XBox 360 tops charts in US

September charts see Microsoft’s console outsell rival Wii thanks to Halo 3 surge
The successful release of Bungie’s hugely popular Halo 3 saw Microsoft’s Xbox 360 propelled to the top of the US hardware charts for the month of September, CVG reports.

Figures from the NPD Group claim that Xbox 360 sold 528,000 units in the period, slightly above the 501,000 Wii consoles that were sold.

Unsurprisingly, Halo 3 also topped the monthly software charts – with Nintendo duo Wii Play and Zelda: Phantom Hourglass claiming second and third spots.

Student Develops Robin Hood Game to help Sherwood Forest Bid

A postgraduate student has created a new computer game designed to support Nottinghamshire's bid to regenerate Sherwood Forest into a world-class tourist destination. Adam Duncan designed the game, Outlaws of Sherwood, as part of his MSc Multimedia Games Engineering course at Nottingham Trent University.

Outlaws of Sherwood will be officially launched by a Robin Hood-lookalike and Heritage Ranger Ade Andrews on Thursday, October 25 in Nottingham's Market Square. The event is being staged and hosted by Nottingham's GameCity festival, a week-long celebration of the modern culture of videogames. Nottingham Trent University is the lead partner for the festival, which features an extraordinary array of gaming events and aims to explore videogames in new and exciting ways.

The game will also form part of a drive to secure£50m investment from the Big Lottery Fund to transform Sherwood Forest into a top sustainable destination and inspirational community resource. The longstanding vision - Sherwood: the Living Legend - is being backed by a consortium of stakeholders and is shortlisted for the funding along with five other major projects nationwide. Shorlisted projects will go to a public vote in December.

Outlaws of Sherwood, which can be accessed via Sherwood: The Living Legend website ( www.robinhood.co.uk), features four stages which gamers need to guide their hero through to support and protect the forest. These include avoiding various obstacles while collecting gold, picking out the Sheriff's knights with a bow and arrow, and seeing how far you can throw a nobleman.

People who visit the website and play Outlaws of Sherwood will be encouraged to pledge their support to vote for the project. This can be done by registering at www.robinhood.co.uk or texting robin to 81025.

Adam said: "Outlaws of Sherwood was designed with the intention of appealing to as large an audience as possible. Using a game for the purposes of promotion gives the project the potential to draw people in who might not otherwise find out about the bid; it also shows how games can be used as tools to support worthy causes."

He added: "I'm proud to have had the opportunity to be involved in a project that helps the local community and I hope that the game goes on to contribute towards a successful bid."

James Lewis, Adam's tutor and Senior Lecturer in Computer Science, said: "Adam's done a great job. This project highlights the high standards achieved by students on Nottingham Trent University's computer games courses. We hope to demonstrate that computer games can be used as an effective campaigning tool. I'm delighted that the university has been able to help spread wordabout the Sherwood Forest project in such an innovative way."

If the Sherwood Forest bid is successful, the money would be used to pay for a range of improvements. These include creating an environmentally-friendly visitor complex in the form of a 100ft-high tree, giving visitors amazing views of the Sherwood landscape from a treetop viewing gallery; doubling in size the core of the ancient Oak Forest; and creating a 250km network of walking, cycling and horse riding paths.

Finally, at least 50 Nottinghamshire communities would be given the opportunity to enhance the place where they live by choosing a scheme to improve their local environment and illustrate their unique connection to Sherwood. Ideas could involve interpretation boards for important natural or historical features, new community designed village signs, creating nature trails or historical walks, or tree, hedge and wildflower planting.

Xbox 360 price drop in Japan

Plus add Forza Motorsport and Viva Piñata bundle

Microsoft has slashed prices for the Xbox 360 in Japan and introduced a new bundle to help boost flagging sales.

Effective November 1, the 20GB Premium unit will retail at JPY 34,800 (EUR 214), down from JPY 39,795, while the Core SKU will sell for 27,800 (EUR 171).

