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Wii
Project Zero 2 (Fatal Frame 2) to terrify European Wii owners
Another gem unearthed from the Nintendo Direct event: Project Zero 2 (known as Fatal Frame 2 in the states) is headed to the Wii in Europe. We don't have many other details, the press release states rather simply that, along with Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir, Project Zero 2: Wii Edition "will be coming to Europe." The remake was announced for Japan back in 2010.
The release doesn't specify whether the game will see a North American release as well. Spirit Camera, a Fatal Frame spinoff, has already been confirmed for North America, so hopefully we'll have a Fatal Frame 2 announcement before too long. And, uh, since we're on the subject, how about a little Fatal Frame 4, Nintendo? Pleeease?
BandFuse: Rock Legends attempts a music game with real guitars ... again
Over the last few years or so, the "guitar game" genre has had one of the craziest journeys in video game history. From the huge early success of Harmonix' Guitar Hero to the company's split into Rock Band and the final proclamation that Guitar Hero was finished, the epic story of plastic instruments and the games that came with them has gone from prelude to climax to quiet hum, all in the space of a few years.
And there have already been a few "post-modern" guitar games, most notably Power Gig: Rise of the Six-String and Rocksmith, which both involve real guitars rather than their plastic counterparts, and which suggest that strumming along with real songs and strings might actually teach real musical skill (a promise that neither was able to land with great success).
And so it's interesting that Realta Entertainment Group has chosen this moment to step out with its premiere product, called BandFuse: Rock Legends. It's a music game that uses a real, live electric guitar, plugged into a video game console, as its controller. We've ... we've been down this road before, right?
Xenoblade Chronicles arrives on April 6 wrapped in this gorgeous box art
According to Nintendo of America head Reggie Fils-Aime himself, Xenoblade Chronicles will finally arrive in North America on April 6. Wait, but didn't that game already come out, like, two other times? Yes, friend, it totally did. First, in Japan on June 10, 2010 as just "Xenoblade," then in Europe once more on August 19, 2011 with its current name. The April 6, 2012 North American launch will mark its third such launch. But hey, check out that incredible box art!
The game's tumultuous journey from Japanese exclusivity to worldwide release has been a point of contention for classic console JRPG fans. After a group formed online named "Operation Rainfall," various loud messages were voiced to Nintendo about a trio of JRPGs that were at the time unannounced for North America (The Last Story, Xenoblade Chronicles, and Pandora's Tower). All three titles have since been announced for release (or released) in other regions, though Pandora's Tower is still not planned for a US release.
Of course, you could've been playing Xenoblade Chronicles all along by using our handy guide to making the EU version work on your North American Wii. But then you already knew that, right?
Watch the Nintendo Direct presentation from Reggie right here
Check out Nintendo President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime get raw and uncensored in this Nintendo Direct presentation. It's all like "WHOA!" and "WOW!" and up in your grill faceplate! All these trailers are also available on the 3DS eshop for maximum in-your-face action.
Wii's 'The Last Story' coming to North America in 2012 [update: summer!]
The final surprise at the end of this morning's Nintendo Direct: The Last Story! The long-awaited action-RPG for Wii by Mistwalker will be out in North America this year, thanks to the stalwart RPG localizing staff of publisher XSEED Games.
Update: A press release from XSEED specifies summer 2012. You can read it after the break.
'Nintendo Direct' presentations in Japan and America tomorrow
We just received the first-ever Swapnote press release -- a note from Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime inviting us to a Nintendo Direct video tomorrow, February 22, at 9AM EST, at this URL. There wasn't much indication in the handwritten note as to what it was about; Reggie only said he was "looking forward to sharing some news."
A few hours before that video, Nintendo of Japan will have its own Nintendo Direct hosted by Satoru Iwata, at 6AM EST. This one specifies that it will have some Wii and 3DS news.
Idle Thumbs Kickstarter includes exclusive game, neat artwork
It seems everyone's got a Kickstarter nowadays. Double Fine just surpassed $2 million, inXile is going to use Kickstarter to reboot a classic and now the Idle Thumbs video game podcast is using the site to finance its future.
The interesting thing about this Kickstarter campaign, however, is that it includes an exclusive game called Thirty Flights of Loving by Blendo Games. It's a sequel to the one-man indie development studio's previous effort, Gravity Bone, a spy-based affair blending adventure and first-person shooting elements. Thirty Flights of Loving will be given to all backers who drop $30 or more down.
If you want to throw down more cash, Vincent Perea and Graham Annable, the artists behind The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom and Puzzle Agent, respectively, will toss in some of their doodlings. So hurry up and help the crew finance their -- oh, they already hit their goal? Okay then, head on over if you want to pay for some stuff you want.
Now Playing: February 20-26, 2012
Take corporate warfare to a whole new level this week in Syndicate...
Choose your platform to jump to a specific release list:
Retro City Rampage running wild on Xbox, Wii, PS3, Vita, and PC in May
Vblank Entertainment's long-awaited, open-world 8-bit parody crime game, Retro City Rampage, will finally be let loose in May, creator Brian Provinciano told Joystiq. It'll be rampaging across a few new platforms -- in addition to the known XBLA and WiiWare versions, Provinciano announced plans on the PlayStation Blog to release the game on PS3 and PlayStation Vita, and shared plans on his own site to release it PC. He's aiming for a simultaneous May release for them all.
In fact, you can pre-order that PC version right now at retrocityrampage.com, and get bonuses including a mini soundtrack download, a digital manual and 20% off of Fangamer's Retro City Rampage collection*.
And yes, Provinciano is still making all of these versions pretty much on his own. "Maxime [Trépanier]'s been doing art and the music guys are still doing some polish but I'm still juggling everything else myself," Provinciano told Joystiq. Add publishing to that list of duties as well. "I'm self publishing on PlayStation," Provinciano said. "Sony's fantastic that they allow you to do that."
