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 Weekly Gamasutra

[11.20.09]

Modern Warfare 2 Infinity Ward's 'Most Successful PC Version' Yet
Offerpal Sets New Ad Standards As Facebook Bans Offer Providers
Class-Action Suit Filed Against Zynga, Facebook Over Offer-Based Ads
Gameloft Scales Back Android Game Development
UK Gov't Intelligence Agency To Advertise On Xbox Live
Video Game Watchdog National Institute On Media And The Family Shutting Down
The Art History of Games Symposium Announced
New Tech, Design Details Of Project Natal To Emerge At Gamefest In February
BioShock, Far Cry 2's O'Connor: Beware 'Serviceable, Not Great' Approaches To Integrating Game Writers
PSP, PS3 Lead Weekly Japanese Sales Charts
Sony 'Confident' In 13 Million PS3 Target This Year, Plans Online Services
Microsoft To Offer Free Xbox Live Weekends To Silver Members
GDC 2010's Experimental Gameplay Workshop Calls For Submissions
Saling The World: Wii Fit Plus, New Super Mario Bros. Wii Head U.S. Sales
Best Of Indie Games: We Need More Heroes
Opinion: Rethinking Player Death
Round-Up: Gamasutra Network Jobs, Week Of November 20
Interview: Capy Talks Critter Crunch, Mobile Horrors

[11.19.09]

GameStop Acquires Majority Stake in Jolt Online Gaming
Marvelous Sees Success With PSP Games, Less So With Wii
Brad Pitt's Plan B Entertainment Options Dark Void Film
Stardock Reveals Impulse, Steam Market Share Estimates
Disciples III Dev Akella Signs DRM Deal With Byteshield
Valve: Devs Should Experiment With Post-Release Content Using Digital Distribution
Japanese Software: J-League Pro Soccer Club Replaces Winning Eleven At Top
Best of GameSetWatch: From New Super Chick Sisters to Choose Your Own Adventure
Sony: 'All PS3 Units Will Be Firmware-Upgradeable To 3D'
GameStop Reports Boost In Q3 Sales, Profits
Analyst: Nintendo Likely To Launch On-Demand Wii Video Channel In U.S.
Feature: Minimizing Risks In Large Productions
NaturalMotion Opens New Korean Office
PSN Revenues Hit October High, As Sony Mulls 'Premium' Subscriptions
Sony: Game Biz To Be Profitable By 2011
NeoEdge Merges With Offspring, Expands Into Game Creation
Analysis: Shattered Horizons and New Horizons For Weightless Gaming
This Week In Video Game Criticism: All You Need Is Love
In-Depth: PixelJunk's Baiyon Vs. Katamari's Takahashi
Interview: The Developers And Daniel Johnston
Gamasutra Expert Blogs: From Design Docs To Designing By 'No'

[11.18.09]

Study: MMOs Take Up 14% Of Gaming Time In U.S
Uncharted 2, Batman, Others Vie For Top Honors At Spike VGAs
IGF 2010 Reveals Record Student Entry Numbers
Analyst: Over 60 Percent Of All iPhone Apps Have Been Pirated
Feature: 'And Yet It Grows: Analyzing the Size and Growth of the European Game Market'
Activision: Modern Warfare 2 Rakes In $550 Million Five-Day Gross
SCEA, Ubi, Disney, EA Face Voice Tech Patent Suit
Layoffs Hit Australia's Krome Studios
Kotick Sells More Activision Shares, Gains $17 Million
Critical Reception: Nintendo's New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Retailer Sports Authority To Sell Wii, Fitness Software
Q&A: The Then And Now of Hitman Dev IO Interactive
In-Depth: On Company Culture, Hiring, And Retention
In-Depth: North American PlayStation Network Sales, October 2009
Analysis: Industry Faces Steep Odds Against Year-Over-Year Growth

[11.17.09]

Hecker: Indies Can't Do All The Heavy Creative Lifting
Activision Unveils Bay Area-Based Sledgehammer Games
Zynga Raises $15.2 Million In New Funding
Valve's Holtman: Digital Direct Gives Developers More Pricing Freedom
David Sirlin: Keep Interface Design Simple, Concise, Efficient
EA Memo Confirms Pandemic Consolidation, Van Caneghem Hire
Fils-Aime: Wii HD 'Will Not Be The Next Step For Us'
Funcom Looks Forward To Secret World Amid Q3 Losses
Activision Edits Modern Warfare 2 For Russia
Sony Confirms Facebook On PS3, Details Firmware Update 3.10
Modern Warfare 2 Release Week, Console Bannings Have Major Effect On XBLA Sales
In-Depth: The Guide To Rescuing A Troubled Project
Randy Smith: Do Games Need To Be Fun?
Tradewest Founder Leland Cook Passes Away
Analysis: Nintendo's DSi Sales Trends, Wii Price Cut Too Late?
Analysis: Gungriffon - The Forgotten Conflict
Gamasutra Member Blogs: From Betamax To Game Engines

