I’m headed to a fantastic place — Stanford University — and can’t wait to get started.

As for games and journalism, just a few final observations:

– I’ve been more impressed by the folks who work in the game industry than those in any other field I covered (pro sports, television, telecommunications and the performing arts, to name just a handful).

– Newspapers that don’t aggressively and thoroughly cover games to the same degree that they cover any other major form of entertainment, including film and popular music, are myopic at best and self-destructive at worst.

– If I drop a comment now and then, here and there, in the gaming blogosphere, I promise, no flaming, no swearing. I don’t want any moderator deleting ME.

Bye, and thanks for reading. Can’t emphasize that too much: thanks.

Nooch

I have a fabulous new opportunity. It doesn’t involve video games, which means the industry’s robust sales are going to get even better, because I’ll be buying those Madden, Tiger Woods, Mario, Gran Turismo and Advance Wars games that have arrived for years as review copies.

In the years I’ve been writing about video games, I’ve developed some remarkable relationships with people in the industry, newspaper-reading gamers and blog fans. The Internet tosses a lot of random nasty nonsense into the mix — Web chatter brings out the monster in too many people, unfortunately — but the conversation level here has been far more rewarding than troublesome.

My last day is Monday. I want to step back, take a bit of time for reflection and then I’ll offer some goodbye thoughts about games and blogging, probably starting Sunday. Thanks, as always, for reading.

Nooch

Game console sales in slo-mo
Industry unable to capture many first-time buyers
By Mike Antonucci
Mercury News
Article Launched: 07/05/2008 01:34:28 AM PDT

More than 25 million of the video-game industry’s most sophisticated and family-friendly consoles have been sold in the United States in the past 2 1/2 years.

But there are only marginal signs that the machines — designed to foster games as a mainstream pastime in a majority of homes — are making any inroads with households that traditionally have been without consoles.

The game industry’s signature event, the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), takes place this month in Los Angeles in the midst of booming hardware and software sales, driven heavily by interest in Nintendo’s Wii, Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Sony’s PlayStation 3. The industry is on pace to top last year’s record $18 billion in sales by $3 billion to $5 billion, according to the market research firm NPD.

The robust spending, however, seems mostly to be coming from consumers who owned a previous generation of console, such as the PlayStation 2 or original Xbox. Some industry insiders hoped the new consoles, led by the populist appeal of the Wii, would dramatically expand the pool of game-playing Americans. But that appears to remain down the road at best.

Research companies calculate that 40 to 42 percent of U.S. households are using at least one game console. According to some sets of research, that represents little or no growth in recent years.

“We’re looking at very slow growth,” said David Klein, executive vice president of Centris, a Los Angeles research firm.

Centris measures the current percentage of homes with consoles at 40, unchanged from this time of year in 2006, and up by just 1 percent over 2005.

Adams Media Research puts the percentage at 40.9, up from a 2005 figure of 36.3.

Michael Arrington, one of the firm’s analysts, noted in an e-mail that it’s likely “most new consoles are going into homes that are either replacing an existing console or adding a second (or third) unit.”

The implications for the game industry, whose challenges include rising development costs, are sweeping. An expansion of the game audience offers continued revenue growth, or at least a hedge against a spending slowdown by existing fans.

The tech-laden nature of the latest consoles — which feature broadband Internet capabilities — gives them broader home entertainment potential. And the wider the cultural acceptance of games, the less vulnerable the industry is to social and political critics concerned about violent or adult content.

Nintendo’s hot-selling Wii is based on an easy-to-use, one-hand remote control that’s meant to entice consumers without previous game experience. Nintendo declined to comment on any internal research it has, although anecdotes abound about the Wii being a hit with moms, dads and grandparents.

Still, that word-of-mouth enthusiasm may not be translating into much real expansion.

“The problem with any consumer survey of that nature is you can get all kinds of wacky results when you try and extrapolate out to (the) U.S. as a whole,” industry analyst David Cole of DFC Intelligence said by e-mail.

“You can look at how much the console systems actually sell, but that doesn’t account for duplicate households,” Cole said. “If you look at most new console purchases today, they are going into households that already own a game system from a previous generation (yes, even Wii buyers).”

The Consumer Electronics Association puts the percentage of households with consoles at 42, the same as a previous peak in 2005. But the CEA’s growth projections are notably upbeat. Its research foresees the percentage hitting 44 by the end of the year, up from 37 in 2007, and it expects 27 percent of the people purchasing a console this year to be first-time buyers.

