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GameStop holiday sales hit new high of $3.15 billion
GameStop reported $3.15 billion in global sales for the nine-week holiday period ending January 4, 2014. Forgetting about last year's decline, the company compared the latest result to the record-breaking 2012 holiday season of $3.02 billion, which would be an increase of 9.3 percent. "Building off this momentum, we are in an excellent position to drive the global adoption of the next generation of new video game products in 2014," said CEO Paul Raines. "During this transitional console period, strong sales of next generation software were offset by a greater than expected decline in Xbox 360 and PS3 software sales resulting in a 22.5 percent decline in the new software category." "Based on these results, GameStop now expects its fourth quarter and full year 2013 same store sales to be at the high end of the current guidance range," added Chief Financial Officer Rob Lloyd. GameStop had $1 billion in new hardware sales this holiday compared to $524 million in 2012, but as noted by Raines, new software went from $1.39 billion in 2012 to $1.09 this past year. Used games sales remained relatively constant at 18 percent of the holiday business, elevating slightly from $530 to $567.3 million from 2012 to 2014, respectively.
GTA Online update targets cash, progression exploits
A new update for GTA Online, version 1.09, has eradicated a number of cash and player progression glitches, on top of strengthening overall anti-cheat measures in the online multiplayer side of GTA 5. Rockstar hasn't said which exact exploits have been taken care of in the patch notes, nor has the studio offered any context. We've followed up with Rockstar for more information and will update this post accordingly. Rockstar issued three updates to GTA Online throughout December. The first unlocked creation tools for deathmatch and race variants back on December 11. A week later, Rockstar added capture the flag and then, shortly after Christmas, Verified Jobs – special curated online match variants chosen by Rockstar itself. Co-op heists are due sometime later this year.
Rockstar: GTA5's multi-character approach was a 'leap of faith'
Grand Theft Auto 5's inclusion of multiple playable protagonists was one of its defining features, but Rockstar art director Aaron Garbut admitted in a recent interview with Edge that the mechanic was a risky move with a potential to backfire. Garbut revealed that protagonist-switching mechanics were planned from the beginning of GTA5's development as the team pieced together character dynamics and the game's overall tone. While he feels that the feature worked to the game's benefit in the end, Garbut notes that the team took a big risk in making such a critical change to the core GTA series formula. "[Having] multiple characters was a leap of faith," Garbut explained. "It was an interesting idea, and it felt like we could do interesting things with it, but it also felt like a change to the core of the game that might backfire. I think it really worked out. It's so hard during development to get perspective -- you get so used to looking for the problems that it becomes almost impossible to step back and see the positives." Grand Theft Auto 5 featured a story in which protagonists Michael, Franklin, and Trevor take part in key narrative moments both individually and as a group, allowing players to switch between the trio throughout. Previous series entries traditionally featured a single playable protagonist.
Best of the Rest: Xav'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. Splinter Cell: Blacklist Splinter Cell: Blacklist was my Game of the Year for 2013. It's hard to name another game that offers so many different experiences in one box as Blacklist, and even more arduous to name those that have hit the nail so squarely on the head as Ubisoft Toronto (and others) did with Sam Fisher's latest escapade. For franchise fanatics – of which I am one – Blacklist delivered an explosive concoction of everything: the exemplary action of Conviction, the tense stealth of Chaos Theory, and the sublime multiplayer of Pandora Tomorrow. Though its action-movie storytelling can't compete with the likes of other narrative successes launched this year, Blacklist continually entertains throughout its campaign. Its co-op modes are outstanding and its competitive multiplayer is frantic. It's gorgeous, addictive, and, for all these reasons and more, it's my favorite game of the year.
