Limbo for $250 todaySteam is chopping half off Arkane's Dishonored, bringing the price down to $29.99. The deal precedes next week's release of "The Knife of Dunwall," a new single-player add-on that explores a different assassin operating in parallel to the main game's plot.

In fiscally related news, Farming Simulator 2013 is also discounted by 50 percent to $13.99. Both deals have already started and they'll last through Monday morning.

Meanwhile, creepy indie charmer Limbo is on Steam sale for $2.50 until midnight.

JoystiqSteam offers Limbo for $2.50 today, Dishonored for $30 this weekend originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Apr 2013 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dishonoredfarming-simulator-2013half-offlimbopcsalesalessteamupdateweekendThu, 11 Apr 2013 21:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Little Inferno hits big with 250K sold, out now on iPhone]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/05/little-inferno-hits-big-with-250k-sold-out-now-on-iphone/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/05/little-inferno-hits-big-with-250k-sold-out-now-on-iphone/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/05/little-inferno-hits-big-with-250k-sold-out-now-on-iphone/#comments Little Inferno, Tomorrow Corporation's darling (burning) fireplace game that made its debut late last year on PC and Wii U, has reached 250,000 in sales, Destructoid reports. Tomorrow Corporation's Kyle Gabler confirmed the figure with Joystiq in an email. "We're no EA or Zynga, but for a weird game that's impossible to talk about, we're proud of it!"

Little Inferno is out now on iPad and iPhone, available separately on the App store for $4.99 and $2.99, respectively.

JoystiqLittle Inferno hits big with 250K sold, out now on iPhone originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Apr 2013 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iosipadiphonelittle-infernomobilenintendopcsalestomorrow-corporationwii-uFri, 05 Apr 2013 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Minecraft clocks in 10 million PC purchases, dev hints at horses in 1.6]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/04/minecraft-clocks-in-10-million-pc-purchases-dev-hints-at-horses/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/04/minecraft-clocks-in-10-million-pc-purchases-dev-hints-at-horses/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/04/minecraft-clocks-in-10-million-pc-purchases-dev-hints-at-horses/#comments Minecraft has sold 10 million copies on PC, Mac and Linux. That puts the world-builder's total sales across PC, XBLA and mobile well over 24 million, and makes it the seventh best-selling PC game ever, says Mojang Customer Support Manager Marc Watson.

To celebrate, developer Jens Bergensten teased a major update coming to version 1.6.
(Spoilers: it's a horse.) Minecraft's Redstone Update, 1.5, hit on March 13, and now it seems Mojang has version 1.6 champing at the bit.

JoystiqMinecraft clocks in 10 million PC purchases, dev hints at horses in 1.6 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10-millionhorseMinecraftmojangpcsalesThu, 04 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest X Wii U has weak launch at Japanese retail]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/04/dragon-quest-x-wii-u-has-weak-launch-at-japanese-retail/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/04/dragon-quest-x-wii-u-has-weak-launch-at-japanese-retail/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/04/dragon-quest-x-wii-u-has-weak-launch-at-japanese-retail/#comments Dragon X Wii U suffers poor opening sales in JapanDragon Quest X's Wii U release sold 33,302 copies at retail in its first week in Japan. Granted, that first "week" lasted two days, as Media Create's weekly ranking period ran from March 25-31, and Dragon Quest X was released on the 30th, but that's still low for a Dragon Quest game. The Wii version of the MMO, for comparison, sold over 420,000 copies at launch, and Dragon Quest IX sold over 2 million before that.

Not only is that low for a Dragon Quest game, it's not exactly the boost the Wii U hardware so desperately needed. The Wii U only sold 22,829 units last week, behind both versions of the ever-popular 3DS (Luigi's Mansion 2 was the best selling game, and Animal Crossing: New Leaf is at #3, approaching 3 million copies life-to-date), and behind even the Vita, which is experiencing something of a resurgence.

The sales situation for Dragon Quest X is more complicated than it may seem. While the retail sales were disappointing, there's likely a significant number of digital sales, which wouldn't show up on Media Create's charts - and which we'll never know about unless Square Enix or Nintendo decides to tell us. Square Enix offers half-price downloads of the Wii U version to anyone who owns the Wii version, so it's safe to assume at least some of the Wii buyers took advantage of that offer.