Microsoft will also introduce a Value Pack bundled with first-party titles Viva Piñata and Forza Motorsport for JPY 34,800, although there will be no HDMI cable packed in.

Manhunt 2 code leak

Take 2 points finger at Sony Europe employee

Take-Two has issued an official statement blaming a Sony Europe employee for leaking unreleased Manhunt 2 code onto the Internet.

Until now, the person responsible for the September download had been named only as someone who had access to the game.

"Take-Two Interactive has confirmed that a former employee of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) has acknowledged his responsibility for the unauthorized online distribution of an unrated play-test version of Manhunt 2 submitted for the European PAL PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system," the publisher told GamePolitics.

Manhunt 2 was denied the right to be sold in the UK for the second time at the beginning of October, after the BBFC claimed the changes made to the game had not gone far enough to grant it a green light.

GamesIndustry.biz has contacted SCEE for further insight but the publisher is unable to comment.

"As there is the potential for future legal action to be taken concerning this incident we are not in a position to make any comment," said a spokesperson for SCEE.

Stores expect biggest ever Christmas sales

Hardware variety and blockbuster releases point to lucrative season

With repositioned hardware prices now in place and the traditional flood of new software hitting stores over the coming weeks, leading High Street specialist Gamestation has told GamesIndustry.biz that it expects this season to be the “biggest Christmas ever”.

With a wide selection of home and handheld hardware covering multiple price points, and multiple software titles from all the leading publishers, not even shake-ups or supply problems with the home consoles is likely to dampen consumer spending.

"It's going to be the strongest Christmas ever, the biggest Christmas ever," commented Jeremy Gerkin, joint MD of Gamestation.

"We've got the PS3 in two different sizes, the Wii – availability might be a little bit difficult so people are getting them in early – the 360 and the Elite 360, and then the DS. So from a hardware perspective it's by far the best year ever. And there's a really exciting line-up of games as well," he said.

There may be continued problems with the supply of the Wii, but Gerkin believes that the market is still interested in Nintendo's console a year after the initial release.

"It's doing all it can to produce the Wii as quick as it can," he said. "It's been amazing how they've managed to keep the interest in it. A year after release and as soon as we get them we sell them.

"We haven't got a situation where we've got them and we're stuck with them for six months. They come in an go out on the same day. When it first came out we wondered if Nintendo could keep the interest going but they have certainly managed it. It's an amazing job," he added.

Gerkin was speaking during the weekend of the opening of the company's second biggest store in Hull, where customers were queuing the night before to take advantage of special offers that included Xbox 360 hardware for GBP 99.99, and new releases Legend of Zelda :Phantom Hourglass and Sega Rally for the PS3 for just GBP 9.99.

But it's not just the retailer's limited offers that are tempting gamers to part with their cash in the run up to Christmas. Sony's recent price drop of its 60GB PlayStation 3 has had a very positive effect on sales of the console.

"If anything it's demonstrated what good value the 60GB version is," said Gerkin. "What we expected initially was that we were going to sell a boat load of 40GB models but that's not what has happened.

"Customers have walked in and seen the GBP 279 price and then seen that the GBP 349 price is exceptional value. By bringing out a cheaper model it's improved the sales of the higher-priced model. It's great for the industry because it's another format for people to get behind," he added.

Although Gamestation is currently caught up in a messy investigation by the Competition Commission over GAME's acquisition of the business, Gerkin said that the company is focusing purely on the the upcoming sales season.

"It's business as usual. We know what's going on with the monopoly's investigation but we're focusing on Christmas and concentrating on delivering big numbers," he said.

Source: Games Industry

SPIDER-MAN MERCHANDISING LP AND BULLYING UK UNITE TO TURN FOES INTO FRIENDS

Activision, Spider-Man Merchandising LP Announces Support For Bullying UK As Spider-Man: Friend or Foe Hits Shops

ctivision, Inc. and Spider-Man Merchandising LP today announced their support of Bullying UK (www.bullying.co.uk), the UK’s premier anti-bullying resource. To celebrate the recent release of Activision’s Spider-Man™: Friend or Foe, in which Spider-Man joins forces with his enemies for the first time in a video game, Bullying UK will run a national competition for children aged seven and older, where they can win copies of the game.

