Posts Tagged ‘e3’

2010 E3 – it’s all about Sony (so far)

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

While the E3 industry trade show and event is only in it’s second day, it looks like Sony Computer Entertainment is leading the charge out of the gate with a ton of announcements.  Let’s dive right in….

3D

SFM066LOGOLet the 3D gaming wars begin! Sony officially announced their commitment to Stereoscopic 3D at the E3 yesterday. Some of their hottest titles including MLB® 10 The Show, MotorStorm®: Apocalypse, Killzone® 3, The Sly Collection, and Gran Turismo®5 will be available in this new format. Where Sony holds the upper hand in this, sure to be developed my the other major platforms very soon, card game lies in the fact that the 35.7 million PS3s around the world can already play 3D stereoscopic content as of a firmware update that went out in April of 2010. Four titles: PAIN, MotorStorm® Pacific Rift, Super Stardust™ HD and WipEout® HD are already available for 3D consumption via the PlayStation Network.

Move

Mark your calendars, September 19th will be the day that Nintendo lost it’s monopoly on motion based gaming controllers. Sony stamped the date on their anticipated Move controller yesterday. Sony is offering up three different pricing/packaging options: a Move/Eye/Sports Champions bundle for $99.99, a PS3 console, Move/Eye/Sports Champions bundle available for $399.99, and a standalone Move for $49.99. Additionally, Sony announced the Move navigation controller which is used alongside the Move for intuitive in-game navigation (can you say nun chuck?). Sony already has 15 Move approved titles ready to go for launch, with 40 more in the pipeline projected for a holiday season 2010 release.

Subscription plus

Now joining the ranks similar to the Xbox 360 style of online gaming, Sony has announced their PlayStationPlus subscription package. Hitting a PS3 near you on June 29th, the PlayStationPlus package will offer users:

  • Full game trial*3 – Members will have access to full versions of designated PS3® and PlayStation Network titles including PS one® Archives (PS one® Classics). The titles on offer will be available for download on PlayStation Store for a stated period and change every month. Members will be able to play the full version of the game for a designated period and even after the trial period expires, users will be able to continue playing the game by purchasing the game on-line*4.
  • Games – Member will be able to play the full version of designated PS3 downloadable and PlayStation Network titles including PS one Archives (PS one Classics) and minis*5 with no limit of time as long as membership is effective. These games will become available exclusively for PlayStation Plus members at no extra cost.
  • Special content – Content such as avatars and custom themes many of which are exclusive will become available for PlayStation Plus members at no extra cost.
  • Discounts – Members will have access to exclusive discounts on designated PS3 and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) titles. Titles will vary every month on PlayStation Store.
  • Early access – Members will have early access to designated new game beta trials, game demos and video content prior to public distribution.
  • Automatic content downloads and updates – PS3 will automatically download and install designated game demos and game updates and also download the system software update data*6. PS3 will automatically start up at a designated time to download content and will turn off after the download has completed.

Sound

SCE announced that they’ll be releasing an all-in-one subwoofer included surround sound system for the PS3 this fall. Priced at $199, this audio solution seeks to immerse players in a rich digital audio system that includes the upcoming Move based titles. The speaker system taps elements from Sony’s high end audio department including the S-Force PRO front surround sound that produces surround sound from only a single front speaker.

50 Million PlayStation accounts

And last but certainly not least, and a cherry on top of the Sony sundae, they’ve recently surpassed 50 million registered accounts worldwide as of June 14th. Accounts come from over 58 countries around the world, and Sony has racked this number up in just 3 years and 8 months.

Not a bad showing for Sony at this year’s E3.

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New Report – Gaming bigger and more social than ever!

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

A new report released by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) – indicates that 67 percent of all U.S. homes are playing video games. Furthermore, the report also found that 62 percent of all American gamers reporting that they are playing games in person with another gamer at least one hour a week. And it’s not just ‘kids’ playing games, as just under half (48 percent) of parents reported that they play with their children at least once a week.

logo_esa“Computer and video games are now available to consumers on every screen from smart phones to computers to flat screen televisions. This enables millions of Americans to enjoy the immersive storytelling, incredible graphics, and compelling plot lines,” said Michael D. Gallagher, president and CEO of the ESA, the trade association representing U.S. computer and video game publishers. “These works of art are a fun and engaging way to bring people together, especially families who are playing video games together now more than ever.”

Although there is a high margin of what could be classified as ‘violent’ games on the market today, the ESA report found that parents with a child under the age of 18 were present when games were purchased or rented 93 percent of the time. 86 percent of the time, children received approval from said parents before purchasing or renting a game. These parents indicated that they always or sometimes monitor the games their children are playing 97 percent of the time.

Additional highlights:

  • The average game player is 34 years old and the average game buyer is 40 years old;
  • 40 percent of game players are female;
  • 48 percent of all games sold are rated ‘E’ for Everyone by the Entertainment Software Rating Board;
  • 64 percent of parents believe games are a positive part of their children’s lives;
  • Two thirds of parents (76 percent) believe that the parental controls available in all new video game consoles are useful;
  • 42 percent of Americans play games on wireless devices such as cell phones or PDAs.