Of course, that still didn't move many Wii U systems, clearly.

JoystiqDragon Quest X Wii U has weak launch at Japanese retail originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Apr 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dragon-quest-xjapanmedia-createnintendosaleswii-uThu, 04 Apr 2013 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[NPD: Digital game sales growing year-over-year 33 percent]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/30/npd-digital-game-sales-growing-year-over-year-33-percent/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/30/npd-digital-game-sales-growing-year-over-year-33-percent/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/30/npd-digital-game-sales-growing-year-over-year-33-percent/#comments Digital games and downloadable content sales are growing at a rate of 33 percent year over year in the US and Europe, according to data presented by NPD, iResearch and Digi-Capital analysts at GDC. The speakers at the digital games sales talk noted that sales in China are expected to grow over 10 percent every year for the next three years.

According to GamesIndustry International, NPD analyst Liam Callahan told attendees that digital game content sales in 2012 reached $5.9 billion in the United States. Sales in the UK reached $1.7 billion, followed by Germany with $1.4 billion and France with $1 billion. Callahan also said that digital content composes 40 percent of the United States' total spend on games, an increase from 28 percent in 2010.

NPD estimated that 48 percent ($7.1 billion) of the $14.8 billion spent on games in the US in 2012 came from purchases on brand new games at retail. The other 51 percent was from digital games and downloadable content ($2.22 billion), mobile game sales ($2.11 billion), used game sales ($1.59 billion), subscriptions ($1.05 billion), social network gaming ($544 million) and rentals ($198 million). The NPD also reported a drop in used game sales from 2011 by 17.1 percent.

JoystiqNPD: Digital game sales growing year-over-year 33 percent originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 30 Mar 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>digital-distributionDLCGDCGDC-2013liam-callahannpdnpd-groupsalessubscriptionsused-gamesSat, 30 Mar 2013 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Papo & Yo sales 'good' on PS3, but didn't cover development costs]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/27/papo-and-yo-sales-good-on-ps3-but-didnt-cover-development-cost/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/27/papo-and-yo-sales-good-on-ps3-but-didnt-cover-development-cost/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/27/papo-and-yo-sales-good-on-ps3-but-didnt-cover-development-cost/#comments Papo & Yo sales 'good' on PS3, but didn't cover development costsPapo & Yo was a top seller when it launched on PS3 in August, and creator Vander Caballero is satisfied with its numbers, even though sales haven't covered all of the game's development costs, he told Joystiq at GDC. Papo & Yo will hit Steam for PC on April 18, and that extra push should cover the gap left by PS3, Caballero said.

"Despite the good sales, the cost of the game has to be covered," he said. "We have covered already parts of the cost of the game, but when it comes out on Steam, we'll make money. Then we'll cover the whole cost of the game."

Caballero was excited about the coming Steam launch, which will begin accepting pre-orders on April 4. Those who buy it between April 4 and 17 will receive a 10 percent discount ($13.50), plus the game's original soundtrack for free. "We're really happy, since all the people who heard about it will actually be able to play it now," Caballero said.

JoystiqPapo & Yo sales 'good' on PS3, but didn't cover development costs originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GDCGDC-2013Indieminoritypapo-and-yopcplaystationps3salesSTEAMvander-caballeroWed, 27 Mar 2013 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Jetpack Joyride ascends to two million downloads on PSN]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/26/jetpack-joyride-ascends-to-two-million-downloads-on-psn/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/26/jetpack-joyride-ascends-to-two-million-downloads-on-psn/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/26/jetpack-joyride-ascends-to-two-million-downloads-on-psn/#comments Speaking to Joystiq at GDC today, Halfbrick Chief Marketing Officer Phil Larsen confirmed with that Jetpack Joyride has amassed two million downloads on PSN.

Halfbrick unleashed Jetpack Joyride on Sony's network in November 2012, initially as a $3.99 download. In December, the game became free on PSN, quickly rising to its first million downloads by February of this year.

