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T-Mobile brings prepaid option to 7-Elevens nationwide, doesn't come in Piña Colada flavor
It's 3 AM and you have a cravin' for something grape-flavored. How about a new phone while you're at it? Now you can have both (thank heavens). T-Mobile's made an agreement with 7-Eleven to sell prepaid service in its stores; it's ideal for those times that a Slurpee just won't hit the spot, but a tiny entry-level flip phone will. Up for grabs -- in the easy-to-open blister packs, we hope -- is the LG GS170 clamshell, packing a VGA camera and Bluetooth 2.1, and it can all be yours for $30. Not good enough, eh? You drive a hard bargain, so they'll cut the price of the handset in half with the purchase of a $50 prepaid card. Just do us all a favor and pass on the hot dogs this time, okay?
LittleBigPlanet 2 and Killzone 3 getting promo Slurpees at 7-Eleven
Last year, Sony and 7-Eleven teamed up to bring thirsty gamers a delicious, synergized beverage experience: The God of War 3 Slurpee. Apparently, the promotion was a hit, as the companies recently renewed their vows, and will bring another round of PlayStation-branded frozen drinks to stores in the coming weeks -- this time, though, they'll be themed after upcoming PS3 blockbusters LittleBigPlanet 2 and Killzone 3. Each limited edition cup features a promo code which can be exchanged on the official Slurpee site for various prizes, including strategy guides, premium themes, downloadable content and more. Really, though, the best prize you can hope to receive is that good, good Slurpee flavor.
Zynga and 7-Eleven partner to bring game content to ice cream, Big Gulps
If the image above of FarmVille-themed ice cream wasn't telling enough, Zynga and 7-Eleven today announced a co-branding of various products in "nearly 7,000 7-Eleven stores in the US and Canada." In addition to the vanilla ice cream, Big Gulps and Slurpees featuring YoVille, FarmVille, and Mafia Wars are also available, all coming packed with redeemable codes for in-game items. We've already received a handful of tips of the ice cream being spotted in 7-Eleven outlets, but the announcement indicates customers should be able to find the products everywhere by June 1, through July 15. The ice cream runs $2.29 per pint, while the Big Gulps and Slurpees range in price depending on the contents -- the shame of purchasing said products, however, that's priceless. We've listed all the in-game items and how to get them in real life below the fold.
7-Eleven to begin selling used games for $20 and below
[Flickr user Emples] Beloved Slurpee vendor 7-Eleven plans to nab a share of the video game re-sale market by soon offering budget-priced pre-owned titles as part of a partnership with Game Trading Technologies, which announced the program today. The new initiative, excitedly dubbed "GREAT GAMES BELOW $20," is currently being introduced into more than 3,000 U.S. 7-Elevens (or roughly 50 percent of all franchises), with plans to eventually extend the service to most locations. "The program is available to all 7-Eleven U.S. franchisees, and we hope to have most U.S. stores on board by September," said GTT president Todd Hays. The partnership will have GTT providing 7-Elevens with a "broad selection" of used games for "various" platforms at price points of $19.99 and below. If the selections are actually decent, we fear for how costly our surprisingly frequent late-night hot dog runs might soon become.
God of War III Slurpee tastes like Kratos' fury; it's delicious
When playing the God of War games, we've often wondered, "If Kratos' unflagging rage could be assigned a flavor, what flavor would it be?" Finally, that question will be answered by Mountain Dew and 7-Eleven, which are collaborating on the next advancement in frozen sugar-drink technology: The Kratos Fury Slurpee. We know that sounds like the kind of thing we'd make up for comedic effect, but we assure you, it's berry real. You can pick up a tall, refreshing cup of Fury (which includes nonconsumable codes for DLC armor and other content) starting February 1, at which point you'll learn that Kratos' anger actually tastes like a pleasant mix of blackberries and lime -- and the blood of a freshly-slain Gorgon. But, yeah, mostly just blackberries and lime.
Get God of War 3 pre-order poster, cup of coffee at 7-Eleven
If you're trying to decide just which gas station through which to secure a copy of God of War 3, 7-Eleven has an interesting proposition for you. Pre-orders have opened up at 7-Eleven stores in the US, and include the exclusive poster seen above, which features Kratos checking out some totally sweet destruction courtesy of a Fire Titan. You can see the poster in Titan-size here. Supplies are limited, so we advise you to go pre-order the game now if you want one of these. 7-Eleven is a very convenient store, after all, meaning it shouldn't take too long for others to find their way there and claim a poster.
