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Smackdown someone for $25 today
Not many of you seemed too excited when WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 came out, but then again, that was the same week as Super Mario Galaxy's North American release. Also, at that time, the game would have cost you a cool $50 to buy.Now, though, thanks to Amazon and its video game "Deal of the Day" promotion, you can get the game for half the price (or, for those of you that are terrible at math, $25). As per usual, this sale will end at 3 A.M. EDT, so if you want this title you better be ready to succumb to your inner impulse buyer. Also, if you like to wrassle but aren't too keen on doing so on your Wii, today's DotD extends to every other console under the sun.
WWE gets in deeper with Ascent Media on HD production facility
Early last month, we heard that WWE was cutting a $20 million check in order to convert its production facilities at its Stamford, Connecticut headquarters to HD. Now, the outfit is announcing an extended partnership with Ascent Media, which enables WWE to use Ascent's Harbor Plaza facility "for the creation of wraparound elements" used in its programming packages. Additionally, Ascent is promising to provide "new HD-capable fiber optic links between the new studio space and the existing WWE studio in Harbor Plaza, and to the WWE technical facility elsewhere in Stamford." More fiber in the Northeast -- what else is new, eh?
GDC 08: Entertainment content convergence in online worlds
We spent most of Monday ensconced in the GDC Worlds in Motion summit track, which made "standing room only" seem extremely spacious -- most of the sessions were packed to the gills and then some. It seems like more than a few industry types are interested in the intersections between gaming and virtual worlds. Case in point, the following session we've paraphrased (hopefully not too liberally!) from Reuben Steiger, CEO of Milllions of Us, a company that builds marketing campaigns and content for virtual worlds. Reuben: Storytelling is the bedrock of human culture. (Looking at a slide with a real campfire on the left and a user-created campfire in Second Life on the right) -- users in virtual worlds are recreating this storytelling tradition. I'm going to make a contention: the internet has failed as a storytelling medium. Instead, the norm is bathroom humor and ridiculous jokes. So virtual worlds: are they games or not? What defines a game -- linguists and semioticians get real worked up about it. The audience might say "virtual worlds are games without rules, competition, goals or fun." And it's hard to blame them. Extreme openness has defined virtual worlds, where fun can be in a way you define as opposed to what some game developer feels is fun. But the appeal of virtual worlds is that we can tell stories on a broader and less walled playing field.
WWE dumps $20 million on HD production facility, still waiting on ratings boost
In case you've been camped out under the nearest boulder for the past few weeks, WWE has officially transitioned to high-definition, but the change most certainly didn't come cheap. Reportedly, the outfit is finishing up a $20 million conversion of its production facilities at its Stamford, Connecticut headquarters, and in the meanwhile, it's using new HD technology for broadcasts out of a temporary location in the same city. Furthermore, the WWE has constructed all new sets and two new production trucks, and while the company seems quite pleased with the results, the general public hasn't exactly responded. According to David Meltzer, editor and publisher of Wrestling Observer, ratings have yet to jump from the move to HD, but as Michael White, an analyst with Wedbush Morgan Securities puts it, WWE "almost needed this investment to keep [its] core fan base excited." Yeah -- who wants to watch sweat drop from ridiculously built bodies in SD, anyway?[Image courtesy of BroadcastEngineering]
THQ earns more sales, less profits, lots of licenses
For its third fiscal quarter through the holiday season, publisher THQ saw their sales boost to $509.6 million but profits down to $15.5 million (via Gamasutra). Comparatively, last year they had $475.7 million in sales (a 7% raise) and $62.1 million in profit (a 75% drop). THQ also had $27 million in non-cash charges due to the cancellations of Juiced and Stuntman.Big sellers include THQ's licenses. Life to date sales from Nickelodeon projects total $1 billion, and WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 enjoyed a whopping five million in unit sales -- behold the power of licensing.
WWE HD pay-per-view events head to Cineplex theatres in Canada
We can't exactly say we saw this one coming, but considering that you can catch the Metropolitan Opera in a cinema, we suppose it's not all that shocking. Just days after WWE aired its first live event in high-definition, it has partnered up with Cineplex Entertainment to bring future pay-per-view broadcasts to the big screen. Starting this Sunday with Royal Rumble, Canucks will be able to purchase tickets for $13.95 to enjoy the carnage from within one of Cineplex's many Canadian theaters. If you're impressed, you can check out the full lineup of upcoming HD PPV wrestling events that will be shown on screen here. 'Course, it'll be hard to mimic what you're watching with all those immobile seats, but we're sure you can find a way to sneak a headlock or two in if nothing else.[Image courtesy of WWE]
WWE in HD gets official, carnage begins next week
Just in case things weren't official enough for you, WWE has gone the extra mile and boasted about WWE in HD via an on-air spot. Starting a week from today (January 21st for those taking notes), Monday Night RAW will be broadcast in high-definition for the first time on USA HD. The very next night, ECW will air in HD on Sci-Fi HD, and if you're still itching for more, you can catch the first HD showing of Smackdown on The CW HD on January 25th. Oh yeah, and then there's that little Royal Rumble thing going down on the 27th -- we're hearing that will be available in crystal clear HD, too (albeit for $10 more than the SD version). Hit the read link for a look at the promotional ad, and feel free to dig up your stash of bandannas and ripped-up shirts up from the bottom drawer -- next week's gonna be pretty intense.[Thanks, Dustin R.]
