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Namco Bandai has reported a net loss of ¥6.04 billion ($66.7 million) for the first half of its fiscal year, which began in April. During the same period last year, the company posted a net income of ¥1.28 billion ($14.14 million). Despite this year's first-half hiccup, the publisher still expects to earn ¥8.5 billion ($93.6 million) in net income by the end of its fiscal year (ending March 31, 2010). After all, there are those 2.5 million copies of Tekken 6 waiting to be sold. Namco Bandai's software sales for the period were led by the Ben 10 franchise, as Alien Force and Protector of the Earth combined to sell approximately 810,000 units (not exactly Guitar Hero numbers, eh?). Even with Tekken 6 in its second-half roster, Namco must be pulling for a miracle. But then, the holidays are a magical time. Source - Financial Highlights [PDF] Source - Consolidated Financial Report [PDF]

Ben 10: Protector Of Earth and Ben 10 Alien Force the game are now available for download via the PlayStation Store.

With slow launch sales in Japan, Sony could be facing some trouble with the PSPgo. Here's how things could improve.

Split/Second isn't like most racing games -- this much you already know. Like most racers, it has the super-fast cars, tight turns and limited slip differentials, but you can't take down whole buildings mid-race in most games in the genre. In fact, you can't blow up huge boats, either. Basically, it's like Burnout, except the world around you is the thing that gets smashed into bits. All of that (and more) happens in the very brief glimpse of gameplay above. Enjoy!

What's the deal with all these music games?

A year ago, the following sentence would have been absolutely, totally, and in all other ways inconceivable: The Blu-ray edition of the Halo Legends anime project is scheduled for release on February 9, 2010. The impossible union of Halo and Blu-ray will not only arrive on the same day as the DVD release, but it will also contain an exclusive overview of the series through the events of Halo 3. As Blu-ray.com risibly puts it, "Soon you'll be able to play Halo on your PS3." Now, we'd like to think that this generation of consoles is far enough along that this news won't ruffle any fanboy feathers. Then again, we'd also like to think that HD DVD, in all its awesomeness, is poised for a comeback. Just remember, Halo fans, Blu-ray discs are not your enemy. Cliffhangers are.

If you're a Netflix user and haven't bothered to sign up for the free disc that enables Netflix streaming on your PlayStation 3, you should go do that. Like, right now. Netflix just sent out emails indicating that the discs are shipping today, and if you have yet to indicate your interest in the service, your disc is obviously not going out today. And that means you may have to watch The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep on your computer instead of on the television, where it belongs. Do you want to be the one to break that news to your family? Of course you don't.

Movie fans rejoice.

And there it is. The first shot across the bow. The first salvo of sweet - yet brief! - holiday sales offers. The first indication that, yes, the day after Thanksgiving is going to be Hell for retailers once more. Behold: The video game-related Black Friday sales selections of Kmart and Sears, which we've posted after the jump. Please avoid trampling one another as you make your way down there. Here's a few big ticket items: Kmart's offering a free copy of Halo 3: ODST with the purchase of every Xbox 360 Elite, and both stores are cutting prices on a ton of big-ticket games (L4D2, Dragon Age, Brutal Legend) by $20. November 27 is going to be a long, long day, friends. [Via GamerDeals]

Click to open the foil wrapper on a giant version. Well, this is a rarity: A sports game mode that's too nerdy even for us. When "Madden Ultimate Team" mode comes to Madden 10 on 360 and PS3 for free in January, you'll collect packs of cards (or buy them via the in-game store) and use those cards to compose a fantasy team, customizing everything from your head coach and stadium to your plays and players. You can then pit your ultimate team against those of other players or the CPU. Think fantasy football mixed with ... well, let's be honest, Pokemon. Wow guys, really? Collectible card game battling? We thought Madden players were supposed to be the cool ones, but you're getting into some really noogie-prone territory here.

It probably comes as no surprise to you -- our well-informed and educated audience -- but the Ratchet & Clank series isn't just designed for the kids. Edge spoke with Insomniac writer TJ Fixman, who expressed that the primary audience for the weapon-indulgent platformer is the "male 18-34" demographic. He notes that teens who played the first game back in 2002 are now in their twenties and stayed fans of the series.Fixman notes that males under 18 could be the "interchangeable primary-secondary market," but that the PS3 user base skews older. He compares the Ratchet style to the Shrek series, explaining that Insomniac tries to find the right blend of humor that'll appeal to a large audience. Now the question remains: When will we see Ratchet & Clank again?