Runes of Magic and Playspan team up for game cards
Runes of Magic has been enjoying a nice burst of success recently, and as a free-to-play game one of the biggest things that helps it is increased visibility and access to the game's microtransaction system. So it should come has little surprise that Frogster Interactive has teamed up with PlaySpan to start moving branded game cards into 7-Eleven stores, improving both visibility and accessibility in one fell swoop. In addition, Diamonds will be purchasable at PlaySpan's online store, already a hub for several popular free-to-play game currencies. The game cards, which will come in $10 and $25 denominations, can be redeemed for in-game mounts, enhancements, and other improvements. Overall, this deal will give Runes of Magic a game card presence in over 46 thousand stores inside the US, a high visibility for a fairly young game that's pushing a still-developing business model. And it's certainly not going to hurt that you can pick up some game currency at the same time you grab a soda and one of those little taquito things for a snack on your way home from work.
7-Eleven wants you to reserve MAG there
We use 7-Eleven for all sorts of purposes it wasn't intended. For instance, since our diet consists solely of pizza burritos and bags filled with two different flavors of Doritos, it's pretty much our grocery store. They're happy with our custom, but they're not satisfied. 7-Eleven wants our video game dollars really bad. In fact, they've set it up so that the best place you can pre-order MAG is probably the same place where you buy your Slurpees. Pre-ordering at 7-Eleven will net you an exclusive recruitment kit with background info about the game's factions and a poster, the best way to tell guests that you like to get your Parliaments, tampons and video games in the same transaction.
A night at 'The 711 Club,' an advergame
I awake with a pounding headache. Where am I? I stumble toward the nearest doorway -- into a nightclub. The bartender greets me. "Welcome to the 7-1-1 Club," he says. "I don't think I've seen you here before -- your first time in Rio?" Rio? How the eff did I end up in Rio? I think I see a familiar face in the crowd. I approach, blurting out a convoluted question about the nearest airport (get me outta here!) and concern for my heart condition. "You flatter me, but I don't think we've met," says the man introducing himself as Charles. Hmmm, I don't know a Charles ... Suddenly, a burst of fire sets forth inside me. "LET'S DANCE!" I yell. Staggering out onto the dance floor, I am a man possessed. My feet are arrow keys, the beat falling blocks. I can do this! "I know I've just met you, but I feel as though we've been dancing for all of eternity," Charles gushes. Eternity? Wait a minute, am I in ... "LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!" I cry. Then everything goes black.
Rumor: 80GB PS3 to be discontinued in Japan, parts ordered for new Sony consoles
We've got a bunch more kindling for the ever-burning PS3 Slim rumor today, so try and keep up. First and foremost, Kotaku recently uncovered a document from a 7-Eleven in Japan (where 7-Elevens are apparently respected games dealers), which asks that stores stop taking pre-orders for 80GB PS3s as of August 9 -- at the behest of Sony. If legit, this move could be the start of the 80GB's mass exodus, as foretold by the Ars Technica mole in the "Great PS3 Slim Prophecy of 2009."Other rumors come to us in the form of a Telegraph report, which rounds up a number of potential signs pointing to the svelte system's existence; one of which is an excerpt from a DigiTimes article that states Sony has "ordered enough parts to make one million consoles in the third quarter of this year," which is twice as much as was ordered in the past three months. Are these parts being used to make Slims? PSP Gos? A weaponized mech suit for Kaz Hirai?From there, Telegraph drops a bunch of unsourced details which should be taken with a sizable grain of apprehensive salt. First, the outlet claims a PS3 Slim announcement "could come later this month" during the GamesCom convention in Cologne, with the actual console appearing by the holidays. According to Telegraph, the console "is expected to" come in two flavors -- 40GB and 80GB -- and will include two unnamed games. Best of all, it will supposedly have a lower price point than current models. Ah, now they're playing our tune.
