As you are all aware, Comcast has plans on merging with Time Warner Cable last month. For Comcast, it would make them the bigger Cable/Internet service of America. But for many customers for ether side, it's a no-win situation as that means
-Less Competition
-Higher prices
-And a chance of tiered Internet service
And if you play on X-Box Live, Playstation Network, Nintendo Network, various PC online gaming services(Like Battle.net, Steam, EA's Origin), or even on your Smartphone or Tablet that's tethered to your Wi-fi, you may experience a change in quality that may result in slower speeds or laggy online gameplay with Net Neutrality thrown in the garbage.
But it seems the State Governments are starting to take notice and are joining forces to battle the merger.
Florida and other U.S. states will join the Justice Department in
seeking to determine if Comcast's plan to merge with Time Warner Cable
is legal under U.S. antitrust law, Florida said in a statement to
Reuters.
"We are part of a multistate group
reviewing the proposed transaction along with the U.S. DOJ (Justice
Department) Antitrust Division," the Florida state attorney general's
office said in an emailed statement.
It was not known how many states had joined the task force.
Separately,
Indiana officials were also looking at the deal to determine "the
potential impact in Indiana." Erin Reece, a spokeswoman for the Indiana
attorney general's office, did not indicate if Indiana was part of the
multistate group.
The attorneys general group is
focused on broadband rather than cable in assessing the $45.2 billion
deal, according to a source familiar with the effort who was not
authorized to speak on the record.
Comcast did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the states' review of its proposed deal.
This might have been the straw that broke the camel's back. But regardless, we all need to be aware of the Comcast-Time Warner Merger. Should they succeed, it means less competition. And that's not good for a free market now, is it?
Works Cited:
Huffington Post
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Monday, March 10, 2014
NPD January 2014: Yeah, I'm still late edition
Yep. We're late again on the NPD. So what can I do when I'm lazy?
Before we get into that, it's time we say a fond farewell to Jack Tretton. Effect March 31st, Jack Tretton will be stepping down from his position as President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America. When asked about his departure, he had this to say.
"I leave knowing that the PlayStation brand has never been stronger, PlayStation 4 momentum continues to accelerate, and the future will only get brighter for our gamers," Tretton said in the announcement. "Serving PlayStation fans for the past 19 years has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my career. Your passion for gaming inspired me every day."
Also effective March 31st, Shawn Layden, Sony Network Entertainment International EVP and COO, will take Tretton's place as CEO
Now, just so you know, this year will mark the final year we will be doing NPDs. After the December NPD, that's basically it. It's been a long time, but I'm actually starting to tire from doing NPD reports. Anyway, onto the Top 10 software
At number 10: Tomb Raider 2013 from SquareEnix for the PS4, XBone, PS3, 360 and PC. Wait, did they actually re-release the title?
At number 09: LEGO Marvel Super Heroes by Warner Bros Interactive for the 360, XBone, PS3, PS4, 3DS, Wii U, Vita and PC. Glad they put Deadpool in this game with Nolan North voicing him
At number 08: FIFA 14 by EA for the PS4, XBone, PS3, 360 and Vita. Wait, why would they not do a PC version?
At number 07: Minecraft by Mojang, 4J Studios and Microsoft for the 360. Yes, I still wanna give credit where credit is due.
At number 06: Madden NFL 25 by EA for the XBone, PS4, 360 and PS3. At least this didn't get any scorn through server outtages
At number 05: GTA V by Take 2 Interactive for the 360 and PS3. Next Generation console not needed.
At number 04: Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag by Ubisoft for the 360, PS3, XBone, PS4, Wii U and PC. Kinda wished they crossed over with Disney's Pirates of the Carribbean.
At number 03: Battlefield 4 by EA for the PS4, XBone, 360, PS3 and PC. Wait. You mean server issues didn't bring this game down?
At number 02: NBA 2K14 by Take 2 Interactive for the PS4, XBone, 360, PS3 and PC. Meanwhile, Shaquille O'Neal is coming out with a game of his own called Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn(I am not kidding)
And at Number 01: Call of Duty: Ghosts by Activision Blizzard for the 360, PS3, XBone, PS4, Wii U and PC. Apparently, the only Activision Blizzard title on the Top 10
But it seems January, the tables have turned on the XBone and now the PS4 is outselling the former by about double the sales. It is said that the XBone sold around 143K while the PS4 sold a bit more than 280K. But what about the other consoles? No one knows.
February seems like a lame duck month for new consoles unless you're Donkey Kong. What changes will it bring? Stay tuned
Works Cited:
Ars Technica
NeoGAF
Before we get into that, it's time we say a fond farewell to Jack Tretton. Effect March 31st, Jack Tretton will be stepping down from his position as President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America. When asked about his departure, he had this to say.
