Kotaku: Retail

MIGS Keynote: A Broken Business Model

Maggie Greene — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:30:00 MST

The Montreal International Game Summit recently wrapped up, and keynote speaker David Braben of Frontier Development really took the industry to task on everything from the business model (broken!) to retailers (killing longevity of games!) to the 'online myth' of the next gen consoles. He makes some interesting points, though I'm not at all convinced of the veracity of some of them. Here's his take on the retail model:

"As an industry, we're in denial about the problems with retail," Braben argued, citing a common myth that online distribution will become the norm in the coming generation.

"Retail is killing the longevity of our titles," he said, with the massive used game market contributing to the problem. "The industry sees none of this" when it comes to preowned sales.

Meanwhile, the retail film industry puts its new films front and center, and the stores in which movies are sold are often more attractive and inviting than game stores.

"What's worse, if you ask for a new release, they'll offer you a used one, and it's not even much cheaper," said Braben. "What it's doing as an industry, means the long tail, which is what games rely on, is going to go away. And relying on online is killing ourselves."

Braben suggested selling higher-priced copies of games to rental stores, then lowering the prices of not-for-resale copies — thus making new games more affordable for players, while introducing additional revenue streams for rentals.

"We can add value for people who have actually bought the game," he said — designers should come up with additional content that rewards those who buy games new.

Well, I'm not sure if his suggestions are necessarily going to fix things (certainly won't make it any easier on retailers), but Braben sounds pretty passionate and inflamed about a lot of these topics. It's a quick and pretty interesting read, even if you don't agree with his solutions.

MIGS: Frontier's Braben On Retailers 'Killing The Longevity' Of Games [Gamasutra]

Wal-Mart Black Friday Deals

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:00:00 MST

Wal-Mart's Black Friday catalogue has shown up. It's pretty good. Highlight is probably a $199 360 Arcade (the one with Sega Superstars Tennis bundled) that comes with a free Guitar Hero III game + guitar pack. There are also savings on the latest EA Sports games, a promised "wide selection" of cheap DS and Wii games and, for the impulse shopper amongst you, copies of Bully for $10.

Items with a * are doorbusters

Animal Crossing: City Folk (Wii) - $49.88

Bully for Playstation 2 - $10.00 *

Disney Video Game Assorted Titles - $10.00

Guitar Hero 2-Pack for Nintendo Wii (GH3, GH Aerosmith) - $50.00 *

Guitar Hero 2-Pack for Xbox 360 (GH2, GH Aerosmith) - $50.00 *

Guitar Hero 3-Pack for Playstation 2 (GH1, GH2, GH 80s) - $50.00 *

Madden NFL 09 for Playstation 3 - $30.00 *

Madden NFL 09 for Xbox 360 - $30.00 *

Mario Super Sluggers - Wii - $49.88

Midnight Club DUB Edition for Playstation 2 - $10.00 *

NASCAR 09 for Playstation 3 - $30.00 *

NASCAR 09 for Xbox 360 - $30.00 *

NBA Live 09 for Playstation 3 - $30.00 *

NBA Live 09 for Xbox 360 - $30.00 *

NCAA Football 09 for Playstation 3 - $30.00 *

NCAA Football 09 for Xbox 360 - $30.00 *

NFL Head Coach 09 for Playstation 3 - $10.00 *

NFL Head Coach 09 for Xbox 360 - $10.00 *

Nintendo DS Lite Brain Age Special Edition - $136.00

Nintendo DS Lite Super Mario Bros. Special Edition - $136.00

Nintendo DS Video Game Assortment (over 50 Titles Available) - $16.00

Nintendo Wii Video Game Assortment (Many Titles Available) - $16.00

Nintendo Wii Video Game System - $249.24

Xbox 360 Arcade Bundle w/ Guitar Hero 3 Game & Guitar - $199.00 *

[BlackFriday]

Wii Games Hit The Bargain Bin Faster Than PS3, 360 Ones

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:00:00 MST

The researchers at Electronic Entertainment Design and...Research have been looking at console game sales patterns. Looking at how long it takes a game to enter "price protection", which is a term used for when a publisher - having noticed a game isn't selling very well - lowers the wholesale cost of a game so that retailers can keep it on the shelves at full price, even when the public are ignoring it. What they've found is that this practice occurs for 7.5% of 360 games. And 9.09% of PS3 games. But the Wii? It happens for 15.1% of titles.

EEDAR speculates that this is due to a crowded release schedule full of samey, poorly-made casual titles that are pitching to "unpredictable mainstream and casual markets". Common sense, as well as the mob's opinion, will no doubt agree with EEDAR. Their advice to publishers?

For reference, we consider games targeting the core market to have a less competitive landscape as core targeted titles are typically spread out through the year and receive less competition upon release.

Whaddya know. Make better, realer games. I like these EEDAR guys.

Wii Games Discounted at a Faster Rate – EEDAR [GameDaily]

Toys 'R' Us Black Friday Deals

Luke Plunkett — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 23:00:00 MST

Yup. More Black Friday deals. This time from Toys 'R' Us. Sure, they're not a blue chip games retailer, but if you're in the market for Guitar Hero or a PlayStation 2, they might be worth a look. Particularly for the PS2 deal, since every purchase nets you a DVD remote, a copy of...21 on DVD (OK, not so hot) and six free games. Those six are probably from a list, but hey, free is free.

Doorbusters:

* FREE Play Station 2 Deal – 6 FREE Games, FREE “21” DVD and FREE Play Station 2 DVD Remote with the purchase of the Play Station 2 System
* FREE Nintendo® DS™ accessory with the purchase of Nintendo® DS™ Brain Age Bundle or Nintendo® DS™ Super Mario Bros. Bundle
* More than 80% off Xbox 360 Wired Guitar Hero Game Controller
* Up to 50% off Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle for Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360

Toys 'R' Us Leaks Black Friday Deals [Gizmodo]

7-Eleven To Sell Games, Break Street Dates Year Round

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:40:43 MST

Getting the biggest games days before street date is about to get a whole lot easier thanks to 7-Eleven. The convenience store chain is expanding its video game offerings beyond what it currently carries, typically guaranteed blockbusters like Gears of War 2, Fallout 3 and World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King or games tied to Slurpee promos like Halo 3.

Michael Jester, 7-Eleven category manager for gaming and electronics said in a statement “This is not just a holiday promotion for us, but a brand new product line-up that will be available year-round."

In addition to seeking to become the "most convenient destination" for the hottest video game titles, 7-Eleven will be ramping up the number of pre-paid gaming cards it carries. That includes MMOs like Guild Wars and City of Heroes, as well as pre-paid cards for Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. Oh, we'll definitely come again if this work out.

7-Eleven® Gets in the Game

Retailer Sets Sights to Become Most Convenient Destination for Hottest Video Titles, Prepaid Game Cards

DALLAS—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Gamers never die; they just grow up … and continue to play … and play … and play. Today, the average gamer is not in his teens, but in his early 30s and, not surprisingly, most likely male. They play at home, at social gatherings, at work (shhhh) and online.

That’s good news for 7-Eleven, Inc. whose customer base skews heavily male between the ages of 18 and 34. The world’s leading convenience retailer is ready to take the proverbial plunge into video game sales after dabbling in it over the past years with successful Slurpee® beverage promotions aimed at top-selling game franchises like Microsoft’s Halo and EA Sport’s Madden.

This month, participating 7-Eleven® stores introduce a line-up of seven of the top video game titles for sale as well as one of the most comprehensive selection of prepaid gift cards for another growing gaming phenomenon – Massively Multi-player Online Games, or MMOGs.

“Video games aren’t just for kids anymore, and they’re not just sold at big box and game stores either,” said Michael Jester, 7-Eleven category manager for gaming and electronics. “We can compete with the major players and offer consumers a more convenient place to purchase games and accessories. They can pay a deposit and reserve their copies ahead of time and pick them up starting midnight (12 am) on the release date at locations closer to their homes.”

