Category Archives: America

This week’s North American PlayStation Store update is a bit light on full games, but offers a wide variety of bundles and add-ons as well as the Defiance beta for Plus subscribers.

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Nintendo is moving its North America Direct Consumer Communications team from New York City to its Redmond headquarters where it will be merged with its Network Business Department. NoA spokesperson Charlie Scibetta told Kotaku the move will help “provide better digital offerings and services for consumers.” Other Nintendo staff unrelated to DCC will remain in New York in a new, smaller office close to the Nintendo World Store.

Wii U moved 66,000 units in the US last month according to NPD data released in a Macquarie Capital analyst note. According to the note, the system came in last place in sales, with Xbox 360 moving 302,000 units and PS3 263,000 units. The firm felt Wii U showed well with 45% growth month-over-month, with the Deluxe model showing an 70% increase in consumer demand. Thanks GI International.

While traditional retail sales continued their downwards trend, the NPD Group’s February report showed the Xbox 360 still triumphant on its home ground, and a handful of new releases interrupting the Q1 quiet.

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GameStop president Tony Bartel has told Forbes that sales of Wii U have been “slower than expected” now that the Christmas boom has passed; however, the executive feels titles in the current pipeline will help renew interest.

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Nintendo of America’s official Pokémon Twitter made an interesting comment on Twitter overnight, promising “exciting news for Pikachu fans coming up tomorrow”. AllGamesBeta suspects the Pikachu-themed 3DS XL may be making its way to North America, and after looking at the teaser image, it certainly seems possible.

Ex-GameStop VP of corporate communications and public affairs Frank Christopher Olivera has been charged with fraud in US federal court, after funnelling over over $1.7 million from the retailer. He faces 51 months in prison.

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US publisher XSEED has answered the fervent prayers of Operation Rainfall by confirming release of the final JRPG in the Wii’s holy trinity, Pandora’s Tower.

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Eurogamer Network has undergone a name change to reflect its recently global expansion into new territories. Say hello to Gamer Network.

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Survey group Harris Interactive has conducted a poll that suggests 58% of adult Americans believe there is a correlation between teenage violence and violent videogames.

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Android has once again overtaken iOS as the best-selling mobile operating system in the US. VentureBeat reports Apple regained its hold for just three months before the cheaper price tags of Android phones brought it back on top. A price drop on Samsung’s Galaxy S3 was cited as a contributing factor; the Galaxy S4 will be revealed in March. Go ahead and put “what does this have to do with GA3MS” in the comments, then go check out Epic’s new Android version of Epic Citadel.

During a panel discussion on the correlation between videogames and acts of violence, ex-FBI profiler Mary Ellen O’Toole has stated that while games are used during the agency’s threat assessment of potentially violent individuals, it does not consider games to be a direct catalyst for violence.

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Last month Connecticut senator Toni Harp introduced a bill intended to keep minors from playing what he described as “violent point-and-shoot” video games in public venues such as arcades. The loose definition of such games takes in any which include the “facsimile of a firearm as an essential component of play” – so anything with a light gun, no matter how innocuous. On the brighter side, the bill also calls for further research into the effects of violent games on young minds.

Thanks, Joystiq.

President Obama has stated that all children should be introduced to computer programming in schools, due to the rise of computer-centric jobs and America’s increasing interest in videogames.

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Holiday releases dominated US retail during January 2013′s release drought, and although total sales spiked year-on-year, the NPD’s analysis suggests we saw another month of declining retail sales.

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The Electronic Software ratings Board, the US’s primary games classification service, is concerned it can’t do much more to inform parents and guardians about video game content.

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GameStop CFO Rob Lloyd has confirmed that the gaming retail chain will shutter 250 stores this year in a bid to streamline the business. However, it will also open some new sites in a bid to improve its business.

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Californian Democrat and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has said scientific evidence suggests violent media is not at the root of the US’s disproportionate rate of gun crime.

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Zynga’s stock has hit a six-month high, rising 11% following months of financial turmoil, lay-offs and walk-outs. The increase comes as New Jersey Governor Chris Christie opened up the possibility for legally-sanctioned real money gaming.

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San Francisco-based free-to-play MMO publisher Outspark has closed. The firm was one of the first western publishers to specialize in the market. Gamingo will be handling Fiesta Online from here on out, and has hired most of the Fiesta Online team which will continue to work on title out of its California office. Outspark was founded in 2006 by former Yahoo! Games director Susan Choe and Nick Foster, who was previously CTO at Starz Media. Thanks, Gamaustra.