All Topics Gaming older than one year ago

#ps3 PlayStation 3 do-it-yourself platformer LittleBigPlanet is getting a sequel, a fact confirmed by the latest issue of Game Informer magazine, which spills a sackful of new and fascinating details on developer Media Molecule's next game. More »

Namco Bandai's "Content" segment, which combines its video game software and arcade machine products, recorded ¥6.86 billion ($74.68 million) in operating losses for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2010. The division proved the most costly for the company, which also runs a successful "Toys & Hobby" segment, in addition to several other businesses.

Overall, Namco Bandai suffered ¥29.08 billion ($317.28 million) in net losses for fiscal 2010, but the company forecasts a modest turnaround in net income of ¥4.5 billion ($49.1 million) for the current fiscal year. The games segment, which this fiscal year includes the previously separate "Visual and Music Content" division, is forecast to post ¥3.5 billion ($38.19 million) in operating income over the next four quarters; aided by an estimated 90 game releases, which are predicted to bring in ¥88 billion ($960 million) in sales.

In fiscal 2010, Namco Bandai software sales, which encompassed 86 titles (or 225, if you're counting localized versions), totaled 22.737 million units and ¥77 billion ($840 million); with portable games accounting for a significant 9.701 million units sold. Multiplatform versions of Ben 10 Alien Force and its sequel, Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks, in the US and Europe during the fiscal year, combined to sell 1.89 million copies alone. The console version of Tekken 6 was the publisher's only title to move more units than either of those two Ben 10 games. A third Ben 10 title, Protector of the Earth, added another 610,000 units sold in the fiscal year.

Across all Namco Bandai products, "Ben 10" the franchise racked up ¥17.9 billion ($195.3 million) in sales. Not quite Mobile Suit Gundman numbers (¥34.6 billion), but still.

Head past the break for the complete list of Namco Bandai's top-10 bestsellers and sales distribution by platform.

Namco Bandai's "Content" segment, which combines its video game software and arcade machine products, recorded ¥6.86 billion ($74.68 million) in operating losses for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2010. The division proved the most costly for the company, which also runs a successful "Toys & Hobby" segment, in addition to several other businesses.

Overall, Namco Bandai suffered ¥29.08 billion ($317.28 million) in net losses for fiscal 2010, but the company forecasts a modest turnaround in net income of ¥4.5 billion ($49.1 million) for the current fiscal year. The games segment, which this fiscal year includes the previously separate "Visual and Music Content" division, is forecast to post ¥3.5 billion ($38.19 million) in operating income over the next four quarters; aided by an estimated 90 game releases, which are predicted to bring in ¥88 billion ($960 million) in sales.

In fiscal 2010, Namco Bandai software sales, which encompassed 86 titles (or 225, if you're counting localized versions), totaled 22.737 million units and ¥77 billion ($840 million); with portable games accounting for a significant 9.701 million units sold. Multiplatform versions of Ben 10 Alien Force and its sequel, Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks, in the US and Europe during the fiscal year, combined to sell 1.89 million copies alone. The console version of Tekken 6 was the publisher's only title to move more units than either of those two Ben 10 games. A third Ben 10 title, Protector of the Earth, added another 610,000 units sold in the fiscal year.

Across all Namco Bandai products, "Ben 10" the franchise racked up ¥17.9 billion ($195.3 million) in sales. Not quite Mobile Suit Gundman numbers (¥34.6 billion), but still.

Head past the break for the complete list of Namco Bandai's top-10 bestsellers and sales distribution by platform.

The giant is coming to PC!

Flickr: im.mick Here's yet another way of making your way into PlayStation history. Sony has a casting call out for an upcoming zombie game - most likely Dead Nation, from the makers of Super Stardust HD - and it's looking for twenty gamers to star as a zombie in an upcoming trailer shoot, to be filmed in San Francisco.

Interested applicants must send their personal info, including a face pic, to zombies@playstation.sony.com. If selected, participants will be expected to work on set 10 hours per day on both May 15th and 16th wearing zombie make-up and costumes provided by SCEA. Unfortunately, you will "not be compensated" and "not all participants selected will be used." It sounds like a lot of work to us, but for some, this may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be immortalized in a PlayStation commercial.

For more info, check out the PlayStation.Blog.

Seriously. It's coming.

