New DS Coming?

Nintendo will release a new model of its DS handheld later this year that can take pictures and play music.That’s according to a report in the Japanese business daily Nikkei (via Reuters), which says the system will also be equipped with advanced wireless communications functions. The price for the new machine, which will also be equipped with advanced wireless communications functions, is expected to be below 20,000 yen ($189) in Japan, compared with 16,800 yen for the current model, the Nikkei said.

This weeks 10 Top Games

The full top ten reads:

1) Star Wars: The Force Unleashed – LucasArts

2) Wii Fit – Nintendo

3) Mario Kart Wii – Nintendo

4) Warhammer Online: Age Of Reckoning – EA

5) Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 – EA

6) Mercenaries 2: World In Flames – EA

7) Wii Play – Nintendo8) Carnival: Funfair Games – 2K Play

9) TNA Impact! – Midway

10) Spore – EA

The best Games

UK national newspaper The Independent has put together a list of what it believes are the top 50 best games available today.The list includes modern classics such as Rock Band, Wii Sports, Peggle and GTA IV.

Thanks to MaxConsole for slavishly writing out every entry.
* Wii Sports
* Braid
* Halo 3
* Fallout 3
* Rock Band
* Burnout Paradise
* Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training / Sight Training
* Gears of War
* Guild Wars
* Rez HD
* Mario Kart Wii
* Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution
* BioShock
* Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
* Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
* Project Gotham Racing 4
* Medieval 2: Total War
* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
* World of Warcraft
* Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2

Game on!

Brighton, England, 22nd September, 2008: Gamers are already snapping up tickets for the Eurogamer Expo, taking place at the Old Truman Brewery in London on 28th and 29th October from 11am to 10pm each day.

For just £5 per day, gamers can get hands-on play time with a huge variety of upcoming games, including Street Fighter IV, Prince of Persia, Mirror’s Edge, LittleBigPlanet, Tomb Raider: Underworld, Far Cry 2, Fallout 3 and Saints Row 2. More games are being confirmed all the time.For those looking to break into the games industry, a ticket also admits them to the Gamesindustry.biz Career Fair, open from 11am to 7pm each day.

Developers and publishers exhibiting include Crytek, Relentless Software, Starbreeze, Ubisoft, SEGA Europe and Microsoft Game Studios, with more to be announced.Tickets are limited, with only 2,000 available per day. All ticket proceeds are being donated to UK videogames charity GamesAid. Attendees must be 15 years old or above.

To register for tickets, visit http://expo.eurogamer.net/register/For more on the Eurogamer Expo, visit http://expo.eurogamer.netThe Old Truman Brewery will be a key focus of London Games Festival 2008, with the Eurogamer Expo, the GamesIndustry.biz Career Fair and the GamesIndustry Bar all hosted within the complex.

UBISOFT ANNOUNCES RELEASE DATE FOR PRINCE OF PERSIA

The Prince will Reign December 5th, 2008

Ubisoft announced that Prince of Persia will ship December 5th, 2008 for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, and PC. Prince of Persia: The Fallen King will also ship simultaneously and exclusively for the Nintendo DS™ system.

Prince of Persia opens an entirely new chapter in the Prince of Persia universe in addition to introducing a fresh Illustrative art style, evolved combat system, open world structure and dynamic AI – most notably in the form of the Prince’s powerful ally Elika.

About Prince of Persia
Set in a land rooted in ancient Persian mythology, the Prince finds himself caught in an epic battle between the primal forces of light and darkness: the God of Light, Ormazd versus his brother Ahriman, the destructive God of Darkness. The Prince arrives just in time to witness the destruction of the legendary Tree of Life – an act which threatens to plunge the entire world into eternal darkness. Manifested in the form of the Corruption, a dark substance that physically contaminates the land and the skies, the Prince must partner with Elika, a deadly companion, to heal the world from the evil Corruption.

About Prince of Persia: The Fallen King
Facing imminent danger, the Prince flees to a deserted kingdom that seemingly offers sanctuary. Already touched by the evil Corruption, a dark substance that physically contaminates the land and the skies, the kingdom is filled with adventure, challenge and intrigue. As the Prince seeks a way to fight the spreading Corruption destroying the land, he encounters a partially infected creature that promises salvation. But is the creature truly an ally or merely an enemy in disguise? It seems this perilous alliance may be the only way for the Prince to face the forces of darkness and save the Persian kingdom from the Corruption once and for all.