The video game industry is a $12 billion business and growing. A recent survey by the Entertainment Software Association found that 65 percent of American households play computer and video games, with 41 percent of Americans expecting to purchase one or more games this year. Of the top-selling games, 85 percent are rated E for “Everyone” and T for “Teen.”

“AAA” VIDEO GAMES

“AAA” games, as they’re called in the industry, are the top-selling, most anticipated games, often sequels with proven appeal to both serious and casual player alike. Suggested retail prices are $59.99 for Xbox 360 and PS3 games, $49.99 for Nintendo Wii, and $39.99 for PS2.

Predicted to be the hottest sellers this holiday season, these game titles are available at 7-Eleven stores while supplies last:

* Guitar Hero: World Tour-Band Kit (Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 2, Nintendo Wii)
* Fallout 3 (Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PS3, personal computer or PC)
* World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King (MMOG available on PC only)
* 007: Quantum of Solace (Xbox 360, PS3 and PS2)
* Gears of War 2 (exclusive to Xbox 360)
* WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 (Xbox 360, Sony PS3 and PS 2)
* Call of Duty: World at War (Xbox 360, PS3)

“This is not just a holiday promotion for us,” Jester said, “but a brand new product line-up that will be available year-round. We may not be a total entertainment destination … yet, but we’re hoping to expand our selection beyond the high-dollar, hot- selling games to include options for all budgets, like value-priced video games as well as DVD movies. For consumers wanting convenient one-stop shopping for at-home entertainment along with groceries and gas or who just want to avoid big-store shopping inconveniences, their local 7-Eleven store is open and ready.”

PREPAID MMOG GIFT CARDS

Displayed right next door to the console games is a broad selection of online game gift cards to make virtual purchases in MMOGs or pay for your monthly subscription. Played on the Internet, these online games feature at least one virtual world and enable players from around the world to communicate, cooperate and compete with each other.

“MMOGs got their start in Asia, but have gained a worldwide audience of millions,” said Brian Haynes, 7-Eleven category manager for services. “In November of 2007, 7-Eleven was the first convenience retailer in the U.S. to introduce the Nexon gift card, its first foray into the world of MMOGs.”

This year, the number of prepaid game cards available at participating 7-Eleven stores has expanded to approximately 20 different cards in varying denominations. So popular have these prepaid game cards become that 7-Eleven is placing a major focus on this growing segment of the prepaid business this year next.

While most games are free to play, players can use microtransactions, an innovative cash-shop system that allows payments of little as a quarter for a virtual item, to make purchases to individualize their characters and create unique identities. These features are purely optional, and players can try out items in virtual dressing rooms before making a purchase. They can also spend cyber-dollars to unlock clues and levels of the different games.

Most top-selling video games have action- or battle-oriented objectives popular with male players. Many of the online MMOGs, however, are classified as “casual,” “role-playing” or “experiential” and attract a higher percentage of female players.

The 7-Eleven prepaid game card line-up includes Nexon, Habbo, Gaia, Guild Wars, gPotato, Runescape, Aeria, City of Heroes, Exteel, ijji, IMVU, Neopets and Sims2 prepaid game cards. Sold primarily in denominations of $10 and $25, many of the cards can be used to make purchases within multiple online games. 7-Eleven and Slurpee have a presence in some games where players can receive a FREE Slurpee Machine to place in their virtual room.

Along with the prepaid MMOG cards, 7-Eleven offers prepaid gift cards for the two biggest game platforms – Sony PlayStation Network and Microsoft Xbox Live. Players can use the Xbox and PlayStation gift cards to download new games, and game content and access playable demos of upcoming releases.

“We think video games will be a great year-round seller for us,” Jester said. “Whenever a big-name game is released, it creates instant demand, and we plan on being there to meet it.”

"Exclusive" MGS4 "Limited" Edition PS3 Winds Up At Walmart For $399

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:00:00 MST

Boy, we really, really hope you didn't drop $599 (or more) of your hard-earned dollars on this "Konami.com exclusive" Metal Gear Solid 4 PlayStation 3 bundle that was going to be released in "very, very limited" quantities. And we hope you didn't tear your silky, well-conditioned hair out during the painful pre-ordering process. Because now it can be had for a comparative song at Walmart.com, reduced to just $399 USD.

That's the same price as the standard 80 GB model PS3 that Sony's offering sans packed-in game and $100 less than the new 160 GB SKU bundled with Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. Quantities may actually be genuinely limited this time and the offer appears to be online only, so if you're feeling froggy, we'd recommend jumpin'.

PlayStation 3 40GB Limited Edition Kojima Silver Bundle w/ Metal Gear Solid 4 [Walmart - thanks, Shaun!]

Sam's Club Black Friday Wii Bundle Was Obviously Too Good To Be True

Michael McWhertor — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:40:30 MST

You didn't really think you were getting a Wii, three Wii Remotes, three Nunchuks, Wii Sports, Mario Super Sluggers, and King of Clubs Mini-Golf for $224 USD did you? Oh. You did? Well, shit. Sorry about that, because that mindbogglingly good deal from Sam's Club as part of a Black Friday deal sure isn't happening. Guess we should've paid heed to the official Walmart Check Out blog that "the information on those [Black Friday] sites was not entirely accurate."

Because it's not. Not even close.

According to an update to the offer at Black Friday Ads, the bundle will now be priced at a more sane, but less eBay flippable $425. Maybe. We'd advise referring to your hard copy of the Sam's Club circular for final, official, accurate, confirmed, solid and straight shootin' pricing.

Nintendo Wii Family Bundle - Console, 3 Wii Remotes, 3 Nunchuks and 3 Games at Sam's Club - $425.00 [Black Friday Ads]

Halo: The Complete Soundtrack

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 02:30:00 MST

Sure, Halo 3 was so 2007, but there's always ways to pick up an extra penny or two the year after. When the heat's died down. Here's one: the complete Halo soundtrack. It's the soundtracks to Halo 1, Halo 2 and Halo 3, all in the one box, all for $30. Could be the perfect stocking-stuffer for that special Halo fan in your life. Provided they didn't buy the soundtrack to Halo 2, hear Incubus and hurl it out the nearest window, that is.

Halo Trilogy- The Complete Original Soundtracks [Amazon]

This Is How Much Japan's Market Has Declined In 12 Months

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 01:30:00 MST

Oh dear. Famitsu publisher (and industry analysts) Enterbrain have published their Japanese figures for the month of October, and it's not pretty reading. Compared to October 2007, software sales are down 14.9%. Hardware sales are even worse, down an impressive 29.1%. Overall, this means the market is down 21.6%. That's...that's really sad reading. Only bright side is if you're a Microsoft Japan employee, as for the month, the 360 outsold the PS3, 27,000 to 22,000. Crazy days.

JAPAN: Big market drops in October [MCV]

Sam's Club Selling Wii For $224 (With 3 Controllers + 3 Nunchuks + 2 Games)

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:40:00 MST

Now we're getting into the good stuff. Sam's Club's' Black Friday catalogue just hit these here internets. It's got deals. Wii Fit for $79 is...OK, if that's your kind of thing, but you may find their "Nintendo Wii Family Bundle" a little more appealing. For $224 you get a Wii. With two bonus Wii Remotes. And two bonus Nunchuks. And Mario Super Sluggers. And...King of Clubs Mini-Golf. All for $20 less than you'd normally pay for just a Wii. Needless to say, it's a doorbuster item, so you'll need to get in quick, but if you do get in quick? Imagine the resale value in a week's time! Oh, we kid, we kid...

Sam's Club [Black Friday]

Nintendo Quietly Release Wii "Multiplayer Control Set"

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:20:00 MST

No press release, no fancy photos, there's been nothing from Nintendo to accompany this product release, but release a new product they have: what you're looking at is the imaginatively-titled "multiplayer control set". Spotted at Target by a Go Nintendo reader, it's official Nintendo gear, and includes a Mario Kart wheel, a Wii Remote and a Nunchuk. The damage? $74.99. Which makes it two cents more expensive than buying the peripherals individually. Go figure.