Once this epic undertaking is finally completed, Provinciano hopes to take on something smaller-scale. "I've got many ideas and definitely want to do more open-world games," he said, "but right after RCR I will take a breather and work on something small and different. Hopefully something that takes maybe eight weeks instead of eight years."
[*Disclosure: I have worked with Fangamer on a currently available product.]
BAFTA nominates Arkham City, L.A. Noire, FIFA 12 for best of 2011
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has released its nominations for the 2012 Video Game Awards, which honors the top games from 2011 as chosen by the charity. The British stand-outs differ from our Yankee choices slightly, stressing the brilliance of Batman: Arkham City, which also made our Top 10 of 2011 list, but also including L.A. Noire, which hit our Best of the Rest, and FIFA 12, which... well. Just because we share a language doesn't automatically mean we share interests.
Check out the entire list below:
New Xenoblade Chronicles trailer shows off combat and menus
Xenoblade Chronicles is still on track for its April 2012 release in North America, proving that there's nothing in this world that you can't do. This latest trailer from Nintendo and Monolith Soft shows off the game's combat, crafting and weapons systems, as well as some very large robot swords.
Rock Band Weekly: Megadeth
Next week's Rock Band DLC pack from thrash metal rockers Megadeth may be called "Megadeth Pack 01," but they've been on the store before.. Previously available, full albums include "Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?" and "Rust in Peace."
NintendoWare Weekly: Metal Gear Solid 3D demo, Strider
The Metal Gear Solid 3D demo arrives today, accompanied by relatively big news on the Virtual Console! The first NES Ambassador game for 3DS is now available for purchase by non-Ambassadors! Super Mario Bros. is on the eShop now for five bucks. And if you already have it through the Ambassador Program, you can get a free update to add multiplayer and save states!
There's also news for the Wii's Virtual Console: the Genesis version of Strider can be purchased today. We hadn't heard about a Genesis VC game in a while, so we looked into it. As far as we can tell, this is the first Genesis game on Wii in North America since Sonic & Knuckles, on February 15, 2010. It's been two years and a day since the last Genesis VC release.
In fact, this appears to be the first Wii Virtual Console release of any kind since The Ignition Factor six months ago. Enjoy it! This doesn't happen very often.
Hulu Plus app now downloadable on Wii
Bored with experiencing Hulu Plus through the same old ... interfaces? Get rid of that Hulu Plus ennui with Hulu Plus on Wii. Nintendo announced that the service is now available through the Wii in the US as of today.
Users can download the Hulu app through the Wii Shop Channel for free, and then subscribe for $7.99 a month to watch television shows and movies. Through the first month of the app's availability, new users can redeem a two-week free trial of the service.
A 3DS version is due "later this year." We apologize for the "Hulu Plus ennui" joke and the lengths to which we had to go to make it.
Phoenix Wright movie to premiere at AM2 convention this June, no objections
Ace Attorney, feature-length film, is hitting North American shores this June at the AM2 (anime, manga and music) convention in Anaheim, California. Ace Attorney, directed by Ichi the Killer's Takashi Miike, debuted as a feature film in Japan earlier this month.
AM2 will hold two exclusive screenings at the Anaheim Convention Center, one for passport holders only and one with pass holders preferred and general audience as seating permits. The AM2 convention runs from June 15-17.
While this isn't exactly a widespread theatrical release for Ace Attorney, it does open the doors for US screenings. Keep your eyes on your local independent theaters for a chance to see all the cartoony flair (and hair) of Phoenix Wright in reality.
Ubisoft shipped 13 million Just Dance games in 2011, nearly 7 million Assassin's Creed: Revelations
Ubisoft announced big numbers for two of its major franchises in its latest earnings report -- two franchises that, dare we say it, are crying out for a crossover. The publisher reported a "near-30% increase" in dance game sales, including more than 13 million units shipped of its dance games -- a group including multiple Just Dances, and various celebrity "The Experience" games.
Assassin's Creed Revelations, the forty-third Assassin's Creed game starring Ezio, hit "close to 7 million sell-in units," exceeding internal forecasts and, according to Ubisoft, hitting the #7 spot in worldwide sales for the year.
That should provide a clue as to why Ubisoft is continuing the franchise with Assassin's Creed 3, in which Desmond has to prepare for a date by reliving Ezio's advanced dance lessons. Okay, that last part was just us dreaming of a crossover again.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (NES) pulled from Virtual Console
You waited too long. It was only a couple bucks, but you thought, "I have time. It'll always be there. I'll get to it eventually." But now you can't download Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on the Virtual Console and your world is destroyed.
Honestly, it was a weird goal to have, but we didn't want to say anything. In each and every region, it seems the turtles have retreated from the Virtual Console. Nintendo World Report reports Konami cited an "expired license," the same issue that claimed TMNT Turtles in Time Re-Shelled.
There's no word on whether the turtles will return to the surface any time soon, so we've contacted Konami for more.
Pandora's Tower coming to Europe in April, enjoy gross Valentine's Day cards now
Pandora's Tower is the next European Wii RPG release for us all to be jealous of. Following this month's The Last Story, Pandora's Tower will arrive in Europe on April 13, ensuring an oddly impressive 2012 Wii lineup for the region.
Pandora's Tower is an action-RPG game in which soldier "Aeron" traverses a series of towers to gather monster meat with his magical sword and chain, and then feeds the aforementioned flesh to his cursed friend Elena. Yikes.
Speaking of "yikes," Nintendo chose to mark the announcement with a set of grotesque Pandora's Tower-themed Valentine e-cards. You can view them in the gallery or download them from Nintendo, for any relationships you need to end.
Angry Birds wins a prize for making money through merchandising
Rovio, the people sprinkling stale bread behind Angry Birds, received the Property of the Year prize at the 12th annual Toy of the Year awards (yeah, that's totally a thing). Rovio won based on the massive amount of Angry Birds physical merchandise it's released over the past two years, which includes plush toys, backpacks, clothing, phone cases and bacon. OK, not bacon, but Rovio has branded almost every other item imaginable.