Best of the Rest: Thomas' 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. Pikmin 3 For each day of fruit-harvesting, monster-killing progress I make in Pikmin 3, I burn two or three attempts just mapping out my best possible plan of action on the Gamepad. It's a style of play that I typically move on from pretty quickly, but making off with a hefty batch of resources without more than a few Pikmin dying in the process is so satisfying that it's easy for me to stay with it. It helps that Pikmin 3's world is so interesting to explore, too - guiding Pikmin and their tiny captains through caves, snowy hills and grassy pathways is enjoyable even without discovering new treasures. As inviting as the initial cast is though, crossing paths with the game's creatively stressful brand of wildlife cuts bursts of tension into the task of gathering food. Meeting Pikmin 3's roster of unsettling enemies imposes a sense of vulnerability on me, one I imagine my miniature fleets share while following my lead through larger-than-life environments. Of course, victory feels even better when it involves stomping out populations of nightmarish foes. I've never lasted long when faced with obstacles like those found in Pikmin 3, but its offering of challenge in a creative, intriguing world has kept me invested in daily runs for supplies.
GameStop rings in the new year with savings on GTA 5, more
Did you make it through the holidays with some spare cash? Well, GameStop wants it, and kicked off a new sale to celebrate the new year to get it. The retailer's deals, which stretch from January 3 to January 5, include $50 savings on both the Wii U Skylanders console bundle ($249.99) and the 250 GB Xbox 360 Holiday console bundle, which includes both Halo 4 and Tomb Raider for $249.99. The games on sale for the next few days, some of which carry over from GameStop's last sale, are as follows: Grand Theft Auto 5 and NBA 2K14 for $39.99 each, Gears of War: Judgment ($19.99), the Xbox One and PS4 versions of Lego Marvel Super Heroes for $49.99 and Wii U, Xbox 360 and PS3 versions for $39.99 as well as the 3DS version of Angry Birds: Star Wars for $19.99 and the DS, Xbox 360 and PS3 versions for $29.99.
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.
A legendary chat with Wrathion VA Aaron Phillips
One of the more intriguing new characters to come out of Cataclysm was Wrathion, who took a curious journey through the Badlands as an egg and emerged with dubious intentions during the rogue legendary quest chain. Since then, Wrathion has led many a player of every class on a merry chase across the wilds of Pandaria in a legendary quest meant not just for rogues, but for all. Wrathion's motives have always been a little unclear, and whether he's working on the side of good, or with slightly more evil intentions, has been up for debate since his first appearance. But Wrathion simply wouldn't be Wrathion without the voice that brought him to life as a sometimes petulant, sometimes angry, and sometimes touchingly desperate whelp with an apparent plan to save the world. Whether casually ordering Fahrad to break a pair of legs, pleading with Chi-Ji, or throwing the temper tantrum to end all temper tantrums in his temporary home, the voice of Wrathion has been just as distinctive as the character itself. So how does one bring life to such a strange character? We were lucky enough to have the opportunity to ask Wrathion's voice actor himself. Aaron Phillips may be immediately recognizable for Wrathion, but his works far exceed the vocal stylings of one angsty dragon -- and you may be surprised to note that you've likely heard him in a variety of places.
GTA Online gets first Rockstar Verified jobs
Rockstar has released the first run of "Rockstar Verified" jobs for Grand Theft Auto Online, the multiplayer component of Grand Theft Auto 5. Chosen directly by Rockstar, these jobs represent some of the best content crafted by players using GTA Online's creation tools. All told, 10 jobs have been verified, including six races and four deathmatches. Their content ranges from rooftop races to full-on military vehicle shootouts. The jobs were culled from both the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of GTA 5 but, as Rockstar notes, these jobs are available on both platforms now that they've been verified. Players can expect "many, many more" Rockstar Verified jobs in the future.
GameStop post-Christmas sale hacks $10 off select next-gen games, more
That money grandma tucked into your card this year? GameStop wants it, and is holding a post-Christmas winter sale to get it. The retailer's deals end on December 29 and take $10 off the following Xbox One and PS4 games: Call of Duty: Ghosts, FIFA 14, Battlefield 4, Need For Speed: Rivals, Madden 25 and NBA Live 14. Each game is $10 cheaper on their respective current-gen platforms as well. Additionally, Assassins Creed 4: Black Flag and Battlefield 4 are discounted to $39.99 on their other respective platforms (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U and PC), though the former isn't on sale for PS4 or Xbox One. GameStop's sale page features a number of items that aren't discounted at all, including listings for available Xbox One and Wii U consoles. Among the other games and accessories on sale are Tearaway ($19.99), Grand Theft Auto 5 ($39.99), NBA 2K14 for Xbox 360 and PS3 ($39.99), Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD Remix ($24.99) and Gran Turismo 6 ($39.99).
