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Left Behind Games signs distribution deal with Jack of All Games
On the surface, this is a post about Left Behind Games (you know, they make those Left Behind games?) signing a distribution deal with Jack of All Games. But really, the only interesting thing is that the author feels it necessary to name Wal-Mart specifically as the first major retailer carrying the games, even though of course it is.No, we really just wanted to supply you with a link to the official Left Behind game site and ask that you click the "Left Behind" button and watch the subsequent video. You can thank us after you check out the "in-game film."
Best Buy selling 80GB PS3 with LittleBigPlanet and Wall-E
Best. Bundle. Ever.Seriously, if you haven't picked up a PS3 yet, there's no need to wait for an oft-rumored price cut. For $399, Best Buy's offering an 80GB PS3 bundled with a copy of Media Molecule's DIY platformer, LittleBigPlanet, and Pixar's cautionary environmental tale, Wall-E. That's about $90 worth of complimentary adorability -- an offer that we find difficult to pass up. Just look at those big button/robot eyes. How can you say no? Awwww.
Sony to leave the "battle to the bottom" of Blu-ray player prices alone, for 2009 at least
Just in case you were wondering whether Sony would get down and dirty with the low-priced rabble this year, word from its community blog is the company predictably held its premium brand mantle high, proclaiming during a recent industry analyst meeting that it wouldn't be launching a value-priced Blu-ray player. Still, after turning around and selling TVs bearing its name at Wal-mart of all places, we would be surprised to see Sony flip on this policy and offer price-conscious shoppers a Vizio alternative sooner rather than later.
Georgia men arrested for returning 'games'
Like all crime, the meticulous effort three Georgia men put into buying, opening and selling games -- only to return the seemingly unopened boxes for a refund -- didn't pay. Atlanta's Fox 5 News reports that 29-year-old Levar Thornton, 19-year-old Michael Cunningham and 18-year-old Tyrell Myers managed to swap game discs for blank CD-R media using games purchased from 11 area Wal-Mart stores, amounting to 200 returns in all.Once the retailer eventually got wise to the scam (guess it had enough of customers complaining their "unopened" games contained blank discs), police arrested the trio, who were found with 400 shipping receipts on them. Evidently, they had sold the swiped software via eBay to tune of at least $10,000, according to Wal-mart's estimated losses.We're not exactly sure what to make of this final detail: The report states that all of the stolen games were for Xbox 360.[Thanks, User_Name!] [Image]
Vizio's VBR100 Blu-ray player is a $188 Wal-mart exclusive next month
We still don't know what it looks like, but during its line show, Vizio let slip that the sub-$200 VBR100 Blu-ray player announced at CES is now scheduled to come to Wal-mart only in July. For $188 (just not that cheap anymore) Wal-mart shoppers can expect a BD-Live ready (with optional 1GB+ USB thumbdrive attached) player, though no details on codec or output support. Don't shop at Wal-mart for philosophical reasons, quality concerns or fear of being trampled during an early Black Friday rush? A similar VBR110 model should follow, coming to other retailers around November/December, just in time to match with that brand new WiFi connected Netflix / Amazon / Twitter etc. widget packing LCD.
New PS3 bundle includes MLB 09 The Show, Quantum of Solace movie
Just in time for Papi Day (June 21), it appears that a new PS3 bundle will release June 14, which includes MLB 09 The Show and the Quantum of Solace movie on Blu-ray. Shots of the 80GB system, which will still carry the $399 price, were sent to us by a friendly Walmart insider.We've contacted Sony for official confirmation of the bundle, but it appears not to be a Walmart exclusive from initial checks. We also can't confirm that this bundle is the one previously discovered in the Best Buy system, as more detailed photos revealing the UPC don't match up. We'll update if we hear something back from Sony.[Thanks, Ray]
iSuppli sees TV sales continuing to expand despite the economy, Samsung keeps the overall lead
Even the economy can't keep HDTV sales down, according to iSuppli's research. In lieu of travel and going out, we're buying bigger TVs to stay home and watch, with sales of flat panel displays in the $600 - $999 range rising the fastest, while Wal-mart is very close to catching Best Buy in marketshare. Samsung's plasma sales kept it narrowly in the overall lead over upstart (and new LCD champ) Vizio, but we'll have to wait and see how long that lasts.[Via Yahoo Tech]
Analyst: Wal-Mart game trade-in kiosks are no threat to GameStop
Signal Hill analyst Todd Greenwald doesn't believe Wal-Mart's new automated game trade-in program will pose a threat to GameStop, calling the new kiosks "more of a traffic driver to Wal-Mart's stores ... than something that will take meaningful share from Gamestop's core consumers." Greenwald believes that the instant-gratification factor of GameStop's trade-ins will insulate the chain from losing its market to Wal-Mart's machines. He also said that the credit offered by the kiosks "doesn't seem to be significantly higher than what GameStop is offering to pay."He believes that these Wal-Mart kiosks are just the first of many such automated movie and game kiosks to appear in the near future, some of which, he expects, will not just buy and sell, but also trade products. Despite the oncoming competition, Greenwald calls GameStop "nearly bullet-proof," explaining that the company has several thousand copies of 50 Cent: Bulletproof. Okay, he didn't actually say that last part.[Image via Neocrisis]
Wal-Mart making move for Circuit City's old slice of the pie, prepping for Apple sections, Pre sales and higher-end electronics
While Wal-Mart will always be our hot spot of choice for picking up a mixed assortment box of granola bars and meeting other thrifty, outdoors-loving singles, the retailer is on a course to upping its electronics game, in light of the void left by Circuit City's closure -- about $11.1 billion in annual revenue just there for the taking. The store is rolling out new boutique sections for Apple and Nintendo products to some of its electronics departments this week, is adding to its selection higher-end Sony and Samsung televisions, will be expanding its Blu-ray equipment and selection, is nabbing some Studio One 19 all-in-ones from Dell next month, and obviously is getting the Palm Pre next month as well. Apple has been traditionally slow to offer up its higher-end products to Wal-Mart shelves, so hopefully this means that not only will Wal-Mart be doing Macs "right," but perhaps Apple will give a little in return and offer some more sub-$1000 macs beyond the Mac mini and low-end MacBook -- some Laptop Hunters fare, if you will.[Via AppleInsider]
Palm Pre on June 6th for $200: It's official!