Target - Wii multiplayer controller kit [Go Nintendo]

Circuit City Files For Bankruptcy, Owes $898 Million

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:40:00 MST

Given Circuit City's recently publicized downsizing and rumored credit concerns it probably won't come as a surprise that the situation is dire enough for the electronics and software retailer for them to file for bankruptcy protection. If that was out of the blue, aren't you glad we prefaced the announcement with how unsurprising it would be? Now you won't be shocked(!) to learn that Circuit City has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Circuit City owes close to $900 million to its vendors, which a $1.1 billion loan will help pare down. Speaking of paring down, CC will also be shedding another 700 employees, on top of the thousands already hit by the axe, according to the Wall Street Journal. The company's stock, in turn, tumbled further.

WSJ also reports that the U.S. of A's second largest electronics retailer owes over $118 million to HP alone, with a $60 million bill to PlayStation manufacturer Sony also unpaid.

The silver lining to this economic nightmare and the reality of thousand of out of work retail employees is that you'll save 10, maybe 20 percent on all sorts of goods, from video games to consoles to electronic gizmos. Their massive misfortune is your marginal gain!

Circuit City Files for Bankruptcy [WSJ]

EVE Online Gets A Box

Stuart Houghton — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:20:00 MST

Even as CCP works away at its secret plans for FPS domination, much is still afoot at EVE Online.

This week sees not only the release of a major new expansion to the space trading MMO, but also news of the game's first proper retail release. In a box. And everything.

Atari will be giving CCP a hand with the distribution, rolling out boxed copies in North America, Europe and Asia in early 2009. The boxed edition of the game will include the latest client software, 60 days of game time and all 9 expansions released online since the game's inception in 2003.

UPDATE: As one or two readers have kindly pointed out, EVE did get a boxed release when it was first released in 2003. Please stop emailing now - Gmail is nearly full.

CCP and Atari announce retail box distribution of EVE Online[EVE Online]

K-Mart, Sears Black Friday Catalogues Leaked

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 01:30:00 MST

Black Friday approaches. Your wallets/purses should be at the ready. But while the actual day's not for a few weeks, there's no reason you can't take a look at K-Mart and Sears' catalogues now, see if anything - anything you can find that's marked down and not at rrp, at any rate - tickles your fancy.

K-Mart

2 Pack Wii Games - $16.99

3 Pack PS2 Games - $9.99

Animal Crossing Wii - $49.99

Guitar Hero III Bundle PS3 - $54.99

Guitar Hero III Bundle Wii - $54.99

Guitar Hero III Bundle Xbox 360 - $54.99

Limited Edition Ratchest & Clank PSP Bundle - $199.99

Mario Kart Wii - $49.99

Mario Super Smash Bros Wii - $49.99

PSP System - $169.99

Super Mario Galaxy Wii - $49.99

Wii Music - $49.99

Wii Play - $49.99

Sears

Buy Any XBox 360 System And Get A Free XBox 360 Wireless Controller - $0.00

Guitar Hero On Tour Decades Bundle For Nintendo DS - $49.99

Guitar Hero World Tour Guitar Bundle For PS2 - $89.99

Guitar Hero World Tour Guitar Bundle For PS3 - $99.99

Guitar Hero World Tour Guitar Bundle For Wii - $99.99

Guitar Hero World Tour Guitar Bundle For Xbox 360 - $99.99

Gutar Hero III Bundle For PS3 - $54.99 *

Gutar Hero III Bundle For Wii - $54.99 *

Gutar Hero III Bundle For Xbox 360 - $54.99 *

Nintendo DS - $129.99

Nintendo DS Car Adapter - $9.99

Nintendo DS Figure Skater - $9.99

Nintendo DS Folio - $9.99

Nintendo DS Kirby Super Star - $29.99

Nintendo DS Mario Party - $29.99

Nintendo DS Master Chef - $9.99

Nintendo DS New Super Mario - $34.99

Nintendo DS Pen Stylus w/Protector - $9.99

Nintendo DS Petz Hamsterz 2 - $9.99

Nintendo DS Pokemon Ranger - $29.99

Nintendo DS System Glove - $9.99

Nintendo DS Traveler NDS 125 Bag - $9.99

Nintendo DS Traveler NDS 300 Case - $9.99

Nintendo DS Traveler NDS 700 Case - $9.99

Nintendo DS Traveler NDS 801 Case - $9.99

Nintendo Wii All Star Cheer - $29.99

Nintendo Wii Animal Crossing - $49.99

Nintendo Wii Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader - $19.99

Nintendo Wii Music - $49.99

Nintendo Wii Play w/Remote - $49.99

Nintendo Wii Rayman Raving Rabbids - $49.99

Nintendo Wii SpongeBob SquarePants Globs Doom - $29.99

Playstation 3 80GB Console - $399.99

Playstation 3 Blu-Ray Remote - $24.99

Playstation 3 Component AV Cables - $19.99

Playstation 3 DualShock3 Controller - $54.99

Playstation 3 Fallout 3 - $59.99

Playstation 3 Little Big Planet - $59.99

Playstation 3 Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe - $59.99

Playstation 3 Resistance 2 - $59.99

Special Edition Mario Red or Ice Blue DS - $149.99 *

Value Video Games - 20% Off *

XBox 360 Call of Duty: World at War - $59.99

XBox 360 Fable 2 - $59.99

XBox 360 Gears of War 2 - $59.99

XBox 360 Pro 60GB Holiday Bundle - $299.99

XBox 360 Wireless Controller - $49.99

XBox 360 Wireless Network Adapter - $99.99

XBox 360 WWE 2009 - $59.99

Not much there, huh? Sorry. We didn't write the catalogues, we're just passing them on. Maybe the financial crisis has these two retailers feeling a little stingy. Hopefully Wal-Mart, Best Buy and co. can do better.

Kmart Thanksgiving Black Friday Ad [Black Friday]

Fable II Soundtrack Coming This Month

Mike Fahey — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 08:40:00 MST

Microsoft Game Studios' relationship with Sumthing Else Music Works once again bears fruit, as the November 25th release of the Gears of War 2 soundtrack gets a little company in the form of the soundtrack to Fable II. The CD features eleven tracks from Lionhead composer Russell Shaw, along with the Music Box Theme from Danny Elfman, who was a great deal more impressive until he started just wildly scoring the hell out of anything you slipped in front of him. Seriously - you see the guy at a Waffle House, slip him a napkin; he'll totally score your hashbrowns, and it will be majestic.

Look for the Fable II soundtrack at a retail location near you come November 25th, or you can always snag it from www.sumthingdigital.com or iTunes if you aren't into the whole going outside thing.

SUMTHING ELSE MUSIC WORKS ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF FABLE II ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK

Feautring Original Music Score by Russell Shaw and Fable Theme by Danny Elfman

New York – Nov. 6th, 2008 – Sumthing Else Music Works, Inc., through its licensing relationship with Microsoft Game Studios, proudly presents Fable II Original Soundtrack featuring the original music score by Russell Shaw and the “Fable Theme” from Danny Elfman. The original soundtrack from the Xbox 360™ roleplaying adventure video game will be released on Nov. 25, 2008 to retail outlets through Nile Rodgers’ Sumthing Else Music Works record label www.sumthing.com, and for digital download at www.sumthingdigital.com and iTunes®.

Fable II Original Soundtrack features the rich and musically diverse Fable II score composed by Russell Shaw (Fable, Black & White) as well as the Fable Theme by GRAMMY® award-winner Danny Elfman (Spider-Man, The Simpsons, Big Fish.) The Fable II score was recorded with 90 musicians including the Slovak National Symphony Orchestra at the Slovak Radio Concert Hall in Bratislava, as well as celtic instrumentalists with the Tiffin School Boys Choir and Pinewood Singers Adult Choir at Pinewood Film Studios in London, England.

