Category: Xbox 360

NPD Console Sales Figures Top 10 Games of October 2010

It’s time for NPD Group’s sales figures! It’s the second month of neutered NPD numbers (*sniff* *sniff*) and I miss the flame wars the old numbers started. That said, the game sales data is still interesting. Let’s have a look!

It’s time for NPD Group’s sales figures! It’s the second month of neutered NPD numbers (*sniff* *sniff*) and I miss the flame wars the old numbers started. That said, the game sales data is still interesting. Let’s have a look!

  1. NBA 2K11 (Take-Two Interactive, Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PSP, Wii, PC)
  2. Fallout: New Vegas (Bethesda Softworks, Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
  3. Medal of Honor (Electronic Arts, Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
  4. Fable III (Microsoft, Xbox 360)
  5. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II (LucasArts, Xbox 360, PS3, WII, PC, NDS)
  6. Halo: Reach (Microsoft, Xbox 360)
  7. Just Dance 2 (Ubisoft, Wii)
  8. FIFA Soccer 11 (Electronic Arts, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PS2, PSP, NDS, PC)
  9. Madden NFL 11 (Electronic Arts, Xbox 360, PS3, WII, PS2, PSP)
  10. WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 (THQ, PS3, Xbox 360, PS2, WII, PSP)

I’m said that more people didn’t buy SmackDown vs. Raw. The people need games with superior writing and that game has the best writing (of any kind) of 2010. Combining platforms and market saturation have changed the way the top 10 has looked for the last few years — way fewer Wii exclusives on the list. I’m surprised  and pleased that NBA 2K11 and Fallout topped the list. Not that those games were release by “small” publishers, but it’s good for the business when Acitivsion and EA aren’t completely dominating the scene.

What do you think of October’s numbers? Any surprises for you?

Marvel Pinball Featuring Spider-Man, Iron Man, and More

My buddy Cbake at Marvel just posted this cool video of the upcoming Marvel Pinball for PlayStation Network and Xbox Live. The game features Spider-Man, Iron Man, Wolverine, and Blade pinball tables with their respective villains making appearances. (On a side note, did Blade get in the game through affirmative action?) As a comic-book fanboy and a pinball fan, I’m really looking forward to this one. Kindly check out the video and let me know what you think (please)!

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This Week’s Videogame Releases

Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood (with its outstanding collector’s edition!) leads this fun-filled week of videogame releases. Emma Watson fans will want to pick up Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. Need for Speed Hot Pursuit should satisfy those looking for some hot arcade racing. If classic platforming is your thing then you should give Donkey Kong Country Returns a look. NBA Jam is sure to catch fire this week. Sonic Colors looks like the best Sonic game in years.

Loads of great stuff this week! Are any of you planning to pick up some new games?

Call of Duty: Black Ops Midnight Launch Video

Sometimes it’s nice to have a GameStop below your apartment. Last night as I was out for a walk, I noticed all these gamers lined up for the Call of Duty: Black Ops launch. I went to my apartment, grabbed my camera, and filmed some video. Here’s a quick look at what the Call of Duty: Black Ops midnight launch was like at the Koreatown Los Angeles GameStop.

PlayStation 3 Ahead of Xbox 360 Worldwide?

According to Famitsu, developer Tose claims that PlayStation 3 is ahead of Xbox 360 by a cool one-million units in terms of global installed base. At a recent presentation, Tose reported that the current worldwide numbers for the three major consoles are approximately:

According to Famitsu, developer Tose claims that PlayStation 3 is ahead of Xbox 360 by a cool one-million units in terms of global installed base. At a recent presentation, Tose reported that the current worldwide numbers for the three major consoles are approximately:

  1. Wii: 74,000,000
  2. PlayStation 3: 42,000,000
  3. Xbox 360: 41,000,000

I’m sure this will shock some American gamers. Xbox 360 is way ahead of PS3 in North America, but globally it has been close for the last year. Tose believes that Sony has pulled ahead of Microsoft. What do you think of these numbers?

Source via Sankaku Complex

This Week’s Videogame Releases

As you’d expect in November, there are fantastic games coming out this week. Call of Duty: Black Ops should light up the charts. Actually, it should obliterate them. The PlayStation 3 has the wonderful The Sly Collection, as well as the Move-tastic The Fight: Lights Out and Singstar Dance. Konami has already pasted American Idol on its Karaoke Revolution franchise, but now it’s time for Karaoke Revolution Glee to shine. Last, but not least, is the delightful Mario vs. Donkey Kong Mini-Land Mayhem for Nintendo DS.

Any of you guys and dolls picking up new games this week?

Splatterhouse November 2010 Screens

Here are more screens for the upcoming Splatterhouse for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. I’m totally digging the game’s art — so stylish! I liked the gameplay I saw at E3 2010 and am hoping the game revives this classic franchise. Check ’em out and let me know what you think (please)!

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Perhaps Kinect is Not Racist After All

After a report that Kinect for Xbox 360 has problems detecting the faces of gamers with darker skin, Consumer Reports has claimed this is not the case. According to The Associated Press:

Consumer Reports said Thursday the problem is related to low-level lighting, and not directly to players’ skin color. Kinect’s camera, it says, needs enough light and contrast so it can determine players’ facial features. Then it can perform software recognition and log them in to the Xbox gaming system.

Well that takes all the fun out of it. I was already on my fifth page of “Microsoft hardware is racist” jokes. Damn it.

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Does Xbox 360 Kinect Prefer White Players?

According to some tests by GameSpot, Kinect for Xbox 360’s facial recognition works much better for white players than those with darker skin. This supports my theory that Microsoft hardware is racist. I’m joking! Seriously though, here’s the word from GameSpot:

While testing out the Kinect, two dark-skinned GameSpot employees experienced problems with the system’s facial recognition abilities. The system recognized one employee inconsistently, while it was never able to properly identify the other despite repeated calibration attempts. However, Kinect had no problems identifying a third dark-skinned GameSpot employee, recognizing his face after a single calibration. Lighter-skinned employees were also consistently picked up on the first try.

Please keep in mind that the sample size is super small.

Oddly enough, I’m more interested in Kinect than I was seconds before I read this story. I know that Kinect’s sensors get all sorts of whacked out in sunlight, but I want to see if the hardware will hate me because I’m brown. I’m sure it will work for most people, but it will be interesting to see if a significant number of gamers with darker skin have issues with the system. If it does then expect countless jokes on Kinect being racist and a class action lawsuit.

Any thoughts on the matter?

(Thanks to Joey for this excellent photo of him dressed as Ron Washington for Halloween!)

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Today’s Poll: Will Xbox 360 Kinect Sell 5-Million in 2010?

Kinect for Xbox 360 is out! Microsoft has already spent millions on a lavish E3 2010 event and a ridiculously expensive launch in New York City’s Times Square. There are still plenty of marketing dollars to be spent and the company is feeling so bullish on Kinect that MS president Don Mattrick has increased internal projections to five-million units sold in 2010.

That said, the reviews have been pretty average. Almost every reviewer is more impressed with the potentiality of Kinect than the actuality. Certainly there will be people that want it because it’s exciting and new (like Love Boat), but will the initial fervor be tempered by not-so-enthusiastic reviews? Do you think Microsoft will snag five-million customers this year? Kindly vote in today’s poll and back up your choice in the comments section.

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