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by Published on November 9th, 2012 20:33- Categories:
- Xbox 360 News
That marks the 22nd consecutive month in the US as the top selling console
Microsoft
microsoft.com
Microsoft, in advance of the NPD data report, has noted that its Xbox 360 sold another 270,000 units in October, which is the same amount the company sold during September. The figure means that Xbox 360 has now outsold competing consoles in the US for 22 consecutive months.
Microsoft noted that Xbox 360 held 56 percent share of current-generation console sales in the US, which is the 20th consecutive month that Xbox 360 has held more than a 40 percent share of current-generation console sales.
The total retail spend on the Xbox 360 platform in October (hardware, software and accessories) came to $315 million, which once again means that consumers spent more on Xbox 360 products in October than they spent on the other two current-generation consoles combined, Microsoft boasted.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...during-october
...by Published on November 9th, 2012 20:13- Categories:
- DCEmu
Fancy a flutter on a Friday afternoon? Bookies Paddy Power and Ladbrokes have revealed to MCV their contenders for the best-selling game this Christmas.
Both firms are backing Activision FPS Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, with FIFA 13 the favourite for second place. Other potential winners include Wii U launch title New Super Mario Bros U, Medal of Honor, Assassin's Creed and Halo 4.
Such is the hype and momentum behind Black Ops 2, Paddy Power is even taking bets on what will be Christmas No.2, favouring EA's FIFA 13 at 4/9. The bookie is now taking betsthrough its website.
Alex Donohue of Ladbrokes said: "It would be one of the upsets of the year if Black Ops didn't land the top spot this Christmas."
Paddy Power is taking bets on the following:
1/20 Call Of Duty: Black Ops II
8/1 FIFA 13
20/1 Medal of Honour: Warfighter
28/1 Borderlands 2
33/1 World Of Warcraft: Mists Of Pandaria
33/1 Assassin's Creed III
33/1 New Super Mario Bros. U
Or for those who want a bit more of a challenge, the COD-less odds are as follows:
4/9 FIFA 13
6/1 Medal of Honour: Warfighter
8/1 Assassin's Creed III
16/1 World Of Warcraft: Mists Of Pandaria
16/1 Borderlands II
16/1 New Super Mario Bros.
Meanwhile, Ladbrokes is offering the following odds:
1/8 Call of Duty: Black Ops II
12/1 New Super Mario Bros U
14/1 Halo 4
16/1 Assasin Creed III
16/1 FIFA 13
25/1 LEGO Lord of the Rings
25/1 Hitman Absolution
33/1 Medal of Honor: Warfighter
33/1 WWE '13
50/1 Just Dance 4
50/1 Football Manager 2013
50/1 Need for Speed Most Wanted
66/1 Far Cry 3
100/1 Madden NFL 13
100/1 Forza Horizon
100/1 Diablo 3
100/1 Resident Evil 6
100/1 Dishonored
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/call-...s-no-1/0106136 ...by Published on November 9th, 2012 20:07- Categories:
- PS3 News,
- PC News,
- Xbox 360 News,
- Wii U News
All the research suggests that Call of Duty has peaked.
Last year’s Modern Warfare 3 sold significantly fewer units in the UK than 2010’s Black Ops and 2009’s Modern Warfare 2.
Anecdotally, MCV has been told that online traffic and magazine sales for Call of Duty editorial and covers have dropped year-on-year.
Yet it’s wrong to suggest Call of Duty is in a death spiral. Modern Warfare 3 is the fifth best-selling game in UK?history, and is close to overtaking Modern Warfare 2 to become the second highest grossing UK game since records began.
Activision’s shareholders may disagree, but when a game is selling this much, does it matter if it’s peaked?
ANSWERING THE CALL
Yet as the movie makers behind Saw will attest, releasing a blockbuster every year can lead to diminishing returns as consumers get bored of the formulae.
And with a drop in sales for Modern Warfare 3, there’s more pressure on Activision to try something a little different with Black Ops II. Developer Treyarch has sought to ‘surprise’ fans this year, with a futuristic setting and a new-look multiplayer, both of which took centre-stage in the game’s high-profile live-action TV ad.
“‘Surprise’ is one of the many messages around Black Ops II,” Activision’s UK boss Peter Hepworth told MCV
“Black Ops II delivers innovation at every level, and for many this will drive a re-assessment of a franchise.