”We had a lot of music to record, covering many different styles including chamber, celtic, classic, quirky, pure pizzicato, atmospheric and dramatic,” said Russell Shaw, Head of Music and Composer at Lionhead Studios. “Music for the game was broken down into four distinct categories: regions, script, combat and incidentals. Each region has its own orchestral theme which changes with the seasons in each chapter. Scripted moments have orchestral cues relevant to what is happening at that point in the story – sad, dramatic, mysterious, tension and danger. The final result is a very rich, Hollywood style score covering many genres.”

Track Listing:

1. Fable Theme - Russell Shaw (Music Box Theme – Danny Elfman)
2. Old Town - Russell Shaw
3. Bowerstone Cemetery - Russell Shaw
4. Bowerlake - Russell Shaw
5. Wraithmarsh - Russell Shaw (Music Box Theme – Danny Elfman)
6. Fairfax Castle - Russell Shaw
7. Westcliff - Russell Shaw
8. Oakfield - Russell Shaw
9. Bowerstone Market - Russell Shaw
10. Shadow of Evil - Russell Shaw
11. Howling Halls - Russell Shaw
12. Marcus Memorial - Russell Shaw

Fable II is the sequel to the wildly successful original that sold more than 3 million copies, offering even more choices and building on the core gameplay theme of Fable, where a player’s every decision continually defines who they become. Fable II is an action role-playing game (RPG) that truly allows players to live the life they choose in the newly expanded open world of Albion. Set 500 years after the original, Fable II provides gamers with an epic story and innovative real-time gameplay, including a massive amount of freedom and choice to explore a vast collection of dungeons, catacombs and taverns in the world of Albion. For more information, visit www.xbox.com/Fable2.

BBC: Games 'to outsell' music, video

Brian Crecente — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:00:00 MST

The BBC is reporting that video games, just the games not hardware, will start outselling videos by the end of the year.

Of course that little estimate is found at the bottom of a story that is headlined “Games to outsell music, video”. The story leads off by saying UK sales of games will outstrip music and video combined this year. Later on in the story someone points out that the video gaming sales figures include hardware while the video and music figures don’t.

The music and video market is not just suffering from a slowing of growth but a massive transfer of spend to online," says Malcolm Pinkerton of Verdict Research.

It is online sales of CDs and DVDs that have grown rapidly, rather than digital downloads, which still only account for around 4% of music and video sales.

In contrast, video games spending has enjoyed explosive growth, with the launch of major new titles such as Grand Theft Auto IV and FIFA 08, and the Nintendo Wii continuing to broaden the appeal of games.

The story wraps up by pointing out that major British retailers like HMV and Zavvi are changing their store layouts, cutting back on the space they give music and using it for MP3 players, books, clothing and, yes, even video games.

Games to Outsell Music, Video [BBC]

Closing Circuit City Game Discounts

Brian Crecente — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:00:00 MST

As we've reported Circuit City, deep in a rut and fighting to stay alive, is closing 155 of their stores. What's that mean to you? Video game discounts of course, if there's a closing store near you.

A Circuit City employee sent in an email last night to tell us she spent yesterday at her store running around slapping discount signs on everything. She also happened to handle all of the discount signage for the video game department. Here's the of discounts for today:

Systems (360, PS3, Wii, DS, PSP) and their respective games - 5% off
All game accessories (controllers, batteries, cases, Xbox Live memberships, etc) - 10% off
"Social" games (aka Rockband and Guitar Hero) - 10% off
PC Games - 10% off
Strategy guides and cheat books - 20% off

Yeah, kinda crap. But maybe it will drop more as the days roll by. Hit the jump for the full list of stores closing to see if one near you is on the cutting block.

Store # Store Name Street Address City State ZIP

3280 ANNISTON 704 SOUTH QUINTARD AVE ANNISTON AL 36201
829 TRUSSVILLE 3555 ROOSEVELT BLVD TRUSSVILLE AL 35235
3240 FAYETTEVILLE 744 EAST JOYCE BLVD FAYETTEVILLE AR 72703
441 AVONDALE 10140 W MCDOWELL RD AVONDALE AZ 85392
3330 CHANDLER 3456 WEST CHANDLER BLVD CHANDLER AZ 85226
3580 GILBERT 2817 S MARKET ST GILBERT AZ 85295
3760 GOODYEAR 15433 WEST MCDOWELL RD GOODYEAR AZ 85338
436 MESA 1530 WEST SOUTHERN AVE MESA AZ 85202
3337 SUPERSTITION SPRINGS 1515 S POWER RD MESA AZ 85206
3362 ARROWHEAD 7645 WEST BELL RD PEORIA AZ 85382
435 PHOENIX METRO 9801 N METRO PKWY E PHOENIX AZ 85051
3341 NORTH SCOTTSDALE 7000 EAST MAYO BLVD PHOENIX AZ 85054
3426 CAMELBACK 1670 EAST CAMELBACK RD PHOENIX AZ 85016
3558 HAPPY VALLEY 2501 W HAPPY VALLEY RD PHOENIX AZ 85085
4314 QUEEN CREEK 21002 S ELLSWORTH LOOP QUEEN CREEK AZ 85242
437 SCOTTSDALE 8929 EAST INDIAN BEND RD SCOTTSDALE AZ 85250
3301 INDUSTRY 1600 S AZUSA AVE CITY OF INDUSTRY CA 91748
422 COMPTON 120 EAST COMPTON BLVD COMPTON CA 90220
235 CONCORD 2030 DIAMOND BLVD CONCORD CA 94520
236 DUBLIN 7153 AMADOR PLAZA ROAD DUBLIN CA 94568
449 ESCONDIDO 1138 WEST VALLEY PARKWAY ESCONDIDO CA 92025
4303 FAIRFIELD 1560 GATEWAY BLVD FAIRFIELD CA 94533
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4300 FREMONT 43706 CHRISTY ST FREMONT CA 94538
1628 MERCED 3275 R STREET MERCED CA 95348
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3402 PITTSBURG 4300 DELTA GATEWAY BLVD PITTSBURG CA 94565
3312 POMONA 2735 S TOWNE AVE POMONA CA 91766
3374 HILLTOP 4100 KLOSE WAY RICHMOND CA 94806
426 RIVERSIDE 10255 MAGNOLIA AVE RIVERSIDE CA 92503
238 SAN RAFAELS 330 BELLAM BLVD SAN RAFAEL CA 94901
413 SANTA BARBARA 3761 STATE STREET SANTA BARBARA CA 93105
1629 SANTA MARIA 1535 SOUTH BRADLEY RD SANTA MARIA CA 93454
3303 THOUSAND OAKS 600 WEST HILLCREST DR THOUSAND OAKS CA 91360
4301 VISTA 1715 HACIENDA DRIVE VISTA CA 92081
3380 N COLORADO 7670 NORTH ACADEMY BLVD COLORADO SPRINGS CO 80920
4240 NORTHGLENN 10602 MELODY DR EAST NORTHGLENN CO 80234
4245 PARKER 9851 S PARKER RD PARKER CO 80134
1816 CONNECTICUT OUTLET 130 BOSTON POST RD ORANGE CT 06477