80GB PlayStation 3 on the outs in Japan, PS3 Slim looking all the more likely
We know the whole "where there's smoke, there's hotness" argument is played out, but it sure feels like the pieces are coming together here. With Sony's 20GB, 40GB and 60GB PlayStation 3 already a part of history, it's just the 80GB and 160GB models holding down the fort. After August 9th, however, it seems that just the latter will be representin' in Japan. The notice above essentially informs retailer 7-Eleven (don't hate) that no more orders for the black, white and silver 80GB PS3 will be accepted after Sunday due to a request from "the manufacturer." The note also instructs store owners to take down the in-story displays for the 80GB model, giving us all the reason we need to believe that a slimmed down version of the console is within reach. Of course, that's just whimsical speculation, but we just can't talk our hearts into listening to our heads on this one.[Via VG247, thanks Hawk]
Wizard101 hits 2 million unique user mark
The picture for massively multiplayer games aimed at a younger demographic is decidedly bright. Titles like Cartoon Network's FusionFall and Wizard101 from KingsIsle Entertainment have already attracted millions of players, though in the case of FusionFall, having your own TV network to promote it can't hurt those registered member numbers. Not to be outdone, the last word we had on the number of Wizard101 subscribers placed it at over 1 million accounts, but today's press announcement confirms the figure at double that initial estimate -- Wizard101 has now hit the 2 million unique user mark. That number is likely to grow with KingsIsle Entertainment's other announcement -- beginning today, Wizard101 prepaid gift cards can be found in 7-Eleven stores throughout the U.S., in $10 denominations.
GamePro to publish indie games, free magazine
Set to celebrate its 20th anniversary this year, GamePro -- and parent company IDG -- has made an unexpected announcement: it's getting into the business of publishing games. As reported by GameDaily, the newly formed label, GamePro Labs, will focus on publishing games from independent developers.The label's official site makes mention of Xbox 360, PC, Zune, iPhone and PlayStation Network platforms, but is light on specific release plans. Game submissions are being accepted, although GamePro does say it will only be publishing a limited number of tiles each year. The company will act as a sort of "middleman" between indie devs and platformer holders, in addition to handling payouts and "regular promotion in GamePro Magazine." The latter hopefully refers to ad space and not any sort of paid editorial consideration. Titles from three currently signed developers will be announced at GDC later this month.GamePro has also announced plans to produce a free, custom edition of its magazine for distribution exclusively at 7-Eleven stores. The convenience chain began selling games last year (and breaking street dates on them shortly thereafter).
Nokia 1680 comes to Canada by way of 7-Eleven
How do you say "boring" in Canadian? The Nokia 1680 is a good guess, especially considering that the company had intended this puppy for emerging markets -- which, nine times out of ten, is code for "boring." 7-Eleven's Speak Out Wireless is the upstanding organization that we have to thank for this particular launch, bundling the 1680 with 20 minutes of talk time for $89 Canadian -- about $73 -- and when you take into account the VGA cam and integrated FM radio, we guess the price ain't bad. Yeah, there are plenty of cheaper prepaid phones on the market, but how many of 'em let you snap uselessly blurry photos?[Via MobileSyrup]
7-Eleven getting comfortable with game sales
7-Eleven, bastion of the 2AM munchies, has announced plans to expand its video game offerings. The company's current stratagem is to offer seven titles over the holiday season (like Wrath of the Lich King, Fallout 3, CoD:WaW, Gears 2) "while supplies last." Depending on how things go, Sleven plans to have more titles beyond the predicted "hot-selling" games.Though we're all for 7-Eleven carrying games, we're even more for it continuing to break street dates on blockbuster titles like Gears of War 2 and Lich King*.*Yes, we realize in the case of Lich King it didn't mean much because the servers weren't up, but it's avoiding the midnight lines that counts.[Via Gamespot]
7-Eleven to have Wrath midnight release
In somewhat unusual news, 7-Eleven seems to be moving into the video game sales business in some capacity. I've noticed that 7-Eleven had sold a couple select games like Madden in the past, but I never thought much of it. I assumed they just had some deal with the distributor for that particular game.However, that's not actually the case. Their Madden sales turned out to be quite the success, and their demographic is rather gamer heavy. Man, who would have thought a 24-hour convenience store would attract a lot of young gamers? My mind is boggled. As of this season, 7-Eleven has begun offering pre-orders of select major upcoming releases (such as Wrath of the Lich King) at their locations. All of their offerings will have midnight releases at the 24/7 chain, so your next midnight release party might just take place between a Slurpee machine and a beef jerky rack. I have a feeling they won't be holding any costume contests.Oh, if you're curious, 7-Eleven says Wrath in November, too. Man, I could actually go for a Slurpee right now. AFK.[ via Kotaku ]
