Folks, this smells like the end of the month for us. And for that, it means it's time. But before we get to that, something I wanna get off my chest before we begin.
Early ago, Taco Bell held a promotion for the Playstation Vita, giving away many of these little handhelds to many pre-early birders. However, something happened that caused a major ruckus
There's nothing quite so joyous as winning a much coveted prize from a contest, so it was with much glee that some customers who entered into Taco Bell's PS Vita contest received an email saying that they had won. But, as it turns out, they didn't win, and Taco Bell is now apologizing for what happened. They claim that someone "tampered" with the competition, in turn causing a bunch of notifications to be sent out to contest participants. The company later sent them an email saying that they had not won the contest. The Unlock The Box contest continues through March 11.
"We have learned that during a short period of time on January 30th, some people entering our ‘Unlock the Box’ promotion erroneously received a message suggesting they had won a PlayStation Vita, pending verification," wrote Taco Bell in a statement. "It was confirmed these entrants viewed these messages as a result of others who attempted to gain illegal entry and defraud the system. Unfortunately, during this time period some saw a confirmation screen but were not valid winners. We are therefore giving those consumers who viewed erroneous messages a second chance to win by automatically entering them into a separate draw to win a PS Vita."
Oops. I think I just lost my Crunch Wrap now. But for those who had this error, I deeply apologize that some a-holes decided to sabotage the contest.
Anyway, enough talk. It's time for the NPD. And like before, we'll focus more on Software than on Hardware.
Number 10- Saint's Row the Third(360/PS3/PC)(THQ)- Despite the slump THQ is in, their newest Saints Row game is still going on strong
Number 09- Zumba Fitness 2: Party Yourself(Wii)(Majesco)- Because you don't need a Kinect to jump around like a monkey. Makes me miss those Eye Toys
Number 08- Skylanders: Spyro's Adventures(360/PS3/Wii/PC/3DS)(Activision)- Not only is this game still hot after the holiday season, but the figures are selling out fast. Get em while they're hot
Number 07- Mario Kart 7(3DS)(Nintendo)- Because Mario in a go-kart is still quality entertainment
Number 06- Madden NFL 2012(360/PS3/Wii/3DS/PS2)(Electronic Arts)- Because we still like dem Foozball
Number 05- Battlefield 3(360/PS3/PC)(THQ)- Right behind Call of Duty, but still going on strong
Number 04- NBA 2K12(360/PS3/PSP/Wii/PC)(Take 2)- The Playstation Portable's last hurrah
Number 03- Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim(360/PS3/PC)(Bethesda Software)- Now with Macho Dragons and Tourettes Bears
Number 02- Just Dance 3(Wii/360/PS3)(Ubisoft)- Actually, you really don't need a Wii to make a fool of yourself
Number 01- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3(360/PS3/PC/Wii)- Who says you need to limit to high definition to capture the audience?
Now, unfortunately we only have the number for the 360 sales and it's at 270K. What does this mean? It means once again, the 360 is number 1 in hardware sales, but that ain't saying much.
However, even with Call of Duty at number 1, it seems a not-too-bright picture is being painted at the number 1 game franchise in North America
For anyone seeking holes in Activision’s seemingly bulletproof Call of Duty franchise, there was a chink in the armour exposed in NPD US January sales figures released late on Thursday.
Sales fell nearly 50 per cent year-on-year for the world’s best-selling video game in 2011 – that’s comparing the performance of the latest in the franchise – Modern Warfare 3 – with its predecessor, Black Ops.
The numbers are surprising because MW3 eclipsed Black Ops sales on its initial release.
Activision reported $775m in global sales of the game in its first five days of availability in November – exceeding the record of $650m set a year before by Black Ops and $550m two years ago for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
But while console sales for MW2 were 658,000 units in January 2010 and Black Ops sold 750,000 units a year ago, MW3 sold only 386,000 units in the US last month.
“As a result, MW3 sales to date are now essentially flat versus Black Ops last year,” said Cowen and Company analysts in a note.
