Take-Two profits down in first quarter of Red Dead-free fiscal year Take-Two's net revenue for its first quarter of fiscal 2012 (which ended June 30) represents a downturn year-over-year -- $334.4 million versus fiscal 2010's $375.4 million (Take-Two shifted its fiscal calendar since then, in case you're wondering why we're comparing Q1 2012 with Q3 2010), with a net loss of $8.7 million instead of profits of $26.3 million. Last year around this time, of course, everyone on Earth was buying Red Dead Redemption, pushing Take-Two's profits into the stratosphere. :vampire: CLICK THE LINK 4 MORE :vampire: Take-Two profits down in first quarter of Red Dead-free fiscal year | Joystiq
NPD teaming with EEDAR to track digital sales Game industry analysis firms NPD and EEDAR have announced a new partnership "aimed at improving the measurement and analysis of the evolving video game industry." Specifically, it appears that EEDAR will help NPD round out its coverage of downloadable game sales.Together, the two firms hope to create a "total market tracking service for interactive entertainment," providing a broad picture of both physical and digital sales data. As part of this strategy, EEDAR's GamePulse service will immediately begin incorporating NPD's point-of-sale data. :vampire: CLICK THE LINK 4 MORE :vampire: NPD teaming with EEDAR to track digital sales | Joystiq
The Baconing preview: New blood Producer Mike Inglehart and his team at Hothead seem to be serious about making The Baconing the best entry in the Deathspank series yet. Prior to jumping into my demo, director of marketing Oliver Birch showed off a 17-page Word document filled with complaints and ideas for improvement, taken directly from their community. You talked, and Hothead says it listened.But one of the biggest changes is the addition of producer Inglehart, who recently joined Hothead and has been tasked with overseeing this third entry in the irreverent series. :vampire: CLICK THE LINK 4 MORE :vampire: The Baconing preview: New blood | Joystiq
Watch 32 minutes of Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City [video=youtube;tWyNU7jgobA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=tWyNU7jgobA[/video] It's not the best quality footage, but Capcom's done us all a solid and uploaded 32 minutes of Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City gameplay, direct from its Comic-Con booth. Honestly, we feel pretty bad for the zombies. These Umbrella operatives are strapped to the nines, and with giant Hunters running around, it seems it just isn't safe for a zombie to wander the streets at night any more. :vampire: CLICK THE LINK 4 MORE :vampire: Watch 32 minutes of Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City | Joystiq
Amazon also bundling Resistance 3 pre-order with PlayStation 3DTV It appears as though GameStop won't be the only retailer to reject Sony's new Motorstorm: Apocalypse-only PlayStation 3DTV bundle. Like its brick-and-mortar competitor, Amazon will also toss in a copy of Resistance 3, which was originally slated to be the 3D display's pack-in title.So, just to recap, that's a 24" 3D television, 3D glasses, HDMI cable, MotorStorm: Apocalypseand Resistance 3, all for 500 smackers. Sure, it sounds like a good deal but, frankly, we're holding out until Amazon ponies up a free copy of Tangled. :vampire: CLICK THE LINK 4 MORE :vampire: Amazon also bundling Resistance 3 pre-order with PlayStation 3DTV | Joystiq
PSN Tuesday: Red Dead Redemption discounts, Far Cry 2 PSN delivers a fistful of discounts this week on Red Dead RedemptionDLC, with Undead Nightmarea reanimated steal at $5. If you're looking for more modern sandbox experiences, GTA IV's The Ballad Of Gay Tonyand The Lost And Damnedare $10 and $5, respectively.In the demo department, don't miss out on passing the ball around with Madden NFL 12and trying out Driver: San Francisco's single-player demo. :vampire: CLICK THE LINK 4 MORE :vampire: PSN Tuesday: Red Dead Redemption discounts, Far Cry 2 | Joystiq
Mortal Kombat dreams up Freddy Krueger trailer, TV spot [video=youtube;jV6YpOCPHl4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV6YpOCPHl4[/video] One, two, Freddy's coming for you. Three, four, better learn to handle gore. Five, six, add uppercuts to the mix. Seven, eight, better keep practicing fatalities late. Nine, ten, never sleep again. :vampire: CLICK THE LINK 4 MORE :vampire: Mortal Kombat dreams up Freddy Krueger trailer, TV spot | Joystiq
'Destiny' and 'Be Brave' trademarks officially in Bungie's hands We're still in the dark about Bungie's next game, but if it's nearly as compelling as the team's current project, "Guess Our Next Game," we're all in for a treat. Today's update comes from Halo.Bungie.Org, which reports that "Be Brave" and "Destiny" (previously trademarked to a dummy corporation owned by Bungie staffers) are now the official property of the company.But wait, we've got more than legal maneuverings here! Misriah Solutions has put together a wonderfully thorough scouring of the new Bungie vidoc "O Brave New World" filled with plenty of eagle-eyed observations and just a little bit of conjecture.Also, guys? It's a Call of Dutygame. Accept it, embrace it, move on. :vampire: CLICK THE LINK 4 MORE :vampire: 'Destiny' and 'Be Brave' trademarks officially in Bungie's hands | Joystiq
