Monthly Archives: August 2009

Disney saw sales drop 20 percent to $113 million in its second quarter, while loss narrowed from $91 million to $75 million.

The saving was made largely from decreased marketing and product development costs.

“Lower costs at Disney Interactive Studios were more than offset by a decline in unit sales of self-published videogames at Disney Interactive Studios reflecting the strong performance of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian in the prior-year quarter,” the firm said.

More on Edge.

Nelson’s noted that that the My Xbox section of Xbox.com and the Xbox forums will be down for maintenance this morning.

It’s only for an hour, from 2.00-3.00am PST (9.00–10.00am BST), so try to suffer in silence.

Hatimaki’s rumouring that PS3′s 80Gb SKU is about to be discontinued in Japan.

The Japanese site’s posted a retailer note saying pre-orders for the Black, White and Silver 80GB PS3 will stop on August 9, apparently at Sony’s request.

Sony has already discontinued 20Gb, 40Gb and 60Gb PS3 SKUs in Japan.

Thanks, Kotaku.

Turning the unpredictable, blood-soaked art of modern warfare into a fair — even sportsmanlike — affair sounds like a near-impossible task to us, so it’s no surprise that players are occasionally able to slip illicit tactics under even Infinity Ward’s well-trained nose. Not for long, though — because Infinity Ward knows what exploiters are up to, and is already hard at work on an exploit-busting patch.

“Success! A patch is in the works for PS3 and Xbox 360 to address the recent COD4 exploits. I’ll keep you posted on the progress,” tweeted Infinity Ward community manager Robert Bowling.

And we’ll keep you posted on Bowling’s keeping you posted.

Valve, in its never-ending quest to support Team Fortress 2 until the End Times, has opened a closed beta for its team-based shooter. Secluded from normal play, this beta uses specially selected clans and competitive players to test new TF2 features before they go live.

“The TF2 Beta is something we’ve just started running,” said Valve’s Robin Walker to Shacknews. “It’s aimed at filling a hole in TF2′s iterative development model.”

“To iterate effectively, we need to be able to measure the impact of our changes,” he said. “Up until now we’ve been successful at measuring that impact on the non-competitive TF2 community, because we have good internal proxies for it–the TF2 team itself, plus other internal and external playtesters.”

“Our proxies for the high end competitive play aren’t as good, and that’s lead to us making some design decisions that have hurt it.”

Walker also emphasized that casual players haven’t lost any stock here; rather, the beta has been created in hopes of balancing tweaks for both casual and competitive players.

More through the link.

Update – The ad’s been pulled.

When you boot up a game for the specific purpose of shattering the sound barrier in ludicrously speedy hovercrafts, 20-second load screens are probably the last thing you’re hoping for. However, after striking a new ad deal with Double Fusion, Sony seems to have given WipEout HD players just that.

According to a report by Industry Gamers, these new ad-addled loading screens can last up to 20 seconds — more than doubling the comparatively zippy 8-9 second loads players encountered before.

So, what’s the story from the front lines? Have any of you been forced to throw on the breaks for these turtle-slow advertisements?

The uniquely named Call of Duty: WaW Map Pack 3 is set to storm Xbox 360s and PS3s this Thursday, according to a post on the official Call of Duty: WaW website.

It’s made of three parts WWII and one part zombies, and is going for 800 Microsoft Points or $9.99.

Prime virtual real estate with a zombie and/or Nazi infestation free entertainment? Sounds like a bargain to us.

IGN‘s received word from Hothead Games that the rumored PSN port of Braid isn’t just some practical joke cooked up by those kooky pranksters on the German ratings board.

The platform-puzzler is set to hit both North American and European PS3s. However, no other details — like release date or price — have been given.

That’s that. As you were, then.

Ubisoft marketing boss Murray Pannell is just a teensy bit excited about the upcoming game based on James Cameron’s Avatar. He’s even gone and mentioned he-who’s-become-a-household-name, Harry Potter, alongside Cameron’s untested opus.

“Avatar looks set to be a world-changing kind of cinema given its pedigree and elements like the 3D,” Pannell told MCV.

“It reminds me of my experience at EA, working on the original Harry Potter game – which was an incredible entertainment phenomenon.”

“Avatar has movie director James Cameron, and Potter also had one person ultimately in charge – JK Rowling, who everyone was terrified of disappointing. That can give you real focus,” he added.

