q1 2010
Latest
Nintendo issues a 3DS release date date
Find the headline confusing? Well, the explanation won't help to assuage the muddle much. A Nintendo spokesman told Bloomberg Japan that Ninty plans to announce the Nintendo 3DS price and release date on September 29th. Thus far, we've only seen speculation about pricing (between $249 and $299) and release dates (between October and March, 2011). So yeah, we still don't know when or for how much but at least we know when we'll find out when and for how much. Make sense?
XBLA sales stats for first half of 2010, as deduced from leaderboard data
Gamerbytes has compiled a list of several Xbox Live Arcade games and their performance in the first half of 2010 based on data derived from leaderboards. First, there are the top performers: Trials HD apparently had the biggest user base, jumping from 600,000 players to over a million during the first half of 2010 (not counting its DLC, which had almost 300,000 players over that period). But how about games that launched this year? Well, Perfect Dark enlisted 265,000, and Toy Soldiers and its DLC managed to recruit a combined 346,000 players. Risk: Factions and Snoopy Flying Ace have yet to reach 100,000. Other games didn't fare so well, with several failing to capture the attention of even 1,000 users -- Voodoo Dice, Ben 10 and Fret Nice were near or below that mark -- and of the 24 new games that Gamerbytes catalogued, only 13 managed to reach 10,000 players. Seeing how deals and promotions affected the growth of user bases on older titles is particularly interesting in the case of Zombie Apocalypse and TMNT: ReShelled, both of which came darn close to doubling their respective audiences when discounts were applied.
Xbox division posts $165 million profit in fiscal Q3 on strength of Xbox Live business
Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division, the portion of the giant company responsible for Xbox operations (as well as Zune and Games for Windows) brought in $165 million in profits during the company's third quarter of fiscal 2010, which ended March 31. In the same period last year, the division lost $41 million. The soaring profits were a result of a record third-quarter revenue haul of $14.5 billion for Microsoft, with the E&D division accounting for $1.67 billion of that total. CFO Peter Klein cited Xbox Live as one of the factors responsible for the company's growth. In fact, Xbox Live, and the reduced cost of Xbox 360 manufacturing, helped the E&D division profit despite console shipments falling year-over-year, from 1.7 million shipments in Q3 of fiscal 2009 to 1.5 million in 2010. Tacking on to the last reported figures, Xbox 360 shipments have now surpassed 40 million units worldwide. With so many Xbox 360 units in the wild, Microsoft's Q3 Form 10-Q document [.docx] brings up a very good point: "Our hardware products such as the Xbox 360 console are highly complex and can have defects in design, manufacture, or associated software." You don't say.
Prison Break escaping March 30; new screens released
We have no doubt you've been counting the days (likely via tick marks on the wall), waiting for more information on Zootfly/Deep Silver's Prison Break, so you'll be glad to hear that the game finally got a solid release date (March 30) and a price ($49.99 on 360/PS3, $39.99 on PC) today from its publisher. Along with the mess of new screens we've dropped below into a gallery, this is just about the most flush we've been with Prison Break info in the entire history of the game's development cycle -- and it's coming out in just under three weeks! As the game's coming from the developer of Mr. T: The Game, we're willing to give this one a shot just so we can support the company's upcoming adventure into madness. %Gallery-87934%
New Street Fighter IV iPhone media arrives on US shores
Though we all got a first eyes-on with Street Fighter IV's iPhone appearance not too long ago via an exclusive early look from GamePro, Capcom just officially released the first video of the game as well as a smattering of new screenshots (all 32 of which have been conveniently compiled by Andriasang). And while the trailer seen above features the same two fighters (Ken and Ryu) that the last video did, we certainly don't mind getting another chance to marvel at the uncanny vision of Street Fighter IV being played competitively on iPhones; it's quite like being drunk in North Korea -- something just doesn't feel right. The trailer also gives a "Coming March 2010" at the end, so it would seem that we don't have too much longer before we'll be able to marvel at the game from the comfort of our own phones. %Gallery-86253%
Final Fantasy XIV closed beta goes live March 11
If you're anything like us (or our partners over at Massively), you were hurriedly clicking refresh on the official VanaFest 2010 website for news about the now eight-year-old Final Fantasy XI MMO last night. If you were, then you might've caught the momentary mention that the first wave of (closed) beta testing for the next Final Fantasy MMO (that's number 14, for those of you playing along at home) will be going live on March 11. Square also assuaged fears of missing out on the closed beta by saying that "Those who were not selected in this drawing, fear not, for there will be other opportunities to come," adding that interested parties should "Be sure to stay tuned!" We figure if we're not invited, you know, all the more time to play that other Final Fantasy release, right? %Gallery-64870%[Via Massively]
Roundup: Wii and DS game release dates for 2010
Today's Nintendo Media Summit played host to a whirlwind dating game with quite a few players. If all the excitement got your heart thumping but left your head spinning, then you'll be relieved to find our list of matches -- each game paired with its release date (or release window ... or release season) -- posted just after the break. You're welcome!