THQ has released its financial results for the second quarter of its fiscal 2010, which ended September 30, 2009, and things are mostly looking up. The company lost money this quarter compared to the same period last year, posting non-GAAP net sales of $100.38 million, down from $151.62 million during Q2 of its fiscal 2009. However sales are up for the entire year, with THQ posting net sales of $334.28 million for its fiscal 2010 thus far, up from $272.69 million last year, a 22 percent increase. THQ blamed the second quarter dip on a lack of new titles, though it hopes to have a good holiday season thanks to a "strong mass-market line-up" including WWE Smackdown vs RAW 2010 and MX vs ATV Reflex. The company was also sure to mention its triumph in the JAKKS Pacific lawsuit, which resulted in a much lower payment to the longtime WWE series developer (though the scuffle is still haunting the publisher). Finally, THQ promised to prevail in its march to profitability by the end of fiscal 2010. Though the company expects its Q3 2010 to be 5-10 percent lower than the same period last year, it predicts Q4 sales will exceed those of last year. A reasonable hope, given that all of THQ's major releases drop in its fiscal Q4, including Darksiders, Metro 2033 and the Dawn of War 2 expansion, Chaos Rising.

Publisher rooting for Sony and Microsoft to bring in new gamers.

The giant HD sprites of Arc System Works' fighter BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger will be shrunk down a bit. Famitsu has announced that Arc System Works is preparing a PSP port of the fighter. The portable release, out in Japan on February 25, will feature all the characters from the console game, and ad-hoc multiplayer for up to four. It'll also include a new Legion Mode in which players fight to gain territory on a game board. No screens or scans have been released yet. Considering the prolific nature of Blazblue's predecessor, the Guilty Gear series, and the fact that there's already an updated version of the original game on the way to arcades, don't expect this to be the only port of Blazblue.

Zoo to release 2BeeGames competition-winning title in 2010.

Further proving that digital distribution is the new name of its game ... distribution method, Sony will begin selling a new PSP-3000 bundle in Japan on December 3 which includes no extra UMDs, but rather, a 4GB memory stick. An empty 4GB memory stick, upon which video games, once purchased, can be placed. Though it somewhat defeats the pick-up-and-play accessibility of other game-infused bundles, at a price point of 19,800 yen, it should leave enough in Japanese gamers' pocketbooks to make a few PSN purchases.

PSP go? No!

Amazon is tempting us to dip into our holiday savings by discounting many new games. Numerous titles, like those seen in the image above, have been marked down by $10, while others -- including many Wii games -- have smaller discounts applied to them. Listed after the break, you'll find the most significant deals, but you should also try perusing Amazon to find others. If you do, be sure to post them in the comments! [Via GamerDeals.net]

In the words of Lord Cutler Beckett, it's just good business. Or, as Capcom's Seth Killian explained on the Capcom-Unity forums, releasing a downloadable version of Capcom vs. SNK 2 could be bad business. In a lengthy response to a call for the game on PSN, Killian gave several reasons for not re-releasing Capcom vs. SNK 2; all of them centered squarely on business. Among other things, the audience for the game is less sizable than that of Street Fighter and Marvel vs. Capcom 2, meaning a Capcom vs. SNK 2 port probably wouldn't be worth the money and resources Capcom would need to spend. Killian noted that even if sales covered cost, placing developers on the project would mean removing them from others, like Super Street Fighter IV. Killian put it simply, saying, "When fan service becomes a black hole for time and money, that party gets ended pretty quick." Another explanation, according to Killian, is that Capcom doesn't want to flood the market with fighting games. He suggested that most gamers only buy one or two fighting games a year -- thanks mainly to the amount of time it takes to master them. In other words, releasing too many games could dilute the sales of all of them. Besides, we all know that what Capcom should be working on is a new Darkstalkers. [Via EventHubs]

For a moment, let's ignore the billions Sony has lost on the PS3 so far and focus on optimism for the future. GameStop executive vice president Tony Bartel notes that momentum for the console has maintained a solid sales pace following Sony's most recent price drop and hardware remodeling.Bartel tells IndustryGamers that there was a natural surge after the initial announcement of the price drop months ago and that the retailer has seen "very strong" PS3 sales through October. He didn't reveal specific data, though, and we'll have to wait and see if his claims are reflected in the overall October hardware sales figures released by the NPD later this month. View Poll

We're sure everyone likes the redrawn, high definition art featured in Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, but did you know that Udon also redrew the original SSFII intro sequence? It's true, and Capcom Unity has the video to prove it. After the break, you'll find the intro movie that Udon created, though it never made it into the actual game. The video features Ryu doing his fireball thing, while Chun-Li poses and Cammy (for some reason) gives everyone a raspberry. Watch the redrawn trailer and the original after the break.

