Kotaku Australia » Luke Plunkett

Modern Warfare 2 Selling Just Fine On PC

Luke Plunkett — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:00:00 +0000

Proving that the Modern Warfare 2 “boycott” was more hollow tantrum than actual boycott, Infinity Ward have revealed that the PC version of the game has been outselling its predecessor.

“The PC version of Modern Warfare 2 has actually outsold the PC version of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare in its first week”, IW’s Robert Bowling posted on the company’s message boards. “Making it the most successful PC version.”

The quote was made in response to claims that the PC version of the game accounts for only 3 per cent of MW2’s total sales, Bowling adding “Essentially, all this percentage proves is that the console versions sold great, not that the PC version sold poorly”.

3% of overall sales [Infinity Ward]

Microsoft Denies “One Million Banned” Report

Luke Plunkett — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:00:00 +0000

There are some out there who believe that during the recent wave of Xbox Live bannings, Microsoft kicked as many as one million people off their online service. It’s a belief Microsoft execs do not subscribe to.

“We didn’t release the number,” Xbox Live GM Marc Whitten told VentureBeat. “I cannot explain to you why people would think it was a million people. It wasn’t a million people”.

So those who had money on it being one million, sorry. You’re out. Until the cold day in hell Microsoft actually discloses the figures, though, those with money on it being 999,999 or 1,000,001, you’re still in the running!

Microsoft’s Xbox Live chief on banning modders and browsing Facebook photos on TV [VentureBeat]

Virtual Console: Mario Kart, Smash Bros, Pilotwings, All Coming

Luke Plunkett — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:30:00 +0000

Has a year of uninspiring selections all but made you forget the Wii’s Virtual Console even existed? Understandable. Might want to buckle up, though, because three of the most-requested games for the service are finally making an appearance.

This coming Monday, November 23, sees the release of the original SNES Mario Kart for 800 Points. Good news. Better news is to come, though, as “sometime this holiday season” Nintendo will also release the original SNES Pilotwings and the original N64 Smash Bros. Exact release dates and pricing to come on those two.

Leaving just one game on my Virtual Console wish list. Jurassic Park. Chop chop, Nintendo.

Super Mario Kart drifts onto Wii VC [GameSpot]

Nintendo’s Denise Kaigler Has Left The Building

Luke Plunkett — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:40:00 +0000

Nintendo’s vice president of corporate affairs, Denise Kaigler, has announced that she’ll be leaving the company after less than two years in the position.

Some may know Denise as that lady who replaced Nintendo fanboy icon Perrin Kaplan in the job. Others may know her as that lady who played splish-splash with Totilo, as both tried really hard to pretend Times Square was somewhere a little more tropical.

Either way, she’s gone. Kaigler cites personal reasons for the departure (she lives in New England, Nintendo lives on the other coast), with today her final day in the job.

In a statement issued to Kotaku, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing, Cammie “Smile Machine” Dunaway, says “Denise Kaigler has been a valuable part of the Nintendo of America team for the last two years. She’s made a personal decision to spend more time with her family in New England. We wish her all the best in this next chapter of her life, and we look forward to continuing to deliver great Nintendo experiences to people of all ages as we head into this holiday season”.

Best of luck, Denise.

Rumour: New MW2 Game Modes Uncovered

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Take this with a grain of salt, but this clip sure looks like it’s revealing some new multiplayer modes for Modern Warfare 2, found lurking somewhere in the game’s code.

There are three modes in total: VIP (just like Counter-Strike), Capture The Flag (with a single flag between two teams) and Global Thermonuclear War, which one side has to capture. Once captured, the thing goes off, killing everybody.

If you squint through all the garbage written on-screen, you can make out allegations that these modes are all tucked away on the disc waiting to be unlocked as DLC. Makes sense on a basic level, but the bonkers language isn’t helping their cause.

[via VG247]

King Of Games Go Spelunking

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Japan’s King of Games — our second favourite outfitter of gaming shirts — will this week be adding some more good stuff to their line of Irem clothing. And where there’s Irem, there’s R-Type and there’s Spelunker.

The single R-Type shirt has actually been available for a while, but we’re showing it anyway. Not because you can’t buy it outside of Japan (none of it is on the English site) and that it’s sold out, but because it’s so great.

The new stuff, however, is part of KoG’s Spelunker line and adds to the existing t-shirt by introducing a range of hoodies (top). And “Weakest Explorer” aside, they’re as refined, subtle and tasteful as you’d expect from such a pricey outfit.

アイレムから発売された名作スペランカー、R-TYPE をフューチャー！ [KoG]

Stardock: Steam Has 70% Of PC Download Market

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Just about everybody involved with digital distribution is coy when it comes to sales numbers. Nobody wants to give the game away. But that doesn’t stop some — like publishers/online retailers Stardock — from trying to guess!

Stardock boss Brad Wardell says “Our estimation is that Steam — as the current market leader — enjoys approximately 70 per cent of the overall digital distribution market with Impulse at 10 per cent and all others combined at 20 per cent in terms of actual dollars generated per month”.

While we have our doubts that Stardock’s Impulse service is at #2 (surely Direct2Drive is bigger?), Steam’s 70 per cent figure is — if it checks out — both interesting and frightening at the same time. That’s about the same level of market domination Apple enjoys in the music player scene.

Quick: Name another portable music device that’s not an iPod. Off the top of your head. Now tell me how many people you know own an iPod compared to a portable music device that’s not an iPod.

Exactly.

[via Gamasutra]

PAL PlayStation Store: Critters, Snakes & Dragons

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Where last week’s PAL store update was as bleak as can be imagined, this week’s is certain to please, if only because it finally contains the re-release of Metal Gear Solid.

Yes, better late than never, we know. Still, earlier is better than late.

Also of note this week is the release of the addictive/adorable Critter Crunch, LittleBigPlanet’s digital release on PSP, some other great PSP releases (Disgaea, some Darkstalkers) and some Dragon Age DLC.

PS3 STORE

Special Offers
(from 19th November until the 3rd of December)
Buzz! Brain Bender (PSP) (was – £19.99/€29.99 now – £9.99/€14.99)
EA Replay (PSP) (was – £15.99/€19.99 now – £11.99/€14.99)
Medal of honour Heroes (PSP) (was – £9.99/€14.99 now – £7.99/€9.99)
Medal of honour Heroes 2 (PSP) (was – £14.99/€19.99 now – £11.99/€14.99)
Def Jam Fight for NY: The Takeover (PSP) (was – £15.99/€19.99 now – £11.99/€14.99)

Downloadable Game
Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao (£9.99/€12.99) Rating: PEGI 12+
Gravity Crash Released on Tuesday the 24th of November Rating: PEGI 7+(£6.29/€7.99)

PSone Classic
Metal Gear Solid (£7.99/€9.99) Rating: PEGI 18+

Trial & Unlock Key
Critter Crunch (Trial free, Unlock Key £4.49/€5.49) Rating: PEGI 7+

Demo
Smash Cars Demo Rating: PEGI 3+

Add-On Game Content
Dragon Age:Origins
o Warden’s Keep (£5.49/€6.99)
o The Stone Prisoner (£11.99/€14.99)

LittleBigPlanet
o Assassin’s Creed II Ezio Auditore Costume Released on Tuesday the 24th of November (£1.59/€1.99)
o Thanksgiving Costume (only available for one week) (free)

Pain
o Flavor Flav Pack (£1.19/€1.49)Rating: PEGI 16+

EyePet
o Medieval Styling Pack (£2.39/€2.99)
o Lucky Dip Styling Pack 4 (free)

High Velocity Bowling
o Psychedelic 60’s Ball Pack (£0.79/€0.99)
o Techno Modern Ball Pack (£0.79/€0.99)

Beatles: Rock Band
o A Day in the Life (£0.99/€1.49)
o Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite (£0.99/€1.49)
o Fixing a Hole (£0.99/€1.49)
o Lovely Rita (£0.99/€1.49)
o Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) (£0.99/€1.49)
o She’s Leaving Home (£0.99/€1.49)
o When I’m Sixty-Four (£0.99/€1.49)
o Within You Without You (£0.99/€1.49)
o Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Album) (this pack contains the all tracks listed above) (£7.49/€8.99)

Guitar Hero 5
o I Was Made For Loving You by KISS (£1.59/€1.99)
o Lick by KISS (£1.59/€1.99)
o Modern Day Delilah by KISS (£1.59/€1.99)
o KISS Track Pack (£4.39/€5.49)

Videos
Final Fantasy XIII Announcement Trailer
DC Universe Brian Stevens Interview
Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time Space Trailer
Army of Two: 40th Day Sniper Trailer
Dante’s Inferno Greed Dev Trailer

Premium Themes
Wise Father Theme (£1.19/€1.49)
Yuefeng Theme (£1.19/€1.49)
King Zumo Theme (£1.19/€1.49)
Cavalier Warrior Theme (£1.19/€1.49)

PSP STORE

Special Offers
Buzz! Brain Bender (PSP) (was – £19.99/€29.99 now – £9.99/€14.99)
EA Replay (PSP) (was – £15.99/€19.99 now – £11.99/€14.99)
Medal of honour Heroes (PSP) (was – £9.99/€14.99 now – £7.99/€9.99)
Medal of honour Heroes 2 (PSP) (was – £14.99/€19.99 now – £11.99/€14.99)
Def Jam Fight for NY: The Takeover (PSP) (was – £15.99/€19.99 now – £11.99/€14.99)

Downloadable Games
LittleBigPlanet (£21.99/€36.99) Rating: PEGI 7+
Assassin’s Creed Bloodlines (£23.99/€29.99) Rating: PEGI 16+
Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier (£21.99/€36.99) Rating: PEGI 12+
The Warriors (£9.99/€12.99) Rating: PEGI 18+
Star Wars Battlefront II (£15.99/€19.99) Rating: PEGI 12+
NBA 2K10 (£15.99/€19.99) Rating: PEGI 3+
Mercury Meltdown (£4.79/€5.99) Rating: PEGI 3+
Megaman Maverick Hunter X (£13.99/€17.99) Rating: PEGI 3+
Capcom Puzzle World (£13.99/€17.99) Rating: PEGI 3+
Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower (£13.99/€17.99) Rating: PEGI 12+
Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness (£11.99/€14.99) Rating: PEGI 12+
Mana Khemia: Student Alliance (£19.99/€24.99) Rating: PEGI 12+
Williams Pinball Classics (£11.99/€14.99) Rating: PEGI 3+

minis
Echoes (£2.49/€2.99) Rating: PEGI 3+
Pinball Dreams (£3.99/€4.99) Rating: PEGI 7+

Demo
MotorStorm: Arctic Edge Demo (free) Rating: PEGI 12+
PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe Demo (free) Rating: PEGI 3+

Add-On Game Content
Rock Band Unplugged
o California Über Alles by Dead Kennedys (£0.99/€1.49)
o You’re No Rock and Roll Fun by Sleater-Kinney (£0.99/€1.49)

Danish Group Asks You To “Hit The Bitch”

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Denmark’s Children Exposed to Violence at Home is a group dedicated towards the prevention of domestic violence. It’s a noble cause! Pity their latest “ad” — a flash game involving woman-slapping — lacks the same nobility.

We can see where they’re coming from; something akin to “No Russian” for the domestic violence scene. Make you do something horrible to better confront the horror. But the execution? It’s a flash game. Where you do nothing but smack a woman around. Comes across a little tasteless.

As such, it’s hard to recommend “Hit the Bitch” over the genre’s existing powerhouse.

Anti-Violence Flash Game Lets Users Beat Woman [GamePolitics]
[Hit The Bitch]

Note: at time of publishing, the website has been blocked for IP addresses outside Denmark.

Xbox Live Bannings Summon Class Action Lawsuit

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:00:00 +0000

The recent spate of Xbox Live bannings — in which as many as one million users were ejected from the service — have attracted the interests of a nationwide law firm by the name of AbingtonIP.

Abington are looking to get a class action lawsuit together, believing Microsoft’s actions to be both heavy-handed and suspiciously convenient given the proximity of the bannings to the release of Modern Warfare 2.

“Microsoft has chosen to use one of the most indiscriminate ‘weapons’ in its arsenal in an effort to combat piracy — as a result, use of this ‘weapon’ has resulted in a great deal of collateral damage — many people were affected who had nothing to do with piracy,” reads a statement on the firm’s website.

As for the conspiracy theory side of the story, Abington reckon that the mass bannings were just an excuse for Microsoft, with the release of the year’s biggest online title on the horizon, to rack up a few extra Xbox Live subscriptions from those eager to get back onto the service.

Sounds like complete rubbish to me, but then, this is a law firm we’re talking about.

Law Firm Sniffing Around Xbox Live Class Action Suit [GamePolitics]