Store # Store Name Street Address City State ZIP

893 ORANGE PARK 6155 YOUNGERMAN CIRCLE JACKSONVILLE FL 32244
4278 OAKLEAF TOWN CENTER 9625 CROSSHILL BLVD JACKSONVILLE FL 32222
4273 NAPLES 13585 TAMIAMI TRAIL NORTH NAPLES FL 34110
3268 WEST ORLANDO 751 GOOD HOMES RD ORLANDO FL 32818
3298 PANAMA CITY 427 EAST 23RD STREET PANAMA CITY FL 32405
4200 TALLAHASSEE 2425 APALACHEE PARKWAY TALLAHASSEE FL 32301
3423 VERO BEACH 6560 20TH STREET VERO BEACH FL 32966
3598 ACWORTH 3384 COBB PARKWAY STE 100 ACWORTH GA 30101
3107 NORTH POINT 6290 NORTH POINT PARKWAY ALPHARETTA GA 30022
834 CAMP CREEK 3755 CARMIA DR SW ST1100 ATLANTA GA 30331
880 AKERS MILLS 2971 AKERS MILL RD SE ATLANTA GA 30339
886 BUCKHEAD 3637 PEACHTREE RD NE ATLANTA GA 30319
3222 PERIMETER 1165 PERIMETER CENTER WEST ATLANTA GA 30338
1615 ATHENS 4110 ATLANTA HIGHWAY BOGART GA 30622
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3416 CONYERS 1540 DOGWOOD DR SE CONYERS GA 30013
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3406 DOUGLASVILLE 9365 THE LANDING DR STE A DOUGLASVILLE GA 30135
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712 TOWN CENTER 1185 ERNEST W BARRETT PKWY KENNESAW GA 30144
3201 MACON 3670 EISENHOWER PARKWAY MACON GA 31206
884 SOUTHLAKE 1906 MT ZION RD MORROW GA 30260
3421 NEWNAN 1098 HIGHWAY 34 E NEWNAN GA 30265
3297 SNELLVILLE 1670 SCENIC HWY N STE 124 SNELLVILLE GA 30078
4319 WARNER ROBINS 2951 WATSON BOULEVARD WARNER ROBINS GA 31093
4234 ARLINGTON HEIGHTS 370 EAST RAND RD ARLINGTON HEIGHT IL 60004
3758 BATAVIA 1980 W FABYAN PARKWAY BATAVIA IL 60510
1818 BLOOMINGDALE OUTLET 152 S GARY AVE SUITE101 BLOOMINGDALE IL 60108
3790 BOLINGBROOK 111 S WEBER RD BOLINGBROOK IL 60490
3122 CALUMET CITY 1747 EAST-WEST ROAD CALUMET CITY IL 60409
3794 NORTH AVE 1030 W NORTH AVENUE CHICAGO IL 60622
4126 COUNTRYSIDE 9950 JOLIET RD COUNTRYSIDE IL 60525
3171 CRYSTAL LAKE 4483 US HIGHWAY 14 CRYSTAL LAKE IL 60014
3123 JOLIET 3150 TONTI DR JOLIET MALL JOLIET IL 60431
3795 KILDEER 20505 N RAND RD BLDG E LAKE ZURICH IL 60047
3118 SKOKIE 5701 TOUHY AVE NILES IL 60714
4268 OSWEGO 1720 DOUGLAS RD OSWEGO IL 60543
4195 HOFFMAN ESTATES 100 WEST HIGGINS ROAD SOUTH BARRINGTON IL 60010
3124 VERNON HILLS 551 NORTH MILWAUKEE AVE VERNON HILLS IL 60061
4109 CLARKSVILLE 1500 GREENTREE BOULEVARD CLARKSVILLE IN 47129
1814 INDIANAPOLIS OUTLET 10235 EAST WASHINGTON ST INDIANAPOLIS IN 46229
3728 LAFAYETTE 2121 SAGAMORE PKWY S LAFAYETTE IN 47905
3802 SOUTHBEND 1290 EAST IRELAND RD SOUTH BEND IN 46614
3829 OAK PARK MALL 12010 WEST 95TH STREET LENEXA KS 66215
3299 OVERLAND PARK 12020 METCALF AVE OVERLAND PARK KS 66213
841 LEXINGTON 2434 NICHOLASVILLE RD. LEXINGTON KY 40503
520 OUTER LOOP 4805 OUTER LOOP LOUISVILLE KY 40219
3704 PADUCAH 3430 JAMES SANDERS BLVD PADUCAH KY 42001

Store # Store Name Street Address City State ZIP

3511 BATON ROUGE 8640 AIRLINE HIGHWAY BATON ROUGE LA 70815
3507 VETERANS 2421 VETERANS MEMORIAL BV KENNER LA 70062
3506 WEST BANK 4945 LAPALCO BLVD MARRERO LA 70072
3552 SLIDELL 61119 AIRPORT RD SLIDELL LA 70460
847 GOLDEN RING 8823 PULASKI HIGHWAY BALTIMORE MD 21237
821 BELTSVILLE 11011 BALTIMORE AVE BELTSVILLE MD 20705
825 MARLOW HEIGHTS 3551 32ND AVENUE MARLOW HEIGHTS MD 20748
3637 AUBURN HILLS 4612 BALDWIN RD AUBURN HILLS MI 48326
4211 BLOOMFIELD 2169 TELEGRAPH RD BLOOMFIELD MI 48302
3604 DEARBORN 5600 MERCURY DR DEARBORN MI 48126
3722 JACKSON 1511 BOARDMAN RD JACKSON MI 49202
1809 MUSKEGON OUTLET 1650 EAST SHERMAN BLVD MUSKEGON MI 49444
1880 PONTIAC OUTLET 550 N TELEGRAPH RD PONTIAC MI 48341
3860 ROCHESTER HILLS 2636 SOUTH ADAMS RD ROCHESTER HILLS MI 48307
534 FERGUSON 3344 PERSHALL RD FERGUSON MO 63135
3210 INDEPENDENCE MALL 18701 EAST 39TH ST S INDEPENDENCE MO 64057
3208 KANSAS CITY NORTH 8440 N MADISON AVE KANSAS CITY MO 64155
4224 SHOAL CREEK 8260 N DITZLER AVE KANSAS CITY MO 64158
3243 TUPELO 3834 MARKET CENTER DR TUPELO MS 38804
3228 CHARLOTTE UNIVERSITY 8215 UNIVERSITY CITY BLVD CHARLOTTE NC 28213
3671 FREEHOLD 4345 US HIGHWAY 9 FREEHOLD NJ 07728
3714 LIVINGSTON 530 ROUTE 10 LIVINGSTON NJ 07039
3763 SPARKS 125 DISC DRIVE SPARKS NV 89436
3661 BAY SHORE 1675 B SUNRISE HIGHWAY BAY SHORE NY 11706
3778 BRONX 1750 EAST GUNHILL RD BRONX NY 10469
4323 BROOKLYN 1610 FLATBUSH AVE BROOKLYN NY 11210
3685 PATCHOGUE 7001 SUNRISE HIGHWAY HOLBROOK NY 11741
3678 SMITH HAVEN 139 ALEXANDER AVE LAKE GROVE NY 11755
3681 MASSAPEQUA 5500 SUNRISE HIGHWAY MASSAPEQUA NY 11758
1697 EAST 86TH STREET 232 EAST 86TH STREET #240 NEW YORK NY 10028
3683 WEST NYACK 2731 PALISADES CENTER DR WEST NYACK NY 10994
3575 BROOKLYN 7349 NORTHCLIFF AVE BROOKLYN OH 44144
3165 WESTERN HILLS 5455 GLENWAY AVE CINCINNATI OH 45238
1813 COLUMBUS OUTLET 4030 WEST BROAD ST COLUMBUS OH 43228
3818 HILLIARD 1881 HILLIARD ROME RD COLUMBUS OH 43226
1806 AKRON OUTLET 1120 MAIN ST CUYAHOGA FALLS OH 44221
3182 ELYRIA 110 MARKET DR ELYRIA OH 44035
3551 GARFIELD HEIGHTS 5642 TRANSPORTATION BLVD GARFIELD HEIGHTS OH 44125
4324 GROVE CITY 4178 BUCKEYE PARKWAY GROVE CITY OH 43123
3712 MANSFIELD 2190 W 4TH STREET MANSFIELD OH 44906
3784 MAYFIELD HEIGHTS 1405 SOM CENTER RD MAYFIELD HEIGHTS OH 44124
3181 MENTOR 7900 PLAZA BLVD SPACE 100 MENTOR OH 44060
3357 UNIVERSITY TOWN 1620 24TH AVE NW NORMAN OK 73069
4501 PENN SQUARE 3625 NORTHWEST EXPY OKLAHOMA CITY OK 73112
920 HICKORY HOLLOW MALL 5221 HICKORY HOLLOW PKWY ANTIOCH TN 37013
4257 COLLIERVILLE 10217 EAST SHELBY DR COLLIERVILLE TN 38017
853 WINCHESTER 6491 WINCHESTER RD MEMPHIS TN 38115
3823 SPRING HILL 1041 CROSSING BLVD SPRING HILL TN 37174
4338 MCALISTER SQUARE 12640 SOUTH FREEWAY BURLESON TX 76028