Mega Man 1, 2, 3, 9, and 10 on sale on PSN In addition to the Mega Man 9and 10DLC packs listed as discounted in this week's PSN update, you can also get ... Mega Man 9and 10. And Mega Mans 1-3. Though they didn't show up on Sony's official list of updates, the entire Mega Man catalog on PS3 is on sale this week, half off.The PSOne Imports versions of Mega Man 1, 2, and 3(based on the Japanese PlayStation re-releases) are now available for $2.99 each. Mega Man 9and 10 sell for $4.99 each this week, with DLC bundles an extra $2.99. Given Capcom's recent attitude toward Mega Man, we'd love to see what happened if these discounts led to a massive sales boost. :vampire: CLICK THE LINK 4 MORE :vampire: Mega Man 1, 2, 3, 9, and 10 on sale on PSN | Joystiq
Pre-order Prototype 2 for a chance to be in Prototype 2 Ever wanted to be killed accidentally by a super-powered monster? If you said "Boy, have I!" you might want to stop loitering at your local nuclear power plant and check out Prototype 2.Activision and GameStop have partnered to turn pre-orderers into bystanders in the game. "In addition to just seeing themselves in the game," said Radical Entertainment studio head Ken Rosman, "the winners will actually be able to locate their virtual selves and shape-shift Sgt. James Heller into their likeness."US and Canada residents age 18 and up can enter by pre-ordering the game at GameStop before September 1 and then entering a drawing online. Winners will be sent to Vancouver to be turned into virtual collateral damage at Radical's HQ. :vampire: Click The Link 4 More :vampire: Pre-order Prototype 2 for a chance to be in Prototype 2 | Joystiq
Tommy will play an 'integral' role in Prey 2's story While Prey 2 has players running, sliding and jumping around in the shoes of a new protagonist, one Killian Samuels, it doesn't mean the star of the first game, Tommy, has been taken out back to the space shed and put down, Old Yellerstyle. Chris Rhinehart from Human Head Studios has told IGN that Tommy will actually play an "integral" role in the story."He's a character that you encounter many times throughout the game," Rhinehart said. "It's not just a single cameo where he shows up and takes off. He's integral to the story and events on Exodus. One of the big things is, the unique abilities that Tommy has, specifically spirit walk and death walk, are integral to his role and how he actually fits into the story." :vampire: Click The Link 4 More :vampire: Tommy will play an 'integral' role in Prey 2's story | Joystiq
BioShock Infinite time rift uses assets from canceled Irrational project The most striking moment of the thoroughly striking E3 demo for BioShock Infinite was, undoubtedly, the moment in which Elizabeth momentarily loses control of her powers, opening a rift to a more modern world than that of the floating city of Columbia. It was surprising, effective, and it almost didn't happen. In an interview with Gamasutra, Ken Levine explained,"It was supposed to be to this primeval forest kind of thing, and it just wasn't striking or different enough ... but we had assets from a game we abandoned."Levine added that the development team "made a bunch of changes to really sell it, but we had all those assets just sitting around from a game we never shipped. :vampire: Click The Link 4 More :vampire: BioShock Infinite time rift uses assets from canceled Irrational project | Joystiq
This Portal 2 Wheatley puppet is the best thing you'll see today [video=youtube;YzG94ct2d5k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YzG94ct2d5k[/video] We're not shy about this proclamation: This Portal 2Wheatley puppet, by deviantART user TRP-Chan, is the best thing you'll see today. Not the best video game puppet, or best YouTube video you'll see today. We mean the best thing!Birth of your first child? Sorry kid, but you're taking second place today. Getting married? Sorry husband/wife, but your anniversary will be permanently marred by memories of this puppet. We're also going to take this opportunity to predict that Valve is going to reward the artist with a trip to Valve HQ because, well ... look at it. :vampire: Click The Link 4 More :vampire: This Portal 2 Wheatley puppet is the best thing you'll see today | Joystiq
Take a look at the gorgeous openings of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus HD [video=youtube;5zhgaYimCEI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zhgaYimCEI[/video] Sure, you've already shed dozensof sympathy tears over Icoand Shadow of the Colossus, but have you ever shed tears of joy from the sheer beauty of the games, now updated to high-def? Well, these two videos, showcasing the opening to each game from the upcoming Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Collection re-release, may cause a bit of eye-born precipitation. At very least, they'll serve to get you extra pumpedfor the September launch of the remastered duo on PlayStation 3. :vampire: Click The Link 4 More :vampire: Take a look at the gorgeous openings of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus HD | Joystiq
