Highlights in Video Game News

Taking a break!!!

2013-01-10T13:15:00.001-05:00

Hey fans,

Since I started a new job in the industry, I will be taking a break from blogging. I'm so busy with all of the fun and exciting things in the world of video game marketing.

Take care,

Jamaal

THQ recovery...hopefully

2013-01-02T04:19:00.001-05:00

Lets hope that THQ makes it out of bankruptcy. It can be hard for a company to bounce back after entering. Clearlake Capital seems determined to help turn the company around, but you never know. Hopefully, THQ won't loose some of its golden franchises to other houses in the process, just to clear up debts and cut costs.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-12-20-rubin-thq-sale-a-new-start-for-our-company

Nice summary of the industry for 2013

2013-01-02T04:16:00.001-05:00

This article is really long, but it gives a lot of good insight into where things may be going for hardware, software, development and platforms in 2013.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-01-02-2013-the-state-of-the-games-industry

NRA makes another stupid comment

2013-01-02T04:14:00.002-05:00

Yes, I know that this story is old, but it is one that has to be mentioned. The NRA is always looking for an excuse to make people believe that they are not to blame for the insane gun laws and availability of weapons in the US. Yes, its video games, according to them. I wish that the President and some of the families of the victims could go on a campaign to limit assault rifles and put in stricter gun purchasing laws and get rid of some guns all together. How many more people have to die?

People have tried to blame video games for many social ills of American society for years. Now I know that the US isn't the only country that plays video games, so why don't we have mass shootings in Japan, UK, France, Germany, Brazil, Middle east? Oh yeah, that's right, you can't buy guns in those countries. The most that the video game industry can be responsible for is Chinese or Korean gamers passing out in internet cafes from playing Warcraft non stop for days on end.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-12-21-nra-puts-blame-on-games

Round up of 2013 hopes

2013-01-02T04:09:00.001-05:00

This is a nice little collection of some of the biggest analysts and strategists that following the gaming industry. They each have a rank of what they feel will be the biggest things in gaming for 2013.

Personally, I have my own thoughts (in no particular order):
1. Mobile gaming will get bigger and better
2. PC gaming will shrink
3. Apps will be incorporated and used much more on TVs and handheld gaming devices
4. Some game companies will be acquired
5. Social gaming will start to lose its popularity

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-12-28-crystal-gazing-what-to-expect-in-2013

Zynga shutting down other game titles

2013-01-02T04:04:00.003-05:00

Looks like the pressure is not only on the corporate and executive level. Zynga is closing down Petville and other poorly performing games. Seems like Kixeye and Gree are making a dent into their empire. Or simply that people just don't play those games anymore. The complete list of games being cut are some of the low hanging fruit, which to me, Zynga only created compete with other "better" versions from competition.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-12-31-zynga-kills-petville-and-more-to-cut-costs

Zynga shrinking

2013-01-02T03:59:00.001-05:00

Well, with people slowly getting tired of social gaming on Facebook, and Zynga not really trying to expand beyond its repetitive gameplay model, reality is finally catching up to the social gaming giant. 2012 was not a good year for Zynga, with executives leaving, studios closing and their stock price tanking. This recent announcement of a major international office closing could be the start of something for Zynga.

http://www.vgchartz.com/article/250634/zynga-to-close-its-japan-office/

VG Chartz shows Mario's dominance

2013-01-02T03:53:00.000-05:00

VGChartz has a great chart that showcases how much of a powerhouse the Mario brands have been over the past 30 years. Super Mario Bros on the NES has sold a staggering 40M units. Wow!!! It goes to show you how well Nintendo has extended that brand into many other solid Mario brands. Good job Nintendo.

Check out the rest on the link below.

http://www.vgchartz.com/article/250637/top-10-in-sales-mario-franchise-500m-games-sold/

Sony fans looking for a super 2013

2013-01-02T03:50:00.001-05:00

I will agree with the article. Sony didn't so very well in 2012. But it was due to a combination of things, poor promotions for its mobile and handheld gaming system, a tsunami in the Pacific, and a very weak global economy. Plus with the new consoles on their way out in the next 1-2 years, many studios were probably focusing on making next gen games.

I for one, am looking forward to 2013. The current gen systems still have some life in them and the xbox and PS3 will go out with a bang. But, both of these systems will be around for at least another 1-2 years after the new systems launch.

http://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2013/01/01/daily-reaction-ps4-sony-exclusives-gaikai-and-more-in-2013/

PS2 to finally end its run

2013-01-02T03:45:00.002-05:00

I think that this is a good move by Sony. The system has been around since 2000 and has sold extremely well. With PS4 on the horizon, its time to retire this system. Now the efforts can be pushed more into the last year of PS3 and into the Vita and Mobile platforms.