PSN cards expanding to Blockbuster, 7-Eleven and Rite-Aid in September
The only time we ever saw a PLAYSTATION Network card was when Sony gave us one for Christmas. Never -- not even once -- have we seen these cards available at a retail store. This is easily one of the most demanded items from our readers, many who don't have a credit card to use for the PSN. Thankfully, support for these cards will expand in September to stores we've actually heard of.According to the PlayStation website, these pre-paid cards can be found at Blockbuster, 7-Eleven and Rite-Aid this September. So whether you're renting a movie, drinking a Slurpee, or buying some condoms in a rush -- keep an eye out for these PSN cards.[Via CAG]
The ultimate game card covers every game you play
PayByCash have been more and more in the news lately, especially with their recent acquisition by Arjun Metha's Playspan in-game commerce network. Despite being only in sixth grade last year (no, you read that correctly), Metha's Playspan business pulled in over six million in series-A funding last September. The acquisition of PayByCash seems to close the circle nicely on their revenue streams, as PayByCash acts as a payments broker for those without credit cards, currently servicing more than 150 games. Now those payments are going to be even easier, as PayByCash's Ultimate Game Card pre-paid cards are launching in 7-Eleven stores throughout the USA. Want to burn some time in Age of Conan's hyborean lands or delve D&D Online: Stormreach's dungeons, but don't have the credit-card to support your epic adventures? Want to give your favorite MMO gamer a gift? It looks like these colorful cards are the loot you've been looking for. One of the biggest advantages of game cards like this is that they let you pay for your MMO when you've got the cash, rather than being enslaved to the MMO operator's billing cycle. Buy them when you've got the cash free (and hey, it's a 7-Eleven! Grab some Cheetos and soda!) and redeem them when and where you need to. No word yet on whether PayByCash can do the deals to get these into stores elsewhere in the world, but if they can swing it, it will be a big deal for gamers everywhere -- especially in many countries where credit cards are quite rare.
Shopping list: Milk, bread, MMO game time cards...
Let's face it, getting time cards for your favorite game is a necessity. It's up there with the milk, bread, and eggs that you need for your daily survival. We have enough stories about MMO withdrawal to fill a shopping cart, so why not sell our addiction where we can easily grab it? NCsoft got the message and is pushing their time cards out to the masses by partnering up with Target, Rite Aid, and Best Buy. Now you too can literally walk down the street to the drug store and pick up your favorite addiction -- more play time. More importantly, if you're a subscriber to City of Heroes/Villains, grab yourself a time card because it will unlock an in-game jet pack for you to use. The approach isn't anything new, as Nexon has already been providing their cash cards to customers of 7-Eleven convenience stores for some time now. What all of this does show is a marketing push by more game companies to get their cards into the mainstream market of consumer products. Lastly, as a friendly reminder, when you're running out to get those "essentials" at Rite-Aid or Target before that "big storm" hits, remember your desktop computer doesn't work when the power is out.
Activision, 7-Eleven to promote Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, quench thirst
While Activision's upcoming Aerosmith-centric flavor of Guitar Hero may still have some of us sitting on the fence, a new partnership between the publisher and 7-Eleven ensures that we can at least enjoy and icy cold Slurpee while considering rocking out to the "bad boys of Boston." Activision and the convenience store chain, along with Coca-Cola and Microsoft have teamed to promote Guitar Hero: Aerosmith by offering 22-ounce Slurpee cups branded in the series' artwork, though bizarrely the above art is not of the upcoming version at all. Each the cups will include codes on the underside to enter an online contest to win the game, an Xbox 360, or Microsoft Points. According to an official announcement of the promotion, the parties plan on giving away 744 copies of Guitar Hero: Aerosmith and 711,000 Microsoft Points throughout the month of May. In addition, 10 Slurpee drinkers will walk away with a shiny new console and a copy of the game, leaving us pondering the only other question worth asking: Wild Cherry or Classic Cola?