“We now expect MW3 to sell through slightly fewer units than Black Ops across its lifetime."
Now I dunno about you, but I'm beginning to think that this is the work of the Ponies of Ponyville. I bet they're secretly trying to sabotage Activision with the powerful evil they refer to as Friendship. Folks, if you see Pinkie Pie offering you Cupcakes, turn around and run the other way. I bet those cupcakes were made with sweet chocolate that will turn you into one of them.
February is Vita Month. Will Sony be able to make a earth-shattering launch? Or will the Ponies strike again? Stay tuned.
Works Cited:
Game Politics
NeoGAF
Ft Blogs
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Vita rising
Folks, this past Wednesday, the Playstation Vita finally dropped down in America. Finally, one can get a decent handheld that isn't the 3DS or a controller-less Smartphone. And I personally believe that the Vita will sell gangbusters here in the good ol US of A. In fact, I would recommend this device as the de facto device of the true patriots of America, who do their best to keep the moral grounds of this country afloat, even though the Vita, along with every other piece of electronic, was made in China.
So how is the Vita doing in Japan? Has it finally crushed the 3DS like the PSP did with the DS?
From a February 15th, 2012 article
PlayStation Vita has floundered to its lowest ever week of hardware sales in Japan, according to new figures from chart company Media Create (via NeoGAF).
Sony sold just 13,939 Vita units from 6th to 12th February, despite the release of new Vita exclusive Gravity Daze.
Sony-developed Gravity Daze still managed to perform well, however. It secured second spot in the software chart with decent sales of 43,462 copies.
Vita's hardware numbers were low enough that it slipped back below weekly sales of the PSP. Vita's years-old portable predecessor shifted 15,860 hardware units, while new PSP game Suikoden: Tsumugareshi Hyakunen no Toki claimed the software chart's top spot.
The PSP continues to be popular as it remains a well-supported platform, Sony exec Shuhei Yoshida explained this week to Venture Beat. "Looking very objectively at the market situation there in Japan, especially on the portable, PSP is still very popular. You can see, when you see the new software calendars, every month publishers are launching good product, new products on PSP.
"And also, they're still announcing new products coming later this year. PSP is still very alive, still a viable business platform for third-party publishers."
Too popular, perhaps?
Too popular indeed. People of Japan, get ahold of yourself. You already let go of the DS. It's time to let go of the PSP for the sake of the Vita. It's no wonder why the 3DS is dominating in the charts. But it's not like they had a Monster Hunter on the 3DS instead of the Vita. I mean, take alook at what Sony's Jack Tretton has to say.
IGN has an interesting interview up this morning with Sony Computer Entertainment America CEO and President Jack Tretton about the PlayStation Vita in which Tretton teases sales details about the company’s cutting-edge gaming handheld. Wait, what sales data? You know, U.S. sales. The system officially launches in the U.S. today, true, but it’s technically been on sale across the country in a premium bundle since last Wednesday, Feb. 15.
About the soft launch, which included both system and accessory sales, Tretton admits Sony already has an “initial read.” In three words: “Very, very positive.” Make of that what you will. Tretton adds that “Memory is going out the door very aggressively despite the fact that memory is in a lot of the presale bundles” and that “the software appears to be selling quite well top to bottom.” The Vita’s proprietary memory cards — necessary since the Vita has no internal storage — are priced about twice as much as comparably sized flash memory cards, a sore point leading up to the launch and in every otherwise positive review. If Tretton’s right, it means buyers are shelling out anyway, just as they have in the past for arguably overpriced peripherals, like Microsoft’s $100 Xbox 360 Wi-Fi USB dongle.
We, the people of the United States, have spoken, and we have chosen Vita as the number 1 handheld ever. We even have to kiss AT&T's ring finger for the blessing of being used like a Smartphone across the Good Ol US of A.
However, on that same day, Nintendo managed to shock the US of A's Wii owners with a surprise that will make Ann Coulter flip out
The Last Story, the Wii role-playing game by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, will finally be released in the United States this summer, Nintendo said on Wednesday.