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/hardware/Palm_Pre_release_date_confirmed'; The day you've been waiting for is here. Sprint just announced that the Pre will cost $199.99 after $100 mail-rebate and 2-year contract and will launch on June 6th as rumored this morning. The phone will go on sale nationwide (US-only at the moment) at Sprint stores, Best Buy, Radio Shack, and select Wal-Mart stores. The Pre will be available under Sprint's Everything Data or Business Essentials with Messaging and Data plans. Accessories include the optional $69.99 Touchstone charging dock kit that includes the $49.99 dock and $19.99 Pre back cover. June 6th, that's two days before the WWDC keynote. Poor Apple.
Wal-Mart wants your copy of NFL 2K1: Now accepting trade-ins
Adding to the already robust list of big box retailers offering game trade-ins, Wal-Mart is apparently entering the fray with a variety of less than fantastically functioning trade-in kiosks (read as: robots). Some photos were snapped by the folks at NeoCrisis and, according to the writer's experience, GameStop probably shouldn't be too worried, as no games were actually able to be traded in.Gamasutra spoke with Wal-Mart and has found out that the kiosks belong to E-Play, a company that specializes in game rental and trade-in kiosks that are hosted in a variety of locations. The current set of machines are part of a now running pilot program, found in only 0.02 percent of Wal-Mart's 3,656 US outlets. Good news, though! The machines are said to accept games from the Xbox and PlayStation 2 era as well, so you can finally get rid of that copy of Blinx you were really hoping would become rare some day!Source 1 - CheapAssGamerSource 2 - NeoCrisisSource 3 - Gamasutra
White DualShock 3 already in the US: Photo says yes, Sony says no
click to enlarge We first saw evidence that Sony might be planning to expand the selection of DualShock 3 colors in the US last month, when retailer GameStop listed a silver version of the controller for release on June 24. Now we have a photo, via a tipster, of what's purportedly a US model of the white DualShock 3 already available in Japan -- purchased at a Wal-Mart in Florida. Henry, who sent in the photo, says it was the only one left at the store where he bought it. He also included additional pics showing the rest of the seemingly North American packaging, complete with bilingual English / French adorning the front and back. Naturally, we got in touch with Sony to ask about this find ... and were told it doesn't exist. Specifically, when we inquired whether this was some sort of "stealth" release, an SCEA hardware PR rep told us, "We have no plans to release a white Dualshock 3." No plans? Did someone not get the memo, or, as our tipster suggests, accidentally ship out something that's not due to be announced until E3?This is where you come in. If you spot a white, official first-party DualShock 3 in US packaging, send us a photo along with info on when and where you saw it. Better yet, if you find and buy one, send us a photo of the receipt, too. You know how to reach us.[Thanks, Henry!]%Gallery-63257%
Best Buy still leads in Blu-ray sales, but Wal-mart is closing in
Looks like the gap among HD media retailers is narrowing, with Wal-mart slowly closing in on Best Buy's 40 - 50% marketshare estimated by retail analysts asked by Video Business. As the DVD market shifts to Blu-ray, it's expected that market shares begin to resemble those of DVD where Wal-mart holds sway with 40% of the sales. Our poll results show that most of you report copping at Amazon (home of the frequent BOGO, low prices and other promotions,) but do you see changing dealers as Blu-ray goes more mainstream?