GTA Online receives capture-the-flag themed update today
GTA Online, the online side of Grand Theft Auto 5, gets a free update today that adds four new capture-the-flag modes. It being GTA, the flags are so much pieces of fabric as they are suspect packages and stolen vehicles. Simply titled Capture, the update brings Raid, Hold, GTA, and Contend to the game's team-based modes, along with 20 new jobs. A quick rundown of the modes, then: Raid sounds like standard CTF, with teams attacking bases to seize packages and bring them to their bases. Hold, meanwhile, is about finding packages and storing as many as you can in your base - unlike Raid, packages are also dotted across the map. GTA is like Raid, but with vehicles spread across the map. Finally, Contend is centered around a single vehicle that respawns after it's successfully captured. According to Rockstar, the update is available now through Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network. It also adds a bunch of tweaks and fixes that you can check out here.
GTA5, CoD: Ghosts rank as Raptr's most-played games of 2013
Stat-tracking gaming community Raptr has released its list of the most-played games of 2013, revealing that site members sunk more hours into the Xbox 360 version of Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto 5 in its first month of release than any other individual game released this year. While GTA5 ranked as the site's most-played game in its first 30 days of release, Activision's Call of Duty: Ghosts emerged as the single most-played Xbox 360 game for all of 2013, beating out popular favorites like Minecraft, FIFA 13, and Halo 4. Raptr's results name League of Legends as its most-played PC game of 2013, outperforming rival MOBA Dota 2 and MMORPGs Rift and World of Warcraft. Grinding Gear Games' Path of Exile takes top honors as the site's most-played new IP, while Terraria's 1.2 content update ranks as the year's most-played DLC/expansion. It's worth noting that Raptr only tracks member playtime across the Xbox 360 and PC platforms; Wii U and PlayStation 3 gameplay is not calculated as part of the site's rankings. Still, the results give an interesting look at how much time players invest in a game after its release on an individual platform, as compared to its long-term popularity throughout the year.
PSA: Free deathmatch, race creation tools join GTA Online
Grand Theft Auto 5's open-world online component just grew a bit more creative with today's release of the Deathmatch & Race Creators Beta update. As we reported earlier, this patch adds a free toolset to Grand Theft Auto Online that allows players to build their own drag strips, killing fields and myriad other combinations of vehicles and explosives. Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Race, Rally Race and the weaponized GTA Race game types are available for players to modify. Developer Rockstar has included a tutorial that should load automatically the first time you attempt to build something within the toolset, and it "highly recommends" that players sit through the whole thing. From there however, you're free to build to your heart's content. Alongside the new toolset, today's free update also includes a "a host of new fixes and updates for Grand Theft Auto 5's Story Mode and GTA Online," including higher cash payouts in missions with increased difficulty, and an option to lock deathmatch games to specific weaponry.
Take a convoluted trip to North Yankton via this GTA Online glitch
A GTA Online glitch reveals the snowy streets of North Yankton can be found in the online component of Grand Theft Auto 5, suggesting the area may feature (officially) in some future update. North Yankton, if you recall, is the state in which the very first mission takes place, set some nine years before the main events of the game. If you fancy revisiting the area in GTA Online, this CVG video shows you how to get there. To summarize, you'll have to replay that prologue mission, then get to a certain point and stand in a certain place, then get a friend to invite you into a GTA Online closed session. After that you'll have to call a helicopter, and head to some mountains floating surreally in the bottom right of the map. Simple, no? Well no, no it's not, but it is a bit clever. Anyway, get your snow boots on while you still can, because it seems likely Rockstar will shut off the route in a future patch.
