Good Old Games Halloween specials

Good Old Games is celebrating Halloween with a sale featuring 3 creepy classics at rock bottom prices this weekend. The games include ObsCure ($9.99), Personal Nightmare ($5.99) and Waxworks ($5.99). But if you aren’t into all the spooky stuff, then you might want to check out Divine Divinity from Larian Studios for the low, low price of just $5.99.

You can check out all these deals - DRM free and ready for play on Windows XP and Vista - by visiting www.gog.com/en.

Sessler’s Soapbox: Mad Zombie Love

Zombies. The scourge of the living. Unholy, foul, mindless beasts, former shadows of humanity that shambles mindlessly in search of brains. On this week’s Sessler’s Soapbox over at G4TV.com, Adam Sessler talks about his mad love for the Zombies, how they’ve made the transition from film to video games, and what all of it means to you. Check it out directly at G4TV.com or check out the video below:

AFTRA and SAG agree on game industry gigs

The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) today announced they have reached tentative agreements with video game companies on new contracts. The agreements—which become effective upon ratification and remain in full force until March 30, 2011— “achieves parity between the AFTRA and Screen Actors Guild contracts and includes expiration dates of March 30, 2011.

In addition, the contracts deliver a 3 percent wage increase upon ratification for SAG, thereby bringing SAG’s wages into parity with AFTRA’s, and another 2.5 percent increase on April 1, 2010, for both unions. Both pacts contain increases in benefit contributions and a liquidated damages provision to incentivize employers to give notice of strenuous voice work.

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To today’s parents video games are the new Rock ‘n Roll

That’s how Stamford, CT., psychologist Eric Schleifer described them in a discussion with 50 parents about video games recently. This forum, called “Using Video Games to Your Advantage: A Parent’s Guide,” was co-sponsored by Wilton Parent Connection, the Wilton PTA Council, the Wilton Youth Council, and the Wilton Library.

The forum proved what kids already know and what kids our generation and every other generation before it endured: parents don’t always understand the culture kids are immersed in and its importance. In this generation parents don’t understand their kids’ fascination with games and, because of the media’s portrayal of them as being violent and catalyst for laziness and unhealthy behavior, often feel like video games are dangerous or at the very least, an unnecessary distraction. Schleifer compared gaming to rock music and comic books, both thought to be somehow evil or a waste of time by our parents and the parents of our parents.

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Games in Education Symposium kicking off next week

A two day conference comprised of workshops and presentations revolving around education, computers, video games, teaching techniques using software and video game development is going to kick off next week at the Hudson Valley Community College campus in the Bulmer Telecommunications Center. In its third year, the conference is called Games in Education Symposium and runs August 5th and 6th.

The event is free to educators from early childhood to post secondary education interested in the use of games and technology to promote better ways of learning in the 21st century. This year’s it will explore the practical application of interactive technologies like video games, social networks, blogs and other media to inspire and promote learning.

This year’s topics include the exploration of virtual worlds like Second Life and World of Warcraft and how teachers are using the games successfully in schools, to Social Robotics experimentation aimed at getting kids interested in Computer Science, to analyzing the real world pressures teacher’s face.

The 2009 Games in Education Symposium is presented by 1st Playable Productions, WMHT public television (an Albany, NY PBS station), the Teacher Preparation Department at Hudson Valley Community College, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium, and the College of Computing and Information at The University at Albany.

The event will run 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 5 and 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Thursday, August 6. For more information or to register, visit www.gamesineducation.org. Hudson Valley Community College is located at 80 Vandenburgh Ave, Troy NY 12180. Lunch and door prizes will be provided. More information on key sponsor 1ST Playable, can be found at www.1stplayable.com.

Ubisoft sales decline in fiscal Q1 2009-2010

Today Ubisoft reported sales for the first fiscal quarter that ended on June 30, 2009. Sales for the 2009-10 fiscal first quarter came to €83 million ($113.71), down 50.6 percent, or 50.8 percent at constant exchange rates, compared with the €169 ($231.53) million recorded for the same period of 2008-09. Those numbers were 12.6 percent below the guidance (approximately €95 million or $130.15 million) issued when Ubisoft released its sales figures for fourth-quarter 2008-09.

According to Ubisoft, this was due to slowdown in sales of Nintendo DS games in Europe and the United States (see this news story) that impacted new and old game sales. Lower back-catalog sales of titles for PS3 and Xbox 360 than in the first quarter of 2008-09 also contributed to these numbers - as did cited bad market conditions during the quarter.

On a positive note, Call of Juarez and Anno launched during the quarter and were in line with expectations, with Anno receiving solid ratings for the PC, Wii and Nintendo DS. The quarter also saw significant market share gains on the Wii since the start of the calendar year (7.2 percent market share in Europe versus 4.6 percent one year earlier, and 4.5 percent in the United States compared with 2.7 percent).

Looking to the fiscal second quarter, Ubisoft expects to see some good results on games being released during that time (see this release schedule) including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash-Up for Wii and PlayStation 2; a game based on the animated film Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs for Wii, Nintendo DS, Xbox360, PS3, PSP and PC; Academy of Champions for Wii in the UK, the Nordic countries and Australia; and new casual titles for Nintendo DS and Wii.

Sales for the second quarter of 2009-10 are expected to be at around €80 million ($109.60), a 54 percent decrease on the second quarter of 2008-09. This guidance is lower than the €130 million ($178.10) announced when Ubisoft released its sales figures for fourth-quarter 2008-09, for the same reasons as mentioned above. A few delays (read about that here) can’t be helping guidance for Q2 09-10 at all.

Note: numbers have been converted from European Euros to U.S. Dollars at an exchange rate of 1.37 US Dollars to 1 Euro.

THQ ships Up video game

THQ has shipped the Up video game, based on the Disney•Pixar film of the same name, to North American retail outlets for Wii, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PSP, Games for Windows and Mac. The Up video game is available for the suggested retail prices of $39.99 (Wii, Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 system), $29.99 (PSP and DS) and $19.99 (PlayStation 2 system and Games for Windows and Mac).

The Up video game takes players on an with Carl Fredricksen and his young sidekick, Wilderness Explorer Russell, as they set off on a wild journey through the undiscovered jungles of South America. Players to use all four main characters from the movie — Carl, Russell, Dug the lovable dog or Kevin the prehistoric bird in single-player or with a friend cooperatively throughout the entire game. The four characters have to work together to navigate the jungle, combat exotic animals and avoid being captured by a villain and his loyal army of talking dogs. Players will also encounter collection adventures to earn merit badges for Russell that will unlock bonus content.

More info about the game can be found at www.upvideogame.com.