Video Game Buttons Blog

April 30, 2007

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The New York Times has reported that more than 1,500 schools are expected to include Konami’s Dance Dance Revolution in their exercise curriculum by the end of the decade.

West Virginia alone plans to introduce 765 DDR games in its public schools by next year. In February, Konami and the West Virginia Games For Health project revealed the results of a 24-week clinical study into exergaming using Dance Dance Revolution, indicating that regular use of the game “improves arterial function in overweight children.”
 

“Traditionally, physical education was about team sports and was very skills oriented,” Los Angeles Unified School District’s physical education head Chad Fenwick said.  About 40 schools in Fenwick’s district currently offer DDR.  “What you’re seeing is a move toward activities where you don’t need to be so great at catching and throwing and things like that, so we can appeal to a wider range of kids.” 

The news is the latest to highlight the wellness benefits associated with playing DDR.  Earlier this year the XRKade Research Lab, the first university interactive fitness research lab for children, opened at the University of South Florida with the aim to offer new and innovative ways of combating childhood obesity, including DDR. The game is also featured at Texas-based NexGym Fitness Centers, which emphasize exercise through “high-energy fitness activities.’

Leighton Nakamoto, a physical ed teacher in Hawaii explained that “the new physical education” favors “lifetime fitness” over team competition and that “DDR is a part of that. They can do it on their own, and they don’t have to compete with anyone else.”
 

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When EA’s Madden series had been given exclusive rights to NFL franchises in a 5-year deal, it seemed as if rival publishers and developers - like Take-Two’s 2K Sports line- would not be able to create NFL-based video games.  A recent announcement, however, shows that 2K Sports has managed to find a way around the licensing agreement by focusing on past players instead of present ones.  Take Two’s All-Pro Football 2K8 is scheduled for a summer release on the Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles and will feature nearly every single retired NFL great to ever wear a football uniform. 

 
“With All-Pro Football 2K8, we’re bringing the greatest players in football history back to the game,” said Greg Thomas, President of 2K Sports’ Visual Concepts. “Imagine an offense featuring John Elway, Thurman Thomas and Jerry Rice going against a defense led by Ronnie Lott, Mike Singletary and Reggie White. By highlighting the signature abilities of the game’s greatest legends, we have created a highly customizable and unique football experience tailored for the football fan.”

 
The known list of players is in excess of 200 so far, but here’s a list of notables (by position):

Center
Dermontti Dawson
Jim Otto

Corner Back
Lester Hayes
NightTrain Lane
Willie Brown

Defensive End
Chris Doleman
Deacon Jones
Dexter Manley
Elvin Bethea
Gino Marchetti
Jim Marshall
Leonard Marshall
Reggie White
Rulon Jones
Tony Tolbert
TooTall Jones

Defensive Tackle
Art Donovan
Bob Lilly
Dan Hampton
Dan Saleaumua
Jerome Brown
Leon Lett
Marty Lyons
Mike Golic
Randy White
William Perry

Fullback
Daryl Johnston
Ickey Woods
Merril Hoge
Tom Rathman

Safety
Eugene Robinson
Leroy Butler
Ronnie Lott
Solomon Wilcots
Jack Tatum

Half Back
Barry Foster
Barry Sanders
Christian Okoye
Dave Meggett
Earl Campbell
Emmitt Smith
Freeman McNeil
Gale Sayers
Marcus Allen
O.J. Simpson
Ottis Anderson
Paul Hornung
Ricky Watters
Roger Craig
Thurman Thomas
Walter Payton

Linebacker
Chris Spielman
Chuck Noll
Dick Butkus
Gary Plummer
Harry Carson
Mike Singletary
Nick Buoniconti
Pepper Johnson
Brian Bosworth
Carl Banks
Derrick Thomas
Greg Lloyd
Jessie Tuggle
Ken Norton Jr

Quarterback
Archie Manning
Bart Starr
Bernie Kosar
Dan Marino
Joe Montana
Joe Theismann
John Elway
Johnny Unitas
Ken Stabler
Len Dawson
Lynn Dickey
Mark Rypien
Otto Graham
Roger Staubach
Troy Aikman
Warrren Moon

Offensive Tackle
Anthony Munoz
Korey Stringer
Richmond Webb
Roosevelt Brown
Tony Boselli
Tight End
Ben Coates
Jay Novacek
Keith Jackson
Mike Ditka
Todd Christensen

Receiver
Andre Reed
Anthony Carter
Don Maynard
Dwight Clark
Fred Biletnikoff
Irving Fryar
James Lofton
Jerry Rice
John Taylor
Rob Moore
Steve Tasker
Willie Gault

April 27, 2007

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Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, following details of Nintendo’s record breaking full year financial results yesterday, has labeled worldwide shortages of the Wii console as “abnormal” and promised to increase deliveries by May next month.