“With 40m players it’s important to deliver an experience which feels fresh every year, while retaining the features which our core fans know and love. With such a massive community you have to ensure there is something for everyone.”
Each year Activision has sought to raise the bar in terms of spectacle. The firm has recruited Hollywood talent – and not just for the game. Even the live-action TV ad was directed by Guy Ritchie and starred A-lister Robert Downey Jr.
“Every year Call of Duty pushes media boundaries to ensure we deliver a high impact campaign,” continued Hepworth.
“This year is no different with presence at key events such as the Champions League Final and The Dark Knight Rises. At launch the campaign will be unavoidable, encompassing TV, press, radio, outdoor and digital.
“Call of Duty is now blurring the lines of entertainment with many parallels with Hollywood and cinema being drawn. This link is apparent in the level of talent which Treyarch has been able to recruit to create the most ambitious Call of Duty yet, such as scriptwriter David S. Goyer [who co-wrote the Batman trilogy], musical talents such as Trent Reznor [who won an Oscar for The Social Network score] and Jack Wall, as well as A-list actors Sam Worthington and Michael Rooker. The TV ad is the embodiment of this.”
LONG-TERM SUCCESS?
In terms of revenue, Black Ops II will almost certainly be the biggest entertainment launch of the year. Activision’s marketing muscle, plus its A-list supporting cast will ensure that.
The game’s biggest rival is the new James Bond movie Skyfall, which made £37.2m in Box Office receipts in its first week in the UK. Compare that to last year’s Call of Duty, which generated over £90m in its first week, and Black Ops II would need to suffer a 60 per cent drop in sales year-on-year to tumble behind Skyfall (it’s important to note that cinema tickets are considerably cheaper than video games, so Skyfall has a larger audience).
But the real challenge for Activision and Call of Duty is how it is performing in three months’ time. Modern Warfare 3’s sales curve dropped off sharply after launch, far more severely than in previous years.
Can Black Ops II prove a longer-term success? It won’t be easy. Next year is a busy one for video games, with a congested Q1 release schedule, plus the highly anticipated arrival of Grand Theft Auto V in spring. It will be interesting to see what Activision has planned for Black Ops II in the New Year.
DOES IT MATTER?
Ultimately a bit of perspective is needed. Will Black Ops II beat Black Ops? Probably not.
We’re talking about a game that has sold almost 4m units in the UK, generating well over £150m. If next week’s shooter comes even close to that it will be deemed a triumph, particularly when you consider how the games retail market has struggled this year.
Next week UK stores are expecting to make around £80m in less than a week from one game alone. Even if it has peaked, even if it is in decline, Call of Duty is still the biggest entertainment launch of the year.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/will-...matter/0106121 ...by Published on November 9th, 2012 19:27- Categories:
- Android News
Apple’s iPhone 4S falls behind the S3 for the first time ever.
For the first time ever, Samsung’s Galaxy S3 has overtaken the Apple iPhone 4S to become the world’s biggest selling smartphone in the third quarter of 2012, according to Strategy Analytics.
The figures show that during the third quarter of 2012, the Samsung Galaxy S3 shifted 18 million units, while Apple recorded 16.2 million sales of its iPhone 4S.
Neil Shah, senior analyst at Strategy Analytics, said, "Samsung's Galaxy S3 smartphone model shipped 18.0 million units worldwide during the third quarter of 2012. The Galaxy S3 captured an impressive 11 per cent share of all smartphones shipped globally and it has become the world's best-selling smartphone model for the first time ever.
He continued: “A large touchscreen design, extensive distribution across dozens of countries, and generous operator subsidies have been among the main causes of the Galaxy S3's success. Apple shipped an estimated 16.2 million iPhone 4S units worldwide for second place, as consumers temporarily held off purchases in anticipation of a widely expected iPhone 5 upgrade at the end of the quarter."
Having fallen behind the Samsung Galaxy S3 for the first time ever, the recent findings follow news of iPhone ownership loyalty also dropping for the first time.
