Nintendo has a lot to smile about this holiday season. The sales of both the Nintendo DS and Wii console have reached historic figures in the first week of the holiday shopping season. This includes more than 653,000 Nintendo DS, and 350,000 Wii throughout the United States.
The Nintendo DS set a new record for sales during the Thanksgiving week, surpassing the 600,000 Game Boy Advanced sales in 2005. Nintendo’s 350,000 Wii systems represent the highest one-week U.S. sales total outside of its launch week one year ago. “Wii has been dubbed the must-have gift of the 2007 holiday season and has been placed at the top of numerous gift lists”
Read more…
November 28, 2007 at 1:21 pm | Business & Law, Wii | No Comments
The Blu-ray Disc Association has announced sales of Blu-ray movie discs have surpassed the one million mark across Europe. According to Media Control Gfk International, of the year-to-date sales of high definition movie discs in Europe, 73% were in the Blu-ray Disc format and 27% were HD DVD.
This figure does not include the additional twenty million Blu-ray disc games sold in Europe, thanks in help to the PlayStation 3.
“This is an important milestone for Blu-ray Disc in Europe and proves once again that whenever consumers have the choice they decide overwhelmingly in favour of BD,” stated Frank Simonis, Chairman of the Blu-ray Disc European Promotions Committee. Read more…
November 27, 2007 at 4:28 pm | Business & Law | No Comments
Sony has launched a new PLAYSTATION Store to give PlayStation Portable users the option to connect directly to a PC to gain extra content. The store is free of charge and requires no subscription fee, perfect for the PSP enthusiasts.
Your PS3 PLAYSTATION Store account goes hand-and-hand with the new PC service, allowing you to manage your account online with your PC. Account details will remain the same from your PS3 account.
Read more…
November 21, 2007 at 11:53 am | Business & Law, Playstation | No Comments
According to The NDP Group, Activision was the #1 U.S. console and handheld publisher for the month of October, boosting its U.S. market share to a record 28.7%. Activision’s success can be attributed to the hugely popular Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, which was the #1 selling game in October despite only selling for one week during the month.
“The Guitar Hero franchise has only scratched the surface of its potential since it was previously only available for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment systems and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft,” said Robert Kotick, Chairman and CEO of Activision. “Despite having significantly increased our production capabilities for the holiday, there is still a high likelihood that we will not be able to meet demand for this game on every platform.”
Read more…
November 19, 2007 at 1:12 pm | Business & Law, Simulation | No Comments
Gameindustry.biz has an article reporting on a weekly sales boost for the PlayStation 3 of 250-300% since the recent price cut on the console.
Before the price cut, Sony had a reported 30,000 to 40,000 weekly sales average on the PlayStation 3. The week ending November 11, 2007, PS3 sales rose to a weekly average of 100,000 units due to the price cuts and introduction of the 40GB model.
Read more…
November 15, 2007 at 3:29 pm | Business & Law, Playstation | No Comments
A Best Buy store in New Jersey is apparently using Wii shortage scare tactics to bait consumers to purchase the console. The Consumerist website has posted a story by a man who witnessed the sales technique in the New Jersey Best Buy.
Excerpt:
“I was standing near the back of the store when one of their salespeople came strolling from a back door holding a Nintendo Wii over his head, and started walking the aisles announcing that it was their last unit. I followed, wondering both how quickly would it get snatched up and how quickly could I decide if I wanted to buy it. It took a few minutes for a couple to come rushing up to claim it, exclaiming how happy their kids were going to be.” Read more…
November 14, 2007 at 1:14 pm | Business & Law, Wii | No Comments
A Georgian man is filing a suit against Microsoft allegedly claiming the company allowed his underaged son to sign up for an Xbox LIVE subscription with the man’s debit card.
Georgia resident Francisco Garcia claims that in October 2005 his son, Silvario, used his debit card to buy a $49.99, one-year subscription to Xbox Live.
A year later, Microsoft automatically renewed the Xbox LIVE subscription causing the man’s bank account to go into overdraft, hitting him with a $35 fee. Garcia claims, Microsoft “fraudulently induced a contractual relationship for Xbox Live services.”
Read more…
November 14, 2007 at 12:55 pm | Business & Law, Xbox | No Comments
ABCNEWS.com has learned through a statement from Target the store will not be selling Rockstar’s recent title, Manhunt 2, on shelves this holiday season. Manhunt 2 has received a lot of flack lately due to its mature theme and violent gameplay.
Manhunt 2 was originally given a rating of “Adult Only”, and later was given a “Mature” rating when developers locked the adult only content and blurred violent scenes in the game. A Russian hacker recently found a way to unlock the content on the PlayStation Portable, making the violent scenes potentially viewable by minors. As a result, Target has decided not to sell Manhunt 2, despite the ESRB finding no fault in Rockstar for the hack.
Read more…
November 9, 2007 at 11:32 pm | Business & Law, Shooters | No Comments
Take-Two today announced the settlement of all consumer class action lawsuits pending in the United States against the Company and its subsidiary Rockstar Games, relating to a third-party program called the “Hot Coffee Modification” that could be used by consumers to alter the content of the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas video game.
Under the terms of the settlement, class members will be able to claim benefits if they swear that they:
(a) bought a copy of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas before July 20, 2005;
(b) were offended and upset by the ability of consumers to modify and alter the game’s content using the third-party Hot Coffee modification; Read more…
November 9, 2007 at 12:00 pm | Action & Adventure, Business & Law | No Comments
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today announced the launch of four new online PLAYSTATION Stores. Poland, Greece, Saudi Arabia and the Czech Republic will each get access to content through a PLAYSTATION store.
The four new PLAYSTATION Stores will enable consumers to access demos, videos and film trailers as well as being able to purchase premium content, including full games and extension packs, with access to over 235 downloadable item.
Read more…
November 8, 2007 at 11:58 pm | Business & Law, Playstation | No Comments