For whatever market growth there is, noted Arrington of Adams Media Research, it’s likely the Wii is “doing the most expanding into existing homes that haven’t ever . . . taken the console plunge. PS3 and Xbox 360 are being bought almost entirely by folks that are already comfortable with ‘doing the console thing.’ ”

Yep, I suggested a list last month, based on some really, really bad assumptions. The major one was: There were no surprises still lurking for the latter half of June. I thought I had a bead on almost everything that had been released and that also was about to be released.

I was wrong — three times over. I had no idea “Battlefield: Bad Company” would be SO good. I didn’t realize “GRID” would be as good as it is. And I didn’t anticipate the addictiveness of “Spore Creature Creator,” although its fundamental appeal was anything but a shock. Most years, there’s no reason to wait until July to finalize a list, but this time, I pulled the trigger too soon.

So here’s a revised list, with a few caveats:

I’m particularly cool to the “Metal Gear Solid” and “God of War” franchises, so MGS4 and “GOW” for the PlayStation Portable never had a chance with me. I didn’t receive a copy of “Ninja Gaiden II,” so it remains a candidate to displace something on my list in yet another revisionist post somewhere down the road. That’s not my favorite genre, however. Reader suggestions after my previous post focused on “Devil May Cry 4” — without persuading me — and “Lost Odyssey,” which I admire but didn’t crack my personal top 10. And last, I haven’t tried “Wii Fit” (for reasons that were thoroughly explained on this blog), but I respect the innovation it represents and it gets the No. 10 slot on that basis alone.

The list:

1. “Grand Theft Auto IV”
2. “Battlefield: Bad Company”
3. “Burnout Paradise”
4. “Super Smash Bros. Brawl”
5. “The World Ends With You”
6. “Boom Blox”
7. “GRID”
8. “Spore Creature Creator”
9. “Advance Wars: Days of Ruin”
10. “Wii Fit”

On my earlier list and now displaced: “Gran Turismo 5 Prologue,” “Mario Kart Wii” and MSG4 (based then on an acknowledgment of its status, if not my personal support).

“Lego Indiana Jones” (Xbox 360)

A game that can be loved by all ages, “Lego Indiana Jones” amazes with its universal appeal. Throughout your adventure, you’ll find yourself whip-swinging, brick-building and taking defeated foes’ hats to fool a military post. The expected and appropriate theme music is always present and
the wide array of playable characters doesn’t disappoint.

The good: Puzzles are sometimes challenging, but never frustrating. Replay value is high and often even better with alternative characters. Co-op play is fun . . . and preferred.

The bad: With three episodes, each with six missions, and 60 playable characters, it doesn’t have the same depth as the “Star Wars” franchise.

The bottom line: Being chased by a boulder composed of Lego bricks is entertaining. If you’ve seen the movies, you’ll enjoy the humor as well as the accessible gameplay. This is a must buy.

“Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures”: 8.5 out of 10
Rated: E (Everyone)
$49.99
www.indianajones.lego.com

But those of us who understand what really matters — I’m serious, because life should be about our delights, not all the grown-up drudgery — will appreciate this press release from Hasbro (it arrived over the weekend, and I almost over looked it in my crowded inbox).

WINNERS OF “HALL OF HEROES” ONLINE POLL ANNOUNCED DURING ANNUAL GI JOE CONVENTION

Frisco, Texas — June 28, 2008 – Hasbro announced the results of the online poll to determine the top 10 figures in the G.I. JOE vs. COBRA 3¾” single carded line, today (Saturday) at the annual International G.I. JOE Collectors Convention.

Over the past 1½ years, 62 individual figures have been created in celebration of the wildly popular
storyline, as part of a collection commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the legendary G.I. JOE VS.
COBRA saga that has captivated kids and fans since it’s introduction in 1982. After 77,000 online votes were cast, the winning figures to be inducted into the G.I. JOE “Hall of Heroes” are:

1. Snake Eyes and Timber (2007 Wave 1)
2. Firefly
3. B.A.T.
4. White Storm Shadow (2007 Wave 4)
5. Beach Head
6. Cobra Viper (2008 Wave 3)
7. Crimson Guard
8. Flint (2007 Wave 1)
9. Zartan (2007 Wave 3)
10. Snake Eyes in All Black (2008 Wave 1)

“The Hall of Heroes not only celebrates what the fans like most in the G.I. JOE vs. COBRA saga,” said
Michael Ritchie, Director of Marketing, G.I. JOE, “it is a bridge between the celebration of the storyline’s 25th anniversary and the kick-off to one of the most exciting years ever in the history of G.I. JOE.”