Inspiring. More through the link.

Like a mild-mannered Joe Everyman who suits up and fights crime by the moonlight, the recent Nintendo DSi Facebook Connect update does more than advertised. In addition to plastering Facebook with embarassing snapshots of you and your friends, it renders many DS flashcarts useless, reports MCV.

iPlayer, EZVi, and AK2I are among those thwarted by the Facebook-clad crusader, meaning that illegally downloaded games will no longer function in conjunction with them.

There ya go, Yves. Nintendo’s got your back.

This is Vegas canned? Not a chance, says Warner Bros.

“This is Vegas has not been cancelled,” a WB spokesperson told G4. “The game is currently in production.”

And so, like the nightlife vampires it depicts, This is Vegas is not so easily killed. The wet T-shirted dream lives on, for better or for worse.

Speaking with IGN, chief creative officer at Vicarious Visions Karthik Bala said that Guitar Hero 5′s Wii tour won’t be hindered by in-game friend codes.

“For GH5, we’ve implemented support for your global Wii Friend Codes. If you’ve got friends in your Wii address book, they’ll automatically be added to your friends list in game, so you can easily connect up with them in online multiplayer games,” he explained.

“It’s much easier to maintain a single list of friends on your Wii that you only have to enter once and use that address book directly in-game for invites, etc.”

Tons more through the link.

Thanks, Joystiq.

Ubisoft’s detailed the first map pack for its rootin’, tootin’ Wild West shooter Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood. Titled, er, “Wild West,” the map pack will let you experience such historical greats as Custer’s last stand and the tunnel escape from Elmira Prison camp.

The four maps are due on August 6, and will function in both multiplayer and legendary gunfight modes.

You get to shoot stuff and possibly shout “Yeeehaw!” What’s not to like?

Thanks, Shacknews.

This week, the SingStore sees a big push of songs from Universal bands.

Included are Nirvana, Starsailor, Snow Patrol, Elton John, Girls Aloud, Musical Youth and The Killers.

Get the full list of songs, after the jump.

From the EU PS Blog.

More »

The Major’s announced that 2D shooter, R-Type: Dimensions, is this week’s Live Deal of the Week.

It was 1,200 MS points, but now it’s 800 MS points for one week only.

If your interested, you can queue it up for download here.

Remember: Gold members only.

Update: It’s been brought to our attention that the Remedy Alerts Twitter feed is actually operated by brightfalls.net, an Alan Wake community site. Might as well sign the petition anyway, though. You never know what might happen.

Even though Remedy has placed Alan Wake’s future on the PC in Microsoft’s hands, the developer isn’t trying to brush off fans who want A. Wake on their P. Computers.

Case in point: the developer recently used its Twitter feed to highlight a pro-PC Alan Wake petition.

“Fansite Alan-Wake.de have started up an unofficial petition to bring Alan Wake to the PC. Check it out here: http://bit.ly/3dgFGb,” reads the tweet.

Want Alan Wake on the PC? Able to write your name? Then this seems like a no-brainer. Who says Internet petitions can’t make a difference?

Activision sent over some screens from its upcoming Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen DLC, showing two of the new iron giants you’ll be stomping around as.

In the red corner, you’ve got G1 Optimus Prime, and in the blue, there’s Soundwave. They look suitably large and metallic, which is really all you can ask for.

Activision will be “rolling out” more info on the DLC in the coming weeks.

The other screen’s after the break.

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According to a report on Action Trip, Midway’s glitz, glamor, and sleaze simulator This is Vegas has probably been canned.

Apparently, GameStop has informed preorderers that the game won’t be making it into their surprisingly eager hands, so that’s probably that.

The cancellation can most likely be attributed to Midway’s recent sale to Warner Bros.

And so passes the front runner in the race to make the dream of virtual wet T-shirt competitions real.

More through the link.

This week’s Nintendo downloads are brought to you by large men, scantily clad women, robots, puzzles, and the letter H.

Games up for download include Tecmo Bowl, Art Style: precipice, and Overturn. “Games” up for download, however, are limited to Sexy Poker.

The full list of descriptions is after the break.

More »

CVG’s posted up 22 new screens of Gran Turismo PSP, which mostly consist of the Corvette ZR1, the car on the game’s boxart.

Lets be honest: they look brillant.

Go get the shots through the link.

Game’s out on October 1.