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Analyst estimates seven million day-one sales of Modern Warfare 2

JC Fletcher — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:20:00 PST

Analyst Ben Schachter estimates that Modern Warfare 2, that game you're playing right now, sold seven million copies worldwide in its first day on the market, almost doubling the first-day sales of Grand Theft Auto IV (3.6 million). 1.2 million copies have already been accounted for in the UK -- not coincidentally, also double that region's first-day total for GTA IV. That trend went into Schachter's estimate.

"With GTA IV selling-through 6mm units worldwide in its first week," Schachter said, "that suggests week one of Modern Warfare 2 worldwide sell-through could approximate ~11.7mm. While 2x the week one tally for GTA IV may seem aggressive, the bottom line is that we believe current consensus estimates of around 12mm for the December quarter may end up being conservative."

Here's an eye-opening number for context: Street Fighter II on SNES, which we think of as ubiquitous, sold 6.3 million copies worldwide. Total.

Analyst estimates seven million day-one sales of Modern Warfare 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Left 4 Dead 2 clothing is surprisingly unprotective

Richard Mitchell — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:00:00 PST

Honestly, you'd think licensed Left 4 Dead 2 clothing would provide at least some semblance of undead protection. Alas, it looks like the best that Glitch Gaming Apparel could provide is simple T-shirts. Sure, the 100 percent cotton shirts provide ample breathability, but they provide next to zero zombie bite protection. Even worse, they're short-sleeved, leaving hapless survivors with plump, juicy and completely visible arms.

Still, the Ellis and Coach tees at least have a picture of a medical kit on the back, which might be enough to fool a zombie into thinking you're prepared. Let's hope that buys enough time to find yourself a Molotov.

Left 4 Dead 2 clothing is surprisingly unprotective originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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0D Beat Drop Arrives on Xbox Live Arcade

(author unknown) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:53:21 PST

Arc System Works is very proud to announce today the release of 0D Beat Drop, an eyeballshattering fusion of the rhythm and puzzle genres for Xbox LIVE Arcade.

Rumor: Project Natal Pricing Info and Launch Details Leaked

(author unknown) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:23:00 PST

MCV reports that Microsoft has been showing Project Natal off to UK publishers this week, and filling them in on the launch plan. According to the site's unnamed sources, Microsoft plans to release the peripheral in November 2010.

Daniel Craig will not be James Bond in Activision's games

Glenn M. — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:54:42 PST

With their new James Bond game coming out next year plus plans to make a series out of the Bond franchise, Activision decided not to get Daniel Crai...

Assassin's Creed II TV spot will have you staring into the eyes of death

Glenn M. — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:18:37 PST

For this upcoming TV spot for Assassin's Creed II, you'll find yourself staring into the eyes of Ezio's victims. It's a little creepy and morbid seein...

PlayStation Eye Chat: Assassin’s Creed II

Jeff Rubenstein — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:01:35 PST

Less than a week from now, Assassin’s Creed II can be in your hands. Until then, we’ve got you covered with Ubisoft’s Lead Game Designer Patrick Plourde. We pipe him in via PlayStation Eye, and he explains tons of new details in Assassin’s Creed II, including Ezio’s Villa, customization, new features, and PSP interoperability. Alongside some awesome in-game footage, the video’s a must for any AC fan. Enjoy.

Xbox 360 Hard Drive Transfer Kit out of stock, restock date unknown

Christopher Grant — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:40:00 PST

If the recent price drop has encouraged you to hedge your bets and replace your aging, bound-to-die Xbox 360 with a quiet, new, Jasper-equipped 120GB Elite, you'll want to pay attention. As relayed to us by tipster Paolo, and confirmed by a Microsoft representative, the Hard Drive Transfer Kit - which is currently available for eligible consumers by calling 1-800-4MY-XBOX - is "out of stock at the moment" and the company does "not know when inventories will be restored."

Of course, it's "working on resolving this shortage as quickly as possible" but in the interim, if you want to get data of your old 'box and you didn't buy the 120GB drive at retail (which comes with the HDD transfer kit) Microsoft Support recommends that you "use your old hard drive." Not the most elegant solution, especially if you're trying to unload that old Xbox. We've asked Microsoft to clarify when we might expect the Kits to be restocked and we'll share with you if and when we hear back.