"Our physical goods business has great momentum just now," Ville Heijari, Rovio's VP of franchise development, told Develop. "It's especially interesting to see many app and social game devs emulate the merchandising strategy that Rovio has been pushing with Angry Birds for the last two years."
Now Playing: February 13-19, 2012
Wreck your opponents this week in Twisted Metal...
Choose your platform to jump to a specific release list:
Lego Star Wars sticking around for 10 more years
Lucasfilm has renewed its licensing deal with the Lego Group for 10 more years, meaning if you have a kid right now he can grow up with a guaranteed supply of Lego Star Wars video games and toys. If you don't have a kid any time soon, look at this as an opportunity to delay growing up for another decade.
Lego is currently developing products based on Star Wars: The Old Republic, and will be following up its most recent Lego Star Wars video game, The Clone Wars, some time during the next 10 years, we'd guess. The Lego Star Wars series has sold more than 30 million units worldwide since its launch in 2005.
Nintendo launches Rhythm Heaven Fever with a party at iam8bit
The event was a lot of fun, and you can pretend you were able to be there by browsing through the gallery below. iam8bit always does a great job with these events, and co-founder Jon Gibson promised us there's lots more on the way: He's currently working hard on the leetUP event that iam8bit is co-hosting at the beginning of next month, and says VIP tickets for that one have sold out already. We'll be in attendance, so stay tuned for more.
Rock Band Weekly: Poison, Mr. Big, Heart, Rick Astley
Tuesday is Valentine's Day, and in addition to being a day full of expectations and guilt, it's now a day where you can be rick-rolled by a damn video game in the sanctity of your own home. The "Gold Star My Heart" Pack drops Tuesday in North America and Wednesday for European PS3 users, and includes four love-centric tracks to get you into (or very quickly out of) the mood.
Peep the full track list after the break, and see if you're the kind of person who'd rather be playing Rock Band 3 on Valentine's Day. (Please invite us.)
NintendoWare Weekly: BurgerTime World Tour, Maru's Mission
The XBLA/PSN reimagining of BurgerTime needed a little more time on the grill before hitting WiiWare, but now MonkeyPaw Games is ready to serve BurgerTime World Tour to a hungry audience on a plastic tray all right these food metaphors are falling apart.
We'll have to warn you about this week's 3DS eShop game, lest you get unreasonably excited. Maru's Mission is not about Maru the cat. It is a cute-looking ninja action game, though. But not about Maru. Sorry!
Rhythm Heaven Fever review: Crazy into you
I hold Rhythm Heaven games to a high standard. The DS game became such a fixture in my life that it permanently wired rhythms into my brain. Months after the last time I picked it up, I'll still randomly "scratch-o, hey" or hit imaginary taiko drums in my head. I'm predisposed to seek music games with original music anyway (Parappa, Gitaroo-Man) as it is, and Rhythm Heaven is among the most replayable and content-rich of the genre.
So when I say Rhythm Heaven Fever doesn't quite measure up to its predecessor, please understand that's not a condemnation. I just mean it's merely wonderful instead of the most wonderful.
EU could lose tax breaks for game developers, threatens talent exodus
The European Union provides us a small-scale glimpse into the potential functions of a truly global society -- and more recently, a global society in crisis. The unified currency of the EU, the Euro, was on the brink of collapse recently and all of its member countries are still running damage control.
Now, France in particular is facing another monetary hurdle, as its tax incentive for game development has expired and casued "genuine concern" the EU may not renew the exception that would reinstate it. State aid is normally forbidden under EU law, but in some cases it is allowed -- without an exception, game-development tax incentives would be banned in all EU countries, including France and the UK, Develop reports.
French developer Quantic Dream (Heavy Rain) said that if the tax break is not reinstated it would relocate its operations to Canada, which does offer incentives for development companies, Develop adds. And according to TIGA, The UK's game-development workforce -- which sees no tax breaks -- fell 10 percent between 2008 and 2011, with 41 percent of its workers relocating overseas to countries such as Canada.
Retro City Rampage trailer teases 'big news'
Enjoy a sample of tiny mayhem in the latest trailer for Retro City Rampage, a game we hope developer Vblank is going to stop working on soon (for the sake of his own sanity). Then at the end, note that the developer teases some "BIG NEWS" to be announced February 20. Please, please let it be a release date.
Battleship movie adapted into FPS by Double Helix
Activision and Double Helix have announced a video game adaptation of Battleship, the Hasbro Studios/Universal Films adaptation of Milton Bradley's Battleship. Set for an April European release and a May North American release, Battleship will combine aspects of the classic board game with FPS gameplay. It will be available on PS3 and 360, with "uniquely designed versions" released for the Wii, DS and 3DS.
The player takes on the role of demolitions expert Cole Mathis, who somehow finds himself in charge of an entire naval fleet and must use said fleet to defend the Hawaiian archipelago from underwater space aliens. This is a separate storyline from the film -- however, given the abundance of extraterrestrials and a severe lack of white and red pegs, we figure it's still set in the movie's universe. Gameplay is split between FPS sections and a "Battle Command" map, which is somewhat akin to the classic Battleship grid we're all familiar with. Here's hoping for Electronic Talking DLC on day one.
Former Bungie president, Alex Seropian, leaves Disney Interactive
Alex Seropian -- who helped found developer Bungie in the 1990s -- has left Disney Interactive, where he was head of game development. After helping create the Halo franchise at Bungie, Seropian started his own studio, Wideload Games, which was then acquired by Disney when it hired Seropian in 2009 as a creative-development lead.