"I leave knowing that the PlayStation brand has never been stronger, PlayStation 4 momentum continues to accelerate, and the future will only get brighter for our gamers," Tretton said in the announcement. "Serving PlayStation fans for the past 19 years has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my career. Your passion for gaming inspired me every day."
Also effective March 31st, Shawn Layden, Sony Network Entertainment International EVP and COO, will take Tretton's place as CEO
Now, just so you know, this year will mark the final year we will be doing NPDs. After the December NPD, that's basically it. It's been a long time, but I'm actually starting to tire from doing NPD reports. Anyway, onto the Top 10 software
At number 10: Tomb Raider 2013 from SquareEnix for the PS4, XBone, PS3, 360 and PC. Wait, did they actually re-release the title?
At number 09: LEGO Marvel Super Heroes by Warner Bros Interactive for the 360, XBone, PS3, PS4, 3DS, Wii U, Vita and PC. Glad they put Deadpool in this game with Nolan North voicing him
At number 08: FIFA 14 by EA for the PS4, XBone, PS3, 360 and Vita. Wait, why would they not do a PC version?
At number 07: Minecraft by Mojang, 4J Studios and Microsoft for the 360. Yes, I still wanna give credit where credit is due.
At number 06: Madden NFL 25 by EA for the XBone, PS4, 360 and PS3. At least this didn't get any scorn through server outtages
At number 05: GTA V by Take 2 Interactive for the 360 and PS3. Next Generation console not needed.
At number 04: Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag by Ubisoft for the 360, PS3, XBone, PS4, Wii U and PC. Kinda wished they crossed over with Disney's Pirates of the Carribbean.
At number 03: Battlefield 4 by EA for the PS4, XBone, 360, PS3 and PC. Wait. You mean server issues didn't bring this game down?
At number 02: NBA 2K14 by Take 2 Interactive for the PS4, XBone, 360, PS3 and PC. Meanwhile, Shaquille O'Neal is coming out with a game of his own called Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn(I am not kidding)
And at Number 01: Call of Duty: Ghosts by Activision Blizzard for the 360, PS3, XBone, PS4, Wii U and PC. Apparently, the only Activision Blizzard title on the Top 10
But it seems January, the tables have turned on the XBone and now the PS4 is outselling the former by about double the sales. It is said that the XBone sold around 143K while the PS4 sold a bit more than 280K. But what about the other consoles? No one knows.
February seems like a lame duck month for new consoles unless you're Donkey Kong. What changes will it bring? Stay tuned
Works Cited:
Ars Technica
NeoGAF
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
February: The Month of the WHAM
February has been a month of sudden WHAMs. Actually said WHAMs have happened recently, but there are a few I want to point out.
WHAM 1: The End of Irrational Games
BioShock’s developer Irrational Games
is officially shutting down after co-founder Ken Levine announced that
he has decided to form a new studio with 15 members of the former
workroom. The new venture will also be under the Take-Two Interactive
umbrella, but BioShock will continue at the same company, only
“in someone else’s hands.” Although the exact number of Irrational
Games’ employees has not been disclosed, the remaining staff will have
access not only to financial support, but also to a period of time to
organize the departure.
The reins of BioShock will be handed over to 2K so that Levine can focus completely on “replayable narrative” and have a “smaller, more entrepreneurial endeavour at Take-Two.”
Although in an interview with Polygon last October, Levine stated that his plans did not go further than the completion of BioShock Infinite, it seems that Irrational Games will not live to see the day the game
is released, since it has shut down and a new studio is about to be
formed. The co-founder’s plans with the new team of 15 people is to make
“narrative-driven games for the core gamer that are highly replayable,”
and although the studio thrived for 17 years, Levine is going back to
the roots and now aims at indie games.
Many believe that Ken Levine was getting tired of doing nothing but Bioshock. But many also point out that the push for big budget games are what caused Ken Levine to scale back. Nether the less, we wish Ken Levine the best of luck at his approach to a smaller audience.
WHAM 2: Nokia Boss Stephen Elope the new head of the X-Box Division
Yesterday, King filed for abandonment of the trademark in the United States. When reached by Kotaku, King confirmed the trademark abandonment but declined to comment.
It's a darn shame I didn't cover this topic entirely. Imagine what I would do to rip this one apart.
But there is one last thing I do want to point out that is causing a bit of outrage itself.