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Published by Eidos Interactive and developed by Rocksteady Studios, Batman: Arkham Asylum boasts an original story featuring iconic DC Comics’ characters Batman, The Joker and Killer Croc amongst others - all completely revisioned by WildStorm.“Welcome to the Madhouse, Batman”Upon entering Arkham Asylum, The Joker greets Batman over a loudspeaker and Batman has no choice but to enter into what can only be an ambush. Batman: Arkham Asylum features brutal combat, giant sized boss battles and deadly experiments all within the notorious island prison.

Nintendo promises ‘product news' for October conference – but refuses to get specific

Nintendo fans could be celebrating the release of a new DS at the company’s press conference in Japan next month – as the format holder promises information on ‘new products’.
The rumour mill has long pointed to a reworked model of DS Lite, which was launched in June, 2006.

Japanese market authority Famitsu predicted the announcement of a new DS SKU at E3, but it never materialised.

Today’s news comes from Nihon Securities Journal, translated by Kotaku.
It reports the date for the ‘Nintendo Conference Autumn 2008’ will be October 2nd, and that Nintendo will unveil ‘new products’.

Nintendo said that it could not reveal whether the announcements would relate to hardware or software. A spokesperson said: “In terms of the press conference, it's content and announcements are still being confirmed so we are not able to announce anything at this time.”

The Games Charts

Mercenaries 2, Tiger Woods and Spore head the ELSPA/Gfk-ChartTrack All Formats Top 40 for the second week in a row

It’s as you were at the top of ELSPA/Gfk-ChartTrack All Formats Top 40 this week as EA’s triple act of Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 and Spore cling on to first, second and third respectively for the second week in succession.Beneath the leading pack, Sega’s Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games climbs four places to fourth spot, knocking Nintendo’s Wii Fit down one place to fifth. Mario kart Wii remains static in sixth.The highest new entry in the listings is Midway’s alternative wrestling offering TNA Impact, which debuts in ninth position.Other new entries include the EA pair of Spore Creatures for DS in 14th and The Sims 2: Apartment Pets at number 19.

In more EA news, the multi-format release of Rock Band sees the music title re-enter the charts in 30th.The ELSPA/Gfk-ChartTrack All Formats Top 10 for the week ending September 13th in full:

1. Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (EA)

2. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 (EA)

3. Spore (EA)

4. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Sega)

5. Wii Fit (Nintendo)

6. Mario Kart Wii (Wii)

7. Carnival: Funfair Games (2K Play)

8. Guitar Hero: On Tour (Activision)

9. TNA Impact (Midway)

10. Wii Play (Nintendo)

Kop That! PES 2009 and Liverpool FC unite

Konami and Liverpool FC join forces for PES 2009 and beyond.

Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has announced an agreement to become an Official Partner of Liverpool FC, which will see its forthcoming PES 2009 and subsequent titles declared ‘Official Football Video Game of Liverpool FC.’

As an Official Partner of Liverpool FC, Konami has the right to use LFC logos and marks in all its internal and commercial promotions. The team, its kits, logos and players will also appear officially licensed in the forthcoming PES 2009, which will be released for PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360, PC-DVD, PlayStation®2, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) and mobile phones across Europe in Autumn, 2008, with a Wii version to follow in Spring, 2009.

Konami and Liverpool FC are also committed to working closely together across a number of promotional mediums. PES 2009 will enjoy prominent signage across Anfield’s LED hoardings during all domestic league and cup matches, and will have a regular presence in the weekly “LFC Magazine” and ‘This is Anfield’ matchday programme.As the ‘Official Football Video Game of Liverpool FC’, PES 2009 will enjoy accreditation as an Official Partner on the LFC website (www.liverpoolfc.tv) with hyper-links to PES sites, and will boast prominence in the ‘Interactive Games’ section of the LFC site.