Disney has confirmed Seropian's departure and said he will be replaced by former Blizzard vice president Bill Roper, Game Informer reports. In 2003 Roper left Blizzard and founded Flagship Studios, which busted in 2008, and he was picked up by Cryptic Studios. In 2011, Roper left Cryptic to join Disney Interactive as vice president of the Marvel Franchise, which recently announced Marvel: Avengers Alliance coming to Facebook in Q1 this year.
Skylanders Giants will not require new Portal, mobile apps coming, Toys R Us to have exclusive figures [update]
More details about Skylanders Giants are coming in from the event currently taking place in New York. First and foremost, the new game will require a new Portal (i.e. "the thing you put Skylanders toys on") in order to recognize the new giant characters. Said Portal will accommodate up to two giant figures at a time. In addition to the giant figures, 12 more normal Skylanders figures are in the works, though it's unclear if they will work exclusively with Giants or if they will be compatible with Spyro's Adventure.
Furthermore, dedicated Skylanders mobile apps are planned for the future, though no further details have were given. The press release announcing the title did, however, promise "advanced integration across console, handheld, mobile and online."
Finally, Toys R Us CEO Jerry Storch revealed an exclusive partnership with Activision going forward. The retailer will sell exclusive figures this year, including "Legendary Trigger Happy" and "Iridescent Blue Bash," both of which are stronger than their normal versions and feature new abilities. In March, Toys R Us will also have a 30-day exclusive on the "Dragon's Peak" adventure pack. See pictures of the new figures in the gallery below.
More details as we get them.
Update: Skylanders Giants will not require a new portal, as it turns out. The new technology referred to at the event will be contained in the figures themselves. Specifically, new figures will light up when placed on the portal, as mentioned in our previous post. We apologize for the confusion.
Activision announces Skylanders Giants, featuring giant Skylanders [update: Trailer, screens and figures]
Last month, domains for "Skylanders Giants" appeared, followed by a lot of cryptic teases from a "SkylandersGiant" Twitter account. Today, Activision and developer Toys for Bob have revealed that Skylanders: Giants is actually a full sequel to the game released last year. Alongside the new game come brand new figures to collect and, as the name implies, they are much larger than the toys released so far.
Specifically, eight new characters will be released, all of them "more than twice the size" of normal Skylanders both out of the box and inside the game world itself. New figures will also feature integrated lights that illuminate when a character is placed on or near the Portal of Power. Finally, Skylanders Giants will be compatible with previous Skylanders figures and, what's more, figures will retain all the stats earned in Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure.
Skylanders Giants will officially debut at the American International Toy Fair later this month. Presumably, we'll have more details, including a priceand release date, by then. A Skylanders event is about to take place in New York, we should have more details and media shortly.
Update: We've added a new trailer and galleries of screenshots and the new figures. Also, according to the trailer, Skylanders Giants is coming this fall.
Judge Xenoblade Chronicles by its (inside) cover
Xenoblade Chronicles "the game" is definitely coming to the US Wii on April 3, but Xenoblade Chronicles "the box art" is more of a vague idea at this point. Nintendo is allowing fans to choose the inside portion of Xenoblade's reversible box art via a Facebook photo poll -- of the four photos shown below, whichever has the most "Likes" will become the US game's reversible image:
Now Playing: February 6-12, 2012
Destiny awaits this week in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning...
Choose your platform to jump to a specific release list:
IndieCade's 2012 'Festival of Independent Games' accepting submissions
Indie devs take note, submissions for IndieCade's 2012 "Festival of Independent Games" are now open on the event's official website.
IndieCade's track record is stellar, giving budding designers and developers the exposure their hard work deserves and the money their growing debt so richly desires. Past winners include darlings like Limbo, VVVVVV, and Superbrothers' Sword and Sworcery EP. Of course, bills only get paid if the games launch -- unlike Fez, which by our heart's count has been in development for the last seven hundred years.
Teams that submit a game will receive a main festival pass and an invitation to a day-long networking and workshop event. Games selected are set to be featured during the annual IndieCade Festival from October 4 through October 7.
Final Fantasy XIII-2, Metal Gear Collection debut atop UK charts
Three new titles entered Chart-Track's UK sales top ten last week, led by Final Fantasy XIII-2. Sneaking the silver was the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, which includes MGS2: Sons of Liberty (2002), MGS3: Snake Eater (2005) and MGS: Peacewalker (2010). Rounding out the top three is Battlefield 3, up two spots, as FIFA 12 slides from first to fourth.
Another new addition to the top ten, SoulCalibur 5, premieres in fifth. Chart-Track notes that the prior SoulCalibur debuted in the top spot back in August of 2008.
The solid debut last week of 3DS action horror title Resident Evil: Revelations finds the game retreating from sixth to 19 on the latest chart. Wander past the break for the UK top ten.
Rock Band Weekly: Bush
Breathe in, breathe out, and everything's zen, because next week's Rock Band DLC is a three-pack from alt rockers Bush. All the tracks are off the band's hit 1994 debut album "Sixteen Stone."
Play Rhythm Heaven Fever early in LA Feb. 10
If you're near Los Angeles on February 10, and you're eager to celebrate the upcoming release of Rhythm Heaven Fever, you can party with other like-minded people at the iam8bit gallery.
Nintendo, Giant Robot, and iam8bit are teaming up for a launch event, at which attendees will be able to play the game (with headphones, hopefully!) and pick up custom swag. Go find out who else in the world dares to play a rhythm game about interviewing wrestlers and playing airplane badminton!
European retailer Game puts a plaster over its money wound
Earlier this week Game met with lenders to discuss its credit problems and options for staying in business, and now Game reports it will operate "with lower limits" and under "revised terms for its facilities." As of November 2011, Game had 1,275 stores in Europe and Australia, but has hinted that it could sell off more than half of its overseas locations, and it plans to close 60 stores by 2013. It closed 39 locations last year.
Game's economic problems aren't an issue solely for retailers, but can affect the larger gaming industry as well -- both EA and Take-Two discussed Game's position during their Q3 financial calls.