WHAM 4: Good Ol Games using Regional Pricing(Again)
When the Witcher 2 came out on GoG, something was added that shocked gamers: it was priced differently in different countries. So with the announcement of 3 big titles, the people at GoG had this to say
If you've been a member of the site for a long time, you may recall that when we launched sales of The Witcher 2 on GOG.com, we had to add in regional pricing. The game cost different amounts in in the US, the UK, the European Union, and Australia. We're doing something like that once again in order to bring you new titles from fantastic bigger studios. Since we don't accept currencies other than USD on GOG.com right now, we'll be charging the equivalent of the local price in USD for these titles. We wish that we could offer these games at flat prices everywhere in the world, but the decision on pricing is always in our partners' hands, and regional pricing is becoming the standard around the globe. We're doing this because we believe that there's no better way to accomplish our overall goals for DRM-Free gaming and GOG.com. We need more games, devs, and publishers on board to make DRM-Free gaming something that's standard for all of the gaming world!
A shocker indeed. But while the loss of a one-price policy is bad, they still have the DRM-Free policy. Let's hope they don't go retracting that.
We conclude the WHAMs in memory of Harold Ramis, who played Dr Egon Spengler on Ghostbusters 1, 2 and the Ghostbusters Video Game. Harold Ramis died yesterday in his Chicago-area home due to the complications from vasculitis. He was 69.
Works Cited:
Guardian Liberty Voice
The Verge
Kotaku
Good Ol Games
WHAM 1: The End of Irrational Games
BioShock’s developer Irrational Games
is officially shutting down after co-founder Ken Levine announced that
he has decided to form a new studio with 15 members of the former
workroom. The new venture will also be under the Take-Two Interactive
umbrella, but BioShock will continue at the same company, only
“in someone else’s hands.” Although the exact number of Irrational
Games’ employees has not been disclosed, the remaining staff will have
access not only to financial support, but also to a period of time to
organize the departure.The reins of BioShock will be handed over to 2K so that Levine can focus completely on “replayable narrative” and have a “smaller, more entrepreneurial endeavour at Take-Two.”
Although in an interview with Polygon last October, Levine stated that his plans did not go further than the completion of BioShock Infinite, it seems that Irrational Games will not live to see the day the game
is released, since it has shut down and a new studio is about to be
formed. The co-founder’s plans with the new team of 15 people is to make
“narrative-driven games for the core gamer that are highly replayable,”
and although the studio thrived for 17 years, Levine is going back to
the roots and now aims at indie games.Many believe that Ken Levine was getting tired of doing nothing but Bioshock. But many also point out that the push for big budget games are what caused Ken Levine to scale back. Nether the less, we wish Ken Levine the best of luck at his approach to a smaller audience.
WHAM 2: Nokia Boss Stephen Elope the new head of the X-Box Division
Stephen Elop may not be Microsoft's new CEO, but the former head of
Nokia is not going unrewarded for bringing the phone manufacturer into
the Microsoft fold. According to an internal memo, Elop will replace
Julie Larson-Green as the head of Microsoft's Devices and Studios
business, putting him in charge of Xbox, Microsoft Surface, and
Microsoft's game development efforts, in addition to the new cellular
handset business. A Microsoft rep tells us that Elop had been slated to
take over Devices and Studios ever since the Nokia acquisition, but
originally Larson-Green would have stayed with the team as a
subordinate.
Instead, Larson-Green is taking on a new role: she's becoming the Chief Experience Officer for the company's Applications and Services group, managing the look and feel of products like Bing, Office, and Skype.
It's hard not to see the move as a demotion for Larson-Green, who rapidly became the woman in charge of Windows after Steven Sinofsky left the company, but who was quickly shifted to Devices and Studios after Terry Myerson stepped up. Now, she's being shifted back to more familiar territory: she spent years working on UI design for Internet Explorer, Microsoft Office and eventually Windows itself before her rise to upper management. However, that doesn't mean her new role might not be just as important to the company. It was user experience that determined the consumer reaction to Windows 8, and it might be user experience that determines whether Microsoft's services catch on. Under new Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who was previously in charge of Microsoft's services push, Larson-Green may be literally shaping the look and feel of the company's future.
Instead, Larson-Green is taking on a new role: she's becoming the Chief Experience Officer for the company's Applications and Services group, managing the look and feel of products like Bing, Office, and Skype.
It's hard not to see the move as a demotion for Larson-Green, who rapidly became the woman in charge of Windows after Steven Sinofsky left the company, but who was quickly shifted to Devices and Studios after Terry Myerson stepped up. Now, she's being shifted back to more familiar territory: she spent years working on UI design for Internet Explorer, Microsoft Office and eventually Windows itself before her rise to upper management. However, that doesn't mean her new role might not be just as important to the company. It was user experience that determined the consumer reaction to Windows 8, and it might be user experience that determines whether Microsoft's services catch on. Under new Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who was previously in charge of Microsoft's services push, Larson-Green may be literally shaping the look and feel of the company's future.