#screengrab Does size matter? Compare the size of these seven video game words to the amount of enjoyment you got out of playing the game for the answer. Found via Digg. More »

And now all is right in the world. North America, Europe and Australia have all seen their Wii Shop channel updated with categories. Glad to see that Australia wasn’t too far behind.

Save 20% on the Tatsunoko VS. Capcom® Arcade FightStick when you buy the Tatsunoko Vs Capcom™: Ultimate All-Stars Arcade Bundle OR get 15% off the Tatsunoko VS. Capcom® Arcade FightStick!

Mother Brain No thanks, Mom…I don’t need a hug before I head out to school. No, I swear…I’m fine. GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!!!

In his presentation to investors, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata confirmed that Super Mario Galaxy 2 would include a bonus tutorial DVD, and that said DVD would be exclusive to Europe and Japan. Iwata called the "Super Mario Galaxy 2 For Beginners" video "a visual manual for first-timers for 3D Mario." It includes basic information about how to play Super Mario Galaxy 2, as well as "Super Play" footage showing advanced techniques for more seasoned Mario fans.

He also addressed the obvious complaint about the DVD: "Some may feel this is unusual because Wii does not have a DVD playback capability, but given the wide penetration of DVD players at home, we have concluded that it is most useful for the players if they can confirm the contents even while they are playing with Wii and decided to provide the footage in DVD format."

You can see a snippet of footage from the Japanese version of the DVD in the presentation. And you can see the latest trailer from Nintendo of America, featuring Bee Mario, after the break.

Hideo Kojima's latest causes PSP sales surge. Dragon Quest tops the software charts.

You could be forgiven for not staying abreast of news related to the now year-and-a-half-old Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise. Heck, we're almost kind of relieved; you have no idea what a hassle it is to dig our "Ñ" key out of the storage shed. But scattered across the globe is a resolute fan base that's unwilling to let the game drift off to the Great Piñata Garden in the Sky. When developer Rare ran out of the Piñata Vision barcodes that injected new creatures and items into the game, the PinataIsland.info community sprung into action.

Here, community admin Jim McQuillan tells it better than us:

"Our members noticed that there were still of Piñata Vision cards that weren't available such as the Choclodocus, the big daddy of all piñatas. These members reverse engineered the barcodes on the Piñata Vision cards to discover how they worked. By comparing different species of pinatas and attempting to fill in the gaps in the barcode of the choclodocus, they eventually found success! In simple terms you can think of this like Jurassic Park where they took the dinosaur DNA and mixed it the DNA from other species of animals to fill in the gaps. It's just that our dinosaur happens to be a Choclodocus pinata instead."

Finally, the fruits of their labor, the Choclodocus Egg Pinata Vision Card, is available for your enjoyment. Just don't tell piñata Jeff Goldblum what they've wrought.

Hideo Kojima's latest causes PSP sales surge. Dragon Quest tops the software charts.

Hideo Kojima's latest causes PSP sales surge. Dragon Quest tops the software charts.

Hi, it’s William Ho from United Front Games! Today, I’m going to reveal some details about the single-player Career Mode in ModNation Racers.

You are Tag, a young graffiti artist turned kart racer who enters the Mod Racing Championship (MRC for short). Tag starts off as a rookie in the Home Tour. As he wins races, he unlocks more rewards and qualifies for higher-level tours that take him to exotic races all over ModNation. Along the way, you’re pitted against the MRC’s Elite Racers. Each Elite has his or her unique visual style and driving style suited to their respective home tracks.

Jez will school you on drifting and wall riding on stunt track Drift Paradise.

Aloha knows all of the hidden shortcuts in the jungles of Lost Temple.

And Diablo is almost unbeatable on the scorched hills and valleys of Launchers Rush.

The Career Mode is both simple and deep. It’s simple in that you can blaze your way to the top of the MRC rankings by placing third or better in most races. We also have “Big Show” races — the finales for each Tour — that require you to finish in first place to qualify for the next Tour. Racking up top finishes also gets you lots of unlocks. You’ll win plenty of parts, stickers, bodies, buildings, props and more to use in your custom creations.

But for more dedicated racers, we’ve also added depth to the Career Mode. Every one of the 28 races has Payoff and Bonus Tasks that you can complete to unlock even more loot. And these tasks demand a lot of different skills. Some require maxing out your Drift and Air Points, so you’ll have to show style as well as speed. Others make you unleash the fury on your opponents, scoring a certain number of takedowns.

