-
EEDAR analyst Jesse Divnich predicts Sony’s console will surpass Microsoft’s system’s global installed base within two years.
The Xbox 360 may routinely sell tens of thousands of units more than the PlayStation 3 in the US, according to since-discontinued monthly sales figures provided by the NPD Group, but Sony’s console holds the edge in other regions across the globe. According to Microsoft’s and Sony’s most recent financial reports, PS3 unit sales continue to close the gap on the Xbox 360. Microsoft’s console holds a slim margin, despite its yearlong head start, with figures through September coming in at 44.6 million Xbox 360s to 41.6 million PS3s.
According to Electronic Entertainment Design and Research analyst Jesse Divnich, the Xbox 360’s sales lead over the PS3 will come to an end within two years. “Worldwide, Sony will eventually take the lead from Microsoft, likely by the end of 2012,” Divnich said as part of an interview with Industry Gamers. Divnich went on to note that Microsoft may retain its lead in North America, at least, indefinitely.
“North America is a tougher challenge, and as we have seen lately, Microsoft’s lead is widening,” he continued. “I don’t know if the PS3 will ever overtake the Xbox 360 in North America. Maybe 2014? 2016? We do know the PS3 has incredible long-term value as a Blu-ray player, much like the PlayStation 2 did as a DVD player. But with strong competition coming from the digital front, one has to wonder if the PS3 will receive long retail legs like its predecessor did.”
Regardless of which system outsells the other, Divnich emphasized that an installed base is only as good as the games that are being purchased for it.
“Unlike previous generations, I don’t foresee third place being a ‘doom and gloom’ scenario,” he said. “Even with it being in third place now, the PS3 is an incredibly healthy platform. It all comes down to the active installed base; a company can sell as many consoles as it wishes, but if consumers are not actively buying games, they are not part of the installed base’s economic ecosystem. The PS3 doesn’t have the same problem the GameCube had with its third place finish last generation.”
Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
“PS3 to outsell Xbox 360 by 2012 – Analyst” was posted by Tom Magrino on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 12:28:39 -0800 -
Can you dig it?
The decades-old Boulder Dash series is set for a fresh lease of life with a new downloadable title heading to PC and Xbox Live Arcade.
Boulder Dash XL, developed by German developer Catnip Games, will offer 150 levels, online leaderboards and five separate game modes: arcade, retro, zen, puzzle and time challenge.
Created by lone Canadian programmer Peter Liepa, Boulder Dash was first sighted on the Atari 400 back in 1984.
-
Never intended to “bury” service.
Microsoft has explained its decision to reinstate the Xbox Live Indie Games service to the games store proper.
Dave Mitchell, a product unit manager for Microsoft’s Developer Program posted on the App Hub forums, “The intent was to provide a special destination for Xbox Live Indie Game developers and not to ‘bury’ it as some have suggested it. We are constantly striving to make sure we are optimizing the experience for our users and developers across the entire marketplace – indies included.
“Based on the strong feedback from all of you however, we are in the process of moving the channel back. You should already see this process underway being reflected on your consoles.”
-
Team Bondi’s delayed interactive detective thriller receiving fresh video this week; still no release date offered.
Get the full article at GameSpot
“L.A. Noire getting new trailer Thursday” was posted by Eddie Makuch on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 11:45:31 -0800 -
SSXDeadlyDescent.com, SSXFirstDescent.com registered by unknown company; EA staying mum on possible titles.
Among its library of intellectual properties, Electronic Arts has one of the more popular snowboarding series, SSX. The franchise has lain fallow since 2007, when SSX Blur was released as a Wii exclusive. Prior to that, installments in the series appeared on the PSP, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2, and original Xbox.
Now, there are signs that EA may be bringing back the SSX franchise. This week, the Internet sleuth known as Superannuation uncovered two URLs that were registered by a domain company last week: SSXFirstDescent.com and SSXDeadlyDescent.com. The domains DeadlyDescent.com and DeadlyDescents.com were also registered. All four URLs currently point to blank white pages.