Xbox 360 Hard Drive Transfer Kit out of stock, restock date unknown originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Greed Corp coming to PSN, XBLA and PC early 2010

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:20:00 PST

It's been so long since we've heard anything about Greed Corp that the conservationist-friendly strategy game nearly qualifies as a retro classic. Fortunately, today brought us the first news about the title since it was announced. In addition to PSN, its lead platform, Greed Corp will also be coming to Xbox Live Arcade and Windows-based PCs in early 2010.

Today's announcement mentions that Greed Corp is just the "first in a series of games based in the rich Mistbound universe." Considering the heavy appearance of Don't Break The Ice-esque elements present in this game, we wonder if future installments in the franchise will adopt other popular board game tropes. For the record, W!Games, if you made a Mall Madness RPG, we would buy that.

Greed Corp coming to PSN, XBLA and PC early 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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X3F TV -- XBLA in Brief: Encleverment Experiment, NBA Unrivaled, 0D Beat Drop

Richard Mitchell — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:45:00 PST

Filed under: X3F TV

There are three games up for grabs on XBLA this week, and all of them offer something different. Encleverment Experiment (800, $10) seeks to test your brain power as well as the brain power of your friends (or random strangers on Xbox Live). Meanwhile NBA Unrivaled (1200, $15) brings arcade basketball with massive dunks (and odd character animations). Finally, 0D Beat Drop (800, $10) ... drops some rhythm-infused puzzle action onto XBLA. Watch the latest XBLA in Brief and see if any of them are up your alley.

Download the trial version of Encleverment Experiment
Download the trial version of NBA Unrivaled
Download the trial version of 0D Beat Drop

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[Zune] Subscribe to the X3F TV directly.
[RSS] Add the X3F TV feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.
[M4V] Download the M4V directly.

X3F TV -- XBLA in Brief: Encleverment Experiment, NBA Unrivaled, 0D Beat Drop originally appeared on Joystiq Xbox on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dante's Inferno concept was greenlit immediately

JC Fletcher — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:31:00 PST

The Dante's Inferno game concept -- a totally brutal action-adventure based on Dante Alighieri's epic poem -- seems like a hard sell to us, but it was no problem getting EA on board. As it turns out, EA was all in from the very beginning, according to Visceral creative director Jonathan Knight's recollection during a PlayStation Blog interview (that you can watch after the break). He got the go-ahead "pretty much right away," as EA executives apparently saw "the potential in the mythology" glowing green before their very eyes.

"Nobody's really taken on that kind of medieval Christian notion of the afterlife as a very real place that you go to, you know, just under the ground, and there's monsters and demons and rivers," Knight said. "It's just a crazy, fantastical, incredible vision that Dante Alighieri had for Hell, and my execs immediately saw the potential there for a real game."

In addition to the appeal of Hell -- a concept that "everybody has some knowledge of" -- we can imagine that EA appreciated what is basically a licensed game based on a public domain property, especially these days.

Continue reading Dante's Inferno concept was greenlit immediately

Dante's Inferno concept was greenlit immediately originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Week in PlayStation Home: Assassin’s Creed, Final Fantasy XIII, Fullmetal Alchemist and A&E’s Lawman

Locust_Star — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:43:21 PST

Greetings Homelings!

We have a ton of cool stuff coming at you for this week’s publish in PlayStation Home. This week is particularly heavy on free video content – from exclusive video pulled from some of the most highly anticipated game titles, to brand-spanking new TV shows being aired in-world before they find their way to cable, to full-length episodes of some of your favorite programs. What they say is true – there is no place like PlayStation Home!

Anime fans will be stoked to find the first full episode of Fullmetal Alchemist’s second season playing in the 10-Screen Theater (courtesy of FUNimation). This free episode will only air from November 12th to the 19th. If you like what you see, be sure to head to the PlayStation Store, where you can follow Edward and Alphonse Elric’s quest for the Philosopher’s Stone by downloading additional episodes from season one and season two from this award-winning series.