“We must do our best to fix this abnormal lack of stock. We have not been able to properly foresee demand,” Iwata was quoted in an Associated Press report.

Iwata did not confirm Wii’s current monthly production capacity, nor did he give any indication of how much Wii production is set to increase.  It has been so tough to get one’s hand on a Wii console since its fall launch that some are accusing Nintendo of purposefully withholding stock to stimulate consumer interest.  Iwata did, however, reveal that new Nintendo DS consoles, which are also difficult to obtain in certain markets (e.g. Japan) are being manufactured at a rate of 2.5 million units a month, the highest ever for a Nintendo console.  Whatever that means.

Nintendo revealed yesterday that the company’s net profit for the financial year (ended March 31) had risen by 77% to ¥174.3 billion ($1.47bn), with sales up by 90% to ¥966.5 billion ($8.10bn).  A total of 5.84 Wii consoles had been sold by the same date – roughly meeting the company’s target of six million.

April 26, 2007

Sony has announced the PlayStation Eye camera for the PS3, which should debut this summer with bundled EyeCreate software.

As key features of the upgraded Eye camera peripheral, Sony lists a more sophisticated microphone (4 channel audio, 48kHz) with the ability to reduce background noise and focus on spoken word for smoother, more accurate speech recognition, and a re-engineered lens with higher resolution input (640 x 480 at 60fps) to better perform in low-light conditions, a faster frame rate, a two-position zoom lens for close-up and full body options, and  free EyeCreate editing software, which allows users to save, edit, and add visual effects to photos, video and audio clips.

EyeCreate also enables user to capture videos and audio clips directly to the PS3’s hard disk drive and access a range of different capturing modes, including slow motion and time-lapse. Pricing for the peripheral has not yet been revealed.

Announced simultaneously was that Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast will provide content for one of the debut titles to use the PlayStation Eye, the camera-based CCG The Eye of Judgment.  WoTC already produces major CCG Magic: The Gathering, and under the agreement, Hasbro will create, manufacture and distribute the trading cards associated with The Eye of Judgment video game.

In the game itself, through use of a 3 x 3 board and trading cards, each encrypted with CyberCode, players conquer the field by selecting a card and placing the coded card in front of the PlayStation Eye for their respective creatures to come to life and battle. Each creature has various skills which will determine the outcome of the battle. Players take turns placing cards as they jostle for control of the board; the winner is the first player to conquer five of the nine fields. The game is slated for release in fall 2007.

April 25, 2007

Third-party games peripheral manufacturer Piranha Accessories has launched the first gun accessory for Wii.

The first gun expansion controller shown for Wii was Nintendo’s own (pictured below) which looked more like a shotgun, and Nintendo has said nothing about it since. Piranha Accessories, however, isn’t holding back for Nintendo and released its own gun expansion.  The W14 Gun works in a similar way to Nintendo’s zapper; just clip the Wii Remote into the front of it so that the Remote’s sensor is aimed at the screen.

As of right now, there are no price or availability details on Piranha’s site, but the gun is said to be available now for $19.99 (around £14) - if you manage to get your hands on one.  The W14 Wii gun from Piranha is already being talked about as a cool new option for Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles.

The W14 Wii gun (pioctured below) features a rubber coating for a better grip, a realistic design, a real trigger, a Wii Nunchuck and Remote in one, safe and strong hold for the Remote, and Plug & Play accessibility.

Ubisoft reps have announced a new brand in its Tom Clancy franchise with EndWar, a World War III strategy title developed by Ubisoft’s Shanghai studios, and led by Rome: Total War creative director Michael de Plater.

The new game marks the latest new endeavor in Tom Clancy’s best selling game franchise which also includes Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six and Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell.

Though few details have been announced ahead of EndWar’s major reveal, its creative direction from former Creative Assembly designer Michael de Plater should point to a real time strategy title somewhere in line with the critically acclaimed Rome: Total War.

With a future setting in a fictitious World War III, Ubisoft promises EndWar will “push the envelope of technology, showcasing artificial intelligence, graphics, physics and animations” that it says was not possible prior to the launch of this generation’s new consoles. The game is set for a launch some time within the next year.

Said Ubisoft chief creative officer Serge Hascoët, “Our development teams are invigorated to be creating the first 100 percent next-generation Tom Clancy brand. A strategy game like no other, EndWar will allow gamers to lead their own armies against hundreds of others online in real global locations on the massive battlefields of World War III.”

