| | | | GameCube titles at Spaceworld 2001
Spaceworld 2001 launches within a month. On August 25 and 26, Nintendo will have on display the following GameCube games:
Super Smash Bros. Melee -- Nintendo
| | Video Game Sales Up
It looks like the video game business is growing very fast. The NPD Group, Inc. reported that retail sales of U.S. video game hardware, accessories and games shot up 28% in the first half of 2001, compared to the first half of 2000. The main factors, as reported by NPD, of this great sales explosion are due to sales of the Playstation 2, the release of the Gameboy Advance and prices of Dreamcast games going down.
| | Konami buys 38 percent of stock in Hudson Soft
Konami Corp, on Thursday, announced that it would buy a 38 percent stake in Hudson Soft Co for $40.46 million in hopes that the move would boost market share by diversifying its products. This is the latest in a series of financial moves by Konami, creator of the popular “Dance Dance Revolution” music game, to gain a larger share of the Japanese market.
| | Activision has big plans
Activision has just made a press release in regards to its future video game products. Currently, Activision has at least 65 products in development across almost all platforms. They plan to release 10 games for the GameCube and 14 games for the Xbox by the end of the 2002 fiscal year. This year, Activision will have no games ready for the GameCube but will have Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2x for Xbox. One last thing to mention about the press release is that Activision's past quarter was the best opening quarter in 22 years since they've been in business. Click on the link below to view the whole press release. In order to view it, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader.
| | LithTech Engine coming to GameCube
The LithTech Engine, which has powered great PC games such as Shogo: Mobile Armor Division and No One Lives Forever, will soon be adding Nintendo GameCube to its list of supported platforms. The powerful game development system currently supports PC, PS2, and Xbox.
LithTech marketing manager Dan White mentioned this little tidbit in a recent interview with HomeLAN. DW also mentioned that within the next few weeks, their may be a sneak-peak of the much anticipated LithTech 4.0.
| | SegaNet goes to Earthlink
Sega has announced that those who signed up to their SegaNet gaming service will have their accounts moved to Earthlink. This will allow people who purchase the same Sega game on a different platform, to play the game with another gamer using a different platform. For example, if Phantasy Star Online comes out for Playstation 2 and GameCube, Playstation 2 and GameCube gamers will be able to play the game together. It’s good to see that Sega is still on the forefront of gaming technology.
| | Gradius Invades Gameboy Advance
Remember the great Gradius games of old? Well, now Gameboy Advance gamers will be able swim in the memories of yesteryear. Gradius is heading to the Gameboy Advance and it looks mighty sweet. The next installment of the Gradius series will be called Gradius Galaxies. The sequel to the ultra popular series will feature eight new stages as well as a new array of powerful weapons. Click on the link below to view the screenshots.
| Crash crashes Gameboy Advance
Attention Gameboy Advance gamers! Crash Bandicoot will soon be crashing a GBA near you. Whilst surfing the web today, I stumbled upon the first screenshots of Crash Bandicoot Advance. Crash Bandicoot Advance will have six environments and 20 levels that are set in both new and familiar locations. The developers that are creating this portable masterpiece are the same folks that brought Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 to the Gameboy Advance. We will have more on this as the story develops. For now, click on the link below to view the screenshots.
| Sakaguchi talks Final Fantasy
The Los Angeles Times interviewed Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguci about developing Final Fantasy games on other platforms than just the Playstation 2. Sakaguci did confirm that developing for other platforms is an option they are pondering upon. He also went on to say that Final Fantasy XI will be fully online playable and in order for the game to be successful, it will have to transcend hardware. Sakaguci also confirmed that the executives at Square are very enthusiastic about Nintendo. There will be more on this here as the story develops.
| | SD Memory Card prices drop
Panasonic has announced a price drop for all of its SD Memory Cards. The 64MB version of the SD Memory Card's retail price has dropped from $159.95 to $99.95. The 32MB and 16 MB SD Memory Card prices have dropped as well. The SD Memory Card is Nintendo's solution for additional memory that GameCube gamers can use to save scores and other information from their games.
| | How game consoles work
Ever wondered how the Sega Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, Sony Playstation and Playstation 2 work? How about the upcoming Nintendo GameCube and Microsoft Xbox?
The guys over at Howstuffworks.com have put together a nice set of articles explaining the inner workings of today's video game consoles. They even threw in the Game Boy Advance. Check the links below.
| | Infogrames gets exclusive rights to Terminator
Further strengthening its position as a global leader in mass-market interactive entertainment, Infogrames, Inc. today announced a major licensing agreement to develop games based on the Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day motion pictures. The agreements were negotiated by Creative Licensing Corporation for the Terminator property and The Licensing Group, Ltd., for the Terminator 2: Judgment Day property. Under terms of the agreement, Infogrames has acquired the exclusive rights to develop and publish games worldwide for current and next-generation console platforms as well as games for PC and Mac. The first game is anticipated to kick-off in the Spring of 2002 and is being developed by Infogrames.
| | Titus Interactive: Exclusive Interactive Rights To Robocop.
Titus to Develop, Publish and Distribute Robocop Games For PC and All Next Generation Consoles.
Titus Interactive announced today that it has extended its current agreement with MGM Interactive, a unit of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which will allow Titus to exclusively produce games based on MGM’s successful Robocop film series for the Microsoft Xbox. This is in conjunction with the current agreement, that gives Titus the rights to produce games for the PC as well as other next generation consoles including Sony PlayStation 2, Nintendo Game Boy Advance, and GameCube.
| | Crazy Taxi Movie
It seems like every game is turning into a movie these days. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider is enjoying success currently. Final Fantasy movie comes out in less than 2 weeks. Perfect Dark has a movie in the works. Now, news of a Crazy Taxi movie is in the air. That's some great air, if you ask me.
There's even a hint that Space Channel 5, Virtua Fighter, and Jet Grind Radio could end up with feature films. Who would make a great Ulala? Now that's something to think about.
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