JoystiqJetpack Joyride ascends to two million downloads on PSN originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gdc-2013halfbrickjetpack-joyridemachine-gun-jetpackphil-larsenplaystationplaystation-vitapsnsalesvitaTue, 26 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Day-one Incredipede Steam sales eclipse previous four months]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/26/day-one-incredipede-steam-sales-eclipse-previous-four-months/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/26/day-one-incredipede-steam-sales-eclipse-previous-four-months/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/26/day-one-incredipede-steam-sales-eclipse-previous-four-months/#comments Incredipede SteamWhen Incredipede launched on Colin Northway's site in October 2012, "there were tears. There were all the stages of loss," Sarah Northway told Joystiq at GDC. Colin previously told us that Incredipede sales direct from his site were disappointing, in part because it wasn't yet on Steam.

Incredipede launched on Steam on March 18, and in its first 24 hours, it sold more units than the previous four months of independent sales combined.

"It's really good," Colin said. "I mean, it wasn't good for the four months, but it was good for the one day. And now it's doing well. It didn't just drop off to nothing. It's not going to make us rich, but we're actually going to get paid for the work we did. We have enough money to make another game."

Incredipede secured its Steam deal through an IGF nomination, another piece of advertisement that helped boost the game's sales. The Steam version is technically "1.5," featuring a bunch of updates that streamline the game's difficulty, adding 60 new levels and two more muscle groups that players can manipulate. Incredipede is on sale on Steam right now through March 29, for $10 on PC and Mac.

JoystiqDay-one Incredipede Steam sales eclipse previous four months originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>colin-northwayGDCGDC-2013incredipedemacnorthway-gamespcsalesSTEAMTue, 26 Mar 2013 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[SimCity sales surpass 1.1 million in two weeks]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/18/simcity-sales-surpass-1-1-million-in-two-weeks/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/18/simcity-sales-surpass-1-1-million-in-two-weeks/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/18/simcity-sales-surpass-1-1-million-in-two-weeks/#comments Despite all of its launch complications, EA Maxis' series reboot SimCity has managed to sell over one million copies since launching two weeks ago. EA reports this is the biggest launch for the franchise, the majority of players - 54%, EA says - choosing to download SimCity. In fact, EA says 44% of total SimCity sales went directly through the publisher's digital distribution platform, Origin.

Two weeks ago, EA disabled some "non-critical" SimCity features in the interest of improving server issues. Also, EA added more servers and sought to quell dissatisfied customers with a free PC game. If you purchase and register SimCity before next week, you can choose between a free copy of Mass Effect 3, Battlefield 3, SimCity 4, Need for Speed: Most Wanted or one of several other eligible games.

JoystiqSimCity sales surpass 1.1 million in two weeks originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Mar 2013 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaea-maxisoriginpcsalessimcity-2013simcity-5Mon, 18 Mar 2013 14:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Steam's weekly deals include cheap Rochard, Jet Set Radio, Arcania and Endless Space]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/11/steams-weekly-deals-include-cheap-rochard-jet-set-radio-arcan/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/11/steams-weekly-deals-include-cheap-rochard-jet-set-radio-arcan/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/11/steams-weekly-deals-include-cheap-rochard-jet-set-radio-arcan/#comments Steam weekly deals Rochard, L4D2, Arcana, Jet Set RadioSteam has announced its latest round of weekly deals, with physics-focused platformer Rochard dropping to $2.49, along with Jet Set Radio. Left 4 Dead 2 and Arcania are both available for $4.99, and the Emperor Special Edition of Endless Space (which includes the soundtrack and a number of other in-game goodies) is $17.49.

All of these deals last through March 18 at 10am PST, so you've got one week to look under as many couch cushions as possible for the right amount of pocket change. And why stop at your own couch?

JoystiqSteam's weekly deals include cheap Rochard, Jet Set Radio, Arcania and Endless Space originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Mar 2013 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cheapendless-spacegamesjet-set-radioleft-for-dead-2pcrochardsalesalessteamweekly-dealsMon, 11 Mar 2013 23:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Crystal Dynamics: 1 million playing Tomb Raider two days after launch]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/08/crystal-dynamics-1-million-playing-tomb-raider-two-days-after/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/08/crystal-dynamics-1-million-playing-tomb-raider-two-days-after/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/08/crystal-dynamics-1-million-playing-tomb-raider-two-days-after/#comments One million raiders are already exploring rebooted tombs, developer Crystal Dynamics revealed last night. Global brand director Karl Stewart tweeted that a million people were playing Tomb Raider less than 48 hours after the game's launch on March 5.