Sega's home game division posts losses, Mario & Sonic a bright spot
Sega's "Game Contents" division (i.e. home video games) was down 5.1% for the nine-month period ending December 31, with the company reporting 63.5 billion yen ($833 million) in net game sales from the division ... and 5.5 billion yen in total losses. As for reasoning, Sega said only that "in the overseas markets, sales of the new titles remained slow as affected by adverse market condition." Best we can tell, that "adverse market condition" refers to our economies all being really, really terrible.
The publisher shared sales numbers for its major releases. Sonic Generations sold 1.63 million copies across four platforms (Wii, PS3, PC, and the 3DS Generations game). Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games outsold it with 2.39 million copies -- despite not being released in Japan yet, and only being on one platform at the time, the Wii. And, uh, despite being a Mario & Sonic Olympics minigame collection. Hatsune Miku Project Diva Extend for PSP (released in Japan only) was the other named hit, with 290,000 copies.
Looking up at Sega's sales by platform, it's worth noting that Sega's single PlayStation Vita release, Virtua Tennis 4 (called Power Smash 4 in Japan) sold just 10,000 copies between the Vita launch date of December 17 and the end of the year. That ... doesn't seem very good.
THQ reveals $56 million loss in Q3
THQ CEO Brian Farrell started yesterday's third quarter earnings call with investors by saying, "On our last call we told you we anticipated that our third quarter would be the largest in our company's history. Unfortunately, we were wrong."
The company announced a $56 million loss for the quarter ending December 31, 2011, nearly triple the loss of the same period last year. Sales also slumped slightly from $314.6 million to $305.4 million
Despite the success of Saints Row: The Third and WWE '12, the discontinued uDraw tablet took a majority of blame for the company's ill condition.
"Revenues were lower by about $100 million," Farrell explained. "We've got 1.4 million [uDraw units] still in inventory we haven't sold that we planned on selling." He estimated about $80 million of the lost revenue was from units the company didn't sell, and the other $20 million was from lowering the price of what they did sell. He concluded on the topic, "We would have doubled the profitability in the quarter were it not for uDraw."
THQ is currently attempting to make itself a leaner, more efficient entity. Part of its announced realignment includes pay cuts for the top brass, layoffs of 240 people and seeking help for big-ticket items like the Warhammer 40K MMO. The company didn't provide estimates for its expected financial condition for the final quarter of the year.
The release doesn't specify whether the game will see a North American release as well. Spirit Camera, a Fatal Frame spinoff, has already been confirmed for North America, so hopefully we'll have a Fatal Frame 2 announcement before too long. And, uh, since we're on the subject, how about a little Fatal Frame 4, Nintendo? Pleeease?
Project Zero 2 (Fatal Frame 2) to terrify European Wii owners originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
BandFuse: Rock Legends attempts a music game with real guitars ... again
And there have already been a few "post-modern" guitar games, most notably Power Gig: Rise of the Six-String and Rocksmith, which both involve real guitars rather than their plastic counterparts, and which suggest that strumming along with real songs and strings might actually teach real musical skill (a promise that neither was able to land with great success).
And so it's interesting that Realta Entertainment Group has chosen this moment to step out with its premiere product, called BandFuse: Rock Legends. It's a music game that uses a real, live electric guitar, plugged into a video game console, as its controller. We've ... we've been down this road before, right?
Continue reading BandFuse: Rock Legends attempts a music game with real guitars ... again
BandFuse: Rock Legends attempts a music game with real guitars ... again originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Xenoblade Chronicles arrives on April 6 wrapped in this gorgeous box art
The game's tumultuous journey from Japanese exclusivity to worldwide release has been a point of contention for classic console JRPG fans. After a group formed online named "Operation Rainfall," various loud messages were voiced to Nintendo about a trio of JRPGs that were at the time unannounced for North America (The Last Story, Xenoblade Chronicles, and Pandora's Tower). All three titles have since been announced for release (or released) in other regions, though Pandora's Tower is still not planned for a US release.
Of course, you could've been playing Xenoblade Chronicles all along by using our handy guide to making the EU version work on your North American Wii. But then you already knew that, right?
Xenoblade Chronicles arrives on April 6 wrapped in this gorgeous box art originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Watch the Nintendo Direct presentation from Reggie right here
Check out Nintendo President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime get raw and uncensored in this Nintendo Direct presentation. It's all like "WHOA!" and "WOW!" and up in your grill faceplate! All these trailers are also available on the 3DS eshop for maximum in-your-face action.
Watch the Nintendo Direct presentation from Reggie right here originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Wii's 'The Last Story' coming to North America in 2012 [update: summer!]
Update: A press release from XSEED specifies summer 2012. You can read it after the break.
Continue reading Wii's 'The Last Story' coming to North America in 2012 [update: summer!]
Wii's 'The Last Story' coming to North America in 2012 [update: summer!] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
'Nintendo Direct' presentations in Japan and America tomorrow
A few hours before that video, Nintendo of Japan will have its own Nintendo Direct hosted by Satoru Iwata, at 6AM EST. This one specifies that it will have some Wii and 3DS news.
'Nintendo Direct' presentations in Japan and America tomorrow originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Feb 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Idle Thumbs Kickstarter includes exclusive game, neat artwork
The interesting thing about this Kickstarter campaign, however, is that it includes an exclusive game called Thirty Flights of Loving by Blendo Games. It's a sequel to the one-man indie development studio's previous effort, Gravity Bone, a spy-based affair blending adventure and first-person shooting elements. Thirty Flights of Loving will be given to all backers who drop $30 or more down.
If you want to throw down more cash, Vincent Perea and Graham Annable, the artists behind The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom and Puzzle Agent, respectively, will toss in some of their doodlings. So hurry up and help the crew finance their -- oh, they already hit their goal? Okay then, head on over if you want to pay for some stuff you want.
