Tag Archives: video games

GDC: Fewer Games Are Featuring Multiplayer Modes

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Call of Duty: Black Ops

Recent data provided by research firm EEDAR indicates that fewer games these days are including an online multiplayer mode. The reason behind this is due to rising cost of game development, as well as the fact that including multiplayer modes in certain games doesn’t make sense. EEDAR took a look at every Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 game released in the United States and the results show that fewer video games nowadays are coming with multiplayer.

“You can see that in 2006, one year into the release of the Xbox 360 and the launch year of the PlayStation 3, 67% of the games had online multiplayer, 58% had offline multiplayer and 28% had no multiplayer. By 2012, you can see that only 42% have online multiplayer, a drop of 25%, 44% have offline multiplayer, a drop of 14%, and 41% have no multiplayer, a rise of 16%. So, over time, fewer and fewer high definition console games are including multiplayer as part of their core offering.”

- Geoffrey Zatkin, the Chief Operating Officer of EEDAR

Japan: Nintendo 3DS Reclaims Top Spot From PlayStation Vita

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Nintendo_3ds_gloss_pink

The Nintendo 3DS has reclaimed the top spot in the Japanese hardware charts after a huge sales boost for the PlayStation Vita. The PlayStation Vita was the best-selling format last week due to a well needed price cut. The Nintendo 3DS sold 69,439 units this week, compared to the PlayStation Vita which sold 36,028 units. Here’s the Japanese software and hardware charts.

  1. [PSP] Sword Art Online: Infinity Moment
  2. [PS3] Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix
  3. [3DS] Super Robot Wars UX
  4. [3DS] Animal Crossing: New Leaf
  5. [PSV] Soul Sacrifice
  6. [PS3] Hatsune Miku: Project Diva F
  7. [PS3] Dynasty Warriors 8
  8. [PS3] God of War: Ascension
  9. [3DS] Professor Layton and the Azran Legacies
  10. [3DS] Dragon Quest VII: Warriors of Eden
  1. Nintendo 3DS XL – 47,985 (39,801)
  2. PlayStation Vita – 36,028 (63,581)
  3. Nintendo 3DS – 21,454 (21,207)
  4. PlayStation 3 – 20,676 (19,567)
  5. PSP – 12,721 (18,023)
  6. Wii U – 9,539 (9,454)
  7. Wii – 1,323 (1,363)
  8. Xbox 360 – 543 (738)

Crytek Says Traditional Single Player Has To Go, Become Online Single Player

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CRYTEK_CMYK

Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli firmly believes that the traditional single player mode that we all play needs to be abolished and instead be replaced with an online single player mode. Yerli told IGN that he’s not saying that there will be no single-player experiences, instead it could be it’s called Connected Single-Player or Online Single-Player.

“I think the notion of a single-player experience has to go away. However, I’m not saying that there will be no single-player experiences … it could be it’s called Connected Single-Player or Online Single-Player instead.”

“Online and social can reignite single-player in a new type of context and provide benefits that will make you want to be a part of a connected story-mode rather than a disconnected story-mode. Sure, if the technology forces you to play a traditional single-player game online, that doesn’t make sense but if it’s offering actual benefits to be online then you want to be part of it.”

Nintendo 3DS Continues To Rule Japan, Wii U Overtaken By Vita

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metal_gear_rising_box_art

The Nintendo 3DS has once again had a good week in Japan as it easily outsold the competition. Combined sales of the Nintendo 3DS were 74.729, with its closest competitor, the PlayStation 3, selling 18.529 units. Metal Gear Rising was the best-selling game in Japan overtaking Dragon Quest VII to take the number one spot. Wii U sales continue to slide and this week saw the PlayStation Vita outsell Nintendo’s latest home console. Here’s the Japanese software and hardware charts.

  1. [PS3] Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
  2. [3DS] Dragon Quest VII: Warriors of Eden
  3. [3DS] Animal Crossing: New Leaf
  4. [3DS] Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
  5. [PSP] Toaru Majutsu no Kagaku no Gun Sou Katsugeki
  6. [Wii] Taiko Drum Master Wii Super Wonderful Edition
  7. [3DS] New Super Mario Bros. 2
  8. [3DS] Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate
  9. [3DS] Fantasy Life
  10. [3DS] Taiko Drum Master: Chibi Dragon and the Mysterious Orb
  1. Nintendo 3DS LL – 49,317 (66,139)
  2. Nintendo 3DS – 25,412 (31,832)
  3. PlayStation 3 – 18,529 (16,934)
  4. PlayStation Vita – 11,456 (8,044)
  5. Wii U – 9,633 (10,744)
  6. PSP – 8,981 (10,501)
  7. Wii – 1,317 (1,655)
  8. Xbox 360 – 473 (506)

Pachter Says “The UK Games Market Is A Joke”

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hmv_logo_dog

Famed Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter has told Digital Spy that he believes that the UK games market is a joke. The UK games market has suffered enormously over the past few years with a number of leading retailers claiming bankruptcy including GAME, HMV and Blockbuster, and the refusal of GameStop to expand into the market. Here’s what Pachter had to say about the volatile market.

“The UK games retail market is a joke, with retailers pricing below cost to drive traffic.”.

“That’s great for consumers, but retailers can’t make any money on games, hence the bankruptcies of GAME, HMV and Blockbuster, and the refusal of GameStop to expand into the market.”

