Crispy Gamer News

EA announces a stand-alone expansion to RA3, City of Heroes is available for Mac gamers, Nyko shows off at CES, EVE Online expands, SmackDown vs. RAW 09 gets some DLC and much, much more in today’s Rundown. Right after the jump…

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Various luminaries in the video game industry are voicing “cautious optimism” when it comes to the holiday shopping season. Speaking at the BMO Capital Conference in New York yesterday, folks like Mindy Mount, CFO of Microsoft’s entertainment and devices division, are saying that the industry is looking solid going into the holiday shopping season. Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America said during the conference that is would cut the price of the Wii to $250 and said he was “very optimistic.” Yves Guillemot, CEO of Ubisoft, said video games are selling well at places like Wal-Mart and GameStop. He predicts a 20 percent increase in overall sales for 2008 and for 2009 to be a very good year.

Strauss Zelnick, executive chairman of Take-Two Interactive Software, said overall holiday sales do not look very promising for companies that who do not have huge hits on the shelves. Naturally, he is referring to his own company. Finally EA Sports president Peter Moore is hoping that consumers come out to buy games. He has “cautious optimism” that everything is going to be okay.

If October’s hardware and software sales are any indication, then the video game industry will be in the black. Of course that all depends on consumer confidence; will Americans make the big purchases or will they head for the bargain bin to save some cash in these trying times. We will let you know in early December as the first numbers roll in from NPD Group.

Source: Reuters

In an attempt to (in my opinion) cash in on the popularity of Wii Fit, EA has begun development on a new game called EA SPORTS Active. EA SPORTS Active is customizable and personalized fitness product, according to Peter Moore, being developed with the help of Bob Greene - “renowned exercise physiologist, author and Oprah’s personal trainer.” You had me at Oprah’s personal trainer, EA Sports.

EA SPORTS Active promises a variety of interactive activities combined into a circuit that target both the upper and lower body as well as cardio, and supports two players to allow family or friends to get fit together. While getting into your work-out the game provides on-screen, real-time feedback such as calories burned, etc. The title will ship with two leg straps that hold the Wii’s Nunchuk controller to track lower body movements, as well as a resistance band to support a number of upper body strength training exercises.

EA SPORTS Active also offers a”30 Day Challenge,” a fitness road map for players to reach their fitness goals with the guidance of a virtual trainer. The Challenge provides a new, 20-minute workout every time a player exercises, including clear instruction, feedback on technique and positive encouragement throughout the workout. Users can also create their own custom workouts that vary in activity, duration and intensity, and use the Wii Balance Board to add functionality to many exercises.

EA SPORTS Active is scheduled for a Spring 2009 release. Don’t worry, this game won’t call little girls fat.

Celebrity Sports Showdown for the Wii is in stores worldwide today. Celebrity Sports Showdown is an all-new property from the new EA SPORTS Freestyle brand featuring 10 celebrities and allows up to 4 players to compete in 12 outdoor sports games. Play as your favorite celebrity such as Keith Urban, Fergie and Avril Lavigne, and athletes like Paul Pierce and Mia Hamm in party game atmosphere for the holidays.

Playing as one of these vapid, empty souls, players can take part in such mini-game sports as beach volleyball, wild water canoeing, inner-tubing, hurdle derby, slalom showdown, joust duel, cliff hangers, curling, smash badminton, arena dodgeball, rapid fire archery, and air racers.

Celebrity Sports Showdown retails for $39.99 and is rated “E.” While this game doesn’t sound like my cup of tea, it probably would be fun to smash Avril Lavigne in the face in a game of dodgeball.

Electronic Arts announced that Madden NFL 09 Pink will be available throughout the month of October, coinciding with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Boasting the content in Madden NFL 09, Madden NFL 09 Pink features limited edition packaging displaying a pink ribbon—the international symbol of breast cancer awareness. Proceeds from Madden NFL 09 Pink will contribute to a donation to the Deanna Favre HOPE Foundation on behalf of EA SPORTS and Target, the exclusive retailer of the title.

Deanna Favre, wife of Madden NFL 09 cover athlete Brett Favre, founded the Deanna Favre HOPE Foundation after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 at the age of 35. Since overcoming the disease, Deanna Favre has committed herself and the foundation to helping underserved and underinsured women who bravely face the battle against breast cancer.

Normally i’d have a smart assed comment, but it’s tough to do when we are talking about charity and fighting a serious disease that affects millions of women. Instead I urge EA Sports to give more money than what they make on the Pink version of the game to this excellent charity.

The Adult Swim Williams Street team at Cartoon Network is going on the road for a 15 city college tour beginning October 7th. Besides being pretty damn cool, what does this have to do with video games? Well the event is being sponsored by EA Sports and T-Mobile. For its part, EA Sports will bring the EA Sports NBA Live 09 gaming arena to every stop, allowing students to check the game out and have a shot at winning a related prize.

The Williams Street Country Fair and Expo is a free event will be open to each of the participating school’s students and faculty members from 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. at each stop. The event will offer themed activities and fun based on such Adult Swim properties as Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Metalocalypse, Robot Chicken and Squidbillies. Full schedule after the jump:

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Madden NFL 09 En EspaAol has shipped to retail stores for the PS3 and Xbox 360, giving Spanish-speaking football fans a fully translated version of the popular game. The game features Chicago Bears offensive guard, Roberto Garza, on the cover to boot. Offering the same content as Madden NFL 09, Madden NFL 09 En EspaAol also includes exclusive Spanish language content, additional music tracks and Spanish play-by-play and game analysis voice-over by Alvaro MartAn. Madden NFL 09 En EspaAol users can also compete online against Madden NFL 09 users because the two games are fully compatible.

If you have been holding out to buy this version of the game your wait is officially over - look for it in stores beginning today.