Idle Thumbs Kickstarter includes exclusive game, neat artwork originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Now Playing: February 20-26, 2012
Take corporate warfare to a whole new level this week in Syndicate...
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Continue reading Now Playing: February 20-26, 2012
Now Playing: February 20-26, 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Retro City Rampage running wild on Xbox, Wii, PS3, Vita, and PC in May
In fact, you can pre-order that PC version right now at retrocityrampage.com, and get bonuses including a mini soundtrack download, a digital manual and 20% off of Fangamer's Retro City Rampage collection*.
And yes, Provinciano is still making all of these versions pretty much on his own. "Maxime [Trépanier]'s been doing art and the music guys are still doing some polish but I'm still juggling everything else myself," Provinciano told Joystiq. Add publishing to that list of duties as well. "I'm self publishing on PlayStation," Provinciano said. "Sony's fantastic that they allow you to do that."
Once this epic undertaking is finally completed, Provinciano hopes to take on something smaller-scale. "I've got many ideas and definitely want to do more open-world games," he said, "but right after RCR I will take a breather and work on something small and different. Hopefully something that takes maybe eight weeks instead of eight years."
[*Disclosure: I have worked with Fangamer on a currently available product.]
Retro City Rampage running wild on Xbox, Wii, PS3, Vita, and PC in May originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Feb 2012 10:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
BAFTA nominates Arkham City, L.A. Noire, FIFA 12 for best of 2011
Check out the entire list below:
Continue reading BAFTA nominates Arkham City, L.A. Noire, FIFA 12 for best of 2011
BAFTA nominates Arkham City, L.A. Noire, FIFA 12 for best of 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 19 Feb 2012 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
New Xenoblade Chronicles trailer shows off combat and menus
Xenoblade Chronicles is still on track for its April 2012 release in North America, proving that there's nothing in this world that you can't do. This latest trailer from Nintendo and Monolith Soft shows off the game's combat, crafting and weapons systems, as well as some very large robot swords.
New Xenoblade Chronicles trailer shows off combat and menus originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 Feb 2012 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Rock Band Weekly: Megadeth
Continue reading Rock Band Weekly: Megadeth
Rock Band Weekly: Megadeth originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
NintendoWare Weekly: Metal Gear Solid 3D demo, Strider
There's also news for the Wii's Virtual Console: the Genesis version of Strider can be purchased today. We hadn't heard about a Genesis VC game in a while, so we looked into it. As far as we can tell, this is the first Genesis game on Wii in North America since Sonic & Knuckles, on February 15, 2010. It's been two years and a day since the last Genesis VC release.
In fact, this appears to be the first Wii Virtual Console release of any kind since The Ignition Factor six months ago. Enjoy it! This doesn't happen very often.
Continue reading NintendoWare Weekly: Metal Gear Solid 3D demo, Strider
NintendoWare Weekly: Metal Gear Solid 3D demo, Strider originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Hulu Plus app now downloadable on Wii
Users can download the Hulu app through the Wii Shop Channel for free, and then subscribe for $7.99 a month to watch television shows and movies. Through the first month of the app's availability, new users can redeem a two-week free trial of the service.
A 3DS version is due "later this year." We apologize for the "Hulu Plus ennui" joke and the lengths to which we had to go to make it.
Continue reading Hulu Plus app now downloadable on Wii
Hulu Plus app now downloadable on Wii originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Phoenix Wright movie to premiere at AM2 convention this June, no objections
Ace Attorney, feature-length film, is hitting North American shores this June at the AM2 (anime, manga and music) convention in Anaheim, California. Ace Attorney, directed by Ichi the Killer's Takashi Miike, debuted as a feature film in Japan earlier this month.
AM2 will hold two exclusive screenings at the Anaheim Convention Center, one for passport holders only and one with pass holders preferred and general audience as seating permits. The AM2 convention runs from June 15-17.
While this isn't exactly a widespread theatrical release for Ace Attorney, it does open the doors for US screenings. Keep your eyes on your local independent theaters for a chance to see all the cartoony flair (and hair) of Phoenix Wright in reality.
Continue reading Phoenix Wright movie to premiere at AM2 convention this June, no objections
Phoenix Wright movie to premiere at AM2 convention this June, no objections originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Ubisoft shipped 13 million Just Dance games in 2011, nearly 7 million Assassin's Creed: Revelations
Assassin's Creed Revelations, the forty-third Assassin's Creed game starring Ezio, hit "close to 7 million sell-in units," exceeding internal forecasts and, according to Ubisoft, hitting the #7 spot in worldwide sales for the year.
That should provide a clue as to why Ubisoft is continuing the franchise with Assassin's Creed 3, in which Desmond has to prepare for a date by reliving Ezio's advanced dance lessons. Okay, that last part was just us dreaming of a crossover again.
Ubisoft shipped 13 million Just Dance games in 2011, nearly 7 million Assassin's Creed: Revelations originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (NES) pulled from Virtual Console
Honestly, it was a weird goal to have, but we didn't want to say anything. In each and every region, it seems the turtles have retreated from the Virtual Console. Nintendo World Report reports Konami cited an "expired license," the same issue that claimed TMNT Turtles in Time Re-Shelled.
There's no word on whether the turtles will return to the surface any time soon, so we've contacted Konami for more.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (NES) pulled from Virtual Console originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Pandora's Tower coming to Europe in April, enjoy gross Valentine's Day cards now
Pandora's Tower is an action-RPG game in which soldier "Aeron" traverses a series of towers to gather monster meat with his magical sword and chain, and then feeds the aforementioned flesh to his cursed friend Elena. Yikes.
Speaking of "yikes," Nintendo chose to mark the announcement with a set of grotesque Pandora's Tower-themed Valentine e-cards. You can view them in the gallery or download them from Nintendo, for any relationships you need to end.