For those of you curious, this is the same guy who wanted to spin off the X-Box system from Microsoft. Will he succeed in doing so at this stage? Or will he somehow reverse his trend that he had with Nokia? Time will only tell.
WHAM 3: King's Candy Trademark blues
During the previous month, there were reports of King trademarking the name "Candy," causing a lot of ruckus from small developers and even the IGDA. But recently, it seems King has dropped his trademark of Candy.
The company behind Candy Crush Saga
has withdrawn their trademark application for 'Candy' in the United
States, according to documents they filed with the U.S. Trademark Office
yesterday.
King, the company behind Candy Crush, filed for a trademark on the word 'Candy' last year, which caused a bit of a stir in the world of gaming,
as, well, it's a bit silly to imagine one company owning the rights to
any application with the word 'Candy' in it. Last month, some cheeky
game developers launched the CandyJam, a game jam devoted to making video games with the words 'Candy' and 'Saga' in them.
Yesterday, King filed for abandonment of the trademark in the United States. When reached by Kotaku, King confirmed the trademark abandonment but declined to comment.
It's a darn shame I didn't cover this topic entirely. Imagine what I would do to rip this one apart.
But there is one last thing I do want to point out that is causing a bit of outrage itself.
WHAM 4: Good Ol Games using Regional Pricing(Again)
When the Witcher 2 came out on GoG, something was added that shocked gamers: it was priced differently in different countries. So with the announcement of 3 big titles, the people at GoG had this to say
If you've been a member of the site for a long time, you may recall that when we launched sales of The Witcher 2 on GOG.com, we had to add in regional pricing. The game cost different amounts in in the US, the UK, the European Union, and Australia. We're doing something like that once again in order to bring you new titles from fantastic bigger studios. Since we don't accept currencies other than USD on GOG.com right now, we'll be charging the equivalent of the local price in USD for these titles. We wish that we could offer these games at flat prices everywhere in the world, but the decision on pricing is always in our partners' hands, and regional pricing is becoming the standard around the globe. We're doing this because we believe that there's no better way to accomplish our overall goals for DRM-Free gaming and GOG.com. We need more games, devs, and publishers on board to make DRM-Free gaming something that's standard for all of the gaming world!
A shocker indeed. But while the loss of a one-price policy is bad, they still have the DRM-Free policy. Let's hope they don't go retracting that.
We conclude the WHAMs in memory of Harold Ramis, who played Dr Egon Spengler on Ghostbusters 1, 2 and the Ghostbusters Video Game. Harold Ramis died yesterday in his Chicago-area home due to the complications from vasculitis. He was 69.
Works Cited:
Guardian Liberty Voice
The Verge
Kotaku
Good Ol Games
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Sonic Boom: The Musical
Last week, SEGA shocked the world with the announcement that shocked the Sonic fandom worse than Shadow the Hedgehog did in 2005. No I'm not talking about Sonic's engagement to Princess Elise. I'm taking about Sonic Boom
Sonic's first cartoon since Sonic X. And here I thought SEGA got it right with AOSTH.
Much like Sonic X, Sonic Boom will take place in its own universe, featuring completely redesigned characters, from Sonic going Nathan Drake, to Tails geeking out, to Knuckles beefing out, to Amy going all Kunoichi.
In addition, SEGA has announced that BigRedButton, consisted of former members of Naughty Dog, will be developing the tie-in game for the Wii U as the 3rd Nintendo Exclusive of the Sonic 3(A 3DS version will be done by Sanzaru Games, known for their work on porting the Sly Cooper trilogy to the PS3, plus the most recent Sly Cooper game)
In addition, the game will feature all new tag-team based gameplay that lets you utilize two of the four playables: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy. There will also be new mechanics using the new Enerbeam system.
Man. Those changes to Sonic and friends and all this un-orthodox designs. I'm glad at least the Chaos Emeralds are staying put.
A whole slew of new details regarding Sonic Boom have surfaced thanks to the above interview brought to our attention by SSMB member Storme. As well as giving us a more extensive look at the New York venue for SEGA’s big announcements last week, it reveals some intriguing changes to the traditional Sonic premise – chief among them, the absence of the Chaos Emeralds in the Boom universe. How this will affect the story and mythos of the new series remains to be seen, but it does throw an appearance by Super Sonic or any other super forms (and arguably even the Master Emerald) into doubt.