HMV To Close 66 Stores

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Troubled music, video games, and DVD retailer, HMV, has announced that it’s due to close sixty-six stores throughout England and Scotland. The sixty-six stores will close in order to help save the company, which has been struggling to keep up with a changing market. Sadly, 930 members of staff at HMV will lose their jobs. The first closures are expected in a month’s time. Other stores could remain open longer.

“This step has been taken in order to enhance the prospects of securing the business’ future as a going concern.”

“We continue to receive strong support from staff and are extremely grateful to them for their commitment during an understandably difficult period.”

- Administrator Nick Edwards

Japanese Charts: Animal Crossing Back On Top, But Wii U Is Struggling

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nintendo_3ds_xl_animal_crossing

Animal Crossing: New Leaf has once again reclaimed the top spot in the Japanese charts, pushing Capcom’s well-received Devil May Cry reboot into second place. The Nintendo 3DS continues to be the best-selling platform in Japan, shifting a respectable 75,124 units. However, it would appear as though the Wii U is struggling in Japan. Nintendo’s latest home console only just managed to outsell the PlayStation Portable, shifting a fairly low 13,746 units. Here’s the Japanese hardware and software charts.

  1. [3DS] Animal Crossing: New Leaf
  2. [PS3] DmC Devil May Cry
  3. [PSP] Gintama no Sugoroku
  4. [PSV] Demon Gaze
  5. [3DS] Fantasy Life
  6. [PSV] Genkai Totsuki Monster Monpiece
  7. [PS3] The God and the Fate Revolution Paradox
  8. [PS3] Hitman: Absolution
  9. [PSP] Digimon Adventure
  10. [3DS] New Super Mario Bros. 2
  1. Nintendo 3DS XL – 48,226 (51,015)
  2. Nintendo 3DS – 26,898 (30,840)
  3. PlayStation 3 – 18,322 (19,697)
  4. Wii U – 13,746 (16,654)
  5. PSP – 12,897 (15,343)
  6. PlayStation Vita – 9,748 (9,036)
  7. Wii – 2,093 (2,199)
  8. Xbox 360 – 611 (706)

Disney Concerned About Violence In Their Own Games

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Bob Iger, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company, has announced that the company will take a closer look at violence in their video games following the Newtown school shooting. Iger says that the team at Disney will take a good look at everything they’ve got that could be considered near the line or over the line with regards to violence. He conceded that Disney titles very, very, rarely feature violence, but he still wants to make sure that they’re asking themselves the right questions in terms of that standard.

“[We will} take stock in everything we’ve got that can be considered near the line or over the line”

“Fortunately at Disney there’s very little [violent content], but I still want to make sure we’re asking ourselves the right questions in terms of that standard, and also [ensure] we’re willing to be a part of a dialogue in today’s world that I think is pretty necessary in terms of what our role is and what our role should be.”

Wii U Sales Slip In Japan, But Nintendo 3DS Is Still Doing Great

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This weeks sales data is in from Japan and it shows that the Nintendo 3DS is still a device to be reckoned with as it sold 81,855 units compared to its closest competitor, the PlayStation 3, which sold 19,697 units. The Wii U continues to struggle in Japan selling 16,654 units which is just slightly more than the PlayStation Portable which sold 15,343. In the software charts Nintendo’s immensely popular Animal Crossing: New Leaf was dethroned by Capcom’s DmC. Here’s the Japanese software and hardware charts.

01./00. [PS3] DmC: Devil May Cry
02./01. [3DS] Animal Crossing: New Leaf
03./00. [PSP] Digimon Adventure
04./02. [3DS] New Super Mario Bros. 2
05./03. [3DS] Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate
06./06. [3DS] Inazuma Eleven Go 2: Chrono Stone – Neppuu / Raimei
07./04. [3DS] Tousouchuu: Shijou Saikyou no Hunter-Tachi Kara Nigekire!
08./05. [3DS] Paper Mario: Sticker Star
09./08. [WIU] New Super Mario Bros. U
10./07. [PS3] Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage 2

  • Nintendo 3DS: 81,855
  • PlayStation 3: 19,697
  • Wii U: 16,654
  • PSP: 15,343
  • PlayStation Vita: 9,036
  • Wii: 2,199
  • Xbox 360: 706

Famitsu Says 48% Of Its Readers Will Buy 3DS And 33.8% Will Buy Wii U This Year

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Mario_Peach_Bowser

Japanese gaming publication Famitsu recently surveyed its readers to find out which console or handheld gaming devices they plan to purchase this year. 64% of Japanese gamers surveyed by Famitsu plan to buy a PlayStation Vita this year, followed by 48% for the Nintendo 3DS, and 33.8% for the Wii U. 10% of people also picked a smart phone (other than the iPhone). The publication says that 75.6% of participants were male, and 24.4% were female. You can see the results below:

  1. PS Vita – 64.0%
  2. 3DS – 48.2%
  3. Wii U – 33.8%
  4. PS3 – 25.2%
  5. PC – 14.4%
  6. Xbox 360 – 10.6%
  7. Smartphone – 10.0%
  8. PSP – 9.6%
  9. Wii – 9.0%
  10. iPad – 7.0%
  11. DSi/DSiLL – 5.2%
  12. iPhone – 5.0%
  13. iPod Touch – 4.0%
  14. Other – 2.4%

Thanks, Simply G