Pandora's Tower coming to Europe in April, enjoy gross Valentine's Day cards now originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Angry Birds wins a prize for making money through merchandising
"Our physical goods business has great momentum just now," Ville Heijari, Rovio's VP of franchise development, told Develop. "It's especially interesting to see many app and social game devs emulate the merchandising strategy that Rovio has been pushing with Angry Birds for the last two years."
Angry Birds wins a prize for making money through merchandising originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Now Playing: February 13-19, 2012
Wreck your opponents this week in Twisted Metal...
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Continue reading Now Playing: February 13-19, 2012
Now Playing: February 13-19, 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Lego Star Wars sticking around for 10 more years
Lego is currently developing products based on Star Wars: The Old Republic, and will be following up its most recent Lego Star Wars video game, The Clone Wars, some time during the next 10 years, we'd guess. The Lego Star Wars series has sold more than 30 million units worldwide since its launch in 2005.
Lego Star Wars sticking around for 10 more years originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Nintendo launches Rhythm Heaven Fever with a party at iam8bit
Los Angeles' iam8bit gallery played host to Nintendo last night, as the two companies launched Rhythm Heaven Fever with a full scale party. There were plenty of demos of the game on display, live painting by artists Yoskay Yamamoto and Mari Inukai, a live DJ spinning tunes, and a few photo booths where players could dress up and pose, or even dance for a video running on Nintendo's own site.
The event was a lot of fun, and you can pretend you were able to be there by browsing through the gallery below. iam8bit always does a great job with these events, and co-founder Jon Gibson promised us there's lots more on the way: He's currently working hard on the leetUP event that iam8bit is co-hosting at the beginning of next month, and says VIP tickets for that one have sold out already. We'll be in attendance, so stay tuned for more.
Nintendo launches Rhythm Heaven Fever with a party at iam8bit originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 11 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Rock Band Weekly: Poison, Mr. Big, Heart, Rick Astley
Peep the full track list after the break, and see if you're the kind of person who'd rather be playing Rock Band 3 on Valentine's Day. (Please invite us.)
Continue reading Rock Band Weekly: Poison, Mr. Big, Heart, Rick Astley
Rock Band Weekly: Poison, Mr. Big, Heart, Rick Astley originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
NintendoWare Weekly: BurgerTime World Tour, Maru's Mission
We'll have to warn you about this week's 3DS eShop game, lest you get unreasonably excited. Maru's Mission is not about Maru the cat. It is a cute-looking ninja action game, though. But not about Maru. Sorry!
Continue reading NintendoWare Weekly: BurgerTime World Tour, Maru's Mission
NintendoWare Weekly: BurgerTime World Tour, Maru's Mission originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Rhythm Heaven Fever review: Crazy into you
So when I say Rhythm Heaven Fever doesn't quite measure up to its predecessor, please understand that's not a condemnation. I just mean it's merely wonderful instead of the most wonderful.
Continue reading Rhythm Heaven Fever review: Crazy into you
Rhythm Heaven Fever review: Crazy into you originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
EU could lose tax breaks for game developers, threatens talent exodus
Now, France in particular is facing another monetary hurdle, as its tax incentive for game development has expired and casued "genuine concern" the EU may not renew the exception that would reinstate it. State aid is normally forbidden under EU law, but in some cases it is allowed -- without an exception, game-development tax incentives would be banned in all EU countries, including France and the UK, Develop reports.
French developer Quantic Dream (Heavy Rain) said that if the tax break is not reinstated it would relocate its operations to Canada, which does offer incentives for development companies, Develop adds. And according to TIGA, The UK's game-development workforce -- which sees no tax breaks -- fell 10 percent between 2008 and 2011, with 41 percent of its workers relocating overseas to countries such as Canada.
EU could lose tax breaks for game developers, threatens talent exodus originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Retro City Rampage trailer teases 'big news'
Enjoy a sample of tiny mayhem in the latest trailer for Retro City Rampage, a game we hope developer Vblank is going to stop working on soon (for the sake of his own sanity). Then at the end, note that the developer teases some "BIG NEWS" to be announced February 20. Please, please let it be a release date.
Retro City Rampage trailer teases 'big news' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Battleship movie adapted into FPS by Double Helix
The player takes on the role of demolitions expert Cole Mathis, who somehow finds himself in charge of an entire naval fleet and must use said fleet to defend the Hawaiian archipelago from underwater space aliens. This is a separate storyline from the film -- however, given the abundance of extraterrestrials and a severe lack of white and red pegs, we figure it's still set in the movie's universe. Gameplay is split between FPS sections and a "Battle Command" map, which is somewhat akin to the classic Battleship grid we're all familiar with. Here's hoping for Electronic Talking DLC on day one.
Continue reading Battleship movie adapted into FPS by Double Helix
Battleship movie adapted into FPS by Double Helix originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Former Bungie president, Alex Seropian, leaves Disney Interactive
Disney has confirmed Seropian's departure and said he will be replaced by former Blizzard vice president Bill Roper, Game Informer reports. In 2003 Roper left Blizzard and founded Flagship Studios, which busted in 2008, and he was picked up by Cryptic Studios. In 2011, Roper left Cryptic to join Disney Interactive as vice president of the Marvel Franchise, which recently announced Marvel: Avengers Alliance coming to Facebook in Q1 this year.
Former Bungie president, Alex Seropian, leaves Disney Interactive originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Skylanders Giants will not require new Portal, mobile apps coming, Toys R Us to have exclusive figures [update]
Furthermore, dedicated Skylanders mobile apps are planned for the future, though no further details have were given. The press release announcing the title did, however, promise "advanced integration across console, handheld, mobile and online."
Finally, Toys R Us CEO Jerry Storch revealed an exclusive partnership with Activision going forward. The retailer will sell exclusive figures this year, including "Legendary Trigger Happy" and "Iridescent Blue Bash," both of which are stronger than their normal versions and feature new abilities. In March, Toys R Us will also have a 30-day exclusive on the "Dragon's Peak" adventure pack. See pictures of the new figures in the gallery below.
