Survey finds video games top holiday wish lists
A recent poll conducted by KRC Research, commissioned by the Entertainment Software Association, found that 42 percent of those surveyed will give or hope to receive a computer, console of related software for the holidays. The poll also found that 52 percent of participants believe that with the shaky economy, video games are a good option for family entertainment this holiday season (check out our “Non-Gaming Parents Should Follow When Buying Videogames for Their Kids feature” for some great holiday gift giving advice).
These numbers represent a 9 percent increase over 2007 and the research backed up the fact that both men and women enjoy computer and video games almost equally. Forty-seven percent identified women as recipients of such gifts, a 31 percent increase from 2007. Fifty-Four percent of those who play computer and video games also plan to play with a friend or family member during the holiday season - according to those surveyed.
“Computer and video games are topping holiday lists because they provide a superior entertainment value for the whole family,” said Michael D. Gallagher, president and CEO of the ESA, the trade association representing U.S. computer and video game publishers. “With 68 percent of American households playing computer and video games, U.S. consumers value the creative and innovative products the entertainment software industry produces and are seeking them out for themselves and to give as gifts.”
The national telephone poll, conducted for the ESA by KRC Research, surveyed 1,001 U.S. adults, between November 4 and 8, 2009.
What’s on the top of my wish list? Peace on earth, goodwill towards men, and an orange Crispy Gamer ball cap. That’s a gift worth having.
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Category DS, Industry, Mac, Mobile, Other, PC, PSP, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Public Interest, Wii, Xbox 360, iPhone, iPod Touch | Tags: Christmas,Computers,Consoles,ESA,Hardware,holidays,Software,Survey,Video Games,Wish List
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Shippin’ Out: Week of Nov. 16, 2009
Buried in a sea of offal (the usual rush of products prior to the holiday shopping season stampede), are a number of promising games including multiple versions of Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed 2, the new Tony Hawk game, Left 4 Dead 2, Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles, NCAA Basketball 2010, LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues, LittleBigPlanet’s PSP debut, and so much more. You can check out the rather massive list after the break - which doesn’t even include the new stuff making its way to digital distribution platforms like Steam, GamerGate, Impulse and more.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii was released on Sunday, Nov. 15, so if you haven’t gotten your copy yet, you should be able to find it at most major outlets.
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Category DS, PC, PSP, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360 | Tags: Assassin’s Creed 2,Left 4 Dead 2,LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues,LittleBigPlanet,NCAA Basketball 2010,News Super Mario Bros. Wii,Releases,Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles,Retail,shipping
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Video game hardware and software sales decline in Oct.
Video game software and hardware sales in the United States took a sharp dive in October, down 19 percent in October to right around $1.07 billion, according to sales data collected by research group NPD. Console hardware sales fell 23 percent from the same period a year ago, while software sales dropped 18 percent.
Sales of video game accessories were down 2 percent. In Oct. the Wii managed to climb back up on the top of the heap ahead of the PS3 and Xbox 360, despite price cuts for both systems in Sept. The Wii sold 507K units in the U.S., followed by 457.600K units for the DS, 321K units of the PS3 and 250K of the Xbox 360. The PSP and PS2 sold 174.6K and 117.8K, respectively.
Sony’s Uncharted 2 managed to move about half a million copies in October, followed by Wii Fit Plus (441K), the Xbox 360 version of 2K Games’ Borderlands (418K), Wii Sports Resort (314K), NBA 2K10 on Xbox 360 (311K), and Halo 3 ODST (271K).
ASPCA, Ubisoft team up for Sharing and Caring Month
Ubisoft and The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and Honor Society, a New York based pop band, have teamed up to celebrate the launch of the new Petz games with Sharing and Caring Month. In support of ASPCA’s initiatives to teach youngsters about being kind to animals, Ubisoft’s Petz video games for the Nintendo DS - including Petz Nursery - will allow young players to care for and bond with a variety of virtual “petz.” For the first time, the Petz video games series will allow players to send and share their virtual petz via wireless interconnectivity between the new Petz games. Owners of the Petz video game series can also share their petz on UbiWorld ubiworld.com.