We're not taking that in the literal sense, though; a million concurrent players would be very impressive, but the game selling one million units in two days is a tad more likely, albeit still impressive.

It's also surely sweet music to the ears of Crystal Dynamics and publisher Square Enix following the performance of the series' last major entry, Tomb Raider: Underworld. That game took over a month to sell a disappointing (apparently) 1.5 million units, with layoffs at Crystal Dynamics occurring soon after. At this rate, the Tomb Raider reboot will hit that figure by the end of the week.

JoystiqCrystal Dynamics: 1 million playing Tomb Raider two days after launch originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Mar 2013 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crystal-dynamicsmicrosoftpcplaystationps3salessquare-enixtomb-raider-2011tomb-raider-2012tomb-raider-2013xboxFri, 08 Mar 2013 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Borderlands takes over Xbox Live Ultimate Game Sale]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/02/borderlands-takes-over-xbox-live-ultimate-game-sale/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/02/borderlands-takes-over-xbox-live-ultimate-game-sale/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/02/borderlands-takes-over-xbox-live-ultimate-game-sale/#comments The lineup for day five of the Xbox Live Games on Demand sale is a star-studded one, as nine games are at least half-off for today only. Highlighting today's deals are Borderlands and Borderlands 2, available for $9.99 and $29.99, respectively.

Other games in today's deal include Fable 3, Dead Island and Fallout: New Vegas for $9.99 each. Batman: Arkham City, Portal 2 and Red Dead Redemption can be downloaded for $14.99 each, while Dishonored rounds out the group at $29.99.

The Ultimate Game Sale ends March 4, and while these games are on sale for today only, there's still a sizable list of games at low prices for the length of the promotion.

JoystiqBorderlands takes over Xbox Live Ultimate Game Sale originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 02 Mar 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>batman-arkham-cityborderlandsborderlands-2dead-islanddishonoredfable-3fallout-new-vegasgames-on-demandmicrosoftportal-2red-dead-redemptionsalesxboxXbox-LiveSat, 02 Mar 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Retro City Rampage sold 'much more' on PSN than Steam, XBLA]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/27/retro-city-rampage-sold-much-more-on-psn-than-steam-xbla/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/27/retro-city-rampage-sold-much-more-on-psn-than-steam-xbla/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/27/retro-city-rampage-sold-much-more-on-psn-than-steam-xbla/#comments Retro City Rampage 'sold much more' on Vita DAVID LOOK HERERetro City Rampage has been around the block a few times, establishing a steady launch stream across PC and consoles since October. Now that the game has had time to settle on XBLA, PS3, Vita and Steam, developer Brian Provinciano has a clear, surprising favorite: Vita.

"Indies should definitely jump onto the PS Vita," he tweets. "RCR's sold much more on PSN than XBLA and more on PS Vita than even PS3."

Retro City Rampage was part of the PS Plus Instant Game Collection, but Provinciano's praise doesn't include those numbers. PSN sales, both in units and revenue, eclipsed XBLA and even Steam on their own, and any PS Plus action is an extra bonus.

"Steam's done far better than XBLA too, but PSN has still done the best," Provinciano says.

While Vita is the "easiest console platform to develop for," XBLA clearly falls behind in Provinciano's estimation. Getting on XBLA required two rounds of pitching, paperwork and negotiation, each time taking more than six months. "It's absurd. They don't make it easy," Provinciano says.

He continues, "It cost more to do the XBLA version than all other SKUs combined. Made more on all other platforms. XBLA: 'a learning experience.'"

Provinciano has an idea why Retro City Rampage is doing so well on Vita: "Sony promoted the game incredibly well and Vita players are hungry for games! Make them more!" Provinciano will cover his multi-platform development process and resultant sales at GDC 2013, with a talk titled, "One Man, 17 SKUs: Shipping on Every Platform at Once."