Although Nintendo originally produced the game, which went on sale in Japan in January 2011, in collaboration with Sakaguchi’s studio Mistwalker, it has decided to let the third-party publisher Xseed release it in the U.S. Nintendo’s European division will publish Last Story in February.
The Last Story, along with Xenoblade Chronicles and Pandora’s Tower, has been the focus of a fan-driven effort to get these games released in the U.S. Nintendo of America will publish Xenoblade itself this April.
First Xenoblade Chronicles and now Last Story? What's next: Pandora's Tower? And the Last Story is done by the original creator of Final Fantasy, who left Square Enix to form Mistwalker. Does this mean the characters of those games qualify for Smash Bros 4?
Stay tuned for when I have the report on the NPD(Which unfortunately may lack hardware numbers)
Works Cited
Eurogamer
Times - Techland article
Wired
So how is the Vita doing in Japan? Has it finally crushed the 3DS like the PSP did with the DS?
From a February 15th, 2012 article
PlayStation Vita has floundered to its lowest ever week of hardware sales in Japan, according to new figures from chart company Media Create (via NeoGAF).
Sony sold just 13,939 Vita units from 6th to 12th February, despite the release of new Vita exclusive Gravity Daze.
Sony-developed Gravity Daze still managed to perform well, however. It secured second spot in the software chart with decent sales of 43,462 copies.
Vita's hardware numbers were low enough that it slipped back below weekly sales of the PSP. Vita's years-old portable predecessor shifted 15,860 hardware units, while new PSP game Suikoden: Tsumugareshi Hyakunen no Toki claimed the software chart's top spot.
The PSP continues to be popular as it remains a well-supported platform, Sony exec Shuhei Yoshida explained this week to Venture Beat. "Looking very objectively at the market situation there in Japan, especially on the portable, PSP is still very popular. You can see, when you see the new software calendars, every month publishers are launching good product, new products on PSP.
"And also, they're still announcing new products coming later this year. PSP is still very alive, still a viable business platform for third-party publishers."
Too popular, perhaps?
Too popular indeed. People of Japan, get ahold of yourself. You already let go of the DS. It's time to let go of the PSP for the sake of the Vita. It's no wonder why the 3DS is dominating in the charts. But it's not like they had a Monster Hunter on the 3DS instead of the Vita. I mean, take alook at what Sony's Jack Tretton has to say.
IGN has an interesting interview up this morning with Sony Computer Entertainment America CEO and President Jack Tretton about the PlayStation Vita in which Tretton teases sales details about the company’s cutting-edge gaming handheld. Wait, what sales data? You know, U.S. sales. The system officially launches in the U.S. today, true, but it’s technically been on sale across the country in a premium bundle since last Wednesday, Feb. 15.
About the soft launch, which included both system and accessory sales, Tretton admits Sony already has an “initial read.” In three words: “Very, very positive.” Make of that what you will. Tretton adds that “Memory is going out the door very aggressively despite the fact that memory is in a lot of the presale bundles” and that “the software appears to be selling quite well top to bottom.” The Vita’s proprietary memory cards — necessary since the Vita has no internal storage — are priced about twice as much as comparably sized flash memory cards, a sore point leading up to the launch and in every otherwise positive review. If Tretton’s right, it means buyers are shelling out anyway, just as they have in the past for arguably overpriced peripherals, like Microsoft’s $100 Xbox 360 Wi-Fi USB dongle.
We, the people of the United States, have spoken, and we have chosen Vita as the number 1 handheld ever. We even have to kiss AT&T's ring finger for the blessing of being used like a Smartphone across the Good Ol US of A.
However, on that same day, Nintendo managed to shock the US of A's Wii owners with a surprise that will make Ann Coulter flip out
The Last Story, the Wii role-playing game by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, will finally be released in the United States this summer, Nintendo said on Wednesday.
Although Nintendo originally produced the game, which went on sale in Japan in January 2011, in collaboration with Sakaguchi’s studio Mistwalker, it has decided to let the third-party publisher Xseed release it in the U.S. Nintendo’s European division will publish Last Story in February.