WWE RAW scheduled for HD on USA
For fans of WWE and HD, things are about as good as they could possibly be. Just as you get ready to experience Smackdown and Royal Rumble in high-definition, along comes word that next Monday's episode of RAW will likely be aired in HD, too. Apparently, DirecTV is listing the show in HD on USA, which means that either RAW is indeed finally making the leap to HD or DirecTV has labeled it erroneously. Needless to say, we're hoping for the former, even if it ends up happening a bit later in the month.Update: Sure enough, we may not see RAW in HD until after Royal Rumble. Better late than never, we say.[Thanks, Colin V. and gamedude420]
WWE Royal Rumble confirmed for HD
Just as expected, the January 27, 2008 WWE Royal Rumble will indeed be airing in HD, and considering that the event itself sold out in five hours, catching it via HD pay-per-view is likely your best remaining option. Reportedly, the high-definition broadcast of Royal Rumble will be available via DirecTV and "digital cable" providers, but we're not entirely sure if it'll be accessible on every provider out there. Unfortunately, those requesting the event in HD will be dinged for an extra $10 ($49.95 versus $39.95 in SD), but hey, that's still a fair bit cheaper than snapping up a ticket from a scalper.[Thanks, gamedude420]
Royal Rumble to be WWE's first HD pay-per-view event?
Apparently, the WWE will finally be rolling out a major pay-per-view event in high-definition some 12 months after UFC did the same. According to a tipster, Time Warner Cable (partly owned by Time Warner, parent company of AOL, which owns Engadget) is gearing up to offer the WWE Royal Rumble PPV event in HD when it airs on January 27, 2008. Of course, this shouldn't be too surprising considering that WWE was already planning to switch Smackdown to HD next month, but for fans of the sport, we're sure they'll be delighted to have the PPV matches in 1080i, too. We'll let you know if we hear anything official.[Thanks, DG]
Expect SMG, RRR2, and more; pay less
Starting today until this Saturday, Target will have six of its Wii games for sale for only $37.00! As you can see from the list below, they're not all crap, either! Super Mario Galaxy Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Need for Speed: Prostreet Madden NFL 08 Smackdown vs Raw Most of these titles are already out of stock on Target's online shop, but you should still be able to pick them up at a brick and mortar location. If you've been putting off on buying Super Mario Galaxy to accommodate your Christmas budget, with the holiday now behind us and this great deal, you can make this long overdue purchase without having to feel guilty about it![Thanks, Tofufa!]
Bikinis and bodyslams in Smackdown Vs Raw commercial
We recognize that this SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 commercial does a great job of selling the game to its core demographic, but, to us, it's a sad reminder of what the World Wrestling Federation has become. Remember how the Bushwackers used to stomp around their downed adversaries? Remember when you thought the Undertaker was for real and that someone was surely going to die by the match's end? Remember Hulk Hogan running up to the ring with an American Flag in tow, ripping apart his sleeveless yellow shirt to reveal his oiled chest to a throng of frenzied, heterosexual men, everyone chanting, "U-S-A! U-S-A!" Gone are those glory days -- the greatest days, some would call them. THQ's commercial is representative of what the WWE has celebrated in their stead: gratuitous displays of flesh, jackasses walking around with open shirts like that's the proper order of business, and crotch-chop gestures accompanied by some scoundrel telling you to "suck it." If you're exhausted with our nostalgia-tinged rant and would rather watch an extended, minute-long version of the ad, bring your best moves past the post break.
WWE readies Smackdown's switch to HD next year
Ready for pro wrestling in 1080i? It's getting closer, as the WWE production team just spent time in Florida shooting all new openings specifically for the HDTV broadcasts. SmackDown was projected to make the high definition switch in January and it appears to be well on schedule.[Via PWMania]
PSP-exclusive wrestling legends on view
The PSP version of the upcoming WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw features a few classic wrestlers you won't find in the console versions of the game. The three included for Sony's handheld are: Jim Neidhart, Sgt. Slaughter and Eddie Guerrero. IGN has the profiles of these wrestling legends, and a few videos too. Hopefully, the inclusion of these additional characters isn't meant to make up for what the series has become notorious for: infamously long load times.