DSi XL releasing March 28 for $190 in North America
[Business Wire] At its Media Summit today, Nintendo just announced the North American release date for its new, enormous DSi, the DSi XL: March 28. On that day, you'll be able to walk into a store and pick up a DS that makes your hands (and Cammie Dunaway's head) look super tiny for $189.99; a $20 premium over the regular-sized DSi. Hopefully, we'll hear about some new DS games to play on the vast expanses of DSi XL screen space today as the Nintendo Media Summit continues. Update: The system will be available in Burgundy and Bronze at launch, and will be preloaded with both DSiWare Brain Age games, Photo Clock, the DSi Browser, and Flipnote Studio.
Infinite Space lands on DS March 16
Ready to leave your boring home planet and take off on a grand, spacefaring adventure in your very own spaceship? Like, with a crew and everything? Sega has issued the North American release date for Platinum Games and Nude Maker's Infinite Space for DS. You'll be able to build onto your spaceship, engage in space battles and do other space things on March 16. There's a new trailer above -- not as far above as space, just at the top of this post. For some reason, every game from Platinum has been released in the first quarter of the year -- MadWorld in March 2009, Bayonetta in January 2010, and now Infinite Space in March. Will Vanquish debut in Q1 2011?
Blue Toad Murder Files coming March 25 to North American PSN
Just because a game exclusively features powerful British accents doesn't mean said game can't be released outside of Europe. The episodic PSN mystery series Blue Toad Murder Files will make its way to North America on March 25. Episodes One, Two and Three can be purchased as a single bundle for $14.99, or separately for $7.49 apiece. If you've got a hankering for some Layton-esque brainteasers wrapped in an overarching, cartoonish story, Blue Toad will probably scratch that itch. If you just want to hear a manly-voiced gentleman bellow the word "maaaahdaaaaahhh" over and over again, it should satisfy that desire too.
EEDAR: Mass Effect 2 best-selling January release ever
EEDAR vice president and analyst Jesse Divnich has sent out some surprising facts about game sales during the month of January. Well, okay -- it isn't exactly chart shattering that a crapton (that's 572,000) of Mass Effect 2 units were sold last month, but, according to EEDAR's calculations, the game managed to become the best-selling January release of all time in just six days of retail availability. Even with such a small window to achieve the record, Mass Effect 2 completely destroyed the previous record-holder: Poor, poor NFL Street for PS2 (with 325,000 units in sales, for the old record). Though Mass Effect 2 certainly set a high bar for the quarter, Divnich's report suggests that game sales aren't likely to decline with blockbusters like Final Fantasy XIII and God of War III just around the corner. His firm also promises to closely watch sales of Dante's Inferno -- if the game can can beat its expected sales target of 500,000 units over the next three months, it means that those outlandish PR stunts were effective and we can look forward to more cake arms and $200 checks once Purgatorio is inevitably announced. Awesome.
Ghost Recon also headed to Wii, PSP, and DS; Wii version developed by a different team
Among the handful of Ubiscoops about 2010's releases coming out of today's investor call, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot brought up the tactical Tom Clancy franchise Ghost Recon. Beyond the already revealed platforms for Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, Guillemot detailed the franchise's further ubiquity, saying the next Ghost Recon game will "be on all platforms: 360, PS3, Wii, PSP, [and] DS." He noted that the Wii version of Ghost Recon will "be done by a different team" with a "different approach ... created for that Wii population." Presumably, the game will involve standing on the balance board to approximate a sniper's breathing -- and it'll also be made up entirely of mini-games. Whoa, whoa -- calm down there killer. We're just joshin' ya! He also confirmed something we've been mentioning for months now: "There will be more competition in the first eight months than in the last four." Get your calculators and spreadsheets out, folks -- early 2010 is gonna be a bruiser like we've never seen before (on our bank accounts, that is).