Birthday boy gets box of rocks instead of Nintendo DS
No, you're not being mercilessly attacked by an unyielding feeling of déjà vu for no good reason -- we really have seen something eerily similar to this happen before. This go 'round, we've got a totally innocent ten year old boy who was given Guitar Hero for DS prior to even owning a console; as the mother finally ended the tease, she handed him a shiny new DS handheld for him to unwrap. Unfortunately for everyone involved, all that was tucked inside was a couple of stones, a Chinese newspaper and boatloads of disappointment. After the Walmart store from which she purchased it referred her to the Big N, she furiously admitted the following: "They don't want to do nothing. They want me to keep the box of rocks. I'm not buying a box of rocks for $138." Thankfully, Wally World finally refunded her and threw in a $20 gift card for the trouble (after being hounded by a local news station, mind you), but the real damage -- losing all hope in humanity -- will never be undone. Ever.[Via plugged in]
Surprise: Your DS is made of rocks and newspaper
There's nothing quite like giving your child the gift of DS, watching them tear open the packaging to find ... some rocks, and a Chinese newspaper. That's the magical experience Florida's Jodi Wykle had recently, before returning to Wal-Mart and demanding a refund; a refund the mega-retailer was hesitant to provide. "They don't want to do nothing. They want me to keep the box of rocks. I'm not buying a box of rocks for $138," said the obviously savvy shopper.Wal-Mart eventually acquiesced when it learned that this same box had been returned by a previous customer. When asked why they would re-shelve a box filled with rocks, the employees said, "Well, it's a pretty dumb thing to do, and we figured that Joystiq would really enjoy writing about something like that happening." ... No, no, they didn't say that. But we're betting their hearts did.[Thanks, Alex S.!]
Guitar Hero World Tour Xbox bundles $99 at Wal-Mart
Now, we know that Guitar Hero World Tour isn't nearly as a good as that other rhythm title, but if you're a starving faux-artist on a budget, you might be interested to know that Wal-Mart is offering the Xbox 360 version of the full band World Tour bundle for a mere $99. We'd rather see a price cut for that other game, but you can't really complain about all the plastic instruments you can bring home for that kind of cash. There's no telling how long this "Rollback" offer will last, so if you'd best act quick, lest you be stuck with having to pick up the other, much better rhythm title.Oh, who are we kidding. Wal-Mart doesn't sell Gitaroo Man anymore.
JAKKS Pacific, of all firms, nabs Walmart's Vendor of the Year
When VIZIO reeled in Walmart's Electronics Supplier of the Year around this time last year, we perfectly understood the logic. But this one... this one is a real head scratcher. Rather than selecting Winchester, Levi Strauss or Purina, Wally World has found favor with one of our favorite toy makers. The little known JAKKS Pacific just got a lot more popular after receiving Walmart's Vendor of the Year award for 2008, marking the second time in the company's history that said award was received. Too bad it's not giving away half price EyeClops projectors in order to celebrate, but at least you can rest assured that when buying one from Walmart, you're getting the lowest price, Always™.
Best Buy aims to match Walmart's HDTV prices while sprucing up stores
If you thought the death of Circuit City would lead to even higher prices at Best Buy, you're obviously not considering the Bentonville powerhouse in your calculations. Since the downfall of one of America's most well-known electronics retailers, Best Buy has now refocused on rivaling Walmart, who has done quite a lot over the past year or so to become a serious venue for buying new HDTVs. Granted, most of Walmart's offerings boast labels like VIZIO and Emerson, but that's beginning to change. In a new piece from the Wall Street Journal, incoming CEO Brian Dunn asserts that he's planning to "match" Wally World's famously low prices while making Best Buy stores more of an "experience." How exactly it plans to lower TV margins while sprucing up retail space is beyond us, but maybe it's looking to those $150 Monster-branded HDMI cables to pick up the slack.
Netflix and Walmart sued over online movie rentals
Industry big shots Walmart and Netflix have both been named in a consumer lawsuit which accuses them of "trying to build a monopoly for online DVD rentals." The complaint, which was filed by San Francisco-based Andrea Resnick in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, alleges that both firms "unreasonably restrained trade, sending up prices." As the story goes, the duo decided back in 2005 that Wally World would shut down its online rental business and refer those customers to Netflix, and the plaintiffs allege that these actions would end up promoting Walmart's DVD movie sales. Netflix spokespeople declined to comment, though Walmart spokeswoman Daphne Moore did acknowledge that it had received the gripe and would respond to the court at the appropriate time.
Wii Fit ... into Wal-Mart's clothing department?
Nintendo, evidently desperate to sell Wii Fit to every person on Earth who owns a television, has started installing Wii Fit ads in the women's clothing department of Wal-Mart stores. Well, actually, all we know is that it looks like they've installed a Wii Fit ad in one Wal-Mart women's clothing department. We just have the one picture, really, with little context. It could just be that one Wal-Mart ran out of space in the electronics department, or that an employee was setting up a display and misread "L'Eggs" as "Wii Fit video advertising kiosk".Regardless of whether this specific initiative is the work of Nintendo or Wal-Mart, there's no doubt in our minds of Nintendo's corporate response to the stereotypical dressing-room question "Do I look fat in this?" Yes, the video says. Stand on this and pretend you have a hula hoop.%Gallery-4745%