With induction into the G.I. JOE Hall of Heroes comes a new version of the top ten figures. Each will be released with unique deco and commemorative packaging. The “Hall of Heroes” line will be released in spring 2009. Additionally, G.I. JOE makes its debut as a major motion picture from Paramount Pictures and Hasbro on August 7, 2009.

Early in the game, the squad you’re in has to clear out opposing soldiers and a light tank from a hilltop farmhouse. Not too tough as it turns out, although it requires some quick reactions. At one point, it was clear to me that there was a remaining enemy somewhere, because HE WOULD SPEAK FROM HIDING but not fire on me even though I felt exposed in the open (and he had an elevated perch to target me from, as it turned out). Eventually, I hunted him down by careful search.

What I was curious to know from the developers was how the artificial intelligence was performing in that instance. The short answer sent my way:

If the AI loses sight of the player, it will go into a state of ”where did he go?”, stop shooting and every now and then emote some VO (to help the player understand someone is left, as well as hint their position). The AI won’t fire until he’s got a clear sight line to the player, but when he does spot you, will be quick to fire.”

I’m going to have to try to replay the sequence and see what my vulnerability was, because I didn’t draw the fire even though I felt like I was out in the open and easily in his range. Regardless, I think the voice clue is an effective hint that gives the game broad accessibility for relative newbies as well more experienced gamers. But what price the sense of realism?

EA said today it will offer an $80 “Galactic Edition” of “Spore” that contains a “Making of Spore” DVD, the “How to Build a Better Being” DVD from the National Geographic Channel, “The Art of Spore” hardback mini-book, a foldout “Spore” poster and a 100-page Galactic Handbook. “How to Build a Better Being,” which looks at the science behind some of the game’s principles, premieres Sept. 9 on the National Geographic Channel.

The regular version of “Spore” has a suggested price of $50. Versions of the game for the PC, Mac, Nintendo DS and mobile phones will be released Sept. 5 in Europe and Sept. 7 in North America and Asia.

EA does a good job of defining “Spore”: players get “their own personal universe in a box. Create and evolve life, establish tribes, build civilizations, sculpt entire worlds and explore a universe filled with creations made by other gamers. Spore gives players a wealth of creative tools to customize nearly every aspect of their universe: creatures, vehicles, buildings, and even UFOs.”

But to really get a feel for the game’s imagination and potential, go to www.spore.com and download a free version of the “Spore Creature Creator.”

On first impression, the game (rated Teen) is wonderfully written, with easy-on-the-ears, funny and convincingly human dialogue. It looks great, has a wonderful balance of challenging but manageable difficulty (set on “normal”) and appears to also nicely balance strategic considerations with run-and-gun skills.

I’ve got the XBox 360 version, and I’m only interested in the single-player mode at the moment. The press release synopsis is succinct and useful: “Players take on the role of Preston Marlowe, a young soldier whose antics land him in the division with the highest mortality rate alongside other troublemakers Sarge, Haggard and Sweetwater. Players will tackle harsh terrain and fierce enemies with their squad of renegade soldiers as they search for an elusive treasure using dozens of vehicles, weapons and deadly toys all at their disposal for explosive experimentation.”

If the next two hours of this game are as good as the first two, I’m going to be yelling “BUY” louder than I have for some time.

Three tourneys are scheduled from noon to 3 p.m. If you’re interested, arrive to sign up before the starting times of noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Participation is determined on a first-come, first-registered basis.

The “Deca Sports” game features 10 kinds of single and multiplayer competition: beach volleyball, snowboard cross, badminton, basketball, curling, figure skating, archery, supercross, soccer and kart racing.

The event also has a bonus attraction: the attendance of Hudson games master Takahashi Meijin (Master Higgins), making his first U.S. appearance since 1990. His significance represents a gap in my game knowledge, but here’s the lowdown from the official press release (slightly edited):

Born in Sapporo, Hokkaido Japan in 1959, (he) joined Hudson Soft in Japan in 1982 and was officially appointed “Master” by Hudson in 2006. (He) became Hudson Entertainment’s most beloved and well-known employee in the 1980s when the Adventure Island character “Master Higgins” was created based on the real-life Meijin. The character — a square-jawed man who wears only a red baseball cap with the Hudson Soft trademark bee and a Hawaiian-style grass skirt and rescues his mate from aliens, sorcerers, witch doctors and much more — went on to star in multiple sequels and has become a legend in classic gaming circles. Master Higgins occasionally makes appearances throughout Japan and also maintains a popular blog www.16shot.jp