Race, deathmatch tools in GTA Online this week; heists and story content in 2014
A new update is coming to GTA Online – the online side of GTA 5 – this week, unlocking race and deathmatch creation tools for all players. Using these tools, players can set up custom race and shootout jobs to play with friends and publish the custom game types to the Rockstar Games Social Club. The creation tools will be included in a mandatory title update, which could be available as early as tomorrow, on PS3 and Xbox 360. This month will also see the addition of Capture mode, a variant of the classic Capture the Flag mode. Up to four teams fight to steal goods from other enemy squads' bases and get back to their own with the goods. Rockstar promises more info on Capture mode next week. Finally, Rockstar has outlined a few updates coming to GTA Online next year. Co-op heists is the biggest update due in the new year, though Rockstar also says the GTA 5 story mode will get some new stuff in 2014 "continuing Michael, Franklin and Trevor's action, mayhem and unexpected adventures in Southern San Andreas."
And the VGX 2013 winners are ...
The winners of the 2013 Spike VGX awards have been announced, and we've got them all compiled here for your viewing pleasure. Waiting to see who took home Best Studio, Best Character, Game of the Year and more? Well wait no more! Envelope, please. These are the winners that were announced during the VGX 2013 awards show: Best Action Adventure Game: Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag Best Sports Game: NBA 2K14 Best Indie Game: Gone Home Best Shooter: Bioshock Infinite Studio of the Year: Naughty Dog Game of the Year: Grand Theft Auto 5 Of course, there are many, many more awards to be won, and many more monkeys to be handed out. If you want to see the full list of winners for every category, check out the official site of VGX 2013.
Rockstar Warehouse offers up plush version of GTA5's Chop for adoption
Did you find yourself falling in love with Franklin's misbehaving Rottweiler in between heists in Grand Theft Auto 5? The Rockstar Warehouse is now offering a cuddly Chop plush toy for $30, complete with a bullet-shaped dog whistle. Chop comes equipped with a removable leather collar, along with "a secret stash pocket - conveniently located in his undercarriage." The Rockstar Store added a selection of other merchandise as part of its GTA5 Collection this week, including a logo-emblazoned hoodie, a black cotton beach towel, and a leash and collar for real-world Rottweilers.
Leaked video shows GTA Online's unreleased content creator
GTA Online, the multiplayer side of Grand Theft Auto 5, will eventually add a content creator first promised in the announcement trailer, but one plucky individual managed to uncover it early, or at least an old version of it, in the current game code. The above video, from the same individual who discovered potential upcoming DLC packs in the Beach Bum update game code, shows how the content cam works. Spawning weaponry appears to be a snap and even though we don't get to see this YouTuber start up any matches, you can clearly see options for beginning a Race or Deathmatch. Rockstar Games has yet to announce when the full content creator will be unlocked in GTA Online.
Grand Theft Auto Online hidden audio files divulge possible DLC
Buried in the Beach Bum DLC for Grand Theft Auto Online is a smattering of audio files that hint at possible future DLC packs, including mentions of spying, a camera phone upgrade, racing for pink slips and casinos. The audio files were picked up by YouTuber Franken Stein and shared with NeoGAF by Allenous. There's no word if these audio files are part of something larger, but listening to the disparate, nonsensical voices reminds us of all the family meals we're having this holiday weekend.
GTA Online rifles and accessories are half-off this weekend
Rockstar is bringing holiday cheer to Grand Theft Auto 5 with a couple of discounted pieces of in-game content for GTA Online. Players can celebrate Thanksgiving with half-off deals for all rifles and rifle ammo and attachments, specifically the game's assault, carbine, heavy, advanced and sniper rifle weapons. The sales start tomorrow and last through December 1. Additionally, Rockstar discounted all black-colored clothing, accessories and vehicle modification items to celebrate Black Friday by 50 percent (though the sale for these items are also good through December 1). The vehicle modification items include window tinting, black license plates and black tire smoke for your car of choice.
