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EA Sports Adds Tennis To ’09 Line Up, Snags Wimbledon Rights

Peter Moore announced that EA Sports would be adding tennis to its line-up of games in 2009, with rights for the Wimbledon tennis tournament exclusively going to EA. Although Moore didn’t provide a name for the EA created tennis game — unless it’s simply EA Sports Tennis — he did say that development on the EA Sports addition would be leading on the Wii, with the game supporting the Wii MotionPlus peripheral.

EA Reps also namedropped professionals like Chris Everett, Pete Sampras and Boris Becker, hinting but not confirming that Grand Slammers throughout the years would be featured.


News

PC Gaming a $US 10.7 Billion Industry

The PC gaming industry pulled in $US 10.7 billion in 2007, with only 30 percent of that coming from retail sales, the president of the PC Gaming Alliance said today.

Speaking at the Games Convention Developer’s Conference in Leipzig, Rand Stude said that online PC gaming was the top revenue earner in 2007 for PCs, pulling in $US 4.8 billion, nearly double the worldwide retail sales for PC games. Digital distribution sales approached $US 2 billion, while advertising revenues from websites, portals, and in-game ads accounted for $US 800 million.

“Our analysis clearly shows incredible growth in online PC gaming, proof that this industry is far stronger than anyone has reported,” said Stude. “Today’s consumers shop where they live – online.”

These numbers, I think, will be much more meaningful next year when we have something to compare them to. Hit the jump for the full release.


August 19, 2008
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The Games Convention Über Update Post


August 16, 2008
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No PS3 Price Cut At Leipzig

Hoping for a PS3 price cut at Leipzig next week? Foolish optimist. There’ll be no such thing, with SCEE’s Nick Caplin telling Reuters “It’s not going to happen. If you’re coming for that you’ll be disappointed”. Might be disappointing, but not unexpected, as it fits with Sony’s plan to reduce the cost of the machine on their end (so they can make some money back), not the cost of the machine on your end.

Sony plans no PS3 price cuts at Leipzig games fair [Reuters]


August 15, 2008
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LittleBigBlockOfFlats

There are many, many ways you could tart up a dreary, Communist-designed block of old flats in Eastern Germany. You could knock them down, for starters. Or, if that’s a little drastic, you could always give them a new coat of paint. Or you could overboard and cover the entire side of the building in a LittleBigPlanet motif ahead of the Leipzig Games Conference, which kicks off next week. Up to you.


August 14, 2008
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1C’s Games Convention Line-Up Featuring Playable Theatre of War 2

1C Company is invading this year’s Games Convention with a hefty line-up of first-person shooters, role-playing games, strategy and racing titles.

Their booth at the Leipzig show will include new builds of King’s Bounty: The Legend and Men of War, Cryostasis, NecroVisioN, 4×4 Hummer, Death Track: Resurrection, Theatre of War 2: Africa 1943 and two new console titles – Captain Blood and IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey.

Hit up the jump for the full press release and a bit more detail on the games. And remember we’ll be at this year’s Games Convention with bells on*, so check back for our coverage later this month.

*Fahey will not actually be wearing any bells.


August 13, 2008
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No Leipzig Press Conference From Microsoft

Expecting a big announcement from Microsoft at Leipzig? Don’t! The company have confirmed that they won’t be holding a press conference at the show, instead choosing to focus on…booths and demos. Demos that won’t include Gears of War 2, since that game will be absent from the show entirely. So…no Microsoft presser, no Gears 2, and Nintendo won’t be at the show at all…that leaves us with a single, solitary press conference. Which is Sony’s, on August 20. No arguments over best presser this time! Confirmed: No Microsoft press conference at Games Convention [VG247]


August 9, 2008
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What’s EA Bringing To Games Convention?

Electronics Arts is going to represent big at the Leipzig Games Convention this year. It’s bringing something like three zillion titles to the event by our count, titles like Dragon Age, Dead Space and Mirror’s Edge to name but a few. While we’ve seen a good portion of these titles at E3 and pre-E3 events, we’re going to see two unannounced games, something we’re sure to learn more about at EA’s Games Convention press conference.

The better news is that, despite our previous hands-on time with games like Left 4 Dead and Crysis Warhead, we’re going to see all new areas and content. Plus we’re going to pester developers for nuggets of info and embarrassing quotes that will come back to haunt them.

We’re looking at you Gabe Newell. Hit the jump for the full list — minus two — of what EA’s bringing to Leipzig.


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What’s Atari Bringing To Games Convention?

Well, this sucks. Atari says the company plans to “turn up the summer heat” at the Leipzig Games Convention this year. Unfortunate, because the Leipziger Messe can get sweaty, something Fahey and I aren’t going to appreciate when we’re perspiring pure Pilsner.

How’s Atari affecting climate change in Leipzig this year? Hot(t) games, of course! They’ll be showing lots of stuff, including What’s Cooking? with Jamie Oliver for Nintendo DS, My Horse and Me 2 for Wii and DS, The Witcher Enhanced Edition and Alone in the Dark for the PlayStation 3.

If that’s not already giving you pit stains, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3 and Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit will also be there, increasing the spiked hair factor by 9000 percent. Hopefully, Phil Harrison will be there and we can creep him the fuck out one more time. For the full list, hit the press release, after the jump.


August 6, 2008
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Games Convention 08 Is Press Conference Central

The 2008 Games Convention in Leipzig Germany is almost upon us, with McWhertor and I already gathering supplies for our long trek across the ocean. This marks my first journey outside of the continental United States, and while I am a bit nervous, judging by the press conference schedule at the convention I’ll have no time to accidentally cause any international incidents. There’ll be press conferences from Electronic Arts, Disney, Midway, Konami, Ubisoft, Deep Silver, Activision, Atari, JoWood, dtp Entertainment, and Sony Computer Entertainment Germany…and that’s just day 1.

Granted day 2 is filled with press conferences from the likes of Hochschule für Technik, Wirtschaft und Kultur Leipzig, which I know you are all dying to hear about, but it’s still a pretty jam-packed show while I practice my German. Werden wir Litauen überfallen? I am so ready.

Press dates [Games Convention Website]