Global Smartphone Shipments & Marketshare by Model in Q3 2012...by Published on November 9th, 2012 14:40- Categories:
- DCEmu
Hi all one of the things i enjoy in life is a pint of Real Ale, in the UK there are thousands of ales up and down the country. My new website will post news of new releases, events, reviews and the latest bargains in the supermarkets for all alcohol ranging from Real Ales to Bitters, Lagers, Ciders, Wines, Champagnes and Spirits.
Check out Real Ale Drinkers here --> http://real-ales.dcemu.co.uk/ ...by Published on November 9th, 2012 12:50- Categories:
- DCEmu
The NPD Group has released its October US retail report, showing another major YOY decline in overall sales.
The market saw a 25 per cent drop to $755.5m for the period compared to the $1bn made in October 2011.
The group is quick to point out that the data only makes up around 50 per cent of the total consumer spend, with plans for a full Q4 US Games Market Dynamic report that will include digital and other non-retail figures.
They also believe that despite the overall decline, the month to month numbers indicate momentum as the end of the year approaches.
“While we saw declines in hardware unit sales across all platforms year-over-year, when looking at average sales per week versus September, several consoles realized higher sales: The 360, PS3, NDS and 3DS. This is a sign of increasing momentum as we move into the holiday season,” said NPD analyst Liam Callahan.
Hardware sales accounted for $187.3m during the month, a decrease of 37 per cent from the $295.9m earned in the same period last year.
Xbox 360 came out ahead yet again, selling 270,000 units during the period and claiming over 40 per cent of the market in its division for the 20th consecutive month according to Major Nelson.
Accessories continue to be fueled by Skylanders, showing a five per cent increase over October 2011 with $135.6m this time around versus $129.6m.
Software sales were down by 25 per cent overall, $432.6m compared to $576.8m in October 2011 – though portable software sales specifically showed a 37 per cent growth.
NBA 2K13 finished ahead on the top ten games, as the game according to Callahan: "outsold last year's 2K12 by over 60 per cent in both dollars and units."
Here’s the top ten for the month:
- NBA 2K13 (360, PS3, Wii, PSP, PC)
- Resident Evil 6 (360, PS3)
- Pokémon Black Version 2 (NDS)
- Dishonored (360, PS3, PC)
- Pokémon White Version 2 (NDS)
- Madden NFL 13 (360, PS3, Wii, PSV)
- FIFA Soccer 13 (360, PS3, Wii, PSV, 3DS, PSP)
- Medal of Honor: Warfighter (360, PS3, PC)
- Borderlands 2 (360, PS3, PC)
- Skylander Giants (Wii, 360, PS3, 3DS)
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/npd-o...-again/0106028 ...by Published on November 9th, 2012 12:46- Categories:
- Retro Consoles/Translation News
For those of you that like to play dance games, but [DDR] for the [PS2] uses too modern hardware for your tastes, [Hardsync] may be for you. Although the chiptune-style music coming out of the [C64] may not appeal to everyone, one would have to imagine that a game like this could have been a huge hit 30 years ago.
As for the hardware itself, it does indeed use one PS2 element, the dance mat. It’s hooked into one of the C64 joystick ports. In this case, the cable was cut, but it would also be possible to make a non-destructive adapter for it so as not to interfere with any future PS2 fun.
The program is made so that fellow retro-dancers can make their own songs. Each song is a discreet file, and can be reconfigured to your own personal mix. Be sure to check out the video after the break of this old-school dance machine in use after the break! Read the rest of this entry »
http://hackaday.com/2012/11/09/hards...d-for-the-c64/ ...by Published on November 9th, 2012 12:42- Categories:
- DCEmu
If you believe the boss of developer Crytek, then games consoles are facing a crisis.
The firm’s CEO Cevat Yerli says that its three upcoming console titles – Homefront 2, Crysis 3 and Ryse – will be its last £50 products. After then it’ll focus all its efforts on creating free-to-play games.
And he is adamant that if Sony and Microsoft don’t adapt to this new business model, then the console market will die.
“This will be the last console generation,” he tells MCV.
“If consoles don’t join free-to-play gaming aggressively from now on, then it will be outpaced by PC and mobile. If they don’t adapt they are not going to survive.”
Companies have tried to engage the platform holders in the past with its free titles. Cambridge-based Jagex has attempted to bring its free MMO RuneScape to consoles, but has met resistance.
“Free-to-play would have been huge on consoles if the console owners had embraced it,” says Jagex chief marketing officer David Solari.