Speaking of hits – few video games can match the level of anticipation that a FINAL FANTASY title brings to the table, and the newest addition to Square Enix’s celebrated franchise, FINAL FANTASY XIII, promises to be no exception. Assuming you haven’t been living under a rock for the past year, you’ve probably caught a glimpse of the sheer awesomeness of FINAL FANTASY XIII via one of the many trailers. The intriguing characters, the enigmatic Eidolons, the beautifully rendered environments, and the awe-inspiring cut scenes have spurred many impassioned conversations. And while it seems that everybody is waiting with bated breath for the next installment in the FINAL FANTASY saga, it is well understood that it takes time to achieve the level of “wow” hinted at in these trailers. To whet your appetite, Square Enix has given us a special, never-before-seen FINAL FANTASY XIII video to air in the PlayStation Home 10-Screen Theater this Friday, November 13th – so be sure to stop by and check it out.

A&E’s new Real Life Series “Steven Seagal Lawman” is sure to be the “can’t miss” premiere of late 2009. In fact, after viewing the trailers, we begged A&E to give us an exclusive sneak peek to show to you, the PlayStation Home community. Needless to say, they came through in a bigger way than we expected, offering up an advance screening in PlayStation Home. And on top of that, they’re even giving away a free virtual item – a Lawman Vest – to everyone that comes into the 10-Screen Theater. So come out and watch as Steven Seagal takes to the mean streets of New Orleans with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, enforcing the law and serving the best interests of the community with the help of a hand-selected band of elite deputies, and then be sure to watch all the new episodes on A&E, starting with the series premiere on Wednesday December 2nd at 10:00pm PT (9:00pm Central).

Those of you who “Live by the Creed” are wringing your hands in anticipation for the next installments of the Assassin’s Creed franchise – Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines (PSP) and Assassin’s Creed II (PS3). To celebrate the release of these stellar third-person action-adventure titles, Ubisoft has decided to release a line of special Assassin’s Creed virtual items in PlayStation Home. From hats and shirts to hoodies and wristbands, never has it been easier to display your enthusiasm for Ezio and all his stealthy ways. Find these items in the PlayStation Home Mall this week, and be sure to check back in next week for another installment of AC-themed virtual goods.

How to unlock a one billion point Achievement

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:45:00 PST

As a congratulatory message to their Microsoft peers, the Interactive Entertainment branch recently sent the Windows team the banner you see above shortly after the latter launched Windows 7. It's a cute little example of how these two companies okay enough with the crap. We need this Achievement. Do you understand us, Microsoft? We need it. Knowing "the big one" is out there, but that it will be eternally inaccessible to us? Do you know what that would do to our psyche? It would end us, Microsoft.

We'll make you a deal -- we'll create our own Microsoft-branded operating system, and then you go ahead and pass one of those novelty-sized Achievements our way. How do you feel about "Doors XL?" No? How about "Glass-covered Portals 2010?" Or "Panes: Professional Edition?" Get back to us on this one, okay? We need it.

How to unlock a one billion point Achievement originally appeared on Joystiq Xbox on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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To Borderlands director, a sequel 'seems like a no-brainer'

Ludwig Kietzmann — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:30:00 PST

If you build it, they will come -- mostly for the loot. That's how Borderlands creative director Mike Neumann candidly describes the possibility of a sequel to his game. "Yes, I can probably confirm that there's a chance of a Borderlands 2 ," he told VG247 with a chuckle. "I mean, with anything, especially a new IP, if people want more and you can make more, and everybody can make money and do good business there, it obviously makes really good sense to do that."

An unexpectedly large number of people thought it made really good sense to purchase the colorful, FPS-RPG hybrid. Neumann jokingly admits surprise at seeing stores running out of stock, even though "it certainly doesn't suck to be the people who made the game you can't keep in stock."

Though plans for a sequel have yet to manifest outside of the water cooler area -- Gearbox is currently grinding through Borderlands DLC -- Neumann believes the "praise and love" for the franchise will make that first decision easier. "So yeah, if everything makes sense, Borderlands 2 seems like a no-brainer to me."

To Borderlands director, a sequel 'seems like a no-brainer' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FFXIII comes with a campaign code, not a beta access code for FFXIV

Glenn M. — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:35:15 PST

When the Japanese gaming mag, Famitsu broke the news on a Final Fantasy XIV (PS3, PC) code coming with the purchase of Final Fantasy XIII (Xbox 360, P...

