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E3 is done and everyone knows FF13 is on its way to Xbox 360. A complete surprise, though there have been signs in the past that SquareEnix was leaning to a multiplatform approach since its announcement of its much hyped Crystal Engine, designed to run on multiple platforms from the get-go. Rumors abound that titles from this Japanese giant were expected to be released for 360, but few could have predicted the recent twist of FF13's exclusivity.It is, as they say, just business.
Went through a voluntary MIA for the past month and a half for reasons known to any writer, the tool and medium for which this writer oh so often used was liquidated and squeezed for all its worth – yes the Macbook Air, sold to the highest bidder. In exchange, a new, smaller and a slightly lighter entity emerged from this writer’s desk of awesomeness (to remedy what is inherently boring, exaggerate).A petite HP 2133 Mini Note was what brushed off the tears on a sour break up. Less than half the price of the Air. Its screen size dwarfed in comparison to the real estate provided by the Air. Everything the online tech gurus highlighted and emphasized whether it be the notebook’s pros or cons seems to be quite accurate.Although the common rant regarding the performance of the VIA chip's a significant complaint amongst reviewers, the processor handles a writer’s task quite well and running VISTA with Aero on, with its fancy animations, is quite intuitive and hassle free for such a small and minimalist tech. Coming from Windows XP then OS X (from 10.3 to 10.5) then to Windows VISTA – transition has been seamless and experience, satisfying.Overall, the HP Mini’s a winner, well, except for the charger, it’s a brick. It weighs down on your shoulder after walking a good 10mins or so. Ala X360’s power brick, the size ratio is similar – yes, gigantic.The Mini Note's a certified road warrior, just get used to its colossal charger that adds nearly a pound to the whole package.
Gears of War sold a considerable amount of copies a couple of years ago, for it’s sequel to reach the elite club of 10 million selling titles it would have to double its sales, at an even faster rate to be even considered a blockbuster by market watchers and eager gamers.People won’t notice the milestone of a 10 million selling title if that figure is reached within a dragged out 6 month timeline. Predictions abound that Gears of War 2 would reach that milestone in a matter of 2 to 3 months. Staggering as it may seem, it is highly possible.Considering the marketing Microsoft Game Studios would inject to this title and the media frenzy that’s expected to match and surpass Halo 3’s and GTA IV’s, Gears of War has the potential to reach that mark as the holiday season opens as it’s slated for a November 16 release date.Mid November has been sort of a historic and monumental date for Microsoft since they launched the first Xbox a good 8 years ago. Most of their games and console releases occurred during this time period.It’s at a sweet spot where consumers are getting ready for christmas shopping and gift giving. Based on the consumer uptake for Gears of War back in 2006, most of MS console owners snatched up the first Gears title and that would be no different to the second iteration of this coveted franchise. Xbox 360 consumer base has grown to over 19 million console owners and by November, a near 21 to 23 million Xbox 360 owners -- a solid consumer base that would surely purchase the sequel to one of the Xbox 360’s best franchises.As November 16 draws near, there would be significant increase of press releases and game demos plus the inevitable media hype. MS and Epic are expecting to rake in hundred of millions of dollars with this title alone besides their other big bets: Fable 2 and Banjo Nuts and Bolts.
Activision is well on its way to becoming the top publisher in the industry with its impending merger with Blizzard. As profits soar, so does the demand for high growth. To achieve this growth their shareholders and management desire, current profitable titles and the opportunities attached with high profile franchises must be aggressively capitalized on, but at what price?Activision has declared a couple of months back their planned yearly product cycle for Guitar Hero and Call of Duty franchises. Both titles significantly adding to share values and profitability of the business for the past couple of years.Regrettably, minor and even major updates can only last so long. Innovation can get stagnant after years of innovation on gameplay design and as well as people's susceptibility in purchasing an annual copy of the game.Check the NBA Live brand... (source: Metacritic)
So from 2003, it was known and critiqued as an above average game -- it sustained those scores for the next 2 years, sadly for the franchise, it's been publicly known as a consistent mediocre game since ‘06 till ‘08. And sales obviously went down from there.Although this could be a case of it being just a ‘basketball game’ -- innovative freedom would be limited, however, possibilities to enhance gameplay and features are achievable although minor.Releasing a game with the same Title then a different subtitle is a bit of an overkill and inherently redundant. Take for example, Ubisoft’s Splinter Cell franchise, in the end, they had to revamp its whole approach on game design - they saturated the brand during the last gen, numerous ‘updates’ on mostly a year or two intervals. The fifth iteration is a perfect example of studios realizing brand saturation -- a complete overhaul on game mechanics and design.The value of the brand diminishes overtime. Call of Duty so far has done a great job reinventing itself, if COD4 came out with another WW2 setting? Predicted market reaction: Not another WW2 shooter...Infinity Ward was pushed to innovate, they were developing the game (COD4) since late 2005. This proves, that they knew the overused and overdone WW2 FPS setting. And a game design overhaul was due.Which gives reason to Infinity Wards’ demand for exclusive development rights from their umbrella company. They see the profit based approach their owners are implementing to the franchise. And directly and indirectly slowly diminishes the brand’s value and marketability.Guitar Hero and COD are great franchises, and so far Activision has been able to deliver each version with bigger and better gameplay, but 3 to 5 years from now there's a high possibility that it'd reach its grand creative limit and the way consumers will view those franchises would be of familiarity and fatigue.
Oh yes the Wii, WiiFit’s upcoming release to the masses of casual gamers to which Nintendo has so successfully seduced -- all this casual and non-traditional trends in videogames as of late have been quite a harbinger of the how the publishers and developers might shift to a new set of consumers entirely brushing off the core market which practically and statistically speaking is the source of all those billions and billions of revenues.Uhh, Not quite.
Nintendo has been smart enough to develop the casual market for the first two years and still partially support the hardcore audience, although a rarity in their consistency -- they’re betting on third party developers to fill in the gaps of those first party releases. Now that they’ve proven to be the number one in terms of volume of videogame systems sold, publishers would start to see the immense opportunity to capture these over 20 million Wii owners.The Wii has acquired a ballooning consumer base in a matter of less than 2 years -- less than what Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and PS3 have achieved over their current shelf lifetimes.
And the filler of the gap for the core? MadWorld - being developed by Platinum, the same talents and creative geniuses of Resident Evil, Okami, and Viewtiful Joe. Slated for a release round Jan to March of 2009 and to be published by the legendary money loosing hardware turned software company, SEGA.So far, based on the screenshots, it’s creative and fresh in terms of aesthetics and violence. Not only is the method of rendering images on screen using a black and white unique, the system for which SEGA is targeting to exclusively develop for is quite surprising. The Wii consumers have proven to be reluctant to be repeat buyers, content with WiiSports and whatever Nintendo bundled their system with...SEGA is betting on a hungry core audience who purchased their Wiis to snatch up this game to satiate their desire for testosterone and blood thirsty gameplay. And inject no holds barred humor - you’ve got a title that can captivate the demographic that as gamers cry out, Nintendo betrayed.SEGA hopes that that would be the case. Although there could be a possible risk that Wii’s consumers, as Microsoft predicts, would have ‘matured’ and moved on to either an Xbox 360 or PS3 - as defined by MS, a deeper and more compelling gaming experience.As the launch of this game draws near for each passing week/month, how the casual market would react to this type of hardcore focused title remains to be seen.