[11.16.09]

In-Depth: Ugly, Quick, And Dirty - The Power of Working Fast
Assassin's Creed 2's Plourde On Why 'Fail Early, Fail Often' Is The Wrong Approach
EA Montreal's Schneider: Who Do We Make Games For?
Japanese Hardware: PlayStation 3 Outsells All Hardware, Including DSi
IGDA Offers Group Health Insurance Access
Wada: Too Much Diversification Will Confuse Game Consumers
Square Enix's Wada Talks Going Beyond Globalization
NPD: 14 Percent Of Households Have An Online Game Subscription
ESA: 42 Percent Thinking Games For Holidays
Softkinetic, Optrima Partner On 3D Gesture Recognition Tech
Develop Liverpool Sees 160 Delegates, To Return In 2010
UK Modern Warfare 2 Sales Hit $111.8 Million To Top UK Charts
OnLive To Work On Mobile Phones
Japanese Software: Winning Eleven Takes Lead From Bayonetta
Analysis: On PSP Go's Launch Numbers, PSP's U.S. Future
Release This: New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Left 4 Dead 2 Debut Stateside
Stonetrip Unveils Updates To Shiva Editor
Hansoft Hires EA Sports Vet Wynn, Launches Consultant Training Program
Interview: Kajiya Productions on Translating Final Fantasy
Postmortem: Behind The Scenes Of Scribblenauts

[11.13.09]

Fils-Aime: Nintendo Offers 'Full Meal' To iPhone's 'Small Chunks'
Sony Brings Internet Play To Local PSP Multiplayer Games
NPD: October Top 20 Sees Impressive Demon's Souls Showing
IGDA Forum: Asking 'Why' Will Keep Games Out Of The Ghetto, Says Hecker
IGDA Forum: WB's Ryan On What It Takes
Naughty Dog: Uncharted 2 Could Lead 'Shift' In PS3 Tech Prowess
Guillemot: UPlay Community Features Will Help Ubisoft 'Get Closer To Our Customers'
Bobby Kotick Nets $20M In Stock Option Sale
Analyst: Take-Two 70 Percent Growth An 'Example' In Challenging Economy
SouthPeak Reverses Loss, Buys Midway TNA Assets
Interview: Ohai Makes A Case For Social MMOs With City of Eternals Facebook MMO
Saling The World: Modern Warfare 2 Tops Charts in U.S. and UK
IGDA Leadership: Firaxis' Caudill On Doing It 'Sid's Way'
Sponsored Feature: Rasterization on Intel's Larrabee
Analysis: Modern Warfare 2 - Is It Really 'No Girls Allowed'?
Best Of Indie Games: Close to the Black Heart

[11.12.09]

Playdom Acquires Green Patch, Trippert Labs
NPD: October U.S. Sales Slump 19% As Wii Re-Tops Hardware
NPD: Uncharted 2 Heads October 2009 U.S. Game Sales
Microsoft: Xbox 360 Only YTD Grower, As Xbox Live Hits 2 Million Simultaneous
EA: 'No Coincidence' That Layoffs, PlayFish Buy Emerged Simultaneously
Twitter, Facebook To Hit Xbox Live November 17
ESA Nite To Unite For Kids Raises $800,000
Wooga Raises $7.5 Million For Social Games, New Hires
GameCareerGuide Feature: Game Design Challenge - Sidekick
Farrell: Leaner Structure, New Opportunities To Drive THQ Profitability
GameStop Planning In-Store Console DLC Download Service
Best of GameSetWatch: From REO Speedwagon to Rock Band Network
Fils-Aime: 'I Like Our Chances' Against Rival Motion Controls
Epic's Free Unreal Development Kit Gains 50,000 Users In First Week
Postmortem: Wadjet Eye's The Blackwell Convergence
TimeGate Licenses Vision Engine For MMO Project
Massive, comScore Collaborate To Measure Effectiveness Of In-Game Ads
PSN Struggles With Modern Warfare 2 Launch
U.S., UK Modern Warfare 2 Launch Sales Hit 4.7 Million Units
Q&A: Data Beez's West Coast Chiptune Romp
The Week In Game Criticism: Duty Calls, Google Waves, Dragon Ages
Gamasutra Expert Blogs: From Going Indie To Boycotting Steam
Q&A: Valve's Swift On Left 4 Dead 2's Production, AI Boost

