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New discounts join EU PSN Summer Sale: FIFA 14, Just Cause 2
Sony's European division has rolled out a swath of new discounts now available from the ongoing PlayStation Network Summer Sale including a massive price cut on FIFA 14 and lesser but still impressive discounts on Just Cause 2, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon and 1942: Joint Strike. The aforementioned FIFA 14 discount is the highlight of the sale, as the PlayStation 3 soccer simulation's price has dropped from £59.99 to £19.99. Meanwhile, retro-futuristic shooter Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon has gone from £11.99 to £6.49, open-world action adventure Just Cause 2 has been reduced from £10.99 to £3.99 and arcade shoot 'em up 1942: Joint Strike now bears a £1.69 price in lieu of its previous £7.99 tag. With the exception of FIFA 14, each of these games also receives an additional 10 percent discount for anyone with a valid PlayStation Plus subscription. Though no PlayStation 4 games are included in this swath of new bargains, there are a massive number of discounts available for the PlayStation 3, Vita and PSP handhelds. Pay a visit to the European PlayStation.blog for a full rundown and regional pricing details. [Image: EA]
June NPD: Hardware sales up, Watch Dogs and Mario Kart top games
June was a big month for the gaming industry, according to the NPD, as hardware sales shot up by more than 100 percent, and collective sales of hardware, software and accessories grew by 24 percent. "The 106 percent increase in hardware sales was lifted entirely by console hardware sales, which were up by over 200 percent," notes NPD analyst Liam Callahan. Sony claims the PlayStation 4 was yet again the highest-selling console (for the sixth consecutive month), and Microsoft says that the Kinect-less Xbox One doubled its sales in June. Nintendo's Wii U has experienced a 48 percent growth in hardware sales for the first half of 2014, a feat the company attributes primarily to the success of Mario Kart 8. Despite a decline in overall portable console sales, the 3DS saw a 55 percent increase in sales over May, according to Nintendo. Though Mario Kart 8 has been very successful, it did not take the top software sales spot for June.
FIFA 14, UFC paid Xbox One demos a 'system error,' says EA rep [update]
Xbox One users sensed an apocalypse when they found the system's online store charging $5/£4 for demos of EA games FIFA 14 and EA Sports UFC this morning. However, according to an EA Australia representative, panic stations needn't be manned just yet as the listings are the result of a system error. The EA representative told Polygon that the demos should reset to free within the next 24 hours. The representative also noted the error isn't on the PlayStation Network, and we've verified the demos remain free on PS4. When we approached an EA UK representative he wasn't able to offer official comment at the time of publication. A system error isn't hard to believe considering prior to today the FIFA 14 demo had been free for more than half a year. Also, it's more than a bit odd for it be free on one system and paid on another. In any case, if for some mad reason you're thinking of purchasing one of the demos, wait it out and hopefully we'll get further word from EA soon. Also, if this is an error let's hope EA and Microsoft will be issuing out refunds. Update: An EA UK representative confirmed to Joystiq the priced demos were "due to a technical error," which has now been corrected. We've confirmed both the UFC demo and FIFA 14 demo have been reverted to free.
PSA: Fake EA Sports Instagram account phishing for Xbox, Origin logins
It's World Cup season; reigning champions Spain lost in spectacular fashion and FIFA soccer fans may be interested in rectifying that loss to Chile in FIFA 14's Ultimate Team World Cup mode. Unfortunately, Instagram accounts posing as official EA Sports channels are popping up during this period of piqued interest, posting tempting offers for free in-game currency in order to obtain players' Xbox Live and Origin account details.