Store # Store Name Street Address City State ZIP

4310 CEDAR PARK 1335 E WHITESTONE BLVD G CEDAR PARK TX 78613
3501 CENTRAL NORTH 10400 N CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY DALLAS TX 75231
540 SHARPSTOWN 7553 BELLAIRE BLVD HOUSTON TX 77036
4312 LEAGUE CITY 3270 S GULF FREEWAY LEAGUE CITY TX 77573
3809 MANSFIELD POINTE 1551 N HIGHWAY 287 MANSFIELD TX 76063
4248 MCKINNEY TOWNE 2050 WEST UNIVERSITY DR MCKINNEY TX 75071
3808 SHERMAN 4127 HIGHWAY 75 NORTH SHERMAN TX 75090
1611 TEMPLE 3310 SOUTH 31ST STREET TEMPLE TX 76502
1604 CHARLOTTESVILLE 100 ALBEMARLE SQUARE CHARLOTTESVILLE VA 22901
3172 MANASSAS 10640 DAVIDSON PLACE MANASSAS VA 20109
803 TYSON'S CORNER 1905 CHAIN BRIDGE RD MCLEAN VA 22102
1882 SEATTLE OUTLET 34920 ENCHANTED PKWY SOU FEDERAL WAY WA 98003
1811 MILWAUKEE OUTLET 8173 WEST BROWN DEER RD MILWAUKEE WI 53223

So, Who's America's Favourite Games Retailer?

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:40:00 MST

Let's. Find. Out. As part of a survey commissioned by IGN - dubbed "Are You Game?" - market research firm Ipsos MediaCT asked a whole bunch of American gamers where they shop when looking for games. The answers, while not shocking, are still interesting (the percentages flying waaay over 100% because, obviously, most people buy games from more than one store). Wal-Mart comes out on top, while Best Buy and GameStop/EB come in tied for second place. As for Blockbuster, well...thanks for trying.

Wal-Mart Top Retailer for U.S. Gamers [PC World, via Go Nintendo]

The PlayStation 3 Vending Machine

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 02:00:00 MST

Universal Pictures and Sony have teamed up to announce the "PoP", a joint-venture operation that will see the release of Universal and Sony-branded...vending machines. That dispense Blu-Rays, and DVDs, and CDs, and most relevant to us, PS3 games. Pick your title, insert your cash money/credit card and the PoP will ~~(it's not made clear) either burn the game onto a disc or just~~ (a new vid shows how it's done) spit out a shrink-wrapped, brand new retail copy of the title. Easy as that. The machines will also offer stuff like trailer downloads, which can either be burned to a disc or downloaded directly to your own USB stick or SD card. Bear in mind, this announcement is British in origin. No idea on what form these machines will/may start appearing in for other regions.

Universal and Sony unveil PoP entertainment vending machine [Stuff]

Buy Two Wii Games At Target, Get One Free

Michael McWhertor — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:40:28 MDT

Next week, you'll be neck deep in SAVINGS if you're within shopping distance of a Target store. The retailer is offering a buy two, get one free deal on all Wii games starting this Sunday, even on the new stuff like Wii Music and Guitar Hero: World Tour. We'd suggest getting there early and getting a jump on your holiday shopping, before all the good stuff is picked over. You don't want to be the guy handing out copies of High School Musical 3: Senior Year DANCE, do you? No, you want to be the Super Mario Galaxy guy.

Belgium Cracks Down On...Game Rentals (Update)

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 03:30:00 MDT

In June, the Belgian Entertainment Association (representing game publishers, of course) managed to convince Belgian authorities to outlaw game rentals. On the grounds that renting games made a sizeable dent in game sales. Part of that deal was that, from June, video stores couldn't buy any new games to rent out, but could keep on renting out the ones they had until December. Well, with December approaching, Belgian paper De Standaard has confirmed that, come December 1, Belgians won't be able to rent video games. At all. Bet the publishers are happy with that one! Pity about the, you know. Gamers.

Videogames verhuren plots verboden [De Standaard, thanks everyone!]

UPDATE - Seems the De Standaard report left a few things out. Namely that the root of the problem has been that rental stores have been buying retail copies of games then renting them, instead of paying publishers the licensing money for a rental copy. Cheeky. So that's what the BEA are cracking down on. If a rental store wants to pay for a rental copy (which we guess they never do), they're more than welcome to rent games to their heart's content.

Jablonsky's Gears 2 Soundtrack Gets Retail Release

Mike Fahey — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 08:40:00 MDT

Starting November 25th, gamers across the country wandering through the music section of their favorite big box store on the way to the video game section might just pause for a moment and go “Huh” as Sumthing Else Music Works releases the Gears of War 2 soundtrack to retail outlets. The soundtrack was composed by Hollywood composer Steve Jablonsky, whose work you may recognize from big-budget productions such as Transformers, The Island, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

“Epic gave me a blank canvas, which was really great,” said Steve Jablonsky, Composer for Gears of War 2. “I experimented with a lot of hybrid organic/electronic elements, and combined them with the power of a large orchestra and choir.”

Nothing says epic event quite like an orchestra and a choir, right? Worked for Halo after all. Heck, it even worked for Advent Rising, even if the epic had the word 'fail' after it.

SUMTHING ELSE MUSIC WORKS ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF GEARS OF WAR 2 THE SOUNDTRACK

Original Music Score by Hollywood Composer Steve Jablonsky and performed by the Skywalker Symphony Orchestra and Chorus

New York – Oct. 27, 2008 – Sumthing Else Music Works, Inc., through its licensing relationship with Epic Games, Inc., proudly presents Gears of War® 2 The Soundtrack. The original soundtrack from the highly anticipated blockbuster Xbox 360™ action video game will be released on Nov. 25, 2008 to retail outlets through Nile Rodgers’ Sumthing Else Music Works record label www.sumthing.com, and for digital download at www.sumthingdigital.com.

Gears of War 2 The Soundtrack features a new original music score composed by Hollywood composer Steve Jablonsky (“Transformers”, “The Island”, “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”) and recorded with the Skywalker Symphonic Orchestra and Chorus at the world famous Skywalker Sound.

Epic Games wanted every aspect of Gears of War 2 to be “bigger, darker, and crunchier” than the original game, including the bombastic orchestral soundtrack. Drawing on his extensive experience scoring big budget action films as well as a unique musical repertoire and Hollywood production values, Jablonsky was the perfect match for creating the adrenaline-pumping, emotionally charged Gears of War 2 score.

“It’s been a real treat working with Steve on the score for Gears of War 2. We have a tremendous amount of confidence in him, and believe the Gears community will embrace the new sound," said Mike Larson, Audio Director of Epic Games. "We’ve designed Gears 2 to impact players on a deep emotional level, and much of that connection is made with music that grabs their attention and makes them feel personally involved with the game universe. We have aimed to create something a bit more serious, cinematic, and refined with a harder-hitting approach toward composition and production.”

“Epic gave me a blank canvas, which was really great,” said Steve Jablonsky, Composer for Gears of War 2. “I experimented with a lot of hybrid organic/electronic elements, and combined them with the power of a large orchestra and choir.”

Track Listing:

1. Return Of The Omen
2. Hope Runs Deep
3. Green As Grass
4. Expectations
5. Finally, A Lead
6. Armored Prayer
7. Hold Them Off
8. Derrick Chase
9. Building Thunder
10. Hell Breaks Loose
11. Bedlam
12. Breakneck
13. Landown
14. Racing To Extinction
15. If They Can Ride Em
16. Hollow
17. Unexpected Changes
18. March Of The Horde
19. Highway
20. Denizens Of The Deep
21. With Sympathy
22. Insurmountable Odds
23. Bump In The Night
24. Frenzy
25. Outpost
26. Finale
27. Autumn Of Mankind

Gears of War 2 tells the story of humanity's last stand against the nightmarish, underground Locust Horde, and is the follow-up to one of the most popular Xbox 360 games in history. Gears of War 2 blends best-in-class third-person shooter action with unsurpassed high-definition visuals, all layered on top of an engaging story of survival, loss and retribution. Gears of War 2 will be available worldwide on Nov. 7 exclusively for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system. For more information, visit http://gearsofwar.com.