The campaign will run from the launch of Spider-Man: Friend or Foe through to the end of Anti Bullying Week, starting on 19th November, and will be promoted on the Bullying UK web site, as well as in the Bullying UK newsletter and on the MySpace profile, which currently has 12,000 friends.

Inspired by Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Columbia Pictures Spider-Man movie trilogy, Spider-Man: Friend or Foe intertwines an original story that details a new chapter in the Spider-Man saga with a twist on key movie moments and villain boss battles.

The game challenges players to defeat and then join forces with notorious movie nemeses, including Doc Ock™, Green Goblin™, Venom™ and Sandman™, as they embark on a worldwide quest to overcome an evil threat. Players can even team up in two-player co-operative mode where one gamer plays as Spider-Man and the other plays as a sidekick, to deliver team combos and work together to defeat villains.

“Bullying UK is proud to be working alongside Activision, a world-renowned entertainment publisher, to highlight Spider-Man: Friend or Foe and our campaign,” commented John Carnell, Bullying UK. “Partnerships like this allow us to reach out to more young people and draw them into a world where bullying is unacceptable and with an iconic character like Spider-Man the message couldn’t be clearer.”

Spider-Man: Friend or Foe is available for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the Wii home video game system from Nintendo, the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and PSP (PlayStation Portable) system, the Nintendo DS and Games for Windows PC. The game is rated “7+” (Everyone 7 and older) by the PEGI.

For more information on Spider-Man: Friend or Foe, please visit www.friendorfoegame.com.

GUITAR HERO III: LEGENDS OF ROCK RELEASE DATE ANNOUNCED

November 23rd Confirmed As Street Date For Axe-Shredding

Activision, has today revealed the news all European gamers are waiting for -- Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock will be hitting all European territories on November 23rd 2007. The game will be available for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, Wii home video game system from Nintendo and PlayStation 2, and will feature the brand-new wireless Gibson Les Paul guitar controllers

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is the third instalment of the worldwide smash series of Guitar Hero games, taking the franchise to a new level. Featuring a staggering selection of global smash hit master tracks from the likes of Sex Pistols, Muse, Kaiser Chiefs, Killers, Guns N Roses, Iron Maiden and Red Hot Chili Peppers, among many, many others, it is the game which will redefine music-based videogames.

In addition, the game features original compositions from legendary guitarists Slash and Tom Morello, both of whom are featured as boss characters in the game. An all-new multiplayer battle mode allows spectacular duelling alongside the game’s established co-operative and face-off scenarios.

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock comes complete with all-new replica Gibson Les Paul guitar controllers (Kramer Pacer for PlayStation 2), complete with redesigned fret buttons and a removable, customisable faceplate. Most importantly, these guitars are now wireless, freeing players from the restrictions of trailing leads. Now, the living room really is a stage. (Note: previous Guitar Hero controllers will still work with their respective consoles).

“This is the biggest Guitar Hero release yet,” says Zach Fountain, General Manager, RedOctane Europe. “Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is the first time the franchise has released simultaneously across multiple formats, so we’re delighted to be able to confirm a single street date for all home consoles. The game introduces a host of innovations on each format – no matter what your console of choice, November 23rd will be the day your world gets well and truly rocked.”

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, published by RedOctane and developed by Neversoft, will be available on November 23rd, 2007. For more information about the Guitar Hero franchise, please visit the dedicated community site: www.guitarhero.com.

GamesIndustry.biz presents Faces of the GamesIndustry

Eurogamer Network today launches Faces of the GamesIndustry, a photographic event in association with One Big Game, Lincoln Beasley PR, the London Games Career Fair and GamesIndustry.biz.

