Confirmed: Video Games Rentals Hurt Sales

A new report by Magid Associates confirms what many already know -- that video game rentals (as is the case with any type of rental) significantly hinder sales.

Less than 10 percent of renters go on to purchase a play tested game says Game Daily. That same group only buys a tenth of the games they rent, however.

That's a sizable number considering that almost 40 percent of weekly console gamers report renting at least one game in the last year.

Teenagers, with limited or no disposable income, represent almost 30 percent of game renters even though they make up only 12 percent of the total gamer population.

"More often than not consumers tell us they don't buy a rental game because it was not very good or it is too short," says analyst Mike Vorhaus. "Rental play does not lead to significant purchases of those rented games."

Assassin's Creed video game- Review

Review from Star-Telegraph

For years, Assassin's Creed has been shrouded in secrecy, with Ubisoft giving the media only the briefest glimpses of the game, and teasing it with information.

Rule No. 1: Do not tease members of the media. (Trust me, we were all teased plenty as children.)

After a few lackluster showings, including a buggy demo during Microsoft's E3 press conference in July, the Assassin's Creed backlash officially began. Suddenly, the game went from being one of the most promising triple-A titles of the year to being voted "The Game We're Most Worried About" by the staff at Electronic Gaming Monthly.

The game's big secret -- and if you've been following it closely, then you've probably already figured it out -- is that you're not actually a cowl-wearing assassin in 1191 Jerusalem. You're a humble modern-day bartender.

You read that right -- a bartender.

But apparently one of your ancestors was indeed a cowl-wearing assassin in 1191. The sci-fi premise of the game is that the memories of our ancestors are actually stored in our DNA. And a pair of scientists, for reasons that eventually become clear to you, are holding you against your will, and forcing you to relive those ancestral memories.

The story isn't the only aspect of Assassin's Creed that feels complex.

During your memory sequences -- ostensibly flashbacks -- the control scheme also is complex. In fact, it's complex enough to merit not one but two nearly identical tutorials in the first hour of gameplay. No doubt you'll spend some time pressing the wrong buttons before you get the hang of them.

You play the game as Altair, the aforementioned cowl-wearing assassin. Think of him as a kind of Old World Batman. Your mission is to track down and assassinate various crime lords, politicians and all-around bad guys. You're not a welcome presence in the cities; if the street-roaming guards spot you, they'll take chase. So, like Batman, you'll spend much of the game lurking on rooftops, peering down at the action below, tracking your marks and finding the right moments to strike.

You pickpocket targets, eavesdrop on conversations or trail targets into back alleys, wait for them to be alone, then beat a confession out of them.

Sound complicated? Oh, it is. Indeed, there's a pretty substantial hump to get over in the first few hours of the game.

It's difficult to see the appeal of Assassin's Creed in the first hour or two of gameplay. It's not an easy game to like. It's heady. It's mature. It's complicated. The game's world -- three massive cities spread over hundreds of virtual miles -- feels too vast, too overwhelming.

To its credit, Assassin's Creed feels decidedly adult. In fact, it's one of the most adult games, in theme and content, the 30-or-so-year-old medium has ever seen. It made me realize how few games display this degree of maturity. We could certainly use more of them.

I admire Assassin's Creed for its scale and scope, for its terrific writing, for its supremely gorgeous look, and for its ambitions, for what it attempts to do.

I only wish that I enjoyed playing it more.

Nintendo admits Wii video game system shortages are a "missed opportunity"

There's no supply conspiracy, says Nintendo boss

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime has admitted that the shortage of Wii units at retail is a missed opportunity for the company.

And he dismissed the conspiracy theory that Nintendo is holding back stock to drive demand, saying such a move would be counterintuitive to the audience it is trying to sell to.

"At this point we are literally trying to catch up with demand," said Fils-Aime, in an interview with news.com.

"There is no secret plan to store Wiis in a warehouse to spur demand. The company, after all, is trying to reach out to women and 40 and 50-year olds who aren't avid gamers."

"They aren't going to sleep outside of a store overnight or visit a retailer five or six times. It is literally a missed opportunity," he said.

Although the Wii is being snatched up just as fast as Nintendo can supply units to retail – with HMV last week telling GamesIndustry.biz that the console is selling out within minutes – it hasn't stopped the company from clocking up massive sales numbers.

During the Thanksgiving period last week, Nintendo sold over 350,000 Wiis in the US.

Nintendo DS video games player sales smash Game Boy Advance record

Nintendo of America enjoys record-breaking week

Nintendo of America has set a new sales record by selling more products during the Thanksgiving week than at any other time in the company's history.

During the period November 18 to November 24, over 653,000 DS units were sold, smashing the previous record of 600,000 Game Boy Advance consoles sold in 2005.

A further 350,000 Wii home systems were also snapped up by Christmas shoppers, along with "millions of games and accessories".

"As shoppers look for ways to maximize their limited holiday spending money, they turn to gifts that can be used by the entire family," commented George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications.

"Wii and Nintendo DS offer something for every member of the family. They're the most fun video game experiences at the most affordable price."

How To Properly Sell A Copy Of Rock Star

Without a doubt, this auction manages to speak for itself. I have to admit, I was tempted to post the link to this auction, the pic and nothing more.

However, I will take some time to describe an auction that really doesn’t need one. We all know that by throwing a picture of a hot girl holding the item for sale into your auction, you can (and will) slightly boost its selling price.