Mirror's Edge Demo On November 6?

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 06:20:00 MDT

GameStop are taking preorders for Mirror's Edge. Surprise! Well, it is a surprise, actually, since at the foot of their preorder pages lies a little red note in little red text. Says that a Mirror's Edge demo will be available on November 6. And it says that on both the 360 and PS3 pages. November 6 is a Thursday, so at least the PS3 side of it sounds plausible, though we must stress (in italics!) that this is coming from GameStop, not EA, so don't go taking November 6 off work just yet.

Mirror's Edge with Bonus! [GameStop]

The Surprising Success of Retail Game Cards

Maggie Greene — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 15:30:00 MDT

I had an interesting discussion this week on the topic of microtransaction models, East-West interaction, and the fact that few people pay much attention to such issues (or dismiss them out of hand); Games In Motion has a nice interview up illustrating the 'fly under the radar' nature of a lot of those microtransaction models. WIM sat down to chat with Rob Goldberg, CEO of GMG Entertainment — the company produces branded pre-paid cards for a couple of franchises, sold at big box stores like Target — to talk about where the market is currently and where it's headed. They estimate somewhere between $75 and $100 million in sales this year, but what about the future?:

I estimate this year that you'll see EA enter this space for some of their games, and a few other big names are absolutely interested. In fact we're in final negotiations with a couple of recognizable names.

We tend to estimate the size of the total pre-paid gaming card business when we do our numbers, and this year we're looking to something between $75-100 million dollars in sales across North America. We see that going to $250-300million in 2009 and being in the region of a half-billion by 2010.

We see this market growing dramatically in the next two to five years.

The whole interview is an interesting look at how the industry deals with retailers via middlemen like GMG; it also points to the popularity of these models that many 'serious' gamers tend to ignore.

and all they'll say is "Winter". It's helpful, but not that helpful. You want real helpful? Try asking the same question of Red Ant, distributors of Capcom's titles in the Australian market. Their release schedule tells me Street Fighter IV will be out on these antipodean shores Friday, February 27, 2009. Which, while falling short of an official announcement, looks a little too precise to be a placeholder date. It also scrapes into that "Winter" timeframe by the skin of its inky black teeth.

Europe Gets A NINTH 360 Bundle, This Time With Call Of Duty

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 05:30:00 MDT

Seven bundles? Oh, Microsoft Europe weren't ever going to stop at "just" seven 360 bundles for the holiday season. We knew that when the eighth one hit. And now definitely know it with the ninth bundle, this time in a Call of Duty flavour. Included in the bundle is a 60GB Pro, a wireless controller and a copy of call of Duty: World At War. Not the most exciting bundle, then, but it's interesting to see an official pack-in of an adults-only game

New 360 Bundle Is The Biggest Bundle Of Them All

Luke Plunkett — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:20:00 MDT

Don't think Microsoft are letting up on the 360 bundles this Christmas. They're just getting started. The latest official pack-in deal - exclusive to Sam's Club - is not only the biggest bundle deal we've ever seen, but potentially also the best value. For $349 you get a 60GB Pro console, Lego Indiana Jones, Kung Fu Panda and Guitar Hero III. The full, comes-with-guitar version of Guitar Hero III. With the 60GB unit normally costing $299 by itself, $50 for those three games constitutes what we like to call a bargain. It'll be out mid-November.

Retailers Sick And Tired Of Plastic Instruments

Luke Plunkett — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 21:30:00 MDT

First it was microphones. Then guitars. Then guitars and drums. Now it seems half the showroom floor of a games store - not to mention your living room - is devoted to piles of the plastic instruments required for today's music games. Which doesn't leave you, or you mother (who has to clean up after you) happy. Same goes for retailers. Speaking with MTV, XS Games have said that, when originally pitching their game Popstar Guitar to retailers, it was intended to come bundled with a guitar controller. But retailers - Wal-Mart in particular - were having none of it, complaining of "the problem of every single publisher coming out with a new, big controller." So X Games released their abridged peripheral instead. Of course, it could just be a sign that retailers are sick of seeing crummy games with large peripherals, but as self-serving retailers, they've got a point; you could fit a dozen copies of Madden in the same spot you put one Rock Band bundle.

Lack Of Space In Stores Threatening Proliferation Of Instrument-Shaped Controllers [MTV]

Here's Where You Can Get The KORG DS-10

Luke Plunkett — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 04:30:00 MDT

The KORG DS-10, which is basically a synthesiser for your DS, is about the most exciting piece of software for the handheld we've seen in months. Make of that what you will. Problem is, because it's going to be a niche product - and one with a $40 price tag - some retailers are refusing to stock it. Like Target. Target won't be stocking it. GameStop won't be either. And, crucially, Best Buy are still on the fence. So here's a list of places you can get the game from, when it's released on November 4.

* Hollywood/GameCrazy
* Fry's
* Micro Center
* EB Canada
* J&R

Note that's EB Canada and EB Canada only. Like we said, GameStop in the US won't be stocking it.

Of course, all of this is meaningless if you were planning on buying the game on these internets, since you shouldn't have any problems tracking down an online retailer, but some people still enjoy the feeling of leaving the house in exchange for new goods, so there you go.

Current List of Retailers Set to Carry KORG DS-10 [1UP]

Rumor: Fable II CE Release Gets Bonus Last Minute Screw Up

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:00:13 MDT

According to one of our readers, today's shipment of Fable II Collector's Edition may wind up being less than it was cracked up to be, at least at some GameStop stores. After already being whittled down to near bare bones status, with special CE packaging and a limited Hobbe figurine having already been gutted, all that was left of the more limited SKU was the "Bonus DVD with a new 'Making-of' Feature" and exclusive in-game content.

That content, which requires Xbox Live, featured the following.
• “The Hall of the Dead” Dungeon
• “The Wreckager” Legendary Cutlass Weapon
• Spartan armor and energy sword

If what we heard is true, some of you may not even get that.

According to the report, GameStop corporate has already informed stores that "the majority of Fable II LEs have shipped without the DLC cards inside the case." Allegedly, that's due to two different manufacturing plants.

"Gamestop has told stores that cases WITH an orange '48 hours of live' sticker includes the content, whereas the copies of the game without said sticker do not have the card," the reader wrote. "I can vouch for the missing DLC because I have my copy in hand and it does not include it."

We've checked in with Microsoft PR to verify if this information is true or not, and, if so, how they plan on distributing the content to buyers of Fable II's Collector's Edition. Consider this rumor for now, but to be on the safe side, you might want to make sure your copy has one of those fancy orange stickers on it.

HMV Launches Used Game Initiative

Mike Fahey — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 09:20:00 MDT

HMV is pretty sure games are going to be bigger than music, and as part of their slowly shifting focus they're rolling out their very own pre-owned game program, HMV Re/Play. Launching this Friday across approximately 160 HMV retail locations, the company will begin accepting game trade-ins across all major console and handheld platforms, exchanging used titles for store credit good for anything the store carries - DVD's, games, and even music...but who buys CDs anymore?

"Our launch into pre-played games and the acquisition of gamerbase.com underlines HMV's long term commitment to games as it becomes an ever-increasing part of our overall product mix," said HMV managing director Simon Fox.

An interesting development, but I've always felt that trade-in programs work better in video game-specific retail stores. Many electronics and entertainment chains in the states have tried this and failed miserably. Remember MediaPlay? Yeah, we were such dorks back then.