Xbox One's World Cup app sets its destination for Brazil
Microsoft announced a new sporty app section for Xbox One today called "Destination Brazil," which connects viewers with a couple of nifty tools to enhance their FIFA World Cup viewing experience. Slated to launch Thursday, June 12, Destination Brazil includes a "Brazil Now" app that snaps to the side of the TV screen to update viewers in real-time on match scores, statistics, interactive polls, relevant tweets and more. The Xbox One will also receive an unscripted TV series starring footballers Thierry Henry and Edgar Davids called "Every Street United," which travels the globe to find talented street soccer players. Every Street United debuts on Sunday, June 15 via its Xbox One and Xbox 360 app or through Xbox Video. Microsoft will also distribute videos on Xbox Video from YouTube soccer channel Copa90 and will provide a quick access point to the special World Cup mode within FIFA 14's Ultimate Team section. As a bonus, those that pick up a copy of FIFA 14 or 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil on either system (well, only Xbox 360 for the latter) will receive a special Xbox-branded mini soccer ball to destroy their lamps with, because they're definitely not Lionel Messi or anything. [Image: Microsoft]
PSA: FIFA 14's World Cup update delayed until tomorrow
For those sitting idly by their consoles, waiting for FIFA 14's Ultimate Team World Cup update, expect it to arrive tomorrow, according to an update on EA's official forums. The update adds a special World Cup mode within FIFA Ultimate Team, the series' card-collecting, squad-building mode. It also offers an offline World Cup kick-off game option for those playing on PS4 or Xbox One, which allows players to use the 32 national teams participating in the tournament this summer. While running its final phase of testing, the developer "encountered unforeseen issues that would affect all users who downloaded the update," and opted to "address them first before release." It anticipated that the World Cup kick-off mode will likely launch "earlier in the day." [Image: EA Sports]
FIFA 14 jets to Brazil with Ultimate Team World Cup mode on May 29
EA Sports announced a free update for FIFA 14 that adds a unique World Cup tournament mode to Ultimate Team, slated to arrive on May 29. The mode offers a separate card-collecting excursion within FIFA 14's Ultimate Team mode in which players gather their World Cup squad to participate in both the online and single-player global tournament. While players won't be able to transfer their current set of Ultimate Team cards to the World Cup mode, all card packs purchased within the tournament set grant players a separate gold-level card pack for their usual FIFA 14 Ultimate Teams. Chemistry for players' World Cup teams is boosted within the mode by each athlete's nationality and confederation affiliation. Additionally, Xbox One and PS4 players will receive an offline FIFA World Cup kick-off mode to play with the 32 national teams participating in the tournament this summer. The Ultimate Team add-on for FIFA 14 is the only way for players to enjoy the World Cup with the correct national team kits, crests and the Estadio do Marcana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on PC and next-gen consoles. EA Sports' other effort to celebrate the global sporting event was with 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, which launched in April for Xbox 360 and PS3. [Image: EA Sports]
Score FIFA 14 for $36 in this week's Xbox Deals
With the World Cup 22 days away, Xbox is getting into the festival mood with a 40 percent sale on FIFA 14 for Xbox One and 360 - that's right, not the World Cup game that just came out. That discount takes the sportsballer down to $36 (£30/42 euros), and as with all of this week's deals, that price stays good until Monday, May 26. If you prefer your contact sports with more bloodshed, the Killer Instinct Ultra Edition is 50 percent off for Combo Break owners, and 12 percent off for everyone else. While the base game is free, the Ultra Edition adds all Season 1 characters, costumes and accessories as well as the classic arcade game from the 90s. Finally, Bandai Namco has a selection of Xbox 360 games on sale that includes musically classic RPG Eternal Sonata for just over $5, the offline-playable Soul Calibur 2 HD for $10, and the Serkis-enhanced Enslaved for around $5 too. For the full list of games and their discounts, hop on over to Major Nelson's. [Image: EA]
UK Charts: FIFA 14 back in the lead, Minecraft PS3 debuts 3rd
FIFA 14 is the most successful FIFA yet in terms of the UK charts, having now held the No. 1 spot for a series-leading 12 weeks. It scraped over the line too, after beating Titanfall by a few hundred sales according to sales-compiler Chart Track. If you think that's a bit too much dominance, then how about this: Four of this week's top five games are from the FIFA and Minecraft series. Except there's only one Minecraft, I hear you cry, but the UK charts denotes the new Minecraft: PlayStation 3 Edition as separate from last year's Xbox 360 Edition. That means Minecraft PS3 is the highest-charting debut in third place, just ahead of Minecraft Xbox 360 and 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. There are some big upcoming games that should split up the pack, such as Mario Kart 8 and Watch Dogs, but one new release that failed to do so was Kirby: Triple Deluxe. The puffball's platformer only debuted in 16th, making it the second first-party 3DS game in a row to fall short of the UK top ten after Mario Golf: World Tour. [Image: EA]
