Crispy Gamer News

A new research report released this week reveals that 14 to 25 year olds watch less television, instead spending more time on online activities, watching DVDs and video games. The study, “The State of the Media Democracy,” was conducted by Deloitte and polled multiple age groups including 14- to 25-year-olds (Millennials), Generation X (ages 26-42), Baby Boomers (43-61) and Matures (62-75).

Millennials watched just 10.5 hours of TV a week, compared to 15.1 hours for those indentified in the Generation-X group. Baby Boomers watched 19.2 hours, while the old folks in the Matures group watched 21.5 hours a week. So what are Millennials doing with their time? Shunning cable TV to partake in other activities. Among those activities - playing video games, listening to music and surfing the Internet.

(more…)

Today I went to Kay Bee Toys and purchased $600 dollars worth of toys for my son for just shy of $270. As a consumer I was delighted that I could save some money, but as a citizen I felt pretty small, because I know when the stock is gone and the doors are finally closed there will be people who don’t have jobs to go to after Christmas.

Kaybee Toys, which has a distribution office in Pittsfield, Ma is officially done and the company is unloading all its stock in a fire sale after filing for Chapter 22 bankruptcy. Chapter 22 is an unofficial term that describes a company that has filed for Chapter 11 twice. When this happens, a company begins liquidating all of its assets to pay off its debt - and that is exactly what Kay Bee Toys is doing.

I asked several employees when our local outlet store would close. They said the store would be closed when all of its stock has been sold. While there was a fair amount of newer stock on the shelves, it probably will not take long for the company to sell whatever is left in its warehouses.

The company filed for Chapter 22 in court today and immediately began sales at all of its outlet stores, slashing prices on all stock - including video games - by 40 - 50 percent. The company said that sales fell nearly 20 percent between Oct. 5 and Dec. 8., compared to sales from a year ago.

The once mammoth toy retailer headquartered in Massachusetts has become yet another victim in the economic shit storm that is unraveling companies of all shapes and sizes across the globe. The only good news is that gamers looking for some deals will certainly find them at Kay Bee Toy outlets- until there’s no more stock left, at least.

In the last couple of weeks the Game Trust has been arguing about what game deserves to be called the 2008 Game of the Year. The arguments are nearly over for us and we are coming closer to a clear winner, but we want to hear from you. Tired of feeling left out and want to have your voices heard on your favorite game? Here’s your chance.

Crispy Gamer has launched the official 2008 Game of the Year Group and it’s all for you. Choose which games you think deserve to be called the Game of the Year and slam those games you think do not.

You can join the group and start discussing the best and worst of 2008 by visiting the  Game of the Year 2008 Group. I’m personally looking forward to all your comments, good or bad.

I touched upon this yesterday in The Rundown, but today let’s analyze the particulars. This week Wayne County, Michigan Prosecutor Kym Worthy released her list of Top 10 Violent Video Games Played By Teens. The list, which is actually a rehash of the Mature rated section of games from the National Institute on Media and the Family Video Game Report Card for 2008, feature’s a who’s who of the most popular “M” rated games in North America. The link between “teens wanting to play these particular games” is tenuous at best, but we’ll get to that in a minute.

(more…)

Konami has decided to take control of the popular Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game, according to a statement issued by the company today. Besides being a popular and lucrative trading card franchise in North America and Asia, the Yu-Gi-Oh! brand is also a popular series of cartoon shows and video games.

Konami holds the exclusive rights to the card and video games in North America and various countries in South and Central America and Europe, but before today had a hands-off approach to the trading card part of the license. Kazumi Kitaue, Chairman and CEO of Konami Digital Entertainment, said that taking control of the card game will allow the company to have more synergy between the collectible trading card game and the video games.

The Timothy Plan, an investment group that offers a family of funds that are morally upright, has released a report called “An Inside Look Into: Video Games”, sure to whip the faithful into a frenzy. We assume that this report is for members that ascribe to the questionable notion that any investment firm is capable of claiming moral high ground or finding companies that don’t engage in some questionable practices.

(more…)

I am not sure if Amazon.com is trying to cut the throats of traditional retail or not this holiday shopping season, but the online retailer is certainly offering some great deals on video games. On Monday, December 1 until 11:59pm Pacific Time, consumers will be able to take part in a number of great Cyber Monday deals, which I have listed in their entirety after the jump. Supplies are limited, so get them while you can.

(more…)