HMV enters pre-owned market with Re/Play launch [GamesIndustry.biz]

Yes, LittleBigPlanet Street Date Is Being Broken

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:40:43 MDT

Don't pretend to be surprised. This happens all the time. When a game that's as feverishly anticipated as LittleBigPlanet is, gamers will be hunting down the retail location that doesn't pay its employees enough to care about things like "street dates." "Do not stock until 'not my problem'," is the philosophy at at least one Best Buy location, the one at which reader Chris snagged his early copy (and he's not the only one). Hopefully, though, he's taking advantage of his early access to the game by creating some awesome penis-themed levels. Good get, Chris.

Finally, We Can Buy Games From YouTube

Luke Plunkett — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 04:30:00 MDT

Yup, Google (who own YouTube) want some more money. They've today announced a new feature to be implemented on YouTube that will let you buy games. And proper, real games to boot. They'll be rolling out Amazon buttons underneath certain game videos. Like, you watch a Spore trailer on YouTube, and if you like the cut of its gib, you can buy it straight away. Ah, modern commerce. Gotta love it, no?

YouTube to sell music, games in revenue push [Reuters]

Retailers Listing Spore "Expansion"

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:20:00 MDT

Listings have turned up on both GameStop and Amazon's store pages for a Spore expansion. Sorry, "expansion". Called Spore Cute & Creepy Parts Pack, it's got a shipping date of November 18, and is currently listed at $20. Going by the name - and really, that's all we've got to go off at the moment - we're subtly led to believe it's a new box of spare parts than anything that'll add any new meat to the mechanics of the game. And for $20, there'd want to be a hell of a lot of spare parts in there.

Spore Cute & Creepy Parts Pack [GameStop, via Hooked On Spore]

Even Halo Was Affected By The Used Games Market

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 07:20:00 MDT

The other day, we were looking at the possibility of a looming SHOWDOWN between publishers and retailers over second-hand game sales. Today, Bungie's Marty O'Donnell adds his $0.02, telling GI.biz that even Halo, mightiest of mighty console unit-sellers, had its bottom line affected by pre-owned sales:

It's hard to gauge the effect of used game sales on Halo, but I'm sure it's big. Complaining about sales when you have a multi-million seller is somewhat difficult to justify, but it seems to me that the folks who create and publish a game shouldn't stop receiving income from further sales.

Least he's aware Halo was still a million-seller, and is arguing on principle.

Pre-owned market had "big" effect on Halo, says Bungie dev [GI.biz] [Image]

Mirror's Edge: Expensive Collector's Edition

Luke Plunkett — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:30:00 MDT

Nothing fancy here for Mirror's Edge and its inevitable collector's edition. No tin boxes, no action figures, no unlockable outfits or in-game trinkets. No, Mirror's Edge is keeping things practical, offering you a CE (provided you preorder it directly from EA) that for $130 will get you the game and...a bag. An awfully nice bag, made by Timbuk2, which is also a bag that's a replica of that used by the game's courier starlet, Faith. It won't beat out other CEs for quantity of goods, but it certainly has them beat on the quality front.

Rumor: Best Buy Getting Pre-paid PSN Cards In October

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:00:50 MDT

Who knew that we could possibly write more than one post about pre-paid PlayStation Network cards? Well, when Sony slowly (sloooooowly) begins doling them out through the retail chain, finally giving those with a fear of credit cards a means to buy, say WipEout HD or PixelJunk Eden, folks tend to get excited.

Blockbuster and Meijer stores already have 'em, but we may be able to add one more retailer to the list. A Best Buy retail employee passed down word from corporate today that the company will be stocking them within two weeks.

SCEA reps, when asked for clarification, told us "we'll soon be updating everyone with the retailers who will begin stocking PSN cards beginning in October." They didn't speak to Best Buy's situation, but noted "the roll out continues."

Buy Rock Band 2, Get Free (Microsoft) Money

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 01:00:00 MDT

Here's a deal for you, bargain shoppers. If you're in the market for Rock Band 2 on Xbox 360, you could do worse than buy the game from Amazon, because the online retailer is giving away MS points with every purchase of the game. 1600 MS points, to be precise, which you'll get if you order the game before October 4, a none too shabby amount that should have you bickering with friends and loved ones over which DLC to buy in no time.

Buy Rock Band 2 for the Xbox 360 and get a 1600 Live Points Card [Amazon]

The Massive GameStop Interview

Maggie Greene — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 12:30:00 MDT

Well, we already know what disgruntled ex-employees think of GameStop; how do the head honchos think they're doing? Christian Nutt sat down with Bob McKenzie (senior vice president of merchandising) and Tony Bartel (executive vice president of merchandise and marketing) at the yearly GameStop Expo event for managers and management to talk about GameStop, games, sales, the market .... It's a hefty piece, clocking in at eight pages, with a lot of soft peddling on tough issues, but what would you expect from marketing management types? One of the issues brought up was the value of trade-ins — or perceived value (or lack thereof):

You're talking about the 150 titles every day, worth over $15. What we found was that the perception of our trade value was far different than the reality of our trade value. Far different. I'm sure you see that on the blogs, and so forth, you don't have to read very far. The reality is that there are a significant portion of our games that do actually represent a strong value.

So that was the basis of our campaign — to let people know that a large portion of our games are over $15 when you trade them in. We see that really as a very unique part of GameStop. We provide currency for the purchase of new games.

We really believe, and the reason that we're so passionate about our trade program, is that it drives new games. Last year, alone, we put over $700 million of trade credit back toward new games. I think that new games is about a $9 billion market. So if you stop and think about the currency that we're generating for the sale of new games, it's an absolutely amazing proposition.

It's long, but pretty interesting, even if you find yourself rolling your eyes somewhat frequently as I did. I generally go out of my way to avoid dedicated game store retail experiences (having gotten the 'Hey little lady, can we sell you something you don't need?' pitch more than a few times), and I've had some abysmal experiences at GameStop, so my laptop wound up with a mouthful of coffee on it when I read "It's the time that we get to spend and interact with the customer that really differentiates our experience from anyone else."

GameStop in 2008: The Mega-Interview [Gamasutra]

Burnout Paradise Bikes Hint At Looming Conflict Between Publishers And GameStop

Luke Plunkett — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 22:30:00 MDT

Bear with us. See, Criterion have gone all digital download crazy lately. First Burnout Paradise goes download-only over the PlayStation Network, then they go and release a big, free update over the same PlayStation Network. The former the kind of thing to stop you buying a game new from GameStop, the latter aimed - supposedly - at keeping you from trading your game in at GameStop. The new game thing, GameStop can't be too happy about, but the latter - messing with the one thing the company relies upon to stay alive - that's really going to piss them off, especially considering comments made to MTV by GameStop vice president of merchandising, Bob McKenzie.

Asked about the uneasy relationship between GameStop and publishers over digital distribution, Mckenzie replies:

McKenzie: We tell our publishers we’re not afraid to compete with anybody on digital downloads. It’s just they can’t make it that they have an unfair advantage. There isn’t. The customer can come into our stores and buy “Burnout Paradise” at the same time they digitally download it [on the PS3] or they can digitally download it from GameStop.com.
Multiplayer: What would be an “unfair advantage”?

McKenzie: If you could digitally download a game prior to it being available for retail. Or if you could get something unique in the game that you can’t get within your retail copy. That’s what we would consider an unfair advantage.

It's no secret the only people happy with GameStop's trade-in program are GameStop shareholders. Sellers get screwed (they give you HOW MUCH for your game?), buyers get screwed (they then turn around and sell it for HOW MUCH?), publishers get screwed (because they don't see a cent from any of this). While in this instance the Burnout bikes are easily available for people buying either copy - retail or digital - seeing such a sizeable piece of DLC turn up so long after a game's release certainly adds plausibility to the rumour that it's aimed at stopping trade-ins of the game. And if these rumours of EA crafting the DLC as a shot across GameStop's bow are true, we can't help but wonder how long until a publisher takes that next step and actually gives their digital download an "unfair advantage"?

GameStop Promises Huge Stores, More Games, Special Drums And No Fear Of ‘Burnout’ [MTV]
Free Burnout Paradise bikes upgrade out today [GamePro]