The Last Story, along with Xenoblade Chronicles and Pandora’s Tower, has been the focus of a fan-driven effort to get these games released in the U.S. Nintendo of America will publish Xenoblade itself this April.
First Xenoblade Chronicles and now Last Story? What's next: Pandora's Tower? And the Last Story is done by the original creator of Final Fantasy, who left Square Enix to form Mistwalker. Does this mean the characters of those games qualify for Smash Bros 4?
Stay tuned for when I have the report on the NPD(Which unfortunately may lack hardware numbers)
Works Cited
Eurogamer
Times - Techland article
Wired
Monday, February 13, 2012
Vita descend
The day is upon us, ladies and gentlemen. Sony's Playstation Vita has hit North American shores, almost a year after Nintendo's 3DS hit North American shores. Reviews are currently coming in and many paint a positive picture for the Vita. But for Sony, it has alot going up against it. One good thing is that the Playstation Network has a new name. Since last week, it has become the Sony Entertainment Network
On Tuesday, February 7, 2012, the PlayStation Network shall cease to be, and the Sony Entertainment Network will stand in its place. Existing PSN members are receiving emails informing them that their terms of service are about to change in the wake of this alteration.
Sony says the rebranding will not apply to the PSP "at this time." I guess Sony's already planning to bail out on that system completely with the PS Vita on the horizon.
We've known that the PSN was to be folded into the SNEI for a while, but it's been months since we last heard anything. Sony says the only thing that'll really change for users is the name. The online services -- and your associated login details -- will remain the same, but you'll have to get used to calling it something else.
Unfortunately, it seems us PSP users will be left out in the dark, forcing us to download Media Go for our PSP needs. But what about those who still have UMDs? Unfortunately, the PS Vita cannot run UMDs, and for those who want to convert the UMDs to Digital Distribution, some bad news out of this.
Sony has decided that, unlike in other territories, there will be no PSP-to-Vita transfer program in North America, barring the possibility of PSP owners obtaining games they already physically own at a discount. You want to play your PSP UMDs? Keep your PSP, or buy them again.
The transfer program was revealed by Sony back in November, but it seems that only Japan will be blessed with its services. Sony did a similar thing with the PSPgo, when it decided in the end to not allow UMD transfers on the all-digital model. Still, at least one part of the world is eligible this time.
That's a blow to those who were loyal to the UMD media. And you thought Maddox was upset at Sony over the PSP and PS3. But what may be Sony's ultimate downer? Standard and Poor has given Sony a lower rating than the Good Ol US of A
Standard & Poor’s (S&P) has lowered Sony long-term credit and debt ratings from "A-" to "BBB+," according to an IndustryGamers report. That report also notes that the firm also removed the ratings from CreditWatch, where it dropped them in November of 2011.
"The outlook on the long-term corporate credit rating is negative," S&P noted. "We base the downgrade on our view that severe circumstances in Sony's mainstay electronics businesses make a strong recovery in earnings unlikely. We base the negative outlook on the long-term corporate credit rating on our expectation that we could lower the ratings further if we see no meaningful sign of a recovery in Sony's earnings within six to 12 months. We affirmed the 'A-2' short-term corporate credit rating on the company."
The downgrade in its credit rating comes on the heels of the company's fiscal third-quarter results and news that it expected to post a fiscal full year net loss of $2.89 billion.
The credit rating firm thinks that a quick recovery is not a possibility for the company.
"Standard & Poor's believes the major reason for the extended losses is Sony's strategy to aggressively expand its global market share despite strong competition, a massive erosion of prices, and its high cost structure compared with overseas competitors," read the report. "Circumstances are so severe that Standard & Poor's believes it will be difficult for Sony to return its TV business to profitability even in fiscal 2013. Therefore, we see a low likelihood of a strong recovery in Sony's earnings in the next two years or so."
S&P added that it could lower Sony's credit rating even further if it doesn't see some signs of positive progress in the next six to 12 months.