I remember when I bought my PS2 all those years ago. I had that, an N64 and a Dreamcast all at the same time. Those were the good times in video game history. I pretty much bought my PS2 to play Resident Evil, Final Fantasy and Devil May Cry games. Oh yeah, I forgot about Syphon Filter and Crash Bandicoot too.

With more than 150M total units sold over its life, this device helped solidify Sony's place as a legitimate video game company.

http://www.mobilenapps.com/articles/5969/20121228/playstation-2-discontinued-sony.htm

Delayed posts

2013-01-02T03:40:00.000-05:00

Sorry readers for being away for so long. I had a buddy of mine from college staying with me for five days. Then my wife and I went to visit my in laws in LA for a few days as well.

I start my new Brand Marketing Manager job with Sony PlayStation on Thursday, January 3rd.

I will work to get posts up more frequently.

Thanks for reading!!!

Jamaal

Google Boasts Mobile OS Success

2012-12-15T17:39:00.000-05:00

Google can say this due to its market share size, but when it comes to which platform that developers make the most money on, its clearly iOS. I didn't hear Schmidt mention that comparison. Many developers go for Apple first and Android is almost always an after thought. People with iPhones just seem more dedicated to the platform and utilizing its features the most. Plus the advertising and product placement is crazy. Friends of mine who own iPhones tend to purchase apps a much higher rate than friends with Android phones.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-12-12-google-android-is-clear-winner-in-the-war-with-ios

UK Game retailers feeling the end of the cycle pinch

2012-12-15T17:33:00.001-05:00

Gamers are starting to download more and more games through their PC, smartphones, handhelds and consoles. No wonder retailers are feeling the pinch. I will admit that in 2012, I bought three PC games (Rift, Old Republic and Guild Wars 2). I only bought Guild Wars 2 from the stores. Downloading, especially a PC game felt easy. WE are already used to downloading and the best thing (this is for all digital copies) is that if you need to re-install it again, you can just go to the site and download the client again. Simple. Physical copies have the common problem of getting scratch, costing more and requiring the user to physically go to the store to get it. Granted, many people still like that experience, but as the article pointed out, others hate being told what to get sometimes because the store people are pushing certain titles to make their numbers look good. If digital copies of games were a bit cheaper, then you would see people download more. Or why not offer different pre-order bonuses to drive that adoption. I'm sure that its a lot harder to do than us gamers think. There are many relationships that rely on the physical distribution of goods, and its going to be that way for a while.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-12-13-retail-limps-to-the-finish-line-after-a-tough-2012

False accusations...again!!

2012-12-15T17:26:00.000-05:00

Once again, we have the media saying that a video game was responsible for a mass shooting. Yes, I am not soulless, because it does happen. But in this case, saying that sci-fi shooter is responsible is a bit silly. Lets stick with the fact that he was mentally unstable before he went on a rampage and someone probably bullied him at the same school that he shot up a day ago. Killing little kids is beyond any sense of normal. The fact that he walked up to each kid and shot them at close range is just demented. Almost on the same level as Jeffrey Dahlmer eating people. This guy should be happy that he killed himself. Sadly, he seemed to have killed others closely involved with him (room mate), so it may be hard to understand his ultimate motive. My heart goes out to the families that lost their loved ones (adults and children). Its a sad day in this country where we can see constant massacres happen due to violent weapons and point the finger at every other reason, except the most obvious...gun ownership and ease of access.

http://kotaku.com/5968683/mob-blames-mass-effect-for-school-shooting-is-embarrassingly-wrong

IGN's Geek Gift Guide 2012

2012-12-15T17:21:00.001-05:00

If you are a comic book, video game, or sci-fi geek, then this list will have plenty of things to choose from for your holiday gifting desires. Plenty of action figures, development books, cups, clothing, games and other goodies that any geek would proudly display on their desk or night stand. I actually have a talking General Greevous toy that twirls lightsabers, on my desk at home. I need some awesome figures to put on my desk at work now. Perhaps some cool action figures.

http://www.ign.com/wikis/holiday-gift-guide/Editor_Picks

Ninja Gaiden Sigma on PS Vita

2012-12-15T17:18:00.001-05:00

Someone tell me why they ported this game onto Vita instead of making one specifically for the system. The problem with ports is that a lot of the game play gets taken away just to stick it on the system. Yes, the Vita is powerful, but I don't see why Namco didn't take the time to create a whole new experience. Ubisoft did it for Assassin's Creed 3 and gamers loved it.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/12/14/ninja-gaiden-sigma-2-plus-hits-vita-in-february