The Faces of the GamesIndustry website can be found at http://facesofthe.gamesindustry.biz/.

The Faces of the GamesIndustry award is comprised of 10 portraits of the people that simply deserve to be included given the events in the world of games that year. While the line-up for the inaugural exhibition is the personal pick of photographer and Eurogamer Network publisher Patrick Garratt, voting for those to make the cut for the 2008 show will be opened to the trade.

Faces of the GamesIndustry will run alongside the London Games Career Fair, part of London Game Festival 2007, at Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL, from 11am - 7pm on Tuesday, 23 October and Wednesday, 24 October.

The Faces of the GamesIndustry for 2007 are:

Gabe Newell - Managing Director, Valve Corporation
Tony Hawk
Peter Moore - President, EA Sports
Tom Bramwell - Deputy Editor, Eurogamer.net
Kaz Hirai - President, Sony Computer Entertainment
Mark Rein - President, Epic Games
Ellie Gibson - Content Editor, Eurogamer Network
Phil Harrison - Executive Vice President, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe
Hideo Kojima - President, Kojima Productions
Paulina Bozek - Game Director, Singstar, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe

“It’s great to get Faces of the GamesIndustry off the ground,” said Eurogamer Network Publisher, Patrick Garratt. “Eurogamer Network will be looking to extend the brand in 2008 by opening voting to the trade through GamesIndustry.biz, and it’s exciting to be involved in the project as both a photographer and publisher.”

Wii-kly Update: 3 more Classic Games Added To Wii Shop Channel

Autumn leaves aren't the only reason your October is about to get a lot more colorful. The latest additions to the Wii Shop Channel deliver a brisk, eye-pleasing mix of classic gameplay for fall. Dive into this pile of vibrant titles for a timeless dose of fun and fantasy.

Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Channel every Monday. Wii™ owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week's new games are:

Lunar Pool® (NES®, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Lunar Pool takes the historical game of billiards and reinvents it with a unique and futuristic flair. The rules are simple: All you need to do is use your cue stick to hit the white cue ball, causing it to hit the other numbered balls and make them go into the pockets. You can enjoy nearly unlimited game play with 30 tables, two different ball arrangements, and the ability to change the degree of friction on the table. You can play against a computer or another human player, so try challenging someone once you've got the hang of the game.

Ninja JaJaMaru-kun® (NES®, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 600 Wii Points): Take on the role of a ninja called JaJaMaru and rescue the captured Princess Sakura from the evil Namazu Dayuu in this action-packed game, previously unreleased outside of Japan. JaJaMaru must use his throwing stars to defeat the monsters lurking in each of Dayuu's many hideouts. JaJaMaru has to be careful though, as each monster has its own unique weapon and method of attacking. The only way for him to advance is to break the floor bricks above him and move up and down between the levels of each round, defeating monsters as he goes. To help him, broken bricks sometimes reveal items that JaJaMaru can use to his advantage, possibly leading to the ultimate power-up: a ride on Gamapakun, the giant frog. Throw in some bonus stages and you've got a game with a style all its own.

Golden Axe™ III (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, Rated E10+ for Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points): The once-peaceful kingdom so familiar to fans of the original Golden Axe is under threat once again. The Prince of Darkness has stolen the invaluable Golden Axe, taken over the kingdom and rendered its warriors harmless with an evil curse. One warrior breaks free from the curse and must defeat the prince and regain the Golden Axe to save the kingdom. In this one- or two-player action game, play as a giant, a panther or a sword-wielding human and fight your way to victory once again.

When work becomes a game

Video games are big business and soon they could be big in business too.

A whole generation is growing up for whom video games are a key part of how they relax, whether it be fragging friends in a first person shooter or backing up the main tank in a Warcraft raid.
Skills learned on raids in games could apply to work too
And it is not just youngsters. There are plenty of older folks who shake off the dust of the working day in many different virtual worlds.

Statistics from the the US Entertainment Software Association (ESA) back this up. It claims that the average player is 33 an

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