JoystiqRetro City Rampage sold 'much more' on PSN than Steam, XBLA originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Feb 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brian-provincianomicrosoftnintendopcplaystationplaystation-vitaps3retro-city-rampagesalesSTEAMvblank-entertainmentvitawiixboxWed, 27 Feb 2013 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox 360 sold 281K units in January]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/15/281k-xbox-360-units-sold-in-january/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/15/281k-xbox-360-units-sold-in-january/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/15/281k-xbox-360-units-sold-in-january/#comments At least 281,000 people became the brand new owners of an Xbox 360 during the month of January, Microsoft has announced. This feat, as we mentioned yesterday, marks January as the twenty-fifth consecutive month in which the 360 has been the best-selling console in the United States, as well as its eighteenth month as the best-selling piece of gaming hardware in general.

When asked for comment, our Xbox sat there and whirled its disc drive at us, because it's an Xbox, and we don't know what we were expecting.

JoystiqXbox 360 sold 281K units in January originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Feb 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>january-2013january-npdmicrosoftnpdsalesxboxFri, 15 Feb 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft: Xbox 360 at 76M sold worldwide, Kinect at 24M]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/microsoft-xbox-360-at-76m-sold-worldwide-kinect-at-24m/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/microsoft-xbox-360-at-76m-sold-worldwide-kinect-at-24m/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/microsoft-xbox-360-at-76m-sold-worldwide-kinect-at-24m/#comments Microsoft has sent out a chest-thumping press release, boasting about new milestones for the Xbox 360, Kinect and Xbox Live. As of now, 76 million Xbox 360 consoles have been purchased worldwide, with a total of 24 million Kinects flailing their way into homes around the globe.

The hardware numbers are bolstered by 46 million subscribers on Xbox Live. Microsoft says this new figure represents a 15 percent increase in year-over-year subscribers - both free memberships and premium Gold subscribers are accounted here.

In a missive over on Microsoft's website, newly appointed President of Entertainment and Digital Media Nancy Tellem says the company is looking to launch 40 new custom Xbox interactive entertainment apps for 2013. It's quite a sign of the times if we're not counting games as "entertainment apps."

JoystiqMicrosoft: Xbox 360 at 76M sold worldwide, Kinect at 24M originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Feb 2013 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kinectmicrosoftnancy-tellemnpdsalesxboxyusuf-mehdiMon, 11 Feb 2013 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ubisoft sales crest $1 billion during Q3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/07/ubisoft-sales-crest-1-billion-during-q3/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/07/ubisoft-sales-crest-1-billion-during-q3/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/07/ubisoft-sales-crest-1-billion-during-q3/#comments Ubisoft's performance figures for the three month period ending December 31, 2012 have been released, and while we don't have specific net/operating/sticky/whatever income figures on account of the company's Frenchness, we do have an overall indication of how it performed in Q3. Which is to say, pretty good.

Sales for the period totaled €802 million ($1.07 billion), which is a 23 percent increase over the €652 million reported for the same quarter last year. Ubisoft's nine month year-to-date figures are also outperforming last year's: €1.08 billion ($1.45 billion) versus €900 million by this time last year, an increase of 21 percent.

Ubisoft attributes a large amount of this income with Assassin's Creed 3's 12 million shipped units and Far Cry 3's critical success, in addition to a 143 percent year-over-year increase in digital sales, totaling €55.2 million ($74.3 million).

JoystiqUbisoft sales crest $1 billion during Q3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Feb 2013 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>assassins-creed-3digital-salesfar-cry-3financialsiosipadiphonemicrosoftmobilenintendopcplaystationps3Q3saleswiiwii-uxboxThu, 07 Feb 2013 12:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Dead Island sales pass 5 million]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/05/dead-island-sales-pass-5-million/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/05/dead-island-sales-pass-5-million/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/05/dead-island-sales-pass-5-million/#comments Counting both retail and digitally distributed copies of Dead Island, total sales for the weird zombie action-RPG have surpassed five million units globally, Deep Silver announced today. In meaningless, arbitrary statistics, that shakes down to about 402.18 units sold an hour since the game was originally released in back in September of 2011.

