General Gaming News

Video game sales have soared yet again this year, with Nintendo’s games and systems leading the pack in the US. Research has shown that retail sales of video games managed a phenomenal 57% jump to $1.7 billion in March, according to market researcher NPD Group. Judging by the sales figures, one could safely be forgiven to think that the US economy is nowhere under distress despite being otherwise in real life. I suppose more folks decided that spending more time at home trying to complete the latest game they purchased is way more cost effective than spending a night out - after all, a $59.90 game might last you for weeks on end as you subsist on TV meals, while going out on a date will easily cost you more than that amount in a single night.

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The Grand Theft Auto truly took off in a big way thanks to its appearance on the PS2 which heralded a new era of open-ended gaming, and good thing that GTA IV won’t be a PS3 exclusive as Xbox 360 owners will be able to enjoy this genre defining title as well. In fact, the hype surrounding GTA IV is so huge and has been whipped up into a massive maelstrom, with even some industry analysts touting the potential of this title to be one of the biggest titles of all time. With such potential, it is no wonder that Amazon and Rockstar Games are at the forefront where there’s good money to be made - both companies have come to an agreement that features a unique new model where digital music distribution is concerned; gamers will be able to purchase music from within the game itself for their iPods, PCs, and other compatible devices.

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Looks like the Nintendo Wii will be getting a whole lot of shovelware love from Gameloft, as the latter has recently announced that it is working on an apparently strong line-up for WiiWare - the new downloadable game service from Nintendo for their next-gen (now current gen) console. The entire library of new games has been slated for launches across three continents, mainly in Europe, the US and Japan. This line up will feature a host of games including Block Breaker Deluxe, Midnight Pool, Midnight Bowling and TV Show King. All these games will be built from scratch or is some sort of rehashed title that has been recreated specially for the Wii platform, taking advantage of the motion sensing controller in order to maximize your gaming enjoyment.

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Rock Band is a best seller by all accounts, and since its launch on November 20 last year, the title has moved more than 6 million game levels alone based on the songs purchased. Part of this success is due to an impressive weekly stream of downloadable content that is available since launch, along with more than 70 songs available for purchase. For a game to go six times platinum is saying a lot, and it shows that casual gaming is here to stay, with more than enough power to appeal to the masses.

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Final Fantasy fans, rejoice! This superior franchise has received yet another new title from the Final Fantasy Tactics line, being a sequel to the hit 2003 Game Boy Advance game. This time, Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift (FFTA2 in short) will be released come June 24th, 2008. I remember the good old days of the original PlayStation, where I spent hours upon hours of my time walking around to level up my primary party to master the Calculator job before I could really whoop ass. The mindless and gruelling level grinding was well worth the effort, and FFTA on the GBA a few years later offered a fresh take on an old game with tweaks and changes made to the game mechanics and story. FFTA2 promises more movement forward, as you will be able to find out more after the jump.

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iWin has rolled out its Feud Dream Home game, making it the 6th installment of the wildly popular Family Feud casual game franchise. Family Feud is a famous TV game show that has been translated into the electronic form, throwing in a new element that enables players to use points accumilated to purchase virtual items that can then be placed within the virtual “Dream Home”, beautifying it in the process. Sounds as though the Sims and Animal Crossing have done that a long time ago, but let’s not judge a game with just one feature, shall we?

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SouthPeak Games have just announced that “Edge of Twilight” from FUZZYEYES will be made available to the masses next year, with the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC being the platforms of choice. Currently, the title is still under development at FUZZYEYES, relying on Unreal Engine 3’s license to bring this surreal world to gamers all over the world. What does this game have to offer to ordinary folk like you and I? Will it revolutionize any genre that are already available in the market? Well, it actually transports the player into a “lavishly envisioned steampunk world to play as Lex, an outcast bounty hunter who finds himself caught between clashes of two polar opposite civilizations. Delivering a unique brand of fast-paced cinematic action, the game will be a truly immersive experience.”

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Metal Gear Solid 4 seems to be taking forever to be released, but the time is nigh. This potential killer title ought to hit the streets sometime in Q2 this year, and if you’re one of those who promised to pick up a PS3 only when MGS4 is released, it is time to let out a huge whoop of joy. Sony has just announced that it will be shipping a PS3 bundle that includes a DUALSHOCK 3 wireless controller as well as Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, all for $499. When you think about it, that is really a bargain considering how high the original 60GB PS3 price point was when it was first introduced a couple of years ago. This $499 bundle will see you go home with a big smile on your face, complete with the 80GB PS3 model.

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While Xbox 360 sales might have slowed down a Wii bit (hehe), Microsoft is filled to the brim with optimism for the year 2008, and they have the necessary plans to back it up. Announced at GDC 2008, here are some top news that will profoundly affect the console for the better in the coming year. First off, we have one of the most important announcements - the Xbox 360 exclusive “Gears of War 2″ will be released this coming November, so it is time to paint the town red as everyone celebrates the return of this ultra-realistic gaming title on their HDTVs.

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Looks like the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona is a happy hunting ground for Cellufun, having picked up the “Best Mobile Game” award at that event. It isn’t the only winner though as Glu Mobile’s “My Hangman” also picked up accolades for itself in that category. The 13th Annual Global Mobile Awards ceremony was held at Barcelona’s National Palace, and it is an event that celebrates the highest achievements across the mobile industry, ranging from innovation to mobile entertainment, mobile services, handsets and devices.

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