Konami will also contribute competitions and additional content to the LFC site, and is to produce a bespoke, specially-packaged version of PES 2009 for exclusive use by the club.PES 2009 is the latest installment of the award-winning Pro Evolution Soccer Series, and will feature a wealth of extensive additions to enhance the series’ reputation as the most realistic football game.

The new game enjoys a stunning graphical update wherein its players look identical to their real-life counterparts, while original moves and key online enhancements will further bolster the realism of the game.“We are very pleased to become the ‘Official Football Video Game’ of such a respected and successful team as Liverpool FC,” commented Jon Murphy, PES Team Leader for Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH.“We have worked hard to ensure that PES 2009 will benefit from a wealth of new additions, and working so closely with teams such as Liverpool FC can only enhance our efforts.

Liverpool FC fans can look forward to the most realistic video game re-creation of their team, with the likes of Torres, Gerrard and Carragher recreated with an incredible level of detail.”“PES has long been the game of choice for a large number of the Liverpool squad, so I am delighted that Konami is to be an Official Partner of LFC,” commented Ian Ayre, Commercial Director of Liverpool FC. “Our agreement allows for a far-reaching series of partnership initiatives that cover all aspects of the club’s media outlets, cross-promotional elements both online and in print and, of course, the closest possible representation of our talented squad in a video game. We look forward to a long and successful partnership with Konami and helping the PES series continue its international growth.”PES 2009 will be released for PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360, PC-DVD, PlayStation 2, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable), and for mobile phones in Autumn. A version for Wii will follow in Q1, 2009.

EA - It's in the Charts

Pandemic’s shooter, Tiger Woods 09 and Spore headline in an EA-dominated UK All Formats Top 40

Super publisher EA has beaten seven bells out of its chart opposition this week by claiming the top three spots in the Gfk ChartTrack UK All Format Top 40 – with Pandemic’s free-roaming blast-em-up Mercenaries 2: World in Flames leading the charge

Mercenaries’ success was no doubt aided by its widely reported Finsbury Park petrol stunt which enjoyed pretty extensive coverage in the UK press last Friday.Last week’s number one, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09, slips one spot this week, but still edges ahead of EA’s universe sim Spore, which debuts in third place.

Nintendo’s Wii Fit claims the fourth spot, with 2K Play’s Carnival: Funfair Games occupying fifth.Other new entries in the listings this week include Microsoft’s Xbox 360 exclusive Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise in 23rd, Deep Silver’s PC prequel STALKER Clear Sky at number 25, Ubisoft’s DS title Imagine Teacher at number 31 and Atari’s Driving Theory Training in 39th. Square Enix’s Xbox 360 RPG Infinite Undiscovery debuted in 28th spot.

Wii business model superior to PS3’s says Howard Stringer

The PS3 Console won’t recoup losses ‘in my lifetime’, admits Sony bossSony CEO has admitted Howard Stringer that PS3 hardware sales aren’t ever likely to recoup the $3.3 billion losses the machine has already occurred.

In a wider interview, Stringer also admitted that he had played on a Wii – and said that Sony had “neglected to pursue” Nintendo’s audience effectively in the past.
He added that Wii "may [have] a superior [business] model" – despite calling it an "expensive, niche game device" in the past.

“The major difference lies in the fact that Nintendo makes money with the hardware alone, which may be a superior business model,” he said.

“But the Wii is not succeeding at our expense – it is not hurting us. We decided years ago to build a game console that offers much greater functionality. The Playstation 3 has an enormous processor; it is gradually emerging as the central server in our users' homes.”

When asked if PS3 could make back the money it had lost, Stringer added:
“Not for as long as I live. It will certainly take some time. The traditional business model for the PlayStation envisaged us making a loss with the hardware in the early years until the production costs had decreased to a point that enabled us to break even.

"In the meantime, we earn money with the games. We are currently at the stage in which we need to get a grip on the production costs. That takes time. We are already making more money with the games than we are losing with the hardware.”

Discussing Wii, he commented:
“It's a different experience. The Wii is a well-made device that has found a new target group. For a while, we held the same target group with the SingStar karaoke game. But perhaps we neglected to pursue that avenue.
"PlayStation games are rather designed for those who play a lot. Although it's a different strategy, it pays off. We currently have a production bottleneck with the PlayStation 3.”