April 24, 2007

AG Edwards analyst Bill Kreher has revealed that Guitar Hero II for Xbox 360 is now sold out in 99 out of 100 GameStop stores surveyed.

In Kreher’s April 10th survey, 89 out of 100 GameStop stores were sold out of Guitar Hero II for Microsoft’s Xbox 360, but the new survey shows a continued case of “demand outstripping supply with only 1 of 100 GameStops having GH II in stock (1 unit) and again no extra guitar (X-Plorer) controllers.”

“Roughly half of the stores without copies available expect a shipment to arrive at some point during this week. We believe Activision is currently seeking ways to increase production and fulfill consumer demand,” Kreher noted in his commentary to clients.

Of Guitar Hero II publisher, Kreher also re-iterated, “We continue to believe ATVI is poised for market share gains in first half fiscal ‘08 based on momentum from Guitar Hero and solid prospects for movie-supported franchises including Spiderman and Shrek.”

Kreher’s queries on whether next-gen hardware was available at each of the 100 GameStop stores revealed results tying in with recent anecdotal information: “Our questions on hardware availability continue to reflect high demand for the Wii. Of the stores we contacted, none had a Nintendo Wii available. Our survey also found PS3s and Xbox 360s in all 100 stores.”

Kreher has also said that, according to his retail checks, the retail Wii drought isn’t expected to end any time soon: “We were told by 5 GameStops that they expected to receive orders this week.”  The stock problems couldn’t be narrowed specifically to either high demand or short supply, he explained.  “Most of the outlets we talked to explained that they go extremely fast once they are received — people even follow the delivery trucks to the stores.”

“Most of the sales associates did not have a clue when the next shipment would be in, explaining that sometimes when the packages get off the trucks they are surprised to find Wiis inside.  We have heard from numerous stores that sometimes they will receive 10 units, then the next shipment only 2 units.  It is very volatile and unpredictable.”

Xleague.TV, the TV show dedicated to e-Sports, has unveiled the lineup of games that’ll feature in the launch of its leagues and tournaments.  The lineup enables gamers to compete across Xbox 360, PS3 and PC platforms, covering sports, FPS, RTS, and racing genres.

Here’s the launch line-up in full:

XBOX 360
Pro Evolution Soccer 6
Rainbow Six: Vegas
Project Gotham Racing 3
Gears of War
Halo 2
Dead or Alive 4

PS3
Resistance: Fall of Man
Motorstorm

PC
Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
Quake 4

Xleague.TV’s web site launches next month, and will be subsequently followed by the debut of the TV show itself on Sky in May.

April 23, 2007

Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon Boon stated that the next fighting game to come from the Mortal Kombat franchise will be “serious” and “a lot more realistic looking.” 

 
“[W]e’re not joking around in this one, it’s not going to be like jokes,” he told CVG in an interview.  This news comes after the confirmation from Midway that the company’s next-gen games (including the next Mortal Kombat title) would be powered by Epic’s Unreal Engine 3.0.  As a result, Boon confirms that this as-of-yet untitled fighting game would be “a lot grittier, dirtier” than previous entries in the Mortal Kombat series.

 
In addition to claiming that his team is looking to adapt the Mortal Kombat series to next-gen console technology (such as the implementation of motion-sensing functions), Boon has also stated that his development team has wiped the slate clean. Certain features in past games may be in danger of being eliminated: “We’re not putting any restrictions like we HAVE to keep weapons or we HAVE to keep fighting styles and stuff like that…we’re going to try to introduce as many new characters as possible, new features, new stuff like that and take advantage of the amazing presentation, graphics that all of a sudden you can do, things that are a lot more real.”

 
Boon revealed that his game probably won’t come out until the end of 2008.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has announced price cuts for the PSP in Europe.

The price of the PSP Core bundle will fall from €199.99/£149.99 ($271) to €169.99/£129.99 ($230).  Earlier in the month, a price drop in the U.S. was announced (from $199.99 to $169.99), although the effect of this change on sales has not yet become clear in the latest NPD data.

Sony officials have also announced that the registered retail price of budget priced Platinum re-release titles will fall from £19.99 to £14.99 ($40 to $30).  Five new titles will also be added to the range, in the form of Ridge Racer 2, Tekken: Dark Resurrection, Killzone: Liberation, LocoRoco and Moto GP.

“PSP is unique and is constantly evolving. It offers the widest palette of mobile entertainment, from gaming to video, music, photos and internet,” said SCE UK managing director Ray Maguire. “But now the exciting possibility of connecting remotely to PS3 makes PSP more relevant than ever. So what better time to offer a brand new price point, and the launch of five new Platinum titles?”