Crysis 3 early gameplay footage

2012-12-15T17:16:00.000-05:00

I guess this Seven Wonders series is to showcase some of the amazing backgrounds in this upcoming game in 2013. I loved Crysis 2. I played it through three times (easy, medium and hard). I didn't particularly like the multiplayer. That, just like BioShock 2's multiplayer, seemed forced. Never the less, I think this game will be a hit for gamers that want awesome single player game play with great weapons and a fun storyline. Plus, having the bow reminded me of Turok.

http://www.gameinformer.com/games/crysis_3/b/xbox360/archive/2012/12/15/the-first-episode-of-crysis-3-39-s-7-wonders-series-is-here.aspx

Summary of redesigned consoles

2012-12-15T17:10:00.000-05:00

This is a great article that showcases the different systems across generations (starting with the 2nd gen) and how their parent companies redesigned them over the years. Sometimes it made sense, other times, it made you wonder why the company put the effort in. Other times, you said to yourself, why wasn't this done earlier (i.e. the Wii). Some consoles should have had their life ended sooner than later (i.e. PSP).

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/12/13/version-2-a-history-of-redesigned-consoles.aspx

Dead Space 3 users voice commands

2012-12-15T17:05:00.001-05:00

Granted the only system that can do this is Kinect. EA added this functionality into Mass Effect 3. I will admit that it sounded cool at first, but after doing a whole mission with it, I found myself turning it off and going back to using the controller. It felt unnatural doing it through shouting (calling squadmates, changing weapons and moving around into cover). Plus I felt like a fool shouting out commands, to the point where my wife was saying, "Who are you yelling at??" I feel that by adding this in is a gimmick that is not needed and will probably hurt the experience of an action based game instead of improving it. But hey, developers have to utilize Kinect in the best way that they can.

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/13/dead-space-3-scares-up-kinect-voice-commands-on-xbox-360/

Journey not getting enough credit

2012-12-15T12:26:00.001-05:00

This game just looks amazing, it came out earlier this year, but the way that I see it, it kind of got snubbed at the Spike VGA's. The graphics are simple yet elegant, and it takes gamers back to a simpler time when games were about clean looks, simple stories and fun. This game is another reason as to why Sony should really push the envelope with their first party and independent games (exclusive ones).

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/12/14/why-journey-is-one-of-the-best-games-of-2012.aspx

Sly Cooper comings soon

2012-12-15T12:23:00.000-05:00

This is great, another Sony first party title is coming out next year. Along with God of War: Ascension, this is a great addition to the Sony game family. Its been a while since we saw a Sly Cooper game. Id like to see a bundle with Sony first party titles. That would be awesome. The trailer for the game is pretty cool also.

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/15/sly-cooper-thieves-in-time-sneaks-to-europe-march-27/

GW2 gets rid of bots

2012-12-14T18:21:00.001-05:00

I still wonder how people go through creating bots and managing them at one time. Especially bots that have different powers and abilities. WoW had that issue and they eeradicated it. I'm glad that Arena.net is doing the same. Bots are a plague in online gaming and it causes people to cheat the system.

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2012/12/14/over-34-000-bots-banned-in-guild-wars-2.aspx

FINALLY!!!!

2012-12-14T03:33:00.000-05:00

Well readers, my journey to enter the gaming world has finally ended. I applied for a Brand Marketing Manager, Mobile role with Sony's PlayStation division in late November. I just had my in person interview on December 10th and I got an offer that afternoon. Of course, I accepted it and I will be starting on January 3rd.

Are PS4 and Xbox 720 coming out next year?

2012-12-14T02:45:00.001-05:00

There is so much speculation with the new systems now that its really hard to determine how much of it is really true. We do know that something is in the works and that within the next one to two years, we will get a new console from both companies. I think that the systems will be much similar spec wise than they were in this generation. The biggest difference will be first party games, and Sony has that in the bag. Now lets bring out a new Twisted Metal, Syphon Filter and Crash Bandicoot for the next generation Sony. Microsoft, give us some awesome Rare games. I couldn't think of any other first party games from them, oh yeah that's right, they spun all of those companies off (ahem Bungie)!!!

http://kotaku.com/5968211/reality-check-theres-a-strong-chance-well-have-a-ps4-and-xbox-720-a-year-from-now

Google prints its list of top game searches for 2012

2012-12-14T02:38:00.001-05:00

This list really has no surprises, but there are enough fans of reality wrestling to justify it being on the list. Otherwise, the other games are no brainers. The funniest thing is that I only have one of them at home: Mass Effect 3.

http://kotaku.com/5968318/the-most-popular-video-games-of-2012-according-to-googles-search-results