By December 2011, Dead Island had shipped 3 million units worldwide, with a fourth million added to that total after another eight months. Today's figure, however, is our first look at how the game has actually sold, since shipped figures count all units sent to retailers, while sell-through/net sales only count what is actually purchased by a consumer. We're sure those Steam sales didn't hurt anything.

Continue reading Dead Island sales pass 5 million

JoystiqDead Island sales pass 5 million originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Feb 2013 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dead-islandDeep-silverfiguresmicrosoftpcplaystationps3salesTechlandxboxTue, 05 Feb 2013 23:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Minimalist iOS game Hundreds sells 100,000 copies]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/minimalist-ios-game-hundreds-sells-100-000-copies/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/minimalist-ios-game-hundreds-sells-100-000-copies/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/minimalist-ios-game-hundreds-sells-100-000-copies/#comments Hundreds sold its 100,000th copyHundreds, the minimalist mobile game from Canabalt's Adam Saltsman and Gasketball's Greg Wohlwend, sold its 100,000th copy on Sunday, sending Saltsman into fits of sentimental, blog-based joy.

"I don't want to downplay, for us, the financial importance of this success; we basically went broke making Hundreds so it's a pretty big deal that it didn't flop," Saltsman writes. "That said, even if it was the kind of money where we could go buy sports cars or whatever (and it's not!), there is this other, at least for me, way more important thing going on, which is less about finances and more about, 'Holy crap, 100,000 people have played Hundreds.'"

Hundreds has a simple premise and interface: Players tap various circles, turning them red and increasing their size and numerical value, in an attempt to accrue 100 points on-screen. If a red circle hits another object, it's game over. Hundreds is $5 on the iTunes App Store, optimized for iPhone 5, and for iPad and iPod Touch in iOS 5.0 or later.

"Folks who haven't played a game since Tetris are trying out Hundreds and liking it," Saltsman writes. "And we're getting this response for a minimalist game that we made utterly without compromise. Every value we had going into this project we carried all the way through to the end, and in spite of that, or, I am tempted to think, because of that, Hundreds is resonating with more people than we ever allowed ourselves to imagine.

"So that feels really good. Thank you, everybody, for trying out our game and diving into our puzzles and giving us your time. Thank you so much!"

JoystiqMinimalist iOS game Hundreds sells 100,000 copies originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adam-atomicadam-saltsmangreg-wohlwendhundredsiosipadiphonemobilesalessemi-secret-softwareMon, 28 Jan 2013 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Wii U game sales behind Wii, GameCube]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/14/report-wii-u-game-sales-behind-wii-gamecube/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/14/report-wii-u-game-sales-behind-wii-gamecube/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/14/report-wii-u-game-sales-behind-wii-gamecube/#comments Looking at the December NPD results, you may have noticed that the 3DS's New Super Mario Bros. 2 placed in the top ten sellers in the US, but New Super Mario Bros. U was nowhere to be found, nor was any other Wii U exclusive.

Analyst Doug Creutz of Cowen & Company's interpretation of the Wii U's early software sales is troubling. "Totals for the November-December period were -43% lower than software sales for the Wii and -50% lower than those for the GameCube," Creutz reports. It's not the most auspicious start for the new hardware. The only US Wii U software sales number to be released by Nintendo is 580,000 units of New Super Mario Bros. U, sold in November and December.

Worth noting is that the Wii U offers full games through its eShop, sales of which would not be counted toward NPD software sales totals. Like all digital game sales, the numbers are unknown, but there is some unknown additional commerce taking place that wasn't on the Wii and GameCube.

Joystiq has contacted Nintendo for a comment on the report, but has yet to hear back at the time of publishing.

