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Retailers: Silent Hill: Book of Memories delayed until May 31
Konami's attempt at a Silent Hill hat-trick for the month of March may have fallen short just before the buzzer: Silent Hill: Book of Memories has had its release date changed from March 27 to May 31, according to Amazon and Gamefly.As you'll recall, Book of Memories was originally slated to be released in February, relatively alongside the Vita's North American debut. It was then delayed until March, as was the Silent Hill HD Collection, in an effort to extract the highest amount of retail synergy possible from Silent Hill: Downpour's release.We've reached out Konami for confirmation; in the meantime, those of you who absolutely must be terrified on the go should load your MP3 player with the Silent Hill 2 soundtrack.Joystiq, its parent companies and their affiliates are not responsible for panic attacks, mental breakdowns or other disruptive/embarrassing public episodes caused by listening to the Silent Hill 2 soundtrack in public.[Thanks, Adam!]
Ninja Gaiden 3 to require online pass [Update: Confirmed!]
To become a ninja, one must learn -- the deadly arts of war, for example. Or how to wear those weird socks. Stuff like that.You can't be any geek off the street, and so Tecmo-Koei has decided to lock the online multiplayer of Ninja Gaiden 3 behind an online pass. So says a listing on Gamefly warning potential renters of Ninja Gaiden 3, anyway. Update: It's confirmed! Ninja Gaiden 3 will have an online pass, a Tecmo Koei representative has confirmed with Joystiq.We've sent our silent inquisitors to Tecmo Koei to secure confirmation on the matter. We'll let you know what we hear back. [Thanks, Josh!]
Retailers: Inversion delayed until March
Inversion has had an official launch date of February 7, 2012, for over a year now, but retail listings are shifting to note otherwise. Both GameFly, which lists launch info based on publisher data, and GameStop now present a release date of March 27.Originally announced back in 2009, Inversion was supposed to hit shelves sometime in 2010, back when Namco was still trying out new IP. We've contacted Namco Bandai for official confirmation of the delay.%Gallery-130923%
GameFly's most requested games of 2011
GameFly's annual list of "top requested" games of 2011 has The Batman perched atop the multiplatform and Xbox 360 charts with Arkham City. A certain Mr. Nathan Drake led the PlayStation 3 requests with Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, while Wii wakers primarily requested the presence of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. According to information supplied by the popular game rental outlet, Dead Island and Rage were the only original intellectual properties for the year to enjoy spots on the console top ten. We've posted Gamefly's multiplatform, console and Nintendo handheld top ten lists after the break.
Gamefly discounts used games in end-of-year sale
Finish your holiday shopping already? Well, if you've got some spare coin and are looking to treat yourself for getting your shopping done early for once, you may be interested in Gamefly's end of year sale. It's a pretty big sale, guys. Gamefly's used titles on Xbox 360, DS, 3DS, Wii and PS3 have been discounted through January 3, and any purchase from Gamefly also qualifies for free shipping throughout the duration of the sale. Sheer quantity alone of what's on offer is impressive -- highlights include cheap copies of Mortal Kombat, L.A. Noire, Kirby's Epic Yarn and many, many more. Or we guess you could just pocket your remaining cash. You've already bought all your gifts, so sit back and relax -- unless you forgot the batteries, in which case we imagine you're running out of the house now to ... yeah, you've already left. Okay then.
GameFly PC client enters public beta, Direct2Drive acquisition put to use
GameFly announced this morning that its PC client has entered public beta, with the highlight of the app being the Unlimited PC Play library for GameFly members. The Unlimited Play section is a nice bonus for members. While there's a lot of dreck to sift through, there's good stuff like Prince of Persia, Assassin's Creed and World of Goo ... oh, wait, that's World of Zoo. Our bad. "We are thrilled to finally be able to open up the beta so anyone interested in video games can start using the client, and we are hard at work expanding our catalog of PC titles for our users to play for free in the Unlimited PC Play section," said Sean Spector, GameFly co-founder and SVP of Business Development and Content. The client will also allow the company to begin selling PC games at GameFly.com (and through its iOS and Android Apps) with over 1,500 Windows and Mac games for sale. The company didn't buy that Direct2Drive infrastructure for nothin'.
Ghost Recon: Future Soldier marches to retail on March 6, 2012 [Update: Ubisoft confirms!]
Just about every retailer on the planet agrees: the future is a lot closer than you may think! And here we were waiting for 30 Helens to agree this whole time ... Ghost Recon: Future Soldier is apparently slated for launch on March 6, according to listings on Gamefly, Amazon, Target, GameStop, Wal-Mart and Best Buy. While we'd never consider a retailer listing as fact (most of the time they're placeholders), the proliferation of identical is pretty compelling. And as of right now, all we really know is it'll launch at least after the planned January 2012 beta. We've reached out to Ubisoft for comment and will let you know what we hear back. Update: We were able to confirm the launch date with Ubisoft. Look for Ghost Recon: Future Soldier on March 6, 2012!