Some of them ask you to embarrass an Elite Racer, such as taking down Hale in front of his adoring fans on the Flaming Jumps Big Show track. Besting the Elite Racers will unlock rare unlocks, plus your embarrassed rival will challenge you to a Grudge Match. These bonus events offer a change of pace from the officially sanctioned MRC races. They can be Score Attacks, in which you out-stunt your rival. Some are One-on-One Races, in which weapons are turned off and you need pure racing skill. And then there are Thug Races, in which you have to beat your rival and his henchmen drivers. Of course, these Grudge Matches unlock even more rare rewards. As if that wasn’t enough, we also have Tokens for you to find by exploring the 28 MRC tracks. Some tokens are easy to find, while others require exploration and careful timing with super hops to get. Once collected, Tokens can be redeemed in the Shop Station for what we call Blind Box Rewards. Inspired by these are randomly selected unlocks that are sure to surprise!

In all, there are several hundred rewards to collect. Only the most dedicated will unlock them all. One more cool thing about the Career: You can — and should — be whoever you want to be. You start off Career Mode as ModNation Racers’ main man, Tag. And you’ll see Tag in lots of funny story cinematics that reveal the history and culture of the MRC. But we want Tag to be whoever you want to be, and you’ll see your custom Mod interacting with all of the other characters in ModNation.

Here’s my Mod getting some sage advice from my Crew Chief

Well, that’s all from me for now. In addition to all of the great customization tools and addictive gameplay we’ve talked about in previous PlayStation.Blog posts, I’m happy to say that we’ve got a really fun single-player campaign. It’s simple for players who want to unlock a lot of stuff quickly. It’s deep for those who love replaying campaigns. And the Mods, Karts, and Tracks of the MRC show off a lot of the creative possibilities in ModNation Racers. We can’t wait to put it in your hands on May 25!

#activision Activision reveals two new playable characters for Transformers: War for Cybertron, with weasely Combaticon Brawl joined by Aerialbot leader Silverbolt, the second playable Aerialbot in the game. That's two of five pieces of Superion! More »

#consoletaisen Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker may not have been the bestselling game in Japan this week, but its strong debut sales helped propel the PSP to the top of the charts (once again), doubling the portable's sales. More »

Allergies CAN be fun!

Do you want to see a list of all registered exhibitors for E3 2010, as well as the floor plan for booth layouts? Just hit up the link below and start snooping! As you can see in the image above, I’ve marked out Nintendo’s main booth, but the Big N will have other [...]

Pixar is very heavily focused on creating Toy Story 3, both the movie and the game. I can’t remember any other time when Pixar themselves was so closely involved with a video game project. It’s clear that Toy Story 3: The Game is meant to be something very special, especially when considering how [...]

Hideo Kojima's latest causes PSP sales surge. Dragon Quest tops the software charts.

It would appear the side-scrolling shoot-em-up PC Gamer called "a blast" back in 2002, Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project, will eventually find its way onto Xbox Live Arcade. It's happening, right? Like, we've seen a couple ratings pop up for the game, so it's gotta be a done deal -- come on, will somebody just officially announce this already? The latest indication (and hopefully precursor to a real announcement) comes from the ESRB, which offers the listing you see above.

Duke Nukem 3D creator 3D Realms, whose last project was Prey Invasion for the iPhone and iPod Touch back in June of 2009, is listed as the publisher on the potential XBLA title. We've sent in word to both 3D Realms and Microsoft for comment and will let you know what we hear back.

A boring PSP Mini that isn't really a game at all.

We,TheSpeedGamers, are based in the DFW Texas area and play video games to raise money for different causes. Today, Friday May 7th starting at 6pm cst, is our Mother/Earthbound marathon for Susan G. Komen. This event will last 48 straight hours. We broadcast ourselves over the internet playing video game franchise’s to their completion while also [...]

Skating across water to create ice with the Ice Flower is just one of the many joys that power-ups present you in Super Mario Galaxy. Personally, I love the slow, floaty nature of the Bee Suit. Man, I could fly around as Bee Mario all day long. Even when you can jump [...]

A portion of a Nintendo Life review… At the end of the day, it’s difficult to complain given the sheer amount of enjoyment you’re getting for your 500 Nintendo Points and given the hefty amount of replay value, you should have no trouble getting your money’s worth out of this fun little miniature golf romp. Full review [...]

Who ordered the oil glops?