NO CHAOS EMERALDS? But how will Sonic figure out how to rip off Goku of Dragon Ball Z? Wait. Sonic isn't going Super Sayian this time around?
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Works Cited:
Sonic Stadium
You can learn more about this game at TSSZNews
Sonic's first cartoon since Sonic X. And here I thought SEGA got it right with AOSTH.
Much like Sonic X, Sonic Boom will take place in its own universe, featuring completely redesigned characters, from Sonic going Nathan Drake, to Tails geeking out, to Knuckles beefing out, to Amy going all Kunoichi.
In addition, SEGA has announced that BigRedButton, consisted of former members of Naughty Dog, will be developing the tie-in game for the Wii U as the 3rd Nintendo Exclusive of the Sonic 3(A 3DS version will be done by Sanzaru Games, known for their work on porting the Sly Cooper trilogy to the PS3, plus the most recent Sly Cooper game)
In addition, the game will feature all new tag-team based gameplay that lets you utilize two of the four playables: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy. There will also be new mechanics using the new Enerbeam system.
Man. Those changes to Sonic and friends and all this un-orthodox designs. I'm glad at least the Chaos Emeralds are staying put.
A whole slew of new details regarding Sonic Boom have surfaced thanks to the above interview brought to our attention by SSMB member Storme. As well as giving us a more extensive look at the New York venue for SEGA’s big announcements last week, it reveals some intriguing changes to the traditional Sonic premise – chief among them, the absence of the Chaos Emeralds in the Boom universe. How this will affect the story and mythos of the new series remains to be seen, but it does throw an appearance by Super Sonic or any other super forms (and arguably even the Master Emerald) into doubt.
NO CHAOS EMERALDS? But how will Sonic figure out how to rip off Goku of Dragon Ball Z? Wait. Sonic isn't going Super Sayian this time around?
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Works Cited:
Sonic Stadium
You can learn more about this game at TSSZNews
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
NPD December 2013 and Ubisoft's Watch Dog Blues
Well I gotta get this out of the way. I'm late and I know it. But before I do so, it seems a little mess up just came out of Ubisoft
Wait. Did I say little? If you're one of many anticipating Ubisoft's Watch Dogs, well here's something out of left field.
Ubisoft briefly appeared to have abandoned its trademark for Watch Dogs, but the publisher reports today that the request was fraudulent and was not issued with the company's knowledge.
Earlier this afternoon, Polygon reported on the initial filing, but has since updated its original story with details provided by Ubisoft in a new filing submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
"On February 1, 2014, Ubisoft Entertainment received an email from TEAS@uspto.gov notifying Ubisoft Entertainment that a Request for Express Abandonment had been filed in connection with Application Serial No. 85642398. The Request for Express Abandonment purports to be signed by the Chief Executive Officer of Ubisoft Entertainment, Yves Guillemot.
"Mr. Guillemot, however, did not sign the Request for Express Abandonment, nor did Ubisoft Entertainment file the Request for Express Abandonment. The Request for Express Abandonment is fraudulent and was not filed by Ubisoft Entertainment or its representative."
Embarrassing, isn't it? But who was the face of this fraud who got the Watch Dogs trademark canned? More will come up as soon as someone posts information about it.
Anyway, What were the Top games of December 2013? Well...
At number 10: Skylanders Swap Force by Activision Blizzard for the Wii, Wii U, 360, PS3, 3DS, XBone and PS4. Spyro's been having a great New Years party
At number 09: FIFA 14 by EA for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone and Vita. Wait, what do you mean PC gamers can't play Soccer?
At number 08: LEGO Marvel Superheroes by Warner Bros Interactive for the 360, PS3, 3DS, XBone, PS4, Wii U, Vita and PC. And Marvel is still apart of Disney. What next, a Mickey Mouse/Bugs Bunny crossover done by Platinum games?
At number 07: Grand Theft Auto V by Rockstar/Take 2 for the 360 and PS3. Who needs a next-gen system?
At number 06: Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag by Ubisoft for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone, Wii U and PC. Recommended by Pirates, Rebels, Scoundrels of the Seven Seas, and Yahtzee of Escapist Magazine
At number 05: NBA 2K14 by Take 2 Interactive for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone and PC. At least PC gamers can slam dunk like Michael Jordan
At number 04: Madden NFL 25 by EA for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone and PC. Not as embarrassing as the Broncos was in the Super Bowl
At number 03: Just Dance 2014 by Ubisoft for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone, Wii and Wii U. Looks like everyone wants to be like the late Michael Jackson
At number 02: Battlefield 4 by EA for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone and PC. And yet, they're locked in lawsuit over its glitches
And at Number 01: Call of Duty: Ghosts by Activision Blizzard for the 360, PS3, XBone, PS4, Wii U and PC. Isn't the game suppose to be dull right now?