These facts were released as part of a much larger study, Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry 2010. The study was conducted by Ipsos MediaCT and represents approximately 1,200 U.S. households that indicated that there was either a video game console or personal computer used for gaming purposes. Grab the full report directly from TheESA.com.

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Microsoft Kinects with users

Monday, June 14th, 2010

Microsoft has finally let the beans spill about the highly anticipated, and extremely well received Project Natal; now known as Kinect.

kinectPrior to the opening of industry event E3 in Los Angeles this week, Microsoft put on a pretty impressive show, Cirque du Soleil included, at the University of California’s Galen Center. Highlights of the show included video clips of Kinect in action starting with athletic sims. The videos showed participants running and jumping to complete a hurdles sim, others throwing a virtual javelin. Other sports based games included soccer, white water rafting, while still others offered up yoga and dancing games.

Microsoft is reported to be building deep social networking features into Kinect, which will in turn allow users to share their gaming experience with their friends (and in turn, subtly encourage others to join the fun by purchasing their own Kinect). Microsoft hasn’t set a specific price point, but rumors afloat on the great ship U.S.S. Internets, are indicating anywhere between $70 – $200. The scheduled release date for Kinect is this autumn, which gives Microsoft plenty of time to line up the Kinect launch with an anticipated Xbox 360 ‘slim’ (can you say bundle?).

The Kinect marks Microsoft’s foray into taking on the wildly popular Nintendo Wii. Wii, which has sold some 70 million units worldwide, features a unique motion-sensing controller that players use to interface with the game. Sony also has their own answer to the Wii interface, and is expect to debut its “Move” controller at E3 this week. However, Sony’s Move looks to be little more than a reverse engineered Wii controller, as the general principles are the same. Microsoft takes this motion sensing concept one step further, and eliminates the controller altogether. The player of the game IS the controller.

As social/casual games start to take a much bigger hold, and appropriately, attention of gamers, it’s clear that there’s quite a lucrative market here waiting to be tapped. Realizing that their ‘core’ brand of gamer is perhaps a bigger fan of shooters (I’m looking at your Halo and Gears of War), and has sought to bring in a much larger audience with the control-less interaction features of Kinect, as well as tap into the social networking pull of it all.

And while Sony might not have the Bing-Bang-Zoom features that Kinect is sporting, there are other rumblings in the news that could put both Sony and Nintendo back in the spotlight: 3D. The Nintendo handheld 3DS is on tap at E3, and Sony is expected to have 3D-compatible PlayStation titles on display, including the … wait for it … long awaited … Gran Turismo 5 (really? Do not tease me, yet again).

With this much chatter on the radio waves before the main doors have even opened, it looks like E3 may just have regained its slot on the top of gaming conferences. The event opens tomorrow, Jun 15th, and runs through June 17th at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

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Nexon poised to make big E3 debut

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010

In their first ever E3 appearance, Korean free-to-play firm Nexon plans on making a big splash. Not only is it the company’s first time at E3, but they also plan on bringing along not 1, not 2, but 3 (what they’re dubbing as) next-generation free-to-play games. On tap will be Vindictus, Dragon Nest, and Dungeon Fighter Online.

NEXON_logoNexon will be located at booth 635 in the South Hall, and if new titles weren’t enough to draw in the crowds, Nexon is taking a play from some famous industry trade show playbooks, and have included former Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Michelle Lombardo as eye candy. Of course, Nexon’s official position is that she’s there to show off the Red Wolf Hood, which represents the Gnoll Chieftain from Vindictus. Random visitors to Nexon’s booth will receive a complimentary Red Wolf Hood.

Titled “The Future of Free,” Nexon hopes to present audiences with the new style of free-to-play, including more action and higher level of quality not yet seen in the genre.

Up first: Vindictus. Slated as the first physics based MMORPG that fuses gorgeous visuals with high-speed combat. Powering the action is a modified Source Engine that enables actions such as throwing, shattering, binding with chains, piercing with spears, etc.

Second on the Nexon tap: Dragon Nest. An action role-playing game, Nexon serves up another high-speed action thriller that’s reported to have mind boggling graphics, particularly in regards to attack combos. A hybrid of sorts, Dragon Nest seeks to combine the best of both traditional RPGs and MMORPGs.

And launching today, June 9th, Nexon’s Dungeon Fighter Online already has more than 200 million players around the globe. Centered around arcade style action, this role-playing game builds upon Nexon’s fast-paced side scrolling (think Maple Story) games, while at the same time throwing in elements of classic video game fighting.