GameFly expresses confidence as Netflix muscles in
GameFly is putting on a strong face as it prepares for its greatest competitor to the game rental space to date: Netflix. Well, the behemoth's disc distribution division is called Qwikster now -- a change that's taking folks some time to wrap their brains around -- but the fact remains: Netflix's distribution network is an efficient beast. It is a key aspect GameFly has struggled with over the years. "GameFly has expanded steadily over the past nine years by focusing exclusively on video gamers. We are the only retailer offering games physically and digitally for both rental and purchase," GameFly responded in a statement when asked about Qwikster. "Gamers can try before they buy, choosing from new releases and classic titles that span the last decade. GameFly has more than 8000 games for 10 console and handheld systems to choose from, and over 1500 Windows/Mac games are available for download." GameFly is preparing for the digitally distributed future with acquisitions like Direct2Drive, which will allow the company to add "Unlimited PC Play" for free to its service offerings this holiday. "GameFly is the leading video game rental service, and we have continued to grow even as Blockbuster and Redbox increased their investment in console games." Qwikster has yet to show how serious it is about the game space, nor has it given an idea about the price for its games 'n' flix service -- wait, that's probably not the best term to use.
GameFly to launch 'Unlimited PC Play' download service, offer less incentive to leave the house
GameFly hasn't wasted any time jumping into the digital download waters after acquiring IGN's Direct2Drive platform a little over two months ago. Set to launch September 8th in beta form, its new "Unlimited PC Play" service will offer subscribers access to 100-plus downloadable PC and Mac titles, with hundreds more expected in time for the official end of year launch. Fans of the video game rental outfit's snail mail subscription service don't have to worry about a shift to digital only, as the company has no plans to abandon its "unique combination of console and digital PC game offerings." Interested in getting an early peek at the new platform? If you live in the Los Angeles area, you can look forward to a planned beta launch party next month, where access codes for the new, invite-only service will be distributed. The rest of you PC gaming warriors will just have to settle for a sign-up page at the source.
GameFly to add 'Unlimited PC Play' this holiday
GameFly will launch a new digital client this holiday, the biggest benefit of which will be a new "Unlimited PC Play" service. It will allow subscribers to download and play any offered PC/Mac games, presenting a natural evolution of the service since it acquired IGN's Direct2Drive platform several months back. "We're talking to all publishers about participating. Several have been signed, but we're not announcing at this time," GameFly co-founder Sean Spector told Joystiq. "In the 'Unlimited PC Play' portion for GameFly subscribers, we expect to have over a hundred titles available for the beta launch, but we'll be adding to the list constantly and should have hundreds at the time of our holiday launch." Asked if the company would offer a PC-only GameFly subscription, similar to those found with movie rental streaming services, Spector said, "We currently have no plans to offer a digital only subscription, as we believe the real value to gamers and our members is our unique combination of console and digital PC game offerings." Spector tells us that, like the company's mobile apps, the client-based application should update regularly and customers will have access to whatever games they download as long as they maintain a subscription. GameFly will launch the closed beta for the client on September 8 at a Los Angeles event, where attendees will receive a beta code for themselves and a friend. GameFly subscribers not in the LA area can still sign up by heading over to the beta section of the site.
GameFly acquisition of Direct2Drive official
Today, game rental service GameFly confirmed last week's rumor that it will acquire the digital game retailer Direct2Drive from IGN. The acquisition of Direct2Drive will add more than 3,000 PC and Mac games to GameFly's existing library of console titles. While terms of the deal are not disclosed in the announcement, IGN will gain a minority equity stake in GameFly but have no direct role in its operations or governance. "Only GameFly can offer a complete library of physical and digital games for the PC, Mac and consoles in one place." David Hodess, CEO of GameFly gloats. Although Direct2Drive currently offers a small handful of downloadable game rentals, no plans for including PC and Mac rentals through GameFly are discussed in the announcement; however, Joystiq confirmed with David Hodess that the option is being explored. "We know that consumers are interested in PC/Mac rentals and intend to investigate this opportunity thoroughly," Hodess told us. He also confirmed that Direct2Drive promotions like IGN membership discounts and the refer-a-friend program will continue after the acquisition is complete.
Rumor: IGN selling Direct2Drive to Gamefly
IGN's Direct2Drive is allegedly being sold to GameFly, MCV reports. An official announcement is expected next week. Direct2Drive does offer a limited selection of game rentals, which fits in directly with GameFly's business model. Sources, while unable to confirm the sale, do tell us that IGN has been looking to unload D2D for some time. This would be the second major announcement out of News Corp's IGN in under a month. The company announced in early May it was merging with UGO, and reports indicated that the company would spin off from News Corp. IGN and GameFly told Joystiq in perfect harmony that neither company will "comment on rumors or speculation."