And then there's the overall 2014 picture. For the first time in a long time, Call of Duty was not number 1.
At number 10: Disney Infinity by Disney Interactive for the 360, PS3, Wii U, Wii and 3DS. Behold, the competition to Skylanders
At number 09: Minecraft by 4J Studios, Mojang and Microsoft for the 360. Too bad it ain't as grand as the PC version. But amazing what you can do with a lower price.
At number 08: Just Dance 2014 by Ubisoft for the Wii, 360, XBone, Wii U, PS3 and PS4. I swear there's something off about this dancing machine
At number 07: Call of Duty: Black Ops II by Activision Blizzard for the 360, PS3, Wii U and PC. Wait a minute. What's this game doing on the list? Didn't it release in 2012?
At number 06: NBA 2K14 by Take 2 Interactive for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone and PC. Like I said, everyone wants to be Michael Jordan.
At number 05: Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag by Ubisoft for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone, Wii U and PC. Missing from the game: Pirate's Life for Me song from Pirates of the Caribbean.
At number 04: Battlefield 4 by EA for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone and PC. And yet they got the worst problems out of that
At number 03: Madden NFL 25 by EA for the 360, PS3, PS4 and XBone. You won't get any interruptions in the post game conference
At number 02: Call of Duty Ghosts by Activision Blizzard for the 360, PS3, XBone, PS4, Wii U and PC. So what beat Call of Duty this year? Well, that game happens to be...
At number 01: Grand Theft Auto V by Take 2 for the 360 and PS3. And you still don't need to buy a next gen console just to play this. XP
Now overall, The X Box One, despite being supply constraint, managed to outsell a supply constraint Playstation 4 at around 900K. This could make it hard for Sony to take the American market. The 360 manages to stay relevant at around 640K as the PS3 and Wii begin to fade into obscurity. The Wii U, while not as powerful as the XBone, manages to sell more than 460K. But they say the 3DS Sold more than a Million.
Not really the best Christmas despite Hardware launches, but it could have been worse.
January is a lame duck month for gaming. What will it bring to us? Stay tuned.
Works Cited:
IGN
NeoGAF
Wait. Did I say little? If you're one of many anticipating Ubisoft's Watch Dogs, well here's something out of left field.
Ubisoft briefly appeared to have abandoned its trademark for Watch Dogs, but the publisher reports today that the request was fraudulent and was not issued with the company's knowledge.
Earlier this afternoon, Polygon reported on the initial filing, but has since updated its original story with details provided by Ubisoft in a new filing submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
"On February 1, 2014, Ubisoft Entertainment received an email from TEAS@uspto.gov notifying Ubisoft Entertainment that a Request for Express Abandonment had been filed in connection with Application Serial No. 85642398. The Request for Express Abandonment purports to be signed by the Chief Executive Officer of Ubisoft Entertainment, Yves Guillemot.
"Mr. Guillemot, however, did not sign the Request for Express Abandonment, nor did Ubisoft Entertainment file the Request for Express Abandonment. The Request for Express Abandonment is fraudulent and was not filed by Ubisoft Entertainment or its representative."
Embarrassing, isn't it? But who was the face of this fraud who got the Watch Dogs trademark canned? More will come up as soon as someone posts information about it.
Anyway, What were the Top games of December 2013? Well...
At number 10: Skylanders Swap Force by Activision Blizzard for the Wii, Wii U, 360, PS3, 3DS, XBone and PS4. Spyro's been having a great New Years party
At number 09: FIFA 14 by EA for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone and Vita. Wait, what do you mean PC gamers can't play Soccer?
At number 08: LEGO Marvel Superheroes by Warner Bros Interactive for the 360, PS3, 3DS, XBone, PS4, Wii U, Vita and PC. And Marvel is still apart of Disney. What next, a Mickey Mouse/Bugs Bunny crossover done by Platinum games?
At number 07: Grand Theft Auto V by Rockstar/Take 2 for the 360 and PS3. Who needs a next-gen system?
At number 06: Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag by Ubisoft for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone, Wii U and PC. Recommended by Pirates, Rebels, Scoundrels of the Seven Seas, and Yahtzee of Escapist Magazine
At number 05: NBA 2K14 by Take 2 Interactive for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone and PC. At least PC gamers can slam dunk like Michael Jordan
At number 04: Madden NFL 25 by EA for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone and PC. Not as embarrassing as the Broncos was in the Super Bowl
At number 03: Just Dance 2014 by Ubisoft for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone, Wii and Wii U. Looks like everyone wants to be like the late Michael Jackson
At number 02: Battlefield 4 by EA for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone and PC. And yet, they're locked in lawsuit over its glitches
And at Number 01: Call of Duty: Ghosts by Activision Blizzard for the 360, PS3, XBone, PS4, Wii U and PC. Isn't the game suppose to be dull right now?