Though no definitive link to EA was established, the use of the snowboarding term “first descent” in conjunction with the trademarked SSX name points to a possible new title from the publisher. However, reps for the Redwood City, California-based company declined comment on the URLs, dismissing any association with EA as “rumor and speculation.”
For more on the last game in the SSX series, check out GameSpot’s full review of SSX Blur.
Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
“New SSX domain names registered” was posted by Tor Thorsen on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 11:08:00 -0800 -
Specialty retailer believes Activision’s latest Call of Duty title will top last year’s record-smashing Infinity Ward-developed hit.
Activision released the Infinity Ward-developed Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 in November 2009, and it was kind of a big deal. Within 24 hours, the game had sold 4.7 million units in the US, Canada, and UK alone, generating more than $330 million in the process. By the end of its first week, the game had smashed records across a variety of media, as the sales juggernaut passed the $550 million marker and eventually pulled in more than $1 billion.
Last night, thousands of retailers across the globe began selling Modern Warfare 2’s follow-up, the Treyarch-developed Call of Duty: Black Ops, and the largest of those specialty shops believes Activision will be pleased with the results. Speaking to Gamasutra, GameStop merchandising senior VP Bob McKenzie said Black Ops’ launch will eclipse that of Modern Warfare 2.
“I think it’s a loyal fan base for the franchise and [Activision has] done a great job of really getting out in front of it and really making this an event,” McKenzie said. “I’m convinced it’ll be the biggest launch that we’ve ever had, that the industry has ever seen…Each one of these, they get so much bigger that you kind of look at it…thinking each one can’t be bigger than the prior year. But really, for over 12 weeks we’ve been tracking at a number that surpassed last year’s.”
McKenzie also noted that he does not believe consumers will be deterred by the fact that Treyarch is developing this year’s Call of Duty title, and not the destabilized Infinity Ward outfit.
“You look at the history of Call of Duty, and they’ve had the dual studios for so many years that this is not out of sequence,” he said. “The consumer…is used to and accepting of the fact that Treyarch does one and then it’s [Infinity Ward] doing the next. I think that if that cycle was broken…then I’d have a little more hesitation. But, again, everything is in line.”
Call of Duty: Black Ops is now available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, DS, and PC. For more information, check out GameSpot’s previous coverage.
Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot
“Black Ops to top Modern Warfare 2 launch – GameStop” was posted by Tom Magrino on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 11:03:30 -0800 -
Who remembers Rampage?
Sony has confirmed a PlayStation Network release for Eat Them!, the latest game from Bristol-based developer FluffyLogic.
The game’s producer told the PlayStation Blog that the Rampage-esque romp lets players “create their own giant monster which they then use to smash, crash and munch their way though the city. The monster is people-powered, so eating folk is a prerequisite of keeping your monster in full-on destruction mode.”
You can expect “customisable monster creation and lots and lots of smashing things. The player has the option of single-player and split-screen multiplayer, head-to-head and co-operative missions.”
-
Following developer outcry, Microsoft brings pint-sized titles to Games & Demos tab on Xbox 360’s online platform.
Get the full article at GameSpot
“Indie Games channel moved on Xbox Live” was posted by Tom Magrino on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 10:15:52 -0800 -
Sources: Sledgehammer looking to the stars.
The next game in the Call of Duty series will be set in space, industry sources have claimed.
Gamasutra report, “Industry sources say Sledgehammer’s Call of Duty will be set in the future and feature, for lack of a better term, space marines – a very big step for a franchise that has historically based itself on realism.”
Activision’s enormously successful FPS franchise seems to have finally turned its back on its traditional World War II setting with this year’s Cold War-set Black Ops.
-
“We all adore developing for the 360.”
Xbox Live Indie Game developers have praised Microsoft for switching the XBLIG channel back to the Games & Demos section of the Xbox 360 dashboard.
Microsoft’s backtrack followed an outpouring of anger from indie developers incensed that their games were shunted to the Speciality Shops tab away from other Xbox Live releases.
“As a community I’d say we’re all very, very happy,” Mike Bergenstjerna of MStar Games told Eurogamer.