Well, how about you include two hot girls? And a game that’s going to be relatively hard to find this Christmas? And the two girls are going to deliver the game to you on Christmas day? And said two girls are both softcore porn models?

Well then, now you’ve got something.

As much as I look forward to asking her to bang on my drums when it arrives, I can’t help but looking at that pic and worrying about receiving a box that has already been crushed.

Source: Gamesniped

Is tomorrow's Clapton playing 'Guitar Hero'?

In a recent South Park episode, we see two of the show's main characters, Stan and Kyle, rocking out to the video game Guitar Hero as a roomful of their friends watch, rapt.

As they're playing, Stan's father walks in, asks, "You kids want to see something really cool?" and starts to play an electric guitar.

For a moment, the room is dead silent. Then, Stan asks, incredulously, "Dad, what are you doing?"

"I can actually play a lot of these songs on a real guitar," the father responds. "Want me to show you boys how?"

Stan spits back, "That's stupid, Dad."

Well, maybe not, say guitar teachers. In fact, the immense popularity of the hit Guitar Hero franchise--the third iteration of the game, Guitar Hero III, brought in $115 million during its first week on the market--may be the best thing that has happened to the instrument, to rock 'n' roll, and to guitar instructors, in a long time.

"I have an overwhelming feeling that my business is safe for years to come when I see kids playing Guitar Hero," said Dan Emery, owner of New York City Guitar School. "These kids are really enjoying playing Guitar Hero, and they're really being turned on to old classic rock" via the game.

More from CNet News

Smarty Pants Lets Gamers Show Off Their Brainpower

With 20,000 questions and a filter that sifts by age, everybody has an equal opportunity to win the intelligence crown.

Smarty Pants uses 1 to 4 Wii remotes for dancing, spinning the wheel, and making intuitive gestures to play. Four-player action allows players to team up with friends and family for plenty of fast-paced multiplayer fun.

ESRB: Everyone

Official website

Fantasy Aquarium by DS video game released

Growing UK games publisher, Mercury Games today released more screen shots and a video from fourth coming relaxing simulation games “Aquarium by DS” and “Fantasy Aquarium by DS” both for the Nintendo DS.

Just like keeping fish in real life, the fish need to be fed and have their tanks cleaned. “Aquarium by DS” allows the player to keep the usual types of fish that one would find in a fish tank including Clown Fish, Angelfish, Neon Tetra and Guppy. While “Fantasy Aquarium by DS” allows the player to keep fish which could never be kept as pets in a tank such as Blue whales, dolphins, Seals and sharks.

Aquarium by DS and Fantasy Aquarium by DS are due for release in February 2007. The SRP will be £19.99/ €24.99.

GripShift video game races on Xbox Live Arcade

Sidhe Interactive, industry leading developer of cross platform titles, today announced that their award-winning driving platformer title, GripShift®, is headed to Xbox LIVE Arcade (XBLA), the premier destination for digitally distributed, high-definition original and classic games. Available this year, the Xbox LIVE Arcade-exclusive title features updated graphics, improved controls and additional single and multiplayer content, including new Challenge courses and a Deathmatch mode.

"Veteran players and newcomers to the game will both find something to love in this definitive version of GripShift," said Mario Wynands, Managing Director of Sidhe Interactive. "We've added a substantial amount of new content, including new single player courses and a multiplayer Deathmatch mode for players bent on dominating their friends or climbing to the top of the leaderboards."

GripShift brings the action online to Xbox LIVE Arcade with an abundance of new content, including upgraded graphics, Deathmatch mode and new race courses. Additionally, unlockable achievements and TrueSkill Leaderboard functionality will keep Xbox 360 owners coming back to race their way to glory!

For more information on GripShift, please visit: www.gripshiftgame.com.

Stranglehold - Short Film Contest Starts Today!

Midway Games Ltd launches the European Stranglehold short film contest powered by Eurogamer at www.massive-d.com.

Today, Midway Games Ltd announced the start of the European Stranglehold™ short film contest powered by Eurogamer. As of now, amateur directors can create their own Stranglehold short films at www.massive-d.com and enter their creation into weekly competitions to win exclusive prizes.

The competition will run over eight weeks, with winners selected and voting reset to zero every week. The weekly winners will receive a limited edition game console with a Stranglehold design, while the overall winner will enjoy a luxury trip for two to Hong Kong. In addition, Midway will be giving away games signed by acclaimed action director John Woo to lucky registered users who have participated in the voting.

“The European Stranglehold short film contest powered by Eurogamer is a fantastic way for us speak directly to game fans from the three largest European markets and challenge them to participate,” says Leonie Manshanden, European Marketing Director for Midway Games Europe. “This activity is an elemental component of our pan-European, multi-million Euro campaign supporting the launch of Stranglehold, and is the largest that Midway Europe has ever implemented.”

Until mid-January, users can create their own custom-made Stranglehold short film on the amazing www.massive-d.com website. There are over 160 all-time classic films, texts, and sound clips available to be

pieced together to make their very own, 90 second short film.
About Stranglehold™

A collaboration with world renowned action film director John Woo's Tiger Hill Entertainment, Stranglehold allows players to experience the excitement of true next-gen action as you take on the role of Inspector Tequila created by John Woo for his influential action film, "Hard Boiled" starring Chow Yun-Fat. Ensnared by a crime boss with a gripping secret, Inspector Tequila is forced to cross the line from sworn duty to bloody revenge. Engage your enemies with intense cinematic gun battles and cause massive environmental damage in real-time or revolutionary slow-motion Tequila Time.