[11.11.09]

Social Dev Playdom Raises $43 Million
Gaming Network Playfire Raises $2.1M From Atomico, Atari's Gardner, Others
Report: PlayStation 3 To Add Facebook Integration
Modern Warfare 2 Sells 1.23 Million Day One Copies In UK Alone
Report: Microsoft Bans Live Accounts For Modded Consoles
Mad Catz Sees Sales Fall On Slow-Starting Holiday Season
UK Court Dismisses Convicted Console Modder's Appeal In 'Pivotal' Case
NCsoft Aims For 2011 Guild Wars 2 Release
Spider Devs On Rock-Bottom iPhone Pricing: 'You Don't Have To Do It'
PlayStation 'Father' Kutaragi Founds New Online Networking Company
Critical Reception: Activision/Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare 2
Q&A: Sands of Destruction Team Talks Battle System, Story Creation
Analysis: Meeting the Badman
Opinion: The Lion's Gate - Majors And Indie Publishing

[11.10.09]

Nielsen: Heavy Marketing, Quality Expectations Drive Modern Warfare 2 Buzz
American Council on Exercise Charts 'Underwhelming' Wii Fit Health Benefits
Penny Arcade Launches 2009 Child's Play Charity Drive
GCG Design Challenge Results Showcase Photographic Interpretation
Analyst: New Super Mario Bros. Wii Could Outdo Modern Warfare 2
Xbox Live Game Show 1 Vs. 100 Gets Second Season
Former ESA Head Lowenstein To Receive AIAS Lifetime Achievement Award
Need For Speed: Shift Developed Largely Remotely
Giana Sisters Co-Creator Armin Gessert Passes
Analysts Question EA's Playfish Buy, Future Prospects
TIGA: UK Devs Want To Address Piracy Themselves
GDC 2010 Reminds Of Summit Submissions, IGF Student, Mobile Deadline
In-Depth: Xbox Live Arcade Sales Analysis, October 2009
Analysis: What The (Game) Papers Say - November 2009, Pt. 1
Interview: Cascade Game Foundry's New Lease On The Simulation Genre
Analysis: Is Delay Publishers’ New Marketing Strategy?
Gamasutra Member Blogs: From 'RPG Elements' To Physics Engines

[11.09.09]

EA's Riccitiello: Cuts Necessary To 'Transform Our Company'
EA Announces Increased Net Loss, Confirms 1,500 Layoffs
Zynga Removes CPA Offers After FishVille Suspension
Report: Layoffs Hit EA Studios Including Tiburon, Black Box, Redwood Shores, Mythic
Interview: EAi, Playfish On Bringing Electronic Arts Brands to Social Networks
Unity User Base Reaches 33,500 In Wake Of Free License
EA Confirms $300 Million Playfish Acquisition
Best Of GamerBytes - All Out Of Gum
Capcom's Niitsuma: Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom Only Works For Wii
NCsoft Sales, Profits Surge Following Global Aion Launch
Wii Fit Plus Leads As Dragon Age Debuts Strong In UK
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Launch Defeats Street Dates
Konami Reports Sales, Profit Declines In Half-Year
Activision Donating $1 Million To Military Veterans
Analyst: October NPD To See 9 Percent Software Decline, Uncharted 2 As Top Title
Release This: Modern Warfare 2, Phantasy Star Zero Debut in U.S.
Analysis: Mole's Eyes - Fatale's Storytelling Attitude
Interview: Tri-Ace on Resonance of Fate's Battles, Manly Characters
Interview: Al Lowe Talks New iPhone App, Evolution Of The Adventure Game Genre

[11.06.09]