Runaway: A Twist of Fate gets a flood of media, March/April release date in the UK
If you're reading this post from across the Atlantic, chances are you're wondering why we're announcing a release date for Runaway: A Twist of Fate, a game that was released in France and Germany four months ago. Well, you see, for those of you in the UK, the third game in the Runaway point-and-click adventure series is just arriving, with publisher Focus Home Interactive pinning March and April release dates on the PC/Nintendo DS title (respectively). Aside from a website jam-packed with video of the game (including the trailer you see above and two more after the break), the publisher released a handful of screens that we've added to a gallery for your perusal just below. Don't say we never did nothin' for ya! %Gallery-84237%
Dead to Rights: Retribution dated April 13 in NA, April 16 in Europe
Along with yesterday's news of ninja dog pre-orders and a snazzy "noir style" graphics filter, Dead to Rights: Retribution has been given a release date of April 13 and April 16th for North America and Europe (respectively). That means you've got just under three months to start preparing for the reboot to the Dead to Rights series -- and three-ish months to prepare for some hard choices. In case you'd forgotten, April is the month that brings us the much delayed Splinter Cell: Conviction, Capcom's Super Street Fighter IV and Monster Hunter Tri, as well as Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption. And yes, again, this is the busiest Q1 ever. Good luck! %Gallery-45220%
Apple posts $3.38b Q1 profit: iPhone sales double, Macs up 33 percent, iPods down eight
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/Apple_posts_3_38b_Q1_profit_iPhone_sales_double_Macs_up_3'; Apple just turned in its Q1 financials, revealing that iPhone sales have doubled in the past quarter compared to last year, Mac sales are up 33 percent, and iPod sales continue to decline with an eight percent dip from a year ago. The company brought in revenues of $15.68 billion, good for $3.38 billion in profit, or $3.67 profit per share. That's up from last quarter's profit of $2.26 billion on $11.88 billion in revenue, and in fact, it's Apple's all-time highest revenue and profits. Steve sounds pretty pleased in the PR, and hints at far more to come: "The new products we are planning to release this year are very strong, starting this week with a major new product that we're really excited about." We're sure to find out more later on the analyst conference call, so stay tuned. Update: We're jumping on the call now, we'll update the good parts in semi-liveblog style after the break, since we're sure the real action will come on Wednesday. Let's go.
Video game release highlights for first half 2010
.nounderline a { text-decoration: none; } You know, we were having a heckuva time committing all the compelling first half retail releases of 2010 to memory, so then we thought, why not write them down? Bookmark this calendar to track your most anticipated games. Check back for updates -- and let us know what's on your radar in the comments section. (Time to crack open that piggy bank, eh?) Updated: May 14 January | February | March | April | May | June | Q3–Q4 | TBD
Capcom game delays cause lowered 2009 sales forecast
Unsurprisingly, in the announcement of delays of several games out of Q1 2010, Capcom also lowered its financial forecast for that period (which is its fiscal Q4), and for the fiscal year as a whole. The publisher adjusted its expected net sales for the year from ¥95 billion ($1.04 billion) to ¥65 billion ($711.62 million) as a result. In addition, the company is posting a "special loss" of 4.5 billion yen, associated with the costs of restructuring its businesses -- a move that mostly involved changes in the company's pachinko operations in Japan. Capcom closed two arcades, and plans to downsize its pachinko and arcade businesses to put more resources into home video games. Source - Presentation Material of Forecast Revisions and Plan for the Next Fiscal Year (PDF link) Source - Capcom Announces Special Loss and Forecast Revision
SOCOM Fireteam Bravo 3 delayed one more time
News of yet another SOCOM delay should be unsurprising to those who have been following the franchise since Slant Six took the reigns from Zipper Interactive. Fans have only recently received the long-awaited SOCOM Confrontation 1.60 patch, one that fixed crucial game-crashing bugs; after months of suffering through bugs and game balance issues, Joystiq commenter Solace went so far as to call Confrontation a "glorified beta." For reasons not yet revealed by SCEA, the upcoming PSP installment, Fireteam Bravo 3, has been pushed back from its already-delayed January 12 release date. Considering Sony's admitted failure at marketing the upcoming tactical shooter, a later date will certainly give the publisher more time to prepare the title for retail. A new release date will be announced "in the coming weeks," according to an SCEA rep, but we wonder if SOCOM fans will have any patience left when that day comes.
Nintendo dates Endless Ocean 2, Pokemon HeartGold, more
Nintendo's Q1 release schedule is as packed with new information as all Nintendo release schedules are. In addition to the announcements we've already covered, Nintendo confirmed the March 14 date for Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. Endless Ocean 2, another game Nintendo has been silent about since E3, is now called Endless Ocean: Blue World, and e-divers will be able to start exploring it on February 22. Some big WiiWare indies are on the way in Q1, including And Yet It Moves and Super Meat Boy. See the full list of releases, including a series of unannounced, Nintendo-published DSiWare games, after the break.
FYI: WarioWare DIY does it on DS in March
One of Nintendo's most exciting announcements from E3 was the localization of WarioWare DIY, a DS app that lets players create their own WarioWare games, with custom graphics, sound, and gameplay. Nintendo didn't happen to offer a date during the thrilling E3 presentation, and it's said nothing at all about what should be a major part of the publisher's DS lineup -- until today. In its Q1 schedule, Nintendo provided a date of March 28. You're not buying anything in March, right? The company also offered a Q1 date for WarioWare DIY Showcase, the WiiWare game through which WarioWare DIY games can be uploaded and played on a big screen.