JoystiqReport: Wii U game sales behind Wii, GameCube originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jan 2013 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analystcowen-and-companydoug-creutznintendosaleswii-uMon, 14 Jan 2013 18:45:00 EST<![CDATA[December NPD: 2012 sales hit $13.26 billion, Black Ops 2 leads the pack]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/10/december-npd-2012-sales-hit-13-26-billion-black-ops-2-leads-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/10/december-npd-2012-sales-hit-13-26-billion-black-ops-2-leads-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/10/december-npd-2012-sales-hit-13-26-billion-black-ops-2-leads-t/#comments During a period that encompassed both post-Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping and the Christmas season (November 25 through December 29), the physical retail sector of the video games industry pulled in $3.2 billion, bringing the total dollar amount spent in 2012 up to $13.26 billion, which is just a little less than half of one Scrooge McDuck money vault. Both December and the year as a whole were down 22 percent from their respective 2011 counterparts, according to NPD data, with December 2011 earning $4.10 billion and all of 2011 pulling down a smooth $16.99 billion.

Hardware sales specifically amount to 20 percent less in 2012 than in 2011, reporting $1.07 billion for the period and $4.04 billion for the year as a whole. Most of the decline this December, however, was seen in non-HD system sales, according to NPD analyst Liam Callahan. Hardware bundles that included software sold 37 percent more than they did last December, with sales of stand-alone hardware SKUs dropping 37 percent to balance the scales.

The Xbox 360 once again held the top spot in overall hardware sales in December, with 1.4 million units sold according to Major Nelson. Meanwhile, the Wii U experienced its inaugural holiday shopping season this period. It sold fewer units that the original Wii did during its launch in December of 2006, but earned comparatively three percent more moolah than the Wii for the month. The Wii U's most expensive SKU costs $350, compared to the Wii's single $250 model.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 topped off physical retail software sales in both December and 2012 as a whole, which totaled $1.54 billion for the month and $2.67 billion for the year, down 26 and 23 percent from 2011, respectively. Surprisingly, Far Cry 3 accomplished the second-most successful December launch NPD has recorded since it started monitoring sales in 1995, earning it the number six slot on the list of December's top 10 best-selling games. The list of 2012's 10 best-selling games can also be found after the break, in all of its "comprised entirely of sequels" glory.

Continue reading December NPD: 2012 sales hit $13.26 billion, Black Ops 2 leads the pack

JoystiqDecember NPD: 2012 sales hit $13.26 billion, Black Ops 2 leads the pack originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Jan 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsdecemberdecember-2012dsfinancesmicrosoftnintendoNPDnpd-2012npd-decembernpd-december-2012pcplaystationplaystation-vitaps3pspsalessonyvitawiiwii-uxboxThu, 10 Jan 2013 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Hirai: Vita sales on 'low end' of expectations]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/09/hirai-vita-sales-on-low-end-of-expecations/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/09/hirai-vita-sales-on-low-end-of-expecations/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/09/hirai-vita-sales-on-low-end-of-expecations/#comments The last couple of years have been interesting for handheld game consoles. The 3DS debuted to lower than expected sales in 2011, only to see Nintendo turn things around with a drastic price cut. Last year, the PlayStation Vita failed to match even the 3DS' pre-price-drop performance in its early months, and the device still has yet to see any price cuts. Sony CEO Kaz Hirai now says that the Vita has been "on the low end of what we expected."

The comment comes from a media reception interview following a CES stage presentation, reports the Wall Street Journal. Still, even with lagging sales, Hirai said the Vita could still be a success, noting that Sony judges the relative success of a product over 5 to 10 years. Said Hirai, "Long term is what is important." Certainly, it took the PlayStation 3 quite some time to build up steam, and now the console is neck and neck with Xbox 360, which had a yearlong head start. Of course, it's worth mentioning that it took the PS3 a few price drops to get there.

JoystiqHirai: Vita sales on 'low end' of expectations originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Jan 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kaz-hiraiplaystationplaystation-vitasalesvitaWed, 09 Jan 2013 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[3DS crosses 10 million mark in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/08/3ds-crosses-10-million-mark-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/08/3ds-crosses-10-million-mark-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/08/3ds-crosses-10-million-mark-in-japan/#comments 3DS over 10 million sold in JapanAccording to Enterbrain data, the 3DS has surpassed 10 million units sold in Japan, with 10,068,192 3DS and 3DS LL systems sold life-to-date as of January 6. It's taken the hardware 98 weeks to reach this milestone, putting it well behind the DS Lite, which broke 10 million after just 61 weeks.