Game Boy, The Ball Admitted To National Toy Hall Of Fame
iPhone Dev Storm8 Sued Over User Data Harvesting Allegations
Namco Bandai Swings To Loss In First-Half, Posts Lower Sales
Infinity Ward's Emslie: Animation 'First And Foremost' Key To Visual Realism
Japanese Hardware: PS3 Closes In On Leader DSi
Analyst: CoD: MW2 Could Sell $500 Million Week One, Music Genre Still Challenged
Iwata: 35% Japanese Connectivity Ratio For Wii, 20% For DS
Iwata: Nintendo Is Not 'Losing Its Edge' To iPhone, Rival Tech
RedLynx Intentionally Leaked Trials To Torrent Sites
Saling The World: Dragon Age, Uncharted 2 Top U.S. Charts
Best Of Indie Games: Eufloria, Home, Run Away!
Game Developer November Issue Showcases Scribblenauts, The Game Developer 50
Direct2Drive Tussles With Valve By Declining To Sell Steamworks-Powered MW2
Interview: OneBigGame's de Ronde On Making Games For Charity
Analysis: Turn-Based Versus Real-Time
Round-Up: Gamasutra Network Jobs, Week Of November 6
Q&A: CCP On Keeping EVE Online Fresh And Growing


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April 10, 2008

Saling The World: Mario Kart, Monster Hunter Lead Japan Sales

Gamasutra's weekly column, "Saling The World", covers the top five sellers for every available platform in the United States, Japan, and Europe, providing an important update of sales patterns worldwide.

This week's charts, with data taken from April 10th, 2008, find Japanese Wii sales headed by the recently released Mario Kart Wii, while a rereleased God of War II finds new popularity in the United States. Data for "Saling The World" comes courtesy of the public sales information on Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, and Amazon.co.jp, with sales split out for each platform and territory, and pre-orders disregarded.

This results in a true sense of what games are selling worldwide on the real-time updated service, as follows:

Nintendo Wii
North America: 1. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Activision), 2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Nintendo), 2. Wii Play (Nintendo), 4. Super Mario Galaxy (Nintendo), 5. No More Heroes (Ubisoft).

Japan: 1. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), 2. Wii Fit (Nintendo), 3. Dairantou Smash Brothers X (Nintendo), 4. Wii Sports (Nintendo), 5. Deca Sporta (Hudson).

UK: 1. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Sega), 2. Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (Konami), 3. Carnival Funfair Games (2K Games), 4. Wii Play (Nintendo), 5. Super Mario Galaxy (Nintendo).

A drop in price at Amazon brings new demand for the Wii port of Guitar Hero III, which places first in this week's Wii software sales results in North America. This marks the first time that Super Smash Bros. Brawl has failed to take the region's top weekly sales spot since its initial release in early March. Elsewhere, Mario Kart Wii tops multiplatform preorder sales in the UK, and debuts as the week's single best-selling console title in Japan.


Xbox 360
North America: 1. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision), 2. Rock Band Special Edition (MTV Games), 3. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (Ubisoft), 4. Halo 3 (Microsoft), 5. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Activision).

Japan: 1. Turok (Touchstone), 2. The Idolm@ster: Live for You! (Namco), 3. Armored Core: For Answer (From Software), 4. Skate (EA Games), 5. Dark Sector (D3 Publisher).

UK: 1. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (Ubisoft), 2. Halo 3 (Microsoft), 3. Assassin's Creed (Ubisoft), 4. Devil May Cry 4 (Capcom), 5. Viking: Battle for Asgard (Sega).

After some minor chart disruption last week, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is back at the top of Xbox 360 sales in the United States. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 jumps up a spot from its fourth-place finish last week, while the bundled version of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock returns to the top five at fifth place. Last week's sole debuting Japanese title, Turok, leads in this week's Japanese Xbox 360 chart, meanwhile, as Rainbow Six Vegas 2 and Halo 3 see a successful week in the UK.


PlayStation 3
North America: 1. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision), 2. Rock Band Special Edition (MTV Games), 3. MLB 08: The Show (SCEA), 4. Assassin's Creed (Ubisoft), 5. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (Ubisoft).

Japan: 1. Pro Yakyuu Spirits 5 (Konami), 2. Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan! (Sega), 3. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision), 4. Armored Core: For Answer (From Software), 5. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Activision).

UK: 1. Gran Turismo 5 Prologue (SCEE), 2. Assassin's Creed (Ubisoft), 3. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision), 4. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (Ubisoft), 5. Formula One Championship Edition (SCEE).

Only a few days remain until the North American release of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, and its prerelease popularity is reflected in this week's PS3 sales results at Amazon. Though Prologue once again leads weekly U.S. PS3 sales by preorder strength alone, Call of Duty 4 takes top sales honors among all titles currently available in stores, followed closely by Rock Band and MLB 08: The Show.


PlayStation 2
North America: 1. God of War II (SCEA), 2. Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection (Konami), 3. Arcana Heart (Atlus), 4. Rock Band Special Edition (MTV Games), 5. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Activision).