“Nexon’s first visit to E3 will definitely be a memorable one,” said Min Kim, Nexon America’s vice president of marketing. “Vindictus, Dragon Nest and Dungeon Fighter Online will set the new standard for free-to-play games and should be a revelation to E3 attendees. We are excited to take our message of great free-to-play gaming to the E3 crowds as well as provide great loot, special guests and a few surprises that will make coming to our booth a great experience.”

One item of note: It looks as though Nexon’s BlockParty.com is not yet ready for public consumption, as I would have thought that an inaugural attendance at E3 would have been the perfect time. Similar in function to ngmoco’s plusplus platform, Nexon’s BlockParty.com will help Nexon game players find and play with other Nexon gamers. Christmas 2010?

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EA reports (almost) positive cash earnings – sees dramatic rise in digital distribution and virtual goods sales

Wednesday, August 5th, 2009

Electronic Arts seems to have outwitted their critics and come very close to a break even, and almost, dare I say it, a positive cash flow. Posted yesterday, EA’s Q1 financial results demonstrate a dramatic improvement in the coffers, reporting a net loss of only $6 million. Granted, 6 million clams is nothing to jump for joy over, especially when it’s $6 million in the red, but when compared to year-over-year results, it’s more than enough to get excited about. Last years Q1 results showed EA with a $135 million loss. Keeping $129 million in the bank account is a tremendous success for the Redwood, California firm.

ea_logoEA’s first fiscal quarter revenues peaked at $816 million, a dramatic 34 percent increase of 2008’s $609 million. Industry analysts had projected a meager take of only $729.5 million. EA’s digital distribution and virtual goods sales are a major contributor to the over projected earnings take, bringing in approximately $124 million, a noteable 38 percent increase year-over-year.

Putting some wind in EA’s sales (literally) are a string of successful titles and their surrounding executions. Compared to the quarter ending in June 2008, in 2009 EA was the number one publisher in both North America and Europe, with four out of the top ten games. Four of EA’s titles won Best of E3 awards: Mass Effect 2 won best RPG, Fight Night Round 4 took the Best Sports Game award, Star Wars: The Old Republic snagged Best PC Game, and Left 4 Dead won Best Online Mulitplayer. Additionally, while a perennial favorite, and old standby, the Sims franchise was a major factor in EA’s revenue streams this year. Holding the top selling retail sales title in Europe and North America for this past quarter, the Sims 3 moved 3.7 million copies out the door. And last but certainly not least, EA Sports Active helped the company garner a 21 percent market share of the wii market in North America and 13 percent in Europe. Having sold over 1.8 million copies, EA Sports Active is now the company’s best selling wii title to date.

“Good execution delivered better-than-expected financial results in the first quarter,” said John Riccitiello, Chief Executive Officer. “We are very pleased with the success of both The Sims 3 and EA SPORTS Active.”

Looking ahead, briefly discussed the upcoming Tiger Woods PGA Tour title which seeks to drive revenues from the sale of game subscriptions and virtual goods sales, as opposed to the one-time-only-buy-it-in-a-box method. With that said, and keeping EA’s open experimentations with the free-to-play/microtransactions supported model (think Battlefield Heroes) in mind, company president John Riccitiello commented in an earnings call yesterday that EA’s not 100 percent onboard. “A lot of people believe that microtransactions is going to be the lead business model in the US. I’m not so sure about that. We are seeing good microtransaction results on Pogo, but I do think there is a difference between the way that consumers buy and consume content in Asia.”

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Company of Heroes released as microtransaction title in Asia

Sunday, August 10th, 2008

While boatloads of information was pouring out of LA at E3, it seems like THQ decided to give popular title Company of Heroes it’s unveiling in the Asian market.

Kotaku recently reported on the release, summing up what we were all thinking….how did this one get past me?  THQ’s Company of Heroes is their push at bringing the RTS game into the Asian online market.  They’ve taken the core CoH experience, slimmed it down a bit, and tailored it for online gaming.

The ‘new’ Company of Heroes is a free to play, micro-transaction based title that falls nicely inline with the Asian style of play.  Some of the gameplay changes include persistent online characters that will help you level up and carry across battles.  These ‘Hero’ units will have charged ‘super powers’ which go along with the new commander tree which includes 48 separate abilities/powers.

In order to show it’s support and dedication to the title, THQ have opened a Chinese office in order to launch the game.   A Korean version is soon to follow, and a Western version after that.

While never having an ‘official’ Chinese release, Company of Heroes already has a massive following in China.

Relic Entertainment General Manager Tarrnie Williams comments, “We know that there are at least one million pirated copies of the game in China,” noting that every time a patch is released, more than one million updates are applied from Chinese IPs – for a game that’s never been released at retail in China. In Sun Tzu fashion, THQ / Relic thinks it can turn this retailing weakness into a strength.

Williams firmly believes that the microtransaction model’s “got big legs”. James added that market hesitation (especially in the West) is primarily due to the low graphical and gameplay quality of games available in the free-to-play online space, two counts of which no reasonable players’ or critics’ jury could ever find Company of Heroes guilty of.

Zemanta Pixie

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