Konami has revealed its financial forecast for the six months ending September 30, 2009. Comparing profits to the same time last year, the company predicts that net income attributable to Konami corporation would fall 82 percent, from 12 billion yen ($132 million) to 2 billion yen ($24 million). Of course, Konami blames this sharp downturn on a lack of key titles (again), especially in contrast to MGS4 which buoyed much of 2008. The company is hopeful for a climb into the black this time next year, forecasting net income to be around 16 billion yen ($177 million). Konami doesn't say what it expects to drive this rise in profits, but titles like Silent Hill: Shattered Memories and PES 2010 will likely play a part in that. Next year also promises the appearance of a revitalized Castlevania, a portable Metal Gear Solid and -- maybe -- a Rising action star. [Via GI.biz] Source - PDF document

If you didn't pick up Ratchet & Clank's latest adventure yet, you're in luck. Amazon.com is selling the game for an already-discounted rate of $49.99. But, with coupon code ratchet3, you'll be able to get an additional $5 off. With free shipping and no sales tax in most states, you'll be able to pick up A Crack in Time for $44.99 -- 25% off the current retail price. For such a new game, this is a really sweet deal.Most likely, you'll have to rush to take advantage of this promotion. And unlike Clank, you probably don't wield a staff that lets you rewind time just in case you miss this opportunity.[Via Slickdeals.net]

Stat-tracking firms The Nielsen Company and Electronic Entertainment Design and Research (EEDAR) are teaming up to deliver "unprecedented insight into the video games industry." Nielsen's data, which has brought plenty of controversy on its own, will be integrated into EEDAR's GamePulse subscription service. Nielsen gathers its data from 1,200 "active gamers" through a weekly survey, while EEDAR data mines and organizes using various categories.The data will be combined beginning in March of 2010 and be available to both Nielsen Video Game Tracking and EEDAR subscribers. This may not mean much to the average gamer, but to stat-obsessed executives and folks in marketing departments, this is like licking triple-chocolate ice cream covered in bacon and honey.

We compile the evidence...

Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble isn't even out in North America yet (next week!), but in the period between its announcement and release, publisher Spike has already announced two more Kenka Banchos for Japan: a port of the original, and a new sequel. Kenka Bancho 4: One Year War takes place in an inexplicably violent high school, as Yuuto attempts to become top "bancho" among the toughest kids in class. By beating everyone else up, of course. The "smashtalk" taunt system will return with unidentified updates. The school fight will start in spring 2010 in Japan. Stare down some screens at GAME Watch. [Via Siliconera]

A couple of retailers are selling the PS3 version of Bayonetta at a slight discount over the Xbox 360 version. GameStop is temporarily knocking five bucks off pre-orders for the PS3 version only, bringing the price down to $54.99. Both come with a set of eight posters. Amazon has discounted both versions, but the PS3 release's $54.99 price tag is a little bit more discounted than the Xbox 360 version's 56.99. Siliconera speculates that these discounts are a response to the outcry over Bayonetta looking a bit blurrier in its Sega-ported PS3 incarnation than on Xbox 360. Since these are special offers, though, it's a response on retailers' parts, and not Sega's. If it's really the case that it's an extra push for the "inferior" version and not just a semi-random sale, it seems like it could do the trick. After all, the most attractive version of Bayonetta is likely to be the one that comes with a five dollar bill. Update: The Xbox version is now $54.99 at GameStop as well.

New content on the way from Lucasfilm, Cinetic FilmBuff, ContentFilm International, and more.

While there are still a few games that you'll want to purchase, this is one of the mildest Novembers we can remember. Why, there's hardly anything you'll have to have after you pick up Assassin's Creed 2, Modern Warfare 2, Dragon Age: Origins and ... oh who are we kidding? No one's wallet is getting out of here alive. Start your holiday shopping list right here.

System pulls modest numbers following Sunday launch.