GameFly wins in United States Postal Service dispute
GameFly's two-year dispute with the United States Postal Service concluded with the Postal Regulatory Commission agreeing that preferential treatment was given to by-mail movie services like Netflix and Blockbuster. Gamespot reports that the PRC plans to remedy the issue by having the USPS establish two parallel rate categories for roundtrip DVD mail. This should prevent GameFly from incurring a fee for avoiding automated sorting machines -- which have a higher probability of breaking the contents being shipped. Contacted for comment, GameFly told Joystiq: "Overall, we are pleased that the PRC found that the basis of our complaint was legitimate. We need to read through and consider the entire document before we would be in a position to elaborate." [Thanks, Steven]
Prince of Persia Trilogy HD listed by GameFly for March
Rental service GameFly has a listing for Prince of Persia Trilogy HD with a March 22, 2011 release date. The game was previously announced as being disc-based only for Europe, Middle East and African territories. All three games were released in North America via digital distribution on the PlayStation Network. We've contacted Ubisoft for comment, but the publisher has yet to respond. GameFly tells us it hasn't changed its listing policy, which means it will "simply post information as it is supplied to [GameFly] by the publishers."
GameFly reveals the 'most requested' games of 2010
Online rental service GameFly has named its "most requested" games of 2010. The rankings are based on each member's GameQ, which is "a personal wish list of games available for rent." Given the inconsistent availability of titles offered through the service, sometimes "wish list" is right.
GameFly's year-end sale deals up used games on the cheap
GameFly has begun its annual year-end sale and some of the prices on used games are just insane. We can tell you right now that you'll probably want to pick up Splinter Cell: Conviction on Xbox 360 for $9.99, Wet on PS3 for a buck more or MadWorld on the Wii for just $8.99 if you haven't played any of those yet. Unfortunately, some of the games on the list are already sold out but, if you hunt through it, there are bargains to find. With prices this low, we worry that the kids of GameFly employees will have to go without Christmas presents this year -- just so we can finally play The Saboteur for under 12 bucks.
Retailers: Gran Turismo 5 to miss Christmas release
Today was the day we were supposed to finally, maybe play Gran Turismo 5 -- not even Walmart, it seems, can get over the latest delay. A search for the game today on the retailer's site turned up an "In Stock" result (pictured above); though clicking through to the product prompted only a pre-order option. While there remains no definitive release date for the comically-delayed sim racer, a Sony representative reiterated in a statement to Joystiq today that the publisher is "still aiming for this holiday" to launch GT5. Sony has backed up this target window by recently updating retailers, which passed the information along to their customers. Specifically, Amazon has notified GT5 pre-orderers of a "new delivery estimate based on the new release date" -- that date being December 31, 2010. (A full copy of one such email is posted after the break.) Although there are exceptions (first-party Nintendo games tend to be released on Sundays), almost all video games are released on Tuesdays -- just like today -- in the U.S. And though Amazon appears to be acting on a date provided by the publisher, Sony confirmed December 31 is just a placeholder. "As far as the Amazon date goes," a Sony representative told us, "retailers have arbitrary dates that get listed to coincide with any given title's launch window if we haven't provided a specific date. So it's completely driven from their side [...] A placeholder if you will." Similarly, GameStop and Target now list January 1, 2011 placeholder release dates for GT5 (whereas GameFly is sticking with "TBD," for now). Technically, you can get away with extending the holiday season into early January, and by all accounts, GT5 is still on track to meet this rather dubious date range. According to retailer expectations, however, no gamer -- big or small -- is going to be unwrapping Gran Turismo 5 from under the Christmas tree, or from any other location their loved ones might stack their presents this holiday. Unless, of course, Sony can pull off a last-minute miracle.
GameFly selling Final Fantasy XIII, Splinter Cell: Conviction, more for under $20
You either need to hide or break out your pocketbooks, friends -- GameFly's throwing another gigantic Under $20 sale on hundreds of its used games, many of which have free shipping. Check out a partial list of some of the encheapened games and their reduced prices posted below.
GameFly selling God of War 3, Mass Effect 2 and more for under $20
GameFly is currently running a decidedly insane sale on used copies of a handful of 2010 blockbusters until this Friday, September 17. If you've got $20 to spare, you can grab Darksiders, God of War 3, Alpha Protocol, Mass Effect 2 or Dante's Inferno -- all with free shipping to boot.
GameFly used game sale: Yakuza 3, GoW 3, BioShock 2, more for cheap
GameFly has a decent sale on used games going on right now. The frugal folks at Slickdeals.net have found a few of the juicier deals, including Yakuza 3 for $22, God of War 3 for $20, BioShock 2 for $14 and more. Check out more highlights after the break and let us know if you find any good deals.