EA's Ultimate Team card sales grew 60% in the last year
Sales for EA's Ultimate Team modes in FIFA, Madden and NHL grew 60 percent year-over-year on a non-GAAP basis (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles), the publisher noted in its 2014 financial earnings report. Additionally, EA said its Ultimate Team services "generated more than $380 million" in fiscal 2014, and that Madden Ultimate Team alone saw a 90 percent year-over-year growth. First debuting for NCAA Football 14 and NBA Live 14 last year, Ultimate Team is a trading card-collecting game mode that's driven EA's digital revenue for a number of years in its other sports games, such as Madden NFL and FIFA. FIFA's digital revenue alone topped $145 million in the first half of the fiscal year, as the publisher revealed in late October. EA reported its fiscal 2014 earnings today, showing a net revenue of $1.12 billion in the fourth quarter of 2014, down from $1.21 billion during the fourth quarter last year. [Image: EA Sports]
Elder Scrolls debuts second in UK, FIFA 14 reclaims the throne
It's not a No. 1, but Bethesda may be quietly satisfied with how The Elder Scrolls Online fared in the UK. The MMO's launch on Windows PC and Mac was enough to take it up to second place, and there are still PS4 and Xbox One versions to unravel in June. As it is, we may have to get used to the name currently on top of the UK charts. FIFA 14 is now up to 11 weeks in total (non-consecutive) as the country's No. 1, and - as if it needed the help - the English soccer season is excitingly close this year, and there's a World Cup just two months away. In related news, let's go live to the scene at EA Sports HQ... [Image: Bethesda]
Xbox 360 Ultimate Sale continues with FIFA 14, Skyrim, Dead Island: Riptide
It's day 3 of the Xbox 360 Ultimate Game Sale, and that means seven more discounts vying to divorce hard-earned cash from bank accounts. The big name games include FIFA 14, Skyrim, and Dead Island: Riptide, but the biggest discount of the day goes to Bejeweled 3; should you want your precious time consumed by addictive match-3 puzzling, the Arcade game is down by a whopping 93 percent to just over a buck. We've got today's one-day-only discounts in full below the break. Don't forget, there's also a collection of games staying on sale throughout the week, including a little-known gem by the name of Portal 2. Could be a sleeper hit, that game, so if you want to get ahead of the curve, it's two-thirds off at $9.89/£6.59/9.89 euros.
Normal service resumed: FIFA 14 reclaims UK No. 1, Fable Anniversary debuts third
FIFA 14 succumbed to a revamped re-release last week, but it fended off Fable Anniversary to resume its rule over the UK. Proving the intrusion by Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition was just a blip, EA's sporting superstar notched its 10th week total as the country's No. 1 - it's only the 11th game to achieve that feat in Chart-Track's ten-year history. As for Fable Anniversary, the Xbox 360 HD-ificiation debuted well at retail, taking third this week. It placed just behind perennial runner-up Call of Duty: Ghosts and just ahead of last week's chart leader, Tomb Raider DE. While FIFA 14 will no doubt continue to sell gazillions as the World Cup approaches, next week should see its pegged back by the first of February's big-hitters: Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13. After that, the next two weeks brings us Thief, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare, and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2.
Need for Speed Rivals, FIFA 14 headline Xbox Live EA Publisher sale
Electronic Arts rolls out a series of discounts on Xbox Live this week, dropping prices for the Xbox 360 Games on Demand versions of Need for Speed Rivals, Crysis 3, FIFA 14 and other standout games in its digital catalog. Rivals, FIFA, and NHL 14 are currently available for $29.99 each, while Crysis 3 is up for grabs at $14.79. Other featured games include Mirror's Edge ($4.94), Dead Space ($7.49), Shank 2 ($2.49), and Alice: Madness Returns ($7.39). This week also brings a collection of exclusive price drops for Xbox Live Gold members, discounting niche XBLA releases like Moon Diver, Blood Knights, and Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds by 50 percent. This week's deals are valid through February 3.
Six weeks and counting: FIFA 14 still leads the UK charts
Usually, the UK charts are interesting. Last year we saw Tomb Raider stay in the top ten for an impressive 25 weeks in a row, albeit 593 weeks less than Square Enix was hoping for. In September, Grand Theft Auto 5 became the UK's fastest-selling game of all time when it notched 2.25 million sales in its first week, leading to an unstoppable crime wave across the country that we all read about in the papers. Exciting stuff! Be that as it may, this week's offering is tumbleweeds. FIFA 14 is No.1 for the sixth week in a row and ninth week in total as it bids to become the Bryan Adams of the gaming charts. Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z is a new entry in tenth, but a practically unchanged top nine tells you more about that than anything. In short, bring on February already.