And let’s face it, kids need to learn how to take care of their pets properly. I mean, come on - have you ever seen a 4 year old carry a kitten or a puppy? Cats and dogs do not enjoy being carried by their necks. If they wanted that they’d seek out people like Lenny from Of Mice and Men..
The Petz Caring portion of the initiative will feature the ASPCA in the Petz Cause House on UbiWorld. Inside the virtual Petz Cause House, kids and their parents can play Petz mini-games and earn “pointz” to show their support for the ASPCA. Beginning today through January 4, 2010, the total number of pointz that visitors earn will be announced weekly in the Cause House explaining to kids how the accumulated points could help animals. Ubisoft will also donate funds directly to the ASPCA.
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Category Casual, DS, Genres, Other, Platforms, Public Interest, Simulation | Tags: Adults,Animals,ASPCA,Catz,Kids,Pets,Petz,Sharing and Caring Month,Ubiworld
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Modern Warfare 2 Tops GameFly’s Most Wanted
Video game rental service GameFly has released its annual list of “Most Wanted” games ahead of the holiday shopping season. Of the top 10 titles featured on the across all platforms list, seven have seen brisk retail sales and significant rental activity for GameFly. They include Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Halo 3: ODST, Borderlands, Dragon Age: Origins, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, and Madden NFL 10. Here are the top ten most wanted games according to GameFly subscribers:
1) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - XBOX 360, PS3
2) Batman: Arkham Asylum - XBOX 360, PS3
3) Assassin’s Creed 2 - XBOX 360, PS3, DS
4) Halo 3: ODST - XBOX 360
5) Borderlands - XBOX 360, PS3
6) Left 4 Dead 2 - XBOX 360
7) Dragon Age: Origins - XBOX 360, PS3
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves - PS3
9) Madden NFL 10 - XBOX 360, PS3, PSP, Wii, PS2
10) New Super Mario Bros. Wii - Wii
For more information on GameFly, check out www.gamefly.com.
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Category DS, PSP, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360 | Tags: Batman: Arkham Asylum,Borderlands,Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2,Christmas,Dragon Age: Origins,GameFly,Halo 3: ODST,Madden NFL 10,most wanted,Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
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Harvest Moons for everyone
Natsume announced today that Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands for the Nintendo DS and Harvest Moon: Animal Parade for Wii have shipped to retail in North America. Sunshine Islands is available at an MSRP of $29.99 and is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB, while Harvest Moon: Animal Parade for the Nintendo is priced at an MSRP of $49.99, and is rated E for Everyone.
In Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands, players rejoin all the characters from Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness, and meet some new faces as you try to figure out how to raise several sunken islands that san many years ago, because of a powerful. Players will go on a hunt for the magical Sun Stones and raise the sunken islands, but in between you’ll be doing all the usual things associated with a Harvest Moon game. This things include training your pets by playing in mini-games, growing a variety of crops and trying to find love.
In Harvest Moon: Animal Parade players unravel the trouble in the once-prosperous village of Harmonica Town, Players need to figure out why crops aren’t growing, the wind isn’t blowing, and the five elemental bells are missing. In between playing savior players go fishing, do some mining, cultivate crops, and care for wild animals such as penguins, pandas, and monkeys.
Learn more about both games at www.natsume.com.
Hudson Entertainment’s Bomberman Blitz debuts on the Nintendo DSi today for 500 points. Bomberman Blitz allows gamers to relive the classic Bomberman flavor on DSi. Players have the ability to play up to 8 players at home or online through the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, battle in 10 unique locations, and the ability to control the game using the DSi’s dual screens. All the power-ups that affect bombs, strengthen blast range, running and much more are also in the mix. Finally the game offers a new training mode that allows newcomers to learn the Bomberman gameplay and get right in on the action.
For more information on Bomberman Blitz and other Hudson DSi titles, check out www.hudsonent.com.