The above chart is meant to illustrate the popularity of Animal Crossing: New Leaf. The game came out in Japan on November 8, immediately boosting 3DS sales. By the fourth week of December, hardware sales exceeded 400,000 units.

Joystiq3DS crosses 10 million mark in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Jan 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsanimal-crossing-new-leafenterbrainjapannintendosalesTue, 08 Jan 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Iwata: Wii U 'selling steadily,' Deluxe outselling Basic]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/07/iwata-wii-u-selling-steadily-deluxe-outselling-basic/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/07/iwata-wii-u-selling-steadily-deluxe-outselling-basic/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/07/iwata-wii-u-selling-steadily-deluxe-outselling-basic/#comments "At the end of the Christmas season, it wasn't as though stores in the U.S. had no Wii U left in stock, as it was when Wii was first sold in that popular boom," Nintendo president Satoru Iwata told Reuters in a recent interview. "But sales are not bad, and I feel it's selling steadily."

The Wii U is not selling as quickly as the Wii did in its first few months. Iwata did not provide new sales numbers, though we know Nintendo claimed sales of over 400,000 in the US on launch week, and Reuters cited Enterbrain data reporting 638,339 Wii U consoles sold in Japan between its December 8 launch and December 30.

Most of the Wii Us being sold are the black Deluxe model, which includes more storage space, more accessories, and (in North America) Nintendo Land. "It was the first time Nintendo released two models of the game console at the same time ... and I believe there was a challenge with balancing this," Iwata said. "Specifically, inventory levels for the premium, deluxe package was unbalanced as many people wanted that version and couldn't find it."

JoystiqIwata: Wii U 'selling steadily,' Deluxe outselling Basic originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Jan 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>nintendosalessatoru-iwatawii-uMon, 07 Jan 2013 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Black Ops 2 tops UK sales charts for 2012]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/04/black-ops-2-tops-uk-sales-charts-for-2012/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/04/black-ops-2-tops-uk-sales-charts-for-2012/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/04/black-ops-2-tops-uk-sales-charts-for-2012/#comments In the battle of soccer versus guns, guns win. At least, that's the case in the UK, where Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 managed to claim the title of best-selling game of 2012, according to Chart-Track. FIFA 13, the latest edition of the reliable sales powerhouse, managed to clock in at number 2. The top five was rounded out by Assassin's Creed 3, Halo 4 and Hitman: Absolution, respectively. As MCV points out, all five of 2012's best sellers were released in either November or December, meaning they accrued their impressive sales in less than two months on the market.

Other notable titles included Far Cry 3 at number 7, Borderlands 2 at 10, Mass Effect 3 at 11, Need for Speed: Most Wanted at 13, Max Payne 3 at 19 and Sleeping Dogs at 20.

JoystiqBlack Ops 2 tops UK sales charts for 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Jan 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-duty-black-ops-2chart-trackmicrosoftnintendopcplaystationps3salesukwii-uxboxFri, 04 Jan 2013 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Minecraft XBLA closes out the year by reaching 5 million sales milestone]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/03/minecraft-xbox-360-closes-out-the-year-by-reaching-5-million-sal/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/03/minecraft-xbox-360-closes-out-the-year-by-reaching-5-million-sal/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/03/minecraft-xbox-360-closes-out-the-year-by-reaching-5-million-sal/#comments Minecraft Xbox 360 closes out the year by reaching 5 million sales milestoneMinecraft dug deep on New Year's Eve to reach 5 million sales on Xbox Live Arcade before the close of 2012. The news is maybe not surprising given the franchise's prolificacy across the board over the last 12 months, including 453,000 sales on Christmas Day alone, but the achievement still represents a momentous way for developers 4J Studios and Mojang to see in the new year.

Not that there's time for 4J Studios to rest on any laurels, as the team is off its festive break and back at work remedying some of the problems encountered with Title Update 7. The developer says a bug-fixing patch is being released later this month.

JoystiqMinecraft XBLA closes out the year by reaching 5 million sales milestone originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Jan 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4j-studiosmicrosoftMinecraftmojangsalesXBLAxboxxbox-liveThu, 03 Jan 2013 08:00:00 EST