THQ Reveals Darksiders Has a January 2010 Release Date

(author unknown) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:41:00 PST

A deep and diverse gaming experience, Darksiders merges gameplay elements from a variety of genres, including the cinematic action of combat games, and the exploration and puzzle solving of adventures; available January 5th, 2010.

Comet Crash Free Update Available Now On PSN!

John Bates — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:02:43 PST

Ever since we released Comet Crash for PS3 on PSN, we’ve been receiving a stream of email from fans requesting new features. We’re excited to satisfy a bunch of these requests in a content patch that’s available right now. The update introduces new levels, new maps, new Battle settings and a new difficulty mode. The fresh additions showcase the best of what Comet Crash has to offer, while making sure fans have plenty to keep them warm during the holidays.

Check out this gameplay footage of the Kreios Resurgence:

The 1.03 update adds the following features:

‘Expert’ difficulty setting for seasoned Comet Crash players. You’ll see a surge in enemy attacks that will put your skills to the test.
4 new Resurgence levels–one unlocked at the end of each comet during the Campaign. Resurgence levels may require completely new strategies. Beware…no hints!
4 new Battle maps to mix up your games a bit.
Battle timer setting. After the timer runs out, all mobile units generate at 8x the normal rate which should bring games to an exciting finish!
Thorium setting to tweak available resources in Battle mode.

In Comet Crash, players must use everything at their disposal, including defenses bristling with high-tech weaponry, to stop the rush of enemies from destroying their base. Unlike traditional tower defense games, players must then rally their own forces and launch offensive strikes against the alien threat, using a number of different mobile units, such as the nimble Scout or specialized Thief, which can turn enemy units into powerful allies.

Featuring a robust Campaign Mode with 28 challenging and puzzle-like stages, as well as various multiplayer and co-op modes, Comet Crash offers a gripping combination of strategy and action.

For more information on Comet Crash, please visit: http://www.cometcrash.com/

Happy holidays!

Sega: Aliens vs. Predator not releasing in Germany

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:41:00 PST

Sega has confirmed that it will not release Aliens vs. Predator in Germany. Following a report that suggested the publisher would avoid the German market altogether, we contacted Sega, which explained that the game wouldn't make it to retail in Germany "without significant cuts that would harm the gameplay experience." The publisher maintained that AvP was "developed to be consistent with the existing content in the Aliens and Predator universes," and added that the "gameplay and graphical and narrative style befit the mature themes" of the franchises.

AvP is expected to receive an "18 rating" (or the equivalent) in territories outside of Germany and an M rating in the US. When asked about the status of the title in Australia, Sega told us that there was no word yet from the region. It would certainly be interesting if the German market was ruled out due to the game's violence (and the threat of not receiving a rating by USK, the German ratings board), but Australia and its similarly stringent board prove more accepting of the content. We'll continue to follow up with the publisher.

Sega: Aliens vs. Predator not releasing in Germany originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free Comet Crash Update Available Now on PSN!

John Bates — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:00:40 PST

Ever since we released Comet Crash for PS3 on PSN, we’ve been receiving a stream of emails from fans requesting new features. We’re excited to satisfy a bunch of these requests in a content patch that’s available right now. The update introduces new levels, new maps, new battle settings and a new difficulty mode. The fresh additions showcase the best of what Comet Crash has to offer, while making sure fans have plenty to keep them warm during the holidays.

Check out this gameplay footage of the Kreios Resurgence:

The 1.03 update adds the following features:

‘Expert’ difficulty setting for seasoned Comet Crash players. You’ll see a surge in enemy attacks that will put your skills to the test.
4 new Resurgence levels–one unlocked at the end of each comet during the Campaign. Resurgence levels may require completely new strategies. Beware…no hints!
4 new Battle maps to mix up your games a bit.
Battle timer setting. After the timer runs out, all mobile units generate at 8x the normal rate which should bring games to an exciting finish!
Thorium setting to tweak available resources in Battle mode.

Featuring a robust Campaign Mode with 28 challenging and puzzle-like stages, as well as various multiplayer and co-op modes, Comet Crash offers a gripping combination of strategy and action.

For more information on Comet Crash, please visit: http://www.cometcrash.com/

Happy holidays!

EA Sports MMA Screenshots & Trailer

(author unknown) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:15:04 PST

Have a look at some of the latest screenshots featuring Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers along with a 30 second trailer..