SmackDown! vs. Raw 2008 improves on predecessors
Last year's iteration of WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2007 was hindered by long load times, lack of commentary and some embarrassingly small crowds. Well, according to IGN, developer Yukes has fixed two of those problems with loading times that are similar to its console counterparts and stadium-filled crowds that show a lot more excitement than previous years. Not only will gamers finally be able to play as their favorite ECW wrestlers, PSP owners will be treated to extra wrestlers Eddie Guerrero, Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart and Sgt. Slaughter that consoles owners aren't getting. SVR '08 hits the PSP Nov. 13.
WWE: SmackDown Vs. RAW 2008 demo slams XBLM
Wrasslin' fans rejoice, for a demo of WWE: SmackDown Vs. RAW 2008 is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace. Honestly, we don't know too much about the title, but the dashboard text lets us know that the latest iteration of the series features Superstar Fighting Styles and a new struggle/submission system. We also know that the game lives up to its beefy participants, weighing in at 1.21 gigabytes. So, go get yourself a protein boost and start grappling already.
Demo for WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2008 on Live
"Shhh, be quiet!" yelled Juliet from her balcony as Romeo clumsily climbed the nearby trellis. "But why, my love?" he replied, as he found his footing. "Because, silly, I am of Smackdown lineage, and you ... are Raw. For ages our two families have battled, making our love ... forbidden." Romeo lingered on the word for a moment before drawing a golden bauble from his pocket. "What's that?!" said Juliet with a gasp, simultaneously thinking that Romeo was moving a bit fast and how fantastic said bauble would look on her finger. "This," he replied, "is a demo. A demo for Smackdown vs. Raw 2008, now available on Xbox Live." "Oh," said Juliet, who was growing increasingly less interested. "What's it for?" Romeo laughed, "Why it's an undying symbol of our love! For years, this demo will stand as a testament to two star-crossed lovers from the Smackdown and Raw clans who could not copulate for fear that they would be found out." Juliet waited for the explanation to continue for a few moments before asking "Yeah ... but what is it?" "Oh, that," said Romeo. "... I have no idea."
WWE wraslin' demo should be available soon
According to a press release sent out this morning by THQ, there is supposed to be a new WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 demo available on the XBLM today, but so far it's not there. The release specifically states that October 15th is the date the demo becomes available, so we're thinking that it'll either be published to the Marketplace later today or it got hung up in Microsoft certification and is delayed. No matter the case, a Smackdown vs. Raw demo is incoming soon, so get your tight pants on, take a few steroids and find your favorite foldable chair because you've got wraslin' to prepare for.
Exclusive wrestlers in PSP SmackDown! vs. Raw 2008
THQ has revealed the SmackDown! vs. Raw 2008 rosters on IGN, and the best roster of all might just be found on the Playstation Portable. While there are the same 42 current stars and 8 legends as the home console versions, the PSP version of is getting 3 more legends of wrestling that no one else has. Those 3 are: Eddie Guerrero Sgt. Slaughter Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart Why are there 3 more wrestlers on the Sony handheld than any other? Who cares! You know what they say about looking a gift horse in the mouth, so we'll follow suit, and hope that the promised improvements to the game make this a worthy addition to the PSP wrestling library.
Jack Thompson files BioShock ad complaint with FTC
Attorney Jack Thompson has sent a complaint letter to the Federal Trade Commission for BioShock advertisements aired during Friday night's WWE Smackdown. GamePolitics has the full complaint from Thompson, a portion of it states: "Take-Two... is aggressively marketing its newest Mature-rated video game to kids under 17 years of age... On this Friday's night's 8 pm Eastern time airing of WWE's wrestling program "Smackdown," there were repeated ads for Take-Two/Rockstar Game's Mature-rated, incredibly violent BioShock ... This rampant fraudulent trade practice is precisely what 'Big Tobacco' did with its 'Joe Camel' and other teen-targeting ads, while at the same time lying to Congress that it was not marketing its adult product to kids."Hey, we had no idea Rockstar had anything to do with BioShock ... oh wait, that's right, they didn't. The FTC has already stated they think the industry is doing a relatively fine job handling itself; however, the FTC does say the movie and video game industry are both guilty of marketing R and M rated content during shows with inappropriate demographics. That's all good and fine of course, but we're just way too busy bathing in the irony of a FTC violence complaint being brought upon the airing of BioShock ads during an episode of WWE Smackdown.%Gallery-3725%