And then there's the overall 2014 picture. For the first time in a long time, Call of Duty was not number 1.
At number 10: Disney Infinity by Disney Interactive for the 360, PS3, Wii U, Wii and 3DS. Behold, the competition to Skylanders
At number 09: Minecraft by 4J Studios, Mojang and Microsoft for the 360. Too bad it ain't as grand as the PC version. But amazing what you can do with a lower price.
At number 08: Just Dance 2014 by Ubisoft for the Wii, 360, XBone, Wii U, PS3 and PS4. I swear there's something off about this dancing machine
At number 07: Call of Duty: Black Ops II by Activision Blizzard for the 360, PS3, Wii U and PC. Wait a minute. What's this game doing on the list? Didn't it release in 2012?
At number 06: NBA 2K14 by Take 2 Interactive for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone and PC. Like I said, everyone wants to be Michael Jordan.
At number 05: Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag by Ubisoft for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone, Wii U and PC. Missing from the game: Pirate's Life for Me song from Pirates of the Caribbean.
At number 04: Battlefield 4 by EA for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone and PC. And yet they got the worst problems out of that
At number 03: Madden NFL 25 by EA for the 360, PS3, PS4 and XBone. You won't get any interruptions in the post game conference
At number 02: Call of Duty Ghosts by Activision Blizzard for the 360, PS3, XBone, PS4, Wii U and PC. So what beat Call of Duty this year? Well, that game happens to be...
At number 01: Grand Theft Auto V by Take 2 for the 360 and PS3. And you still don't need to buy a next gen console just to play this. XP
Now overall, The X Box One, despite being supply constraint, managed to outsell a supply constraint Playstation 4 at around 900K. This could make it hard for Sony to take the American market. The 360 manages to stay relevant at around 640K as the PS3 and Wii begin to fade into obscurity. The Wii U, while not as powerful as the XBone, manages to sell more than 460K. But they say the 3DS Sold more than a Million.
Not really the best Christmas despite Hardware launches, but it could have been worse.
January is a lame duck month for gaming. What will it bring to us? Stay tuned.
Works Cited:
IGN
NeoGAF
Monday, January 20, 2014
Good-bye Net Neutrality?
It's been along time since I've posted on this blog. This year is set to be my final year here before I retire the blog for good. But I'm afraid I have some bad news, and it doesn't have anything to do with the woes of the Nintendo Wii U.
No. What I am talking about is far, far more dire. For those of you who want to know what I'm talking about, it is Net Neutrality. Net Neutrality is a form of rules that sets all data as equal and keeps the internet open for everyone.
This is where the bad news comes in. Last week Tuesday, a Federal Appeals Court in D.C. did the unthinkable and struck down Net Neutrality as a law. And they had this to say:
"Given that the Commission has chosen to classify broadband providers in a manner that exempts them from treatment as common carriers, the Communications Act expressly prohibits the Commission from nonetheless regulating them as such. Because the Commission has failed to establish that the anti-discrimination and anti-blocking rules do not impose per se common carrier obligations, we vacate those portions of the Open Internet Order."
What does this mean? It means the fight ended badly, but we may still have a shot. The only thing to do is to convince the FCC into listing telecarriers like AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, Cox and Time Warner as common carriers. But should they fail at doing that, it would mean the end of a free internet. That would result in....
1) Slower than normal speeds
2) The Internet being tiered much like Cable TV.
On the latter, that means the Telecom companies can control what data you get depending on how much you pay them. If you're the kind of person who buys anything online, uses Facebook/Twitter/Google Plus/Tumblr, watch videos, view online news source and, Most importantly, play games online, get ready to pay more just to use those same services online.
Throughout the year, I will be checking up more on Net Neutrality. Folks, this is an issue at hand that puts the entire internet at stake. Should we fail, then it's been nice knowing you.
Works Cited: NPR
No. What I am talking about is far, far more dire. For those of you who want to know what I'm talking about, it is Net Neutrality. Net Neutrality is a form of rules that sets all data as equal and keeps the internet open for everyone.