Hysteria Project 2 coming to PlayStation Minis on August 23 Today we learned the U.S. date for the PlayStation Minis release of FMV thriller Hysteria Project 2. Tragically, Yan Marchal from Sanuk Games included no amazing video of himself peering directly into your soul with his 1,000-yard-stare, as he did with the game's announcement. We have rectified the problem. :vampire: Click The Link 4 More :vampire: Hysteria Project 2 coming to PlayStation Minis on August 23 | Joystiq
Assassin's Creed: Revelations beta arrives exclusively for PS3 Sept. 3 [video=youtube;MAEGEHOiUIU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAEGEHOiUIU&feature=player_embedded[/video] An Assassin's Creed:Revelationsmultiplayer beta will kick off on September 3 exclusively on the PS3, available in the first week only to PlayStation Plus and UPlay members. According to Ubisoft, nine characters will be available in the beta across three maps, with four gameplay modes each. You'll find them all listed after the break and depicted visually in the gallery below.With Assassin's Creed: Revelationsjust a few months away from launch, now's also the time to refresh your memory of the franchise's many outings thus far. Check out the stylish little recap clip above if you don't know your Ezios from your Altairs. :vampire: Click The Link 4 More :vampire: Assassin's Creed: Revelations beta arrives exclusively for PS3 Sept. 3 | Joystiq
Fallout: New Vegas' 'Lonesome Road' DLC delayed, launching 'as quickly as possible' Back in May, Fallout: New Vegas publisher Bethesda Softworks announced a trio of DLC packs for its post-apocalyptic wasteland wanderer: "Honest Hearts," which arrived in May; "Old World Blues," which arrived in July; and "Lonesome Road," which was also planned for a July launch."We just wanted to drop in here and let you know that due to circumstances beyond our control, Lonesome Road won't be out this month," senior producer Jason Bergman explained in a Bethesda.com forum post. "We don't have an exact date yet, but we're working to get it out as quickly as possible. We'll be announcing the final date, along with a couple of other interesting FNV-related items in the near future," he added without specifying a new launch window for the third DLC pack. :vampire: Click The Link 4 More :vampire: Fallout: New Vegas' 'Lonesome Road' DLC delayed, launching 'as quickly as possible' | Joystiq
NPD: Catherine sold 78K copies in July No, the cake isn't quite a lie, but it did omit a key slice of information. Last week, Atlus trumpeted strong first-week sales for its eccentric puzzle game, Catherine, via a celebratory cake: "200,000 sold in the first week," it exclaimed. Try: 200,000 sold-inthe first week (meaning shipped).Following today's NPD report of video game sales in North America, you may have been curious as to why Catherinedidn't appear among July's top ten best sellers. The lowest-ranked game, Mortal Kombat, had sold 85K units by month's end. Catherine came in below that, selling 78K copies in its first six days (still making it Atlus' biggest launch yet). Another weird, well-received Japanese game, Shadows of the Damned, sold 14K during its second month -- proving that there will be no cake in hell. :vampire: CLICK THE LINK 4 MORE :vampire: NPD: Catherine sold 78K copies in July | Joystiq
Sony vs LG patent issues settled, cross-licensing deal in place, hug status unknown LG Electronics and Sony have gotten the patent lawyers to heel (good lawyers, have a biscuit) in the two mega-corps' expansive patent disputes over mobile, TV and Blu-ray tech. Reuters obtained a quote from South Korea's LG Electronics stating the two companies have agreed to drop patent suits and have signed a cross-licensing deal.The patent issues culminated this past February when the civil court of justice in the Netherlands granted LG a preliminary injunction for customs to seize and confiscate all PS3s coming into Europe. Dutch police eventually seized the consoles, only to allow the PS3s to runneth free after Sony won in court. No word yet on when executives from the two corporations will meet to hug out the years of hostility. :vampire: CLICK THE LINK 4 MORE :vampire: Sony vs LG patent issues settled, cross-licensing deal in place, hug status unknown | Joystiq
July NPD: Sales down 26%, NCAA Football leads software Ouch! Overall video game industry sales are down 26% in North America for July, year over year, with a 29% dip in console hardware sales mostly to blame. New retail software sales saw a lesssevere 17% drop, while accessories saw only an 8% drop. Unsurprisingly, on the hardware front, "the platforms that contributed a greater portion of new physical retail dollar sales as compared to last year were the Xbox 360 and the PS3," says NPD's Anita Frazier. She also adds that July 2011 is the industry's "lowest month since October 2006." We'll say it again: Ouch! :vampire: CLICK THE LINK 4 MORE :vampire: July NPD: Sales down 26%, NCAA Football leads software | Joystiq
