Gaming Rants

NPD Sales for August 2009

Bryan — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 05:23:08 +0000

Yeah, so video games sales aren’t as high as they were last year, and August is no different. Total hardware sales was $297.60 million, which is down from the $395.34 million from last year. Nonetheless, there were still boosts in sales, mainly due to DSi and the PS3 price drop.

Nintendo DS – 552,900
Wii – 277,400
Xbox 360 – 215,400
PlayStation 3 – 210,000
PSP – 140,300
PlayStation 2 – 105,900

Sales were down for software as well, with $470.32 million worth of games being sold last month, which is a 15% decline from August 2008.

01. Madden NFL 10 (Xbox 360) – 928,000
02. Wii Sports Resort (Wii) – 754,000
03. Madden NFL 10 (PS3) – 665,000
04. Batman: Arkham Asylum (Xbox 360) – 303,000
05. Batman: Arkham Asylum (PS3) – 290,000
06. Madden NFL 10 (PS2) – 160,000
07. Dissidia: Final Fantasy (PSP) – 130,000
08. Wii Fit (Wii) – 128,000
09. Mario Kart Wii (Wii) – 120,000
10. Fossil Fighters (DS) – 92,000

Batman: Arkham Asylum pirates get a little surprise

Bryan — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:21:52 +0000

Some bright mind decided to post in Edios’s Batman: Arkham Asylum forums claiming he had problems with the PC version of the game.

Problem is…the game doesn’t come out until the 15th.

Apparently developers Rocksteady put in some glitches for the would be pirates, removing a number of Batman’s weapons and moves. Now if that isn’t a awesome way to thwart pirates, I don’t know what is.

Remembering the Sega Dreamcast

Bryan — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:14:23 +0000

I remember getting the Dreamcast 10 days after launch- September 19th, 1999. I was so excited to be getting a next gen system- and this was indeed next gen. The graphics were amazing- I mean, just look how pretty Sonic Adventure was! And internet capabilities- I couldn’t wait to surf the internet on my TV. In other words, I had to get the Dreamcast. Luckily on that date- the 19th- it just happened to be my birthday. I was promised a Sega Dreamcast, and I was actually lucky enough to snag one at the local Wal-Mart. Taking the system and Sonic Adventure with me, the next few years were some of the best I ever had gaming wise.

To be honest though, my gaming tastes at the time were not the best. I mostly liked fighting games like Street Fighter and platformers like Sonic. Obviously, considering what games were released for the Dreamcast, I was one happy camper. I remember reading in EGM abou Marvel vs. Capcom port that looked exactly like the arcade version, and I was very interested. I bought a copy and was mezmerized- I really did feel like I was playing in an arcade. Of course came the AWESOME Marvel vs. Capcom 2, and SNK vs. Capcom was just as great. I wasn’t a fan of Street Fighter III so I avoided that release, but I was mighty impressed with the graphics. I also got Mortal Kombat Gold for Christmas one year, but anyone who played that knew what a colossal dissapointment MK4 was.

The Dreamcast was innovative in a lot of ways, and maybe that led to its downfall. Either that, or the failures of the Genesis add-ons and the Sega Saturn proved too much to bear for Sega. So when I heard that Sega was abandoning the hardware market I was shocked and, well, saddened. Yes, Sega made a ton of mistakes in the last few years leading to the Dreamcast’s launch, but they finally did something right with their last console. Personally, I think it was a system that was released too early for it’s time. Online was something brand spanking new for video games back in 1999, and really didn’t hit the mainstream until the Xbox 360 launched in 2005. Maybe if Sega had waited a few years before ending development of the Dreamcast, maybe it would still be around today, or the next incarnation might have been released to the public.

But I guess I could list a bunch of things about what Sega could have done, but it isn’t going to change the fact that the Dreamcast is gone. I’m okay with that, though. I have lots of happy memories with my Dreamcast, as do other people. I’ll just sit back and think back to the day when I first got it and how amazingly impressed I was with the system the moment I unwrapped it. And who knows…maybe it’s time for me to bust it out of the closet hook it up again, for old times sake.

I remember getting the Dreamcast 10 days after launch- September 19th, 1999. I was so excited to be getting a next gen system- and this was indeed next gen. The graphics were amazing- I mean, just look how pretty Sonic Adventure was! And internet capabilities- I couldn’t wait to surf the internet on my TV….something about that just made me very, very interested in the console. And considering I only had a Nintendo 64 at the time, I was definately looking forward to picking up a new console. In other words, I had to get the Dreamcast. Luckily on that date- the 19th- it just happened to be my birthday. I was promised a Sega Dreamcast, and I was actually lucky enough to snag one at the local Wal-Mart. Taking the system and Sonic Adventure with me, the next few years were some of the best I ever had gaming wise.

New 2D, HD Sonic game announced

Bryan — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:14:23 +0000

I’m interested. If it really does play like the old Genesis games I’ll pick it up.

Well, I hope so.

Bryan — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 10:32:31 +0000

Harmonix is promising to revitalize the Rock Band franchise following the release of The Beatles: Rock Band in a few days.

Considering that I can barely tell the difference between a Guitar Hero and Rock Band game anyway, I think that does need to be done. But on the other hand, you gotta consider the fact that music type games aren’t as popular as they were a few years ago. For me, it peaked after Guitar Hero 3, but considering the games still sell like hotcakes I guess there shouldn’t be alarm bells ringing around Harmonix.

Take 2 pays dearly for their immoral actions!

Bryan — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 01:08:35 +0000

This is, without a doubt, one of the biggest double standards right now in the media.

Take 2 Interactive has to shell out 20 million to investors for knowingly adding a scene of consensual sex between two people in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Nevermind the fact that the mini-game was cut from the actual story, or that you had to use special software to unlock. Oh, and all that murdering and other heinous crimes? Who cares. PEOPLE WERE HAVING CONSENSUAL SEX! God, how reprehensible…

Forza’s going to be awesome.

Bryan — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:16:12 +0000

I have no earthly idea what a Bugatti Veyron is, but it’s awfully pretty. Definately looking forward to Forza 3 when it comes out on October 23rd.

Also, check out this interview Joystiq conducted with director Dan Greenwalt here.

Gee, thanks Nintendo.

Bryan — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:12:30 +0000

Hey, Wii owners…if you want to find a reason to dust off your Wii…well…this isn’t it.

I forgot it even cost money for the full version…and I think a lot of people are on the same boat. Anyone have a reason to care?

I neglect my PS3 too much…

Bryan — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:53:21 +0000

Hmm, apparently the PS3 has a firmware upgrade. I haven’t played my PS3 in a while, but I will give it a whirl tommorow to download this. I don’t think the changes are that minimal, but still…I feel bad for neglecting it so much. I haven’t played it since Infamous came out earlier this year.

The God of War pack recently announced though will give me a reason to play it again. I hear nothing but good things about that series and I need to give it a try.