This is where the bad news comes in. Last week Tuesday, a Federal Appeals Court in D.C. did the unthinkable and struck down Net Neutrality as a law. And they had this to say:
"Given that the Commission has chosen to classify broadband providers in a manner that exempts them from treatment as common carriers, the Communications Act expressly prohibits the Commission from nonetheless regulating them as such. Because the Commission has failed to establish that the anti-discrimination and anti-blocking rules do not impose per se common carrier obligations, we vacate those portions of the Open Internet Order."
What does this mean? It means the fight ended badly, but we may still have a shot. The only thing to do is to convince the FCC into listing telecarriers like AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, Cox and Time Warner as common carriers. But should they fail at doing that, it would mean the end of a free internet. That would result in....
1) Slower than normal speeds
2) The Internet being tiered much like Cable TV.
On the latter, that means the Telecom companies can control what data you get depending on how much you pay them. If you're the kind of person who buys anything online, uses Facebook/Twitter/Google Plus/Tumblr, watch videos, view online news source and, Most importantly, play games online, get ready to pay more just to use those same services online.
Throughout the year, I will be checking up more on Net Neutrality. Folks, this is an issue at hand that puts the entire internet at stake. Should we fail, then it's been nice knowing you.
Works Cited: NPR
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
NPD November 2013: End of the year edition
Folks, 2013 will be a distant memory soon. But before we say farewell, let's take care of some last minute business. The NPD of November.
At number 10: Fifa 14 by EA for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone and Vita. Too bad it ain't on the PC.
At number 09: Disney Infinity by Disney Interactive for the Wii, Wii U, 360, PS3 and 3DS.
At number 08: Just Dance 2014 by Ubisoft for the 360, PS3, Wii U, XBone and PS4. Dancing fever has hit Generation 8.
At number 07: Skylanders Swap Force by Activision Blizzard for the 360, PS3, Wii, Wii U, 3DS, XBone and PS4. Spyro and co are still going strong.
At number 06: NBA 2K14 by Take 2 Interactive for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone and PC. I don't see much of a difference in polygon count and textures
At number 05: GTAV by Take 2 Interactive for the 360 and PS3. Hey, where did Saints Row IV go?
At number 04: Madden NFL 25 by EA for the 360, PS3, PS4 and XBone. And with the Season coming to a close.
At number 03: Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag by Ubisoft for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone, PC and Wii U. Shiver me Timbers across everything
At number 02: Battlefield 4 by EA for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone and PC. WARNING: Glitch hazard.
And at Number 01: Call of Duty: Ghosts by Activision Blizzard for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone, PC and Wii U. Still number 1 despite lower than usual reviews.
As for the hardware, the PS4 is the top selling platform of the month thanks to an earlier than usual release. But the XBone did well at 909,132, selling 101,000 per day. Watch out PS4, the XBone may be catching up to you.
The 360 did around 647K. Not bad for a system going out. The Wii U made a small jump to 220K, but both systems are triumphed by the 3DS at around 770K, beating last year's sales.
What will December 2013's sales bring? Stay tuned and have a happy new year.
Works Cited:
NeoGAF
At number 10: Fifa 14 by EA for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone and Vita. Too bad it ain't on the PC.
At number 09: Disney Infinity by Disney Interactive for the Wii, Wii U, 360, PS3 and 3DS.
At number 08: Just Dance 2014 by Ubisoft for the 360, PS3, Wii U, XBone and PS4. Dancing fever has hit Generation 8.
At number 07: Skylanders Swap Force by Activision Blizzard for the 360, PS3, Wii, Wii U, 3DS, XBone and PS4. Spyro and co are still going strong.
At number 06: NBA 2K14 by Take 2 Interactive for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone and PC. I don't see much of a difference in polygon count and textures
At number 05: GTAV by Take 2 Interactive for the 360 and PS3. Hey, where did Saints Row IV go?
At number 04: Madden NFL 25 by EA for the 360, PS3, PS4 and XBone. And with the Season coming to a close.
At number 03: Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag by Ubisoft for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone, PC and Wii U. Shiver me Timbers across everything
At number 02: Battlefield 4 by EA for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone and PC. WARNING: Glitch hazard.
And at Number 01: Call of Duty: Ghosts by Activision Blizzard for the 360, PS3, PS4, XBone, PC and Wii U. Still number 1 despite lower than usual reviews.
As for the hardware, the PS4 is the top selling platform of the month thanks to an earlier than usual release. But the XBone did well at 909,132, selling 101,000 per day. Watch out PS4, the XBone may be catching up to you.
The 360 did around 647K. Not bad for a system going out. The Wii U made a small jump to 220K, but both systems are triumphed by the 3DS at around 770K, beating last year's sales.
What will December 2013's sales bring? Stay tuned and have a happy new year.
Works Cited:
NeoGAF
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