New Sony PSP

There hasn't been much made of this but there is going to be a new PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system (PSP-3000) with an advanced LCD screen supporting higher image quality, to become available in stores in Europe, Middle East, Australia and New Zealand from 15th October 2008. PSP-3000 will be available as a bundle, including one software title for a RRP of €199.

SCEE will offer a variety of bundles that take advantage of the new PSP features, including a Go! communications bundle, and a variety of games bundles including our own Buzz!™: Master Quiz, as well as FIFA ‘09 and Harry Potter bundles from our third party partners.

In addition to offering the functionality and ergonomics of Slim & Lite the quality of the screen has been improved to offer crisper colours with more definition when outside in natural light. PSP-3000 also includes a built-in microphone, maximising the communication features of products such as Go! Messenger and Skype™.

PSP is gaining overwhelming support from a wide range of consumers all over the world through its exciting lineup of software titles as well as the introduction of colour variations and network services. Since the launch of the “Slim & Lite” PSP in September 2007, the expansion of the PSP platform has been further accelerated and more than 13.4 million units have been sold in the PAL territories.

SCEE will continue to expand the PSP platform and create a new world of entertainment with the new PSP, together with the strong lineup of forthcoming titles for the peak season.

A busier month ahead?

It’s pretty safe to say that this Friday signifies the end of what we’ve all come to call the traditional summer drought – with a number of big hitting triple-A releases heralding the beginning of the Q3/Q4 rush.

What the most significant release is this week really comes down to what type of gamer you are, or what type of gamer you’re targeting.

EA’s Spore is certainly a contender. As one of the most hyped PC games ever, many are seriously calling this the best game of all time. Either way, it’s guaranteed to perform at retail, both this week and for weeks to come.

Other titles of note include the EA double act of Mercenaries 2: World in Flames and boxing outing Facebreaker. The former has all the ingredients of a blockbuster, but will have to improve upon the performance of the first outing to become so. New IP Facebreaker is harder to predict, though should perform well.

Xbox 360 RPG fans are in for a treat in the shape of Square Enix’s Microsoft-exclusive Infinite Undiscovery, whilst DS owners can choose between the RTS delights of Take 2’s Civilization Revolution or Rare’s handheld version of cult 360 hit Viva Pinata.

Other titles hitting retail this week include Deep Silver’s PC FPS STALKER: Clear Sky, Midway’s lycra-clad answer to WWE, TNA Impact, and budget releases for Ubisoft’s misunderstood classic Assassin’s Creed on Xbox 360 and PS3.

Full Release Schedule for September 5th:

Spore – EA (PC/DS)Mercenaries 2:
World in Flames – EA (PC/PS3/PS2/360)
Infinite Undiscovery – Square Enix (360)
Facebreaker – EA (PS3/360)Viva Pinata: Pocket Paradise – THQ (DS)
Civilization Revolution – Take 2 (DS)
STALKER: Clear Sky – Deep Silver (PC)TNA Impact – Midway (Wii/PS3/PS2/360)
Assassin's Creed Classics – Ubisoft (360)Assassin's Creed Platinum – Ubisoft (PS3)
Supreme Commander – 505 Games (360)
WSC Real 08: World Snooker Championship – Deep Silver (360/PS3/Wii/PC/PSP)
Hannah Montana: Spotlight World Tour – Disney Interactive (PS2)
Spellbound – 505 Games (DS)
Naruto Ultimate Ninja 3 – Atari (PS2)
C-130 Hercules – Just Flight (PC)
Picto Image – Sega (DS)
Jackass – Empire (DS)
Dinosaur King – Sega (DS)
Clever Kids: Farmyard Fun – Midas (DS/Wii)
Clever Kids: Pirates – Midas (DS/Wii)
Chess Crusade – Zoo Digital (Wii/DS)
Super Speed Machines – Midas (DS)
Mahjong Escape: Ancient China – Focus (PC)
Amazing Adventures of the Lost Tomb – Focus (PC)
GTR Evolution Bundle Pack – Atari (PC)
Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI – Koei (PC)