More details as we get them.
Update: Skylanders Giants will not require a new portal, as it turns out. The new technology referred to at the event will be contained in the figures themselves. Specifically, new figures will light up when placed on the portal, as mentioned in our previous post. We apologize for the confusion.
Skylanders Giants will not require new Portal, mobile apps coming, Toys R Us to have exclusive figures [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Activision announces Skylanders Giants, featuring giant Skylanders [update: Trailer, screens and figures]
Last month, domains for "Skylanders Giants" appeared, followed by a lot of cryptic teases from a "SkylandersGiant" Twitter account. Today, Activision and developer Toys for Bob have revealed that Skylanders: Giants is actually a full sequel to the game released last year. Alongside the new game come brand new figures to collect and, as the name implies, they are much larger than the toys released so far.
Specifically, eight new characters will be released, all of them "more than twice the size" of normal Skylanders both out of the box and inside the game world itself. New figures will also feature integrated lights that illuminate when a character is placed on or near the Portal of Power. Finally, Skylanders Giants will be compatible with previous Skylanders figures and, what's more, figures will retain all the stats earned in Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure.
Skylanders Giants will officially debut at the American International Toy Fair later this month. Presumably, we'll have more details, including a price
Update: We've added a new trailer and galleries of screenshots and the new figures. Also, according to the trailer, Skylanders Giants is coming this fall.
Activision announces Skylanders Giants, featuring giant Skylanders [update: Trailer, screens and figures] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Judge Xenoblade Chronicles by its (inside) cover
Continue reading Judge Xenoblade Chronicles by its (inside) cover
Judge Xenoblade Chronicles by its (inside) cover originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Now Playing: February 6-12, 2012
Destiny awaits this week in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning...
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Continue reading Now Playing: February 6-12, 2012
Now Playing: February 6-12, 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
IndieCade's 2012 'Festival of Independent Games' accepting submissions
IndieCade's track record is stellar, giving budding designers and developers the exposure their hard work deserves and the money their growing debt so richly desires. Past winners include darlings like Limbo, VVVVVV, and Superbrothers' Sword and Sworcery EP. Of course, bills only get paid if the games launch -- unlike Fez, which by our heart's count has been in development for the last seven hundred years.
Teams that submit a game will receive a main festival pass and an invitation to a day-long networking and workshop event. Games selected are set to be featured during the annual IndieCade Festival from October 4 through October 7.
IndieCade's 2012 'Festival of Independent Games' accepting submissions originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Final Fantasy XIII-2, Metal Gear Collection debut atop UK charts
Another new addition to the top ten, SoulCalibur 5, premieres in fifth. Chart-Track notes that the prior SoulCalibur debuted in the top spot back in August of 2008.
The solid debut last week of 3DS action horror title Resident Evil: Revelations finds the game retreating from sixth to 19 on the latest chart. Wander past the break for the UK top ten.
Continue reading Final Fantasy XIII-2, Metal Gear Collection debut atop UK charts
Final Fantasy XIII-2, Metal Gear Collection debut atop UK charts originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Rock Band Weekly: Bush
Continue reading Rock Band Weekly: Bush
Rock Band Weekly: Bush originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Play Rhythm Heaven Fever early in LA Feb. 10
Nintendo, Giant Robot, and iam8bit are teaming up for a launch event, at which attendees will be able to play the game (with headphones, hopefully!) and pick up custom swag. Go find out who else in the world dares to play a rhythm game about interviewing wrestlers and playing airplane badminton!
Continue reading Play Rhythm Heaven Fever early in LA Feb. 10
Play Rhythm Heaven Fever early in LA Feb. 10 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
European retailer Game puts a plaster over its money wound
Game's economic problems aren't an issue solely for retailers, but can affect the larger gaming industry as well -- both EA and Take-Two discussed Game's position during their Q3 financial calls.
European retailer Game puts a plaster over its money wound originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Sega's home game division posts losses, Mario & Sonic a bright spot
The publisher shared sales numbers for its major releases. Sonic Generations sold 1.63 million copies across four platforms (Wii, PS3, PC, and the 3DS Generations game). Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games outsold it with 2.39 million copies -- despite not being released in Japan yet, and only being on one platform at the time, the Wii. And, uh, despite being a Mario & Sonic Olympics minigame collection. Hatsune Miku Project Diva Extend for PSP (released in Japan only) was the other named hit, with 290,000 copies.
Looking up at Sega's sales by platform, it's worth noting that Sega's single PlayStation Vita release, Virtua Tennis 4 (called Power Smash 4 in Japan) sold just 10,000 copies between the Vita launch date of December 17 and the end of the year. That ... doesn't seem very good.
Sega's home game division posts losses, Mario & Sonic a bright spot originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
THQ reveals $56 million loss in Q3
The company announced a $56 million loss for the quarter ending December 31, 2011, nearly triple the loss of the same period last year. Sales also slumped slightly from $314.6 million to $305.4 million
Despite the success of Saints Row: The Third and WWE '12, the discontinued uDraw tablet took a majority of blame for the company's ill condition.
"Revenues were lower by about $100 million," Farrell explained. "We've got 1.4 million [uDraw units] still in inventory we haven't sold that we planned on selling." He estimated about $80 million of the lost revenue was from units the company didn't sell, and the other $20 million was from lowering the price of what they did sell. He concluded on the topic, "We would have doubled the profitability in the quarter were it not for uDraw."
THQ is currently attempting to make itself a leaner, more efficient entity. Part of its announced realignment includes pay cuts for the top brass, layoffs of 240 people and seeking help for big-ticket items like the Warhammer 40K MMO. The company didn't provide estimates for its expected financial condition for the final quarter of the year.
THQ reveals $56 million loss in Q3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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