Japan: 1. Musou Orochi: Maou Sairin (Koei), 2. Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch - Lost Colors (Bandai), 3. Pro Yakyuu Spirits 5 (Konami), 4. Musou Orochi: Maou Sairin -- Premium Box (Koei), 5. Shinkyouku Soukai Polyphonica 0-4 Hanashi Full Pack (Prototype).

UK: 1. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Activision), 2. FIFA 08 (EA Sports), 3. WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008 (THQ), 4. SingStar Legends (SCEE), 5. High School Musical: Sing It! (Disney).

God of War II returns to North American PS2 charts this week after recently being rereleased as part of Sony's "Greatest Hits" line of budget-priced software. The drop in price drives the title to a first-place finish, despite its long absence from the region's weekly best-seller charts. The niche 2D fighter Arcana Heart also makes a surprise appearance in this week's North American sales results with an impressive third-place debut, while demand for Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection remains strong in its third week of release.


PC
North America: 1. World of Warcraft: Battle Chest (Blizzard), 2. World in Conflict (Sierra), 3. Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties (Microsoft), 4. Assassin's Creed (Ubisoft), 5. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision).

Japan: 1. Clannad Full Voice (Key), 2. Infinity Plus (CyberFront), 3. Vocaloid 2 Character Vocal Series 01: Hatsune Miku (Crypton Future Media), 4. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision), 5. A Ressha de Ikou 8 (ArtDink).

UK: 1. Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath (EA Games), 2. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War -- Soulstorm (THQ), 3. The Sims 2 (EA Games), 4. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision), 5. Football Manager 2008 (Sega).

Recent top-five favorites like Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath and Sins of a Solar Empire are nowhere to be seen among this week's top PC sellers in North America. Instead, regional sales are headed by a trio of last year's most popular releases. World in Conflict, World of Warcraft: Battle Chest, and the Age of Empires III expansion pack The Asian Dynasties all see boosted sales in the wake of a series of PC software discounts at Amazon. The recently released PC port of Assassin's Creed still manages an impressive showing in its first week of release, meanwhile, as Kane's Wrath and Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War -- Soulstorm top sales in Europe.


Nintendo DS
North America: 1. Final Fantasy III (Square Enix), 2. Professor Layton and the Curious Village (Nintendo), 3. Brain Age 2 (Nintendo), 4. Brain Age (Nintendo), 5. New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo).

Japan: 1. DS Bimoji Training (Nintendo), 2. SimCity DS 2 (EA Games), 3. Tottadoo! Yoiko no Mujintou Seikatsu (Namco), 4. Vitamin X Evolution (D3 Publisher), 5. Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side 2nd Season (Konami).

UK: 1. Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training (Nintendo), 2. Solitaire DS (Deep Silver), 3. 42 All-Time Classics (Nintendo), 4. Puzzle League DS (Nintendo), 5. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Sega).

North America's weekly DS chart rivalry between New Super Mario Bros. and Professor Layton and the Curious Village is interrupted this week by Square Enix's DS remake of Final Fantasy III, which tops sales following an Amazon-sponsored "Deal of the Day" price drop. Professor Layton manages a decisive victory over New Super Mario Bros. otherwise, as Mario falls to fifth place in favor of Brain Age and its sequel.


PlayStation Portable
North America: 1. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (Square Enix), 2. God of War: Chains of Olympus (SCEA), 3. Patapon (SCEA), 4. Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops (Konami), 5. Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection (Crave).

Japan: 1. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (Capcom), 2. Star Ocean: The Second Evolution (Square Enix), 3. Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch - Lost Colors (Bandai), 4. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd (Capcom), 5. Umihara Kawase Portable (Marvelous).

UK: 1. God of War: Chains of Olympus (SCEA), 2. Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (Konami), 3. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (Rockstar), 4. FIFA 08 (EA Sports), 5. WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008 (THQ).

This week's PSP sales results in North America remain mostly unchanged from last week's, as Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII continues to edge out God of War: Chains of Olympus in a weekly battle for chart leadership. The budget-priced Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection makes an unexpected appearance in the top five, meanwhile, as high demand and positive word-of-mouth bring big sales numbers for the reportedly difficult-to-find pinball compilation. In Japan, Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G and Star Ocean: The Second Evolution remain at the top, while the SNES platformer/puzzler remake Umihara Kawase Portable debuts at fifth place.

POSTED: 6.31pm PST, 04/10/08 - Danny Cowan - LINK



[04.08.08]  [Next Column]  [View All...]  [View Other Saling The World Columns]


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