Category Archives: America

GREE is setting up shop in San Francisco in order to facilitate the launch of its global platform during Q4 this year. The Japanese network operator, and social and mobile game developer, plans to use the time before launch to build relationships with local developers and publishers. Titles are to be offered through the firm’s existing service, along with that of OpenFeint – its most recent acquisition – and the first two will go live next month. It’s Japanese service boasts 190 million registered users, and it expects to its fiscal year-end sale to reach $2.1-$2.5 billion. Currently, the service offers over 7,500 games from more than 20,000 partners, and has its own internal development studio. Other offices for the firm are located in Beijing, Dubai, London, Sao Paulo, and Seoul. Thanks, Gamasutra.

The NPD Group’s January 2012 report on US retail shows a marked depression over past years’ results.

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David Jaffe has said he could one day work on casual and iOS games, but insisted he’s still committed to core titles for next-gen and browser.

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Uncharted 3, Jak and Daxter and Catherine are the biggies in this week’s US PSN update, which also brings a first bunch of DLC for Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning. Get the lot after the break.

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According to a new Parks report, the amount of Americans playing games for at least one hour per month has risen to 135 million from 56 million in 2008.

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Vita games have appeared on the US PS Store, showing some slight discounts over their physical counterparts.

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Some startling figures have come out of Nielsen Games’ latest exposé of gaming trends in the US.

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US consumers will not benefit from the UMD Passport scheme, apparently leaving them no recourse for transferring their UMD-based PSP games.

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Kotaku notes US retailers are already putting Vita games on shelves, scoring a copy of ModNation Racers: Roadtrip at Walmart. Officially, the earliest you can get your hands on a Vita in the US is February 15, as part of Sony’s VIP early access edition, with general release on February 22. A Wi-Fi only model will run you $249, and a 3G-enabled version goes for $299.

GameStop’s across the US now have Vita on hand as well as some lovely game for you to try out before the system launches on February 22. Over 3,300 stores will have a unit for you to get your paws on, as well as the following games: EA SPORTS FIFA Soccer, Escape Plan, Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational, Little Deviants, ModNation Racers: Road Trip, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition, and WipeOut 2048.

A bill has been introduced into Oklahoma State Legislature, and if passed, will add an extra 1% tax to videogames rated Teen, Mature and AO. Drafted by District 86 Representative William Fourkiller (D), funds garnered from Bill HB 2696 would fund programs working to cull childhood obesity and bullying, both situations deemed an “emergency” in the Sooner State. If passed by Oklahoma’s House, it will go into effect on July 1. Thanks, GI.biz.

Major Nelson advises streaming video services CinemaNow and Crackle have both been activated on Xbox Live. CinemaNow is only available within the US, but Crackle has also been pushed out to Australia, Canada and the UK. The new additions join a growing collection of entertainment services available from the Metro-style Xbox 360 dashboard update, which Microsoft has touted as “the future of TV”.

Thanks, Engadget.

After a discount on downloaded Vita games was spotted in-store, Sony has confirmed digital releases will be cheaper.

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A PlayStation 3 exclusive headlines this week’s US PlayStation Store update, but there’s some meaty DLC and a couple of full games to tempt you.

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Following the announcement of a European launch, the Pearl Pink 3DS has also been confirmed for US release on February 10. The stand-alone console will retail at $169.99, with no bundled game, making it slightly less of a bargain than its appearance in a Nintendogs bundle last year. No word on the Ice White model yet.

Sony has confirmed to VentureBeat that Susan Panico, former US head of the PlayStation Network, has left Sony. Patrick Seybold confirmed the departure and wished Panico the best, but gave no indication of her reasons for departure or identity of her replacement. The executive was probably best known to PSN members for her regular contributions to the PlayStation Blog, but behind the scenes, helped steer the PSN to its current membership of over 77 million globally.

This week’s small collection of downloadable delights for your Nintendo hardware includes one whole title for the Wii. Happy days!

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NCsoft has filed a lawsuit against Bluehole Studio and En Masse Entertainment in the US Court District of New York in an attempt to block the sale of TERA in the US.

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Rising Star Games has announced the opening of a brand new HQ in the US alongside the formation of a brand new digital branch for the company. The first game to come from RSG in the US, based out of California, will be Cave 360-exclusive shooter Akai Katana, due in Q2. It’ll arrive in the same period for Europe as well. For the new Rising Star digital arm, it’ll release games on, but not limited to, PSN, Xbox Live Arcade, Steam and iOS.

We’re back into bumper season with a host of new content on the US PlayStation Store this week.

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