FIFA 14 still UK No.1, Mario Party: Island Tour debuts 18th
Hey, UK Charts? Are you... you know... taking care of yourself? I mean, I only ask because it kind of looks like you're wearing almost the exact same stuff you had on last week. And hey, is that Aliens: Colonial Marines in your pocket? Are you sure you want to be carrying that thing around with you? You know, in public sight... where everyone can... no, you're right, it's none of my business. Sorry, UK Charts. Still, hey, I saw this new Mario Party: Island Tour thing you might like, just to change things up, you know. Oh, you saw it? And you... 18th? I see. Well, oh man really is that the time I've got to be going. I have this thing... with a book chart. Yeah. No, I'll call you.
FIFA 14's reign continues in this week's statue-like UK charts
The UK charts start 2014 like they ended 2013, and that's not limited to FIFA 14 extending its rule of the holiday roost. For starters, the same games that comprised last week's top ten feature in this week's. Not only that, but the top seven are exactly the same, with nobody moving a single place. In fact, the only movement in the entire top ten is Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition and Just Dance 2014 switching to eighth and ninth respectively. Yes, it is this time of year, and yes, there are no new releases to shake things up. Problem is, it doesn't make for a much to talk about in this post. So to make up for that, here's a gif of a cat going absolutely crazy about a potato. Happy new year, everybody!
Grand Theft Auto 5 tops 2013 entertainment charts in UK
Grand Theft Auto 5 is the top-selling entertainment product in the UK for 2013, driving off with a score of 3.67 million unit sales from retail. Video games held 25 percent of the top 20, with FIFA 14 running third behind the Bond film Skyfall, and Call of Duty: Ghosts in fifth behind The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. FIFA 14 and CoD: Ghosts had 2.65 million and 1.99 million sales, respectively. The other two games that made the UK sales list were Battlefield 4 at spot 15 with 838,869 sales and Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag sailing away with 776,888 sales in the final spot of the Top 20. The list was compiled by UK trade association ERA. MCV points out CoD: Ghosts sales are significantly down from Call of Duty: Black Ops 2's 2.7 million UK sales in 2012. FIFA 14's sales in 2013 were actually up by 40,000. It should be reiterated that these are retail sales in the UK, meaning digital distribution sales that would include a behemoth like Minecraft aren't in the mix.
Best of the Rest: Mike's picks of 2013
Team Joystiq is barging into 2014 with a celebration of last year's best games. Keep reading throughout the week to see our assembly of ingenious indies and triple-A triumphs. FIFA 14 Regardless of any indicator that 2013 was a "tune-up" year for EA Canada's ongoing soccer sim series, FIFA 14 arguably remains the best sports gaming has to offer for another year. Retaining the elements of unpredictability with the game's ball physic, introduced in FIFA 13, the developer improved teammate AI and slowed the game's pace to force more deliberate, tactical on-field play. The result couldn't be any clearer in the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game, which saw significant improvements graphically, particularly in the crowd's character models. While it may not be a top-ten game of the year, FIFA 14 was easily one of the most enjoyable.
UK charts: FIFA 14 on top again, a look back at a momentous year
2013 began with FIFA 13 leading the UK charts, and it ends with FIFA 14 crowned No. 1 for the second week in a row. The smart money is on EA Sports' MVP making it a hat-trick next week; the opening week's charts for each of the last three years has had a FIFA at the top. Rather than focusing on a top ten that's so static you'd think it'd just stuffed its face with Christmas dinner, let's look back through the rear view mirror of statistics at what's been a momentous year of UK charts-ery. We've had two console launches in the space of two weeks, an absolute ton of games, and as ever plenty of Call of FIFA in the charts. 24 different games topped the UK charts in 2013, including one-week wonders like Ni no Kuni, Resident Evil: Revelations, Aliens: Colonial Marines, and Payday 2. The Last of Us spent the most time at the UK's peak, earning six successive weeks as the numero uno in the summer. Pats on the back to FIFA 14 and Call of Duty: Ghosts for each racking five weeks in total, and to four-in-a-row hit Saints Row 4. Talking of successive No. 1s, six games kept top spot for three weeks running or more: BioShock Infinite, Dead Island: Riptide, The Last of Us, Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition, Saints Row 4, and Call of Duty: Ghosts.
