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Warning, this is supremely obnoxious and you should turn your speakers down.
Dad sometimes asks me for explanation of certain video games, and since his frame of reference stops at 8 bits, and todays titles are far deeper than anything I played as his dependent, the conversation gets a little difficult at times.
But If he ever asks me what Team Fortress 2 is all about, I'm gonna point him to this video.
And if American football, unabashedly violent, is also a combat simulation, then really one genre dominates the top 10 list that Forbes asked NPD to put together: the best selling home video games of all time, in units sold, in the United States. NPD's data goes back to 1989, so this does not include units sold before them.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is the winner at 9.4 million. Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock clocks in at 8.2 million, but after that, it's nothing but football and shooters: Three versions of Madden (06, 07 and 08), Vice City, Halo 2 and Call of Duty 4.
This list is almost immediately out of date, of course. Grand Theft Auto IV has shipped 11 million copies and sold 8.5 million, with an analyst saying it'll move 15 million by the end of the month. That's a global figure, but really, who wouldn't expect it to park at No. 1 and bump Madden '05 off the list at No. 10.
"That's the first time we've been able to say that", Bach, chief of Microsoft's entertainment and devices division, told the San Jose Mercury News". That's total Xbox business -- service, software and hardware."
Well, they've got a two-quarter head start toward that bold proclamation. It probably takes some sting out of the depressing sales numbers over in Europe, where an analyst warns that that weak sales there could see the 360 de-listed by retailers in some territory. Some more outtakes from a chat he had with the Merc are after the jump.
Gamasutra has an interesting look up at the MMO free to play/micro-transaction vs. traditional subscription model up - talking with SOE's John Smedley, Three Rings' Daniel James and EA Mythic's Mark Jacobs. Unsurprisingly, there are differences in opinion on the utility of the micro-transaction model, with some participants in the discussion coming down on the side of the traditional subscription model:
OK, OK, kinda misleading headline -- his production company is producing "Atari" a biopic about Nolan Bushnell, Pong's developer and Atari's founder. Paramount bought the rights yesterday. Indications are that he will star, but not knowing the story yet, I don't know if that means he would play Bushnell or, perhaps, another character through whom the story of Bushnell and Atari is presented.
The Hollywood Reporter describes "Atari" as drawing on themes of "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington", and "Tucker: The Man and His Dream." I was hoping it'd be a movie adaptation of "Space War" -- just two ships drifting to the centre of the screen, shooting each other. Maybe a love interest. Somewhere. Maybe not.
Wherever the story ends up, it sounds like it's getting very serious treatment, and the outlook sounds favourable for a well made biography. Plus I love period pieces, even if I've lived in the period described.
Leonardo Di Caprio to Star in 'Atari' [The Hollywood Reporter, via ComingSoon.net, thanks reader D Elfman]
In a somewhat bizarre interview with The Times Online, Nancy Smith (head of the Sims division at EA) said that " in light of the popularity of virtual worlds ... the Sims may soon become a multi-player game". The article fails to mention the failed experiment of The Sims Online, later rebranded to "EA-Land" and scheduled for closure in August. But Smith talks of potential new (and old) modes for online play:
Ms Smith was adamant, however, that The Sims would not break wholly with its past, and would continue to require players to buy and install software on their machines before being able to play. Some virtual worlds, such as Club Penguin and Habbo Hotel, can be played entirely within a web browser ....
The Sims franchise would also continue to explore new revenue models that have become associated with virtual worlds, she said, including sponsorship and the sale of 'virtual goods', as on the fashion-focused virtual world for teens, Stardoll.com.
It's a really odd interview in light of the online element that already fell flat on its face; maybe second time will be the charm for the Sims?
The Sims prepare for a sociable future [The Times via Worlds In Motion]
While Second Life is still a media darling (though I think the general press is down in number of articles touting this new! and amazing! and wonderful! virtual space since this time last year), Bruce Damer has an interesting piece up over at Terra Nova: are virtual worlds facing a serious downturn in the near future? I suspect the comments section will get more interesting than the body of the post, which goes through eight potential pitfalls:
One comment from a huge interview with The Who's Pete Townshend indicates that half of The Who's seminal album "Who's Next" will likely never end up on Rock Band. That's the deductive reasoning of a fan belonging to both The Who and Rock Band's official forums.
Commenter obsoleteshock on the Rock Band Forums read through a lengthy interview with Townshend and saw that the master copies for "an entire side" of Who's Next have been stolen, apparently. "Someone, somewhere, has it in a cupboard and is waiting for us to die? What then?" Townshend laments.
Yeah, Pete we're sorry and all but what about the gamers, mmkay? Without masters, that means no 5.1 DVD-Audio remix which means no Rock Band DLC. And obsoleteshock reasons that since "Won't Get Fooled Again" is out, the missing side is Side 1. That means classics like "Bargain" and "Baba O'Reilly" are not coming down the pipe, but perhaps "Behind Blue Eyes" will.
Who fans on the board were really looking forward to the former two, and are serving up resentment to Harmonix for not being clear about which songs they could count on. No one knows what it's like to be the bad man, to be the sad man ...
Hong Kong games retailer Renchi is making a nice gesture, and has pledged 10% of all sales through June 20 to disaster relief for victims of the Sichuan earthquake. Renchi will be donating to Hong Kong World Vision Sichuan Earthquake Relief (via, I presume, World Vision), which has promised to use 100% of donated funds for relief work, and World Vision has had teams on the ground since shortly after the quake. Full release is after the jump.
Meet Jeanne Stevens, the Republican nominee for Connecticut's House of Representatives (101st District). She will not allow Grand Theft Auto IV in her home. That's OK, she's also a level 70 Orc hunter in World of Warcraft. As for GTA IV, "If you'd like to play it in your home, go for it."
Over at PopMatters, the capstone of a nine-part series by L.B. Jeffries; this edition's topic is the problems with game criticism today. Reviews and critical pieces are generally worlds apart — and critical reviews should be providing feedback for the makers of games in a way that a standard review can't:
It gives developers feedback, real insights into their game, so they can go back and improve their work. There simply isn't a way for people to properly explain criticism in the current culture of "I'm not having fun" reviews. Nor is there a way to reward innovation or successful elements of games beyond gushing "I'm having fun" praise. It's one thing to say you like a game, but figuring out a way to go beyond that gives developers a better understanding of their audiences reaction.
In any case, it's an interesting essay that ties in with a lot of other criticism of the gaming press at large; the other eight parts are also a good read, if you're not scared off by the "Zarathustran Analytics" in the title.
Zarathustran Analytics in Video Games, Part 9: Flaws in Criticism Today [PopMatters via The Brainy Gamer]
Limber up your fast-twitch weapon-switch reflexes. Valve's dropped word that the next update for Team Fortress 2 -- centering on the Pyro class -- will include a new weapon called the Axtinguisher, among other things.
The Axtinguisher does half damage as a regular axe, unless the target is on fire. Then it's an automatic critical hit. So my friend Sander, who plays Pyro relentlessly, will now add "swing ax if anyone gets close" to his "backpedal and barbecue" combat strategy.
Valve didn't say when the new stuff hits, only that it's "almost completely wrapped". This latest build incorporates feedback from the April update to the Medic class. That one delivered three new unlockable weapons. However, in addition to the Axtinguisher, Valve says there will be "significant changes to the Pyro class for everyone", regardless of unlocked items, but didn't specify. So stay tuned.
As this is the weekend, let's open up with some classic Saturday-morning fare: Professional wrestling. Think that emblem on rassler Cody Rhodes' boot above is just a coincidence? Nope. Rhodes not only pays tribute to the Triforce in every bout, not only lives his professional life by its creed, he also replays The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past every year on his Super Nintendo. So when he stamps Power, Courage and Wisdom into your face, sumbitch comes by it honestly.
GoNintendo was dubious at first that Rhodes deliberately put the Triforce on his boots. But the grappler makes it pretty damn clear in the latest issue of WWE Magazine:
Big newsy week round these here parts of Kotakopolis. Lucasarts celebrated Lego Indiana Jones by pinkslipping a shitload of coders. Jack Thompson stomped out of his big parent-teacher conference and missed hearing a judge read the preamble to his professional obituary. Crecente and ESA's head rapped about the trade org's problems, namely big-name members walking out. Also developments in the big "Will and For Whom Will Take-Two Put Out?" saga. In all, a lot of stuff that had Kotaku's crack staff -- special hat tip to News Editor Leigh Alexander -- making phone calls, pulling docs and getting it all put together fast against the deadline. The week in Kotaku original reporting, with more after the jump, because there was lots.
Analyst: LucasArts Layoffs About EA, Studio Politics
LucasArts Confirms Layoffs, Says The Dev Is Still Healthy
Zelnick: We're "Actively Engaged" In Talking To Potential Acquirers
Breaking: First GTA IV Episodic DLC To Come To Xbox 360 In Q1 09
ESA Talks Problems, Perceptions, Promises
Jack Thompson Walks Out On Hearing, Court Recommends Enhanced Disbarment
Turnin' Around: Highlights From THQ's Press Event
The Olympic Gamers
Why My GRID Review Is Late
Rumour: Ex-Lucasarts Staffer Talks KOTOR 3, More Indy, Wii Lightsaber Game
Rumour: LucasArts Sees Massive Layoffs, Outsources Jobs
Eww, Cool! Deadly Creatures Impressions
Awwwww, Look At Him: Checking Out Wall-E
SpongeBob Drawn To Life Like Drawn To Life, But With SpongeBob
First Impressions Of Viva Pinata: Pocket Paradise
Strong Bad's Cool Game Slips To July
Zelnick: Expect BioShock Film Alongside BioShock 3
GTA IV Sold 8.5 Million, Shipped 11 Million So Far
Rainbow Connection: Hands On With De Blob
LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures Review: Whip it, Whip it Good
Impressions: Lock's Quest Mixes Old-School With Innovative Ideas
So What's Our Metal Gear Solid 4 Surprise?
Kojima Productions Responds to MGS4 NDA Complaints
Kojima Productions Says "No MGS4 90 Minute Cutscenes"
Fishy Copies Of MGS4 Already In British Hands
EA, FTC Agree On Take-Two Bid Deadline, Another Extension Likely
Frankenreview, Lego Indiana Jones (Xbox 360)
TECMO: Itagaki's Last Day is July 1, Team NINJA Still Developing
Sony Make In-Game Ad Deal Official
Tecmo Responds To Itagaki
Guitar Hero: Metallica Doesn't Affect Rock Band's Plans
Resident Evil 5 Not Redesigned After Race Criticism, Says Producer
In "Creatively Dead" Industry, Change Comes From The Outside
About Kotaku Reviews
Interview: Halo Designer Leaves Bungie For Academia
Microsoft Thanks Itagaki For Years of Support
Penny Arcade Adventures: On The Rain-Slick Precipice Of Darkness Review
Hands-On With Street Fighter IV: The Final Arcade Version
Why You Should Comment On Kotaku
Dark Void Gameplay Impressions
Bionic Commando Hands-On Impressions
First Resident Evil 5 Gameplay Impressions
Japan Gets The Blue PSP As Well
Japan Gets A New, Red PS2
Itagaki Leaving Tecmo, Suing Tecmo
Missed Darkrai? You Might Have Another Shot
Hands On With Guitar Hero: Aerosmith
Metal Gear Solid 4 Shibuya Billboards
The Video Game Defence That Wasn't