"We expect strong price erosion and a fall in demand may delay a recovery in earnings in the company's TV segment and lead to further expenses in restructuring," it said.
Sony's got alot going against it. Will the Vita help keep Sony afloat in the sea of electronics, or will it sink to the bottom and take it down? Stay tuned
Works Cited
Destructoid: PSN will become Sony Entertainment Network this Tuesday
Destructoid: Sony: No PSP-to-PS Vita transfer program for America
Game Politics: Sony Credit Rating Downgraded by S&P
On Tuesday, February 7, 2012, the PlayStation Network shall cease to be, and the Sony Entertainment Network will stand in its place. Existing PSN members are receiving emails informing them that their terms of service are about to change in the wake of this alteration.
Sony says the rebranding will not apply to the PSP "at this time." I guess Sony's already planning to bail out on that system completely with the PS Vita on the horizon.
We've known that the PSN was to be folded into the SNEI for a while, but it's been months since we last heard anything. Sony says the only thing that'll really change for users is the name. The online services -- and your associated login details -- will remain the same, but you'll have to get used to calling it something else.
Unfortunately, it seems us PSP users will be left out in the dark, forcing us to download Media Go for our PSP needs. But what about those who still have UMDs? Unfortunately, the PS Vita cannot run UMDs, and for those who want to convert the UMDs to Digital Distribution, some bad news out of this.
Sony has decided that, unlike in other territories, there will be no PSP-to-Vita transfer program in North America, barring the possibility of PSP owners obtaining games they already physically own at a discount. You want to play your PSP UMDs? Keep your PSP, or buy them again.
The transfer program was revealed by Sony back in November, but it seems that only Japan will be blessed with its services. Sony did a similar thing with the PSPgo, when it decided in the end to not allow UMD transfers on the all-digital model. Still, at least one part of the world is eligible this time.
That's a blow to those who were loyal to the UMD media. And you thought Maddox was upset at Sony over the PSP and PS3. But what may be Sony's ultimate downer? Standard and Poor has given Sony a lower rating than the Good Ol US of A
Standard & Poor’s (S&P) has lowered Sony long-term credit and debt ratings from "A-" to "BBB+," according to an IndustryGamers report. That report also notes that the firm also removed the ratings from CreditWatch, where it dropped them in November of 2011.
"The outlook on the long-term corporate credit rating is negative," S&P noted. "We base the downgrade on our view that severe circumstances in Sony's mainstay electronics businesses make a strong recovery in earnings unlikely. We base the negative outlook on the long-term corporate credit rating on our expectation that we could lower the ratings further if we see no meaningful sign of a recovery in Sony's earnings within six to 12 months. We affirmed the 'A-2' short-term corporate credit rating on the company."
The downgrade in its credit rating comes on the heels of the company's fiscal third-quarter results and news that it expected to post a fiscal full year net loss of $2.89 billion.
The credit rating firm thinks that a quick recovery is not a possibility for the company.
"Standard & Poor's believes the major reason for the extended losses is Sony's strategy to aggressively expand its global market share despite strong competition, a massive erosion of prices, and its high cost structure compared with overseas competitors," read the report. "Circumstances are so severe that Standard & Poor's believes it will be difficult for Sony to return its TV business to profitability even in fiscal 2013. Therefore, we see a low likelihood of a strong recovery in Sony's earnings in the next two years or so."
S&P added that it could lower Sony's credit rating even further if it doesn't see some signs of positive progress in the next six to 12 months.
"We expect strong price erosion and a fall in demand may delay a recovery in earnings in the company's TV segment and lead to further expenses in restructuring," it said.
Sony's got alot going against it. Will the Vita help keep Sony afloat in the sea of electronics, or will it sink to the bottom and take it down? Stay tuned
Works Cited
Destructoid: PSN will become Sony Entertainment Network this Tuesday
Destructoid: Sony: No PSP-to-PS Vita transfer program for America
Game Politics: Sony Credit Rating Downgraded by S&P
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