“It’s still likely free-to-play will be a big part of the console offering in the future but they will need to adapt and be willing to allow their users to play with players on other platforms which seems to be a step too far currently – this was certainly the case for us when we were talking to them about RuneScape.”
FREE PLAYS
Sony and Microsoft are not oblivious to free-to-play. Microsoft has developed several freemium PC games, including Age of Empires Online and Microsoft Flight. And Sony’s PlayStation Home virtual world is built on that model. Only Nintendo has resisted the micro-transactions entirely – although the platform holder has developed free software in the past.
Yet this is beginning to change this Christmas. Both Xbox and PlayStation are making more tentative steps into the free-to-play market. Xbox has launched F2P game Happy Wars (although it requires an Xbox Live subscription so partially misses the point).
But the big one comes from Eve Online developer CCP, who are creating a free micro-transaction-based FPS called Dust 514 for PS3.
“Sony working with CCP and making that game is a great step forward, and they should be applauded,” adds Yerli. “If Sony embraces free-to-play as a major way for PlayStation, that could be the key console. I would love to see a generation that supports free-to-play, because we will support it.”
DUST-TO-DUST
David Reid is the chief marketing officer at CCP, and in many ways he is the ideal candidate to discuss freemium on consoles. Not only does he have extensive free-to-play experience from his stints at Trion Worlds and NCsoft, he is also a former marketing executive from Xbox.
“A lot of the big disruptions in our industry start on the PC,” observes Reid.
“It’s where online gaming began. It’s where genres like FPS were born. Clearly, it’s where the MMO was born. But over time some of these things get much bigger on the console and our belief has always been that free-to-play is going to be big on the console. We’re very pleased to be in a position to be first with a big triple-A game out there. We look at 2013 and expect there will be a lot more. It won’t be such a new idea next year.”
Early signs suggest that Reid is correct. Shortly after we spoke to CCP, Sony announced that its SingStar series will be adopting a freemium-style business model.
Reid believes Sony’s aggression in this area will pay dividends for the platform holder.
“It is always natural that the challenger in the console business is going to be more ambitious and take a few more risks than the leader. Last generation I was at Xbox and we were having our arses handed to us three to one. And Xbox was the one that was trying to do these crazy new things, what with Xbox Live and working with developers and their different ways. Five years later, things have changed and now Sony is being more aggressive and thinking more about how things are going forward. It is a very cyclical business and it feels like we are coming around to another big turn again.”
There are still some challenges around free-to-play on console, such as the need to migrate customers from one generation to the next, plus the ability to play with gamers on other platforms.
But these issues are being addressed. Sony and Microsoft may be late to the party, but they’re catching up.
Reid concludes: “I think in the console space it was hard for some of the big publishers to get their brains around it until they saw some of the PC success stories, like League of Legends and World of Tanks.
“So now the console guys are saying that this is a big opportunity. You can argue that if they had a way to monetise Call of Duty differently, then you’d have a lot more people playing and a lot of people willing to pay more than $60.
“It is a bit of a foreign concept, having a game with five or 10 million players, with 80-plus per cent never spending any money. In the console space that has never happened. But we are seeing the change ...by Published on November 8th, 2012 23:07- Categories:
- Xbox 360 News
The recording and broadcasting of gameplay footage is getting easier all the time, as we pointed out in our look at two new capture devices from Hauppage and Roxio. Today it’s become even easier for those on PC, with the latest update to EA’s Origin platform allowing players to live stream gameplay footage to Twitch TV. Activision has since confirmed that those on consoles will be able to do the same to YouTube when Call Of Duty: Black Ops II releases next week....
http://www.edge-online.com/news/the-...eal-announced/by Published on November 8th, 2012 23:04- Categories:
- PS3 News
Inspired by the Grand Theft Auto IV DLC expansions The Lost And Damned and The Ballad Of Gay Tony, the game will feature three customisable protagonists (pictured on the magazine cover) between whom players can switch at will. Also revealed are the first details on mission design – confirming that there will be several “multi-tiered” heist missions, building on Three Leaf Clover, arguably GTA IV’s finest hour – as well as the host of side missions and activities players will be able to get up to in Los Santos’ huge, varied sprawl....
http://www.edge-